However, as I explained I more detail back then, the bigger problem was that I was just very busy and wasn´t really feeling the racing at all. When you´re on the bike in a race and thinking ´what do I do this for´… and that feeling is borne out of disinterest rather than pain… well, you know it´s time to make a change.
So the past few weeks have been all about the process. Loving the training. Loving the feeling of getting fitter. Thinking in terms of longterm aspirations in the sport. As well as finding a little more balance in work and my private life.
I´m very happy about that. I´ve witnessed firsthand in the past several triathletes who have become scared to race. They´re so determined that every performance must be a PR or huge step forward, that they end up never stepping foot on the race course. That´s not the way to perform. Firstly, racing should be the ´pay off´ that motivates us to train in the first place. Without it, you´re an exercise addict not an athlete. Plus, I´ve always firmly believed that the best way to get faster is by racing. You´ll never push quite as hard in training as you do in a race, and that´s where you truly develop that top end speed and ability to dip into the pain cave for longer and longer.
So, this weekend is the Nieuw West Triathlon where I´ll once again do the sprint distance race. There´s a sprint and Olympic on offer and I´ve opted for the shorter race format. I could argue that this is an attempt to work on higher intensity racing before my half IM, or even that I´ve chosen the shorter race as it´s part of a solid weekend of training but, if I´m being totally honest, my decision is based on it being a lap course. 4 laps on the bike and 2 laps on the run are plenty for me and doubling up would just leave me dizzy! Like I say, you´ve got to do whatever flicks your switches.
Last year, I came second in this race and while it´d be nice to get another podium, my focus is on getting close to the time I did last year (1.03.44 for 750m swim, 22km bike, 5km run)… you can´t control who else will be racing but you can control your own performance.
While I will be prepared and looking forward to this weekend´s race, I won´t be fresh and tapered but that´s ok. This has been a normal week of training, with a long hard run on the cards tonight, a strength/based bike session on Friday, and a swim and some strides on Saturday.
The sprint itself will be part of a big Sunday of training. Afterwards, I´ll head out for another couple of hours on the bike, with part of that at HIM intensity, and maybe even another steady run. Tis isn´t an approach I´d always recommend but it´s been well thought out and, if I´m feeling sore after the race, I´ll drop some of the intensity from the ride and extra run.
While being mentally fresh, ready and happy to race this weekend is the super short/term goal, I´m not going to forget that the ICAN at the end of the month is still the A race for the season.