Some Goals

Like I mentioned earlier, I am NOT setting any time goals for this race. My primary objective is to finish and not be disqualified. If I cross the finish line as the ultimate “back packer” at 11:59:59 PM – I will still be jumping for joy.

But I definitely have a long road ahead and will need to set some goals along the way. Coaches G., S. and B. (Coach S. is actually our swim coach and Coach B., our bike coach, – now if only there was a synonym for running that starts with a “G” – gallop, gait, grrrr…) will be giving the TriGirls and me the logistics for training and preparation, but here are some high level initial goals I’ve been thinking about:

• Improve my snail like pace. I am fairly certain I will need to walk a good part of the marathon, therefore I want to focus on improving pacing on the swim and bike – so I start the run with strong legs and a nice time cushion.
• Eating and drinking during a race. I tend to not drink or eat while biking. I know I should – and I will during transitions – but I get nervous trying to open packages or fiddle with bottle tops while riding. Eating while running is the last thing I want to do – though I can down a few Gatorades and water. At least I don’t have to worry about it during the swim (well - actually figuring out how NOT to swallow the Gulf of Mexico).
• Swimming in a wetsuit. Of all the three sports, swimming is – relatively – my strongest. This year, I tried to swim one race in a wetsuit (violating the cardinal rule of not trying anything new on race day) and felt like I was suffocating.
• Mental focus. I am not terribly competitive when it comes to sports. I hear folks talking about how they are driven to pass the person in front of them. Now, I’m not saying that it doesn’t feel good the few times it has happened, but my thoughts tend to focus on pretty scenery or how many miles I have left. While I’m not sure I really want to (or should) become that competitive person, I do think I need to have a bit more internal focus and mental stamina. 17 hours is a long time to do anything!
• Remember progress is relative. Most of the TriGirls doing IMFL with me are better athletes. I need to track my improvements relative to me. Usually, I’m pretty good about this, but I’ll need to remember it when I’m the last person finishing up the day’s training run.
• Perspective. This is BIG – but it isn’t solving world hunger. Keep things in perspective – and remember not everyone cares about this crazy triathlon thing the way I do.