So I'm on my way to Chicago tomorrow for the Chicago Triathlon.
I'll be driving my little electric car once again and just like last year I hope to make it from Boulder to Chicago on $58 worth of gas.
This year I do not plan to run out of gas in th middle of Illinois like I did last year.
More importantly, I hope I don't run out of gas during the race.
As you may recall last year I came in second in my age and fat category. This year I hope to improve by one position on the podium.
If I do run out of gas I certainly can't blame the equipment, or the clothing, or the coaching, or the nutrition. I have the best sponsors in the world and I hope to do them proud. It would be a small thank you to them if I could actually take a podium picture with their logos on display.
But more importantly this year I've got team raceAthlete to consider as well as you my loyal readers. That's a whole lot of pressure to perform. I will do my best and I will try not to suck...as my masters coach likes to say.
To a large extant it really depends on the weather. If it is cool I'll probably do OK. If it is hot, I'll be dragging my Clydesdale big butt around Chi-Town for a long and painful morning.
My race strategy is simple; go hard on the swim and bike, and hold on as best as possible on the run. As you may be aware I've really been training for Ironman Wisconsin so my body should be able to sustain a relatively short Olympic distance hard effort.
The downside is that I have not been doing much of the speed workouts needed for shorter distance racing. For example my running speed workouts have been at a marathon pace which is obviously much slower than a 10K pace.
Last year I raced Chicago after my Ironman race. This year it is the exact opposite so we'll see which way is faster.
Speaking of the Ironman...as you may be able to tell by my rantings and ramblings this week, I have not exactly drank from the IM Kool Aide cup. Furthermore, as you may have already guessed I will certainly not be getting an Ironman tattoo anytime soon. I figure I came into this world adorned with only freckles and the occasional birth mark, and that's how I intend to leave it.
As I was saying I have not exactly bought into the Ironman lifestyle. While I love the sport, to me the Iron distance is not the be all and end all of triathlon.
So what is my goal for Ironman Wisconsin, you may ask?
I don't have time goal like Rural Girl. I don't have a grudge match like Zen and Jetpack. I don't have a great cause like Triboomer. I don't really even have a need to prove anything to myself. This will be my 3rd Iron distance race and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have the time, health, and good luck to be able to race the Iron distance.
It is simply because of the support of my wonderful family, and my good fortune to be healthy enough that I can even put my toe in the water at the starting line in Madison.
Just as importantly it is because of you and your interest in my triathlon life that I can race with some of the best coaching, gear, and equipment.
I am indeed blessed.
So Thank You all!
For me the simple act of racing in Wisconsin is enough of a goal. Life is in the journey and not in the destination, as Sweet likes to remind us. I so look forward to the Ironman journey and the fact that I have my friends, family, and you along with me is really more than I could want or deserve.
So my goal is to make you, my sponsors, my friends, my family, and myself proud by finishing strong. To be more exact I simply want to run the run.
In my past races I have always swam the swim, and biked the bike, but always walked a large part of the run.
In Wisconsin I want to run the run.
It really is that simple.
"Run the Run," is now my official motto for IM Wisconsin.
It may not make much of a poster, but it's not such a bad goal for the everyman.