The other 10% is also mental.
I read this quote years back by an ultra-runner. I did not fully understand it until Saturday.
Mile 13 of the run at the end of a 70.3 mile triathlon is ALL mental. I promise.
Actually, there were several points that were all mental for me during the Boise Ironman 70.3 .
The mental part really starts in training. 20 mile per hour winds, 30 degree temps and I have to ride my bike how far today?
I'm setting my alarm for 5:09 a.m. (not a minute sooner) to go torture myself to the point of wanting to vomit in the pool with people who I really have no business swimming with? (They're actually really nice and helpful, it's just that they are insanely fast)
Ran more than once in a hail storm so strong that I was actually saying "ow ow ow" out loud to myself as it hit my face! Not to mention that sometimes running is just plain boring. And tiring.
Physically I can do these things, but do I WANT to? Maybe not that day, but I did want to compete and do well in the race. I desired something greater than just that bike ride for that day.
My favorite talk in General Conference was by Dallin H. Oaks on desire. Of course his words were about eternally important desires, but it rang so true to me about my race which has been at the forefront of my mind for a LONG time!
"Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming."
So I would drag my tail outside and train. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all dreadful. I love to exercise. I love swimming, I had some great rides with Darren and others with fun friends. I finally found a time to connect with a friend by running the canyon at centennial with her once a week. It feels GOOD to be fit. I am nicer to my husband and kids when I exercise.
So 100% mental?
Routine. The importance of it became evident to me through this. Everyday life can seem so small and insignificant. But it adds up to a life. I had a few quotes that I kept inside my training book.
"The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine."
"Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out."
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased."
So, two days before the race I could barely eat because I was so nervous. Darren kept laughing at me. People I knew had colds, I was paranoid I would get it. I had been thinking about this for so long, since I had to drop out last year, that I kind of put it out there as the impossible, the thing that I may never get to accomplish. We drove to Boise Friday morning so I could attend the pre-race briefing. Check in took another hour. The kids were bored. Darren too. We then drove out to Lucky Peak Reservoir to leave my bike in T1 and to dip my toes into the water. Bad idea. Cold! 53 degrees!
From there I wanted to drive the 56 mile bike course just to get a picture in my head of the hills and sharp turns they had warned us about. Then back to the Ironman store to buy my "70.3" car sticker. I always told myself that that is one I would actually put on my car! Kids were sooooooo done by this point. How many ball games, practices, recitals, ........have I sat through?The martyrdom spiel didn't work on them, they just wanted out of the car. I don't blame them.
I was seriously shaking for most of the day. A little out of hunger and a low blood sugar thingy, but also because of nerves!
We had a business dinner that night. I took something to help me sleep. And then it was Saturday.
I was calm. Strangely relaxed, chill. Not even butterflies. The race didn't start until 12:00. We went downtown to T2 and set out my run gear. Back to the hotel. I laid on the bed and thought, "Am I actually going to do this today? Swim, bike, and run 70.3 miles?" I asked Darren why he thought I was so relaxed. He told me it was because I had done the training, I was ready. I believed him. I truly believe in a huge mind-body connection, even one we are unaware of. Oh to be able to tap it. 100% mental. Even though consciously I was doubting myself, my "insides" knew I was ready and what had to be done that day. Do I sound weird? Because it was a very real calm, almost automatic feeling. And that is NOT normally how I roll. Not. at. all.
Swim.
Two swim caps, as recommended by cold water swimmers, new wetsuit I had never worn in the water (stupid), booties- the best suggestion EVER from a friend at the pool, and my goggles, which promptly fogged up as soon as I jumped in the water. Took my double caffeine tangerine gu 15 before start. 88 women age 35-39 wearing the green swim cap all jumped in the water for our 12:17 wave start. Not one of us could keep our hands in the water, everyone was holding them by their heads, the water was biting. I put my face in and blew, but the cold prevented me from keeping my head in very long!
The horn sounded. I swam. 1900 yds. I swam crooked several times. I kicked and hit people several times, on accident of course. I panicked a little. I did not swim well until I rounded the first corner at 800 or so yds. Overall I was a lot slower than I should and could have been. ALL MENTAL and I failed on this one. Other than the fact that I did it, pushed through, even though I was telling myself I hated it! Blue caps caught me, I caught a few purple caps. Then some white caps caught up. Hello Lisa! SWIM!
Out of the water. Blurry, wobbly. Hallelujah! Just keep moving the legs. Couldn't get my sleeves over my watch and i.d. band. Felt a little stupid. TONS of people watching on the sides. Up the ramp to people waiting to help me strip off my wetsuit. Nicest people. Even took off my booties! Ran up the ramp, dropped a bootie. Volunteers helped me. Now I felt strong. Had my legs and vision back! Ran to my bike, not many were even left from my wave, I really had blown the swim!
Bike.
I saw Darren and the kids as I exited transition and hopped on my bike. I rode. The first few miles are downhill. It was nice to get my heart rate under control. Then a climb and out toward Micron. There was a coiled rattlesnake in the middle of the road!
I felt great on the bike. There were more hills than I expected. I tried to take advantage of the downhill portions by getting as low as I could. My game plan was to keep my heart rate in my "intensive endurance" range. I didn't want to make the rookie mistake of hammering the bike and then bonking on the run. This meant keeping my heart rate between 143- 148. I also didn't want to get lazy on the bike and not push it as hard as I could. My average heart rate ended up being 158 on the bike. Oops. I knew it, but felt great and decided to go for it......I averaged 17.1 mph which is about as good as I can ride, considering the hills and the fact that there is no drafting.
I did the bike in 3:17. I was going to be happy with 3:30. I was so excited to see my family on the last mile of the bike. Mostly because I wanted Darren to see how FAST I had biked! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! DO YOU SEE MY TIME! That is how I was feeling inside. And I was having a blast!
Run.
I got off my bike and pushed it into T2. My legs felt great. I hung my bike, changed shoes, and exchanged my helmet for my new IRONMAN 70.3 visor, made a bathroom stop and headed out the shoot. In training when I do a bike to run it usually takes a few miles to get my legs back. My feet feel like there are ridges in my shoes, this is because of lack of circulation and parts of my feet are numb from the bike. Not today! My legs felt strong! I could feel my feet!
I took a gu and stuck a double caffeine tangerine in my top for later. They had tons of support on the run, but I am partial to my tangerine! The run was beautiful. It was two loops along the greenbelt. Shade, trees, volunteers, cheering family members. It was really fun! I took powerade and water, cold sponges and occasionally some defizzed coke along the way. The pretzels and chips actually sounded good but I didn't need them and didn't want to take the time.
I did my first loop in about 58 min. Darren yelled that I was right on time wise. I wanted to do the run in 2 hrs. But had really doubted if I could do it. My longest training run had been 11.6. All my long runs had ended up being on a day with some torrential force of nature came through Kimberly.
I had mantras I would say in my head. There are no ipods allowed in triathlons, and I never run without one in training. I kept saying positive things to myself..."legs are strong, legs are strong" or "breathing it breathes me" - sounds strange but it is from a sports psychology class I took as a teenager for gymnastics. From mile 7 to 8 - "Eight, eight, eight will be great." Then "nine, nine, nine will be fine" "ten ten then again." As you can tell I am very creative:) I could see that getting two hours was going to happen, so then I started wanted UNDER two hours....even if it was 159:59. When I hit the last mile I knew it was going to be close! "C'mon 59, c'mon 59" this was even out loud sometimes! Dig Dig!
During races I am in a constant battle with myself. Wanting to push, then it becomes too much, then I think of how soon I'll be home and will I be wishing I had pushed it harder? Pain is temporary, pain is temporary. How much more can I take, don't want to leave anything out there. But I am soooo tired!
The last two blocks were amazing. I looked at my watch way too much. There were hundreds of cheering people encouraging me on! C'mon 59! I crossed the finish line, a "catcher" wrapped a space blanket around me and kept a strong hold on my shoulders to steady me. Nicest people!!!
I didn't know until later that the run had taken me 2:00.10. So close!!! Couldn't I have been just 10 seconds faster? It seems like it looking back, but in the moment it's all you have.
6:14.01
My general goal had been to finish under 7 hours. But in my mind I had figured 6:36 would make me very satisfied. When figuring my speed and times 6:15 came up as a "perfect" race for me. 6:15 didn't stay in my mind very long, had to be realistic. 6:14:01!!!!!
I can't stop going over the race in my head, thinking of where I could have shaved a few seconds. Especially the swim. OH THE SWIM! It haunts me. I will have to do it next year and try to redeem myself!
Official race pics here.
