As Fall slowly transformed into Winter last year, I had more time to reflect on my race season and to formulate my goals for the coming year.  I had placed 7th, 5th and 2nd overall in some local duathlon races and I surmised with another Winter of run and bike development I could aim for a more competitive duathlon event.  I set my sights on the national duathlon championships in Richmond, Virginia this past April.   I thought about how Crystal had competed there a year earlier and placed 2nd overall in the women's field and Marti was a former Duathlon World Champion. Living in a strong cycling community I knew my biking would be challenged plenty just from riding with the group.  Being surrounded by such fine company I felt if would be easier to receive guidance and inspiration when I signed up for Richmond.  Winter training went well, there was plenty of consistent running and even indoor bike time trials to boost my power.  I even took up swimming to attempt my second goal of competing in 3 triathlons over the Summer.   I was able to work with Marti starting in March and not only my running improved but also my understanding of the importance of recovery, to avoid over-racing if your race goals are more lofty and how much work it actually takes to improve!
           
 In Richmond, I made some mistakes with my pre-race meal and spent too much time in the car two days before the race resulting in heavy legs and a cramped stomach; lessons learned.  I was passed by multiple competitors in my age group in the last few miles during my second run which was nearing to a crawl.  Upon seeing the results I realized that I was 21st in my age group and only the top 18 automatically qualified for Worlds but the roll-down went up to the top 25 in each age group.  I left the race to get a jump on the drive home with my dad figuring to wait until next year.  In the car and well into the drive, I realized I probably should have waited around to see if I had made the team.   I am an endurance athlete and persistence and enduring is our strength compared to many other sports.  Besides the relaxation and escape that I find on easy training rides and runs, there is the challenge of pushing myself to news limits and a little hope for improvement.   In racing, for me, the goal is mostly to have fun but also there is the goal of outlasting the rest and to see where I end up.  These challenges keep me interested.  The moment I arrived home I emailed USAT and informed them of my interest in representing the team if a spot became available.  Two weeks later I received the exciting email and reserved my spot.  Marti helped in me in this decision to pursue a spot because she emphasized the opportunity to be racing at that level would be a wonderful experience.   Though I barely made the team, I STILL made the team and now I had the opportunity to race with people from all parts of the world in a foreign place that I might never get to venture to again.  A challenge and chance for personal growth.
 
Almost 1 month ago I was preparing for the ECV time trial in Hamilton and I accidentally crashed into another rider and came down hard on one foot spraining my formerly injured knee (nearly 12 years ago).   I tried to shake it off, partly in denial and raced the TT with some moderate discomfort.  Once I stopped, the knee swelled up and stiffened.  I immediately thought "There goes my chance at worlds" and I was quite disappointed.   After a few days of feeling down and still having a sore knee I began to have a perspective change.  This race had been putting too much pressure on me and my family and trying to fit in so much intense training was getting to me.  Or to put it better, I had allowed it pressure me.  I realized that I could not treat this race like a god and slowly my perspective improved back to how grateful I am just to be able to get out for easy rides with friends and to show up for local races and see familiar faces.   I started running 5 days later, every few days I would add a mile then gradually I could run longer.   Then a little speed work again without pain, then  two days in a row, followed by long runs at speeds in more familiar territory.  Last week I trained harder than in previous months, two solid track session and so on.   The race up in Gloucester was my the first test and though I probably had not absorbed all the hard training I put in the past few weeks, it went well enough.   Yesterday, I went to the track and performed 800's at times where I was before the injury and 10 seconds faster than just last Thursday.   Last night, after my solid track session and some thinking, I booked my flight and reserved a small room at the athletic village in Edinburgh, about 20 minutes from the course and the epicenter of where the other athletes will be staying.    

So my goals for the next few weeks;  Rest plenty by going to bed early, putting my legs up when possible, ice baths, massages and eating and drinking healthy and of course getting out for some solid and easy training sessions with friends. There really isn't much more intense training that I need to do in the next few weeks, particularly after next week.  Fitness gains will be marginal at best in that time, therefore, it becomes more imperative to aim for full recovery and go into the race hungry.  Though the talent there will be deep, I plan to be the best prepared Scott at the race... there is my pun for this note.  

I never achieved much athletically as a youth.  I attempted bike racing twice and both times was quickly dropped and stripped of all glycogen getting totally dehydrated, so badly in fact that I had to sneak behind an unknown person's house to drink from their water hose and then when finishing I devoured two peanut butter sandwiches probably leaving half on my face.  Wow, those tasted remarkably good.  If you have ever bonked, you know exactly what I'm talking about.   I joined the track team in high school but was too slow to be a sprinter and didn't lack the endurance to run long, therefore I did a little of everything, javelin, long jump, high-jump and the 400 relay (only when we had a big lead) but I really enjoyed being on a team and competing.  I also joined the crew team in college which helped develop my base for what I'm doing now.   My point is; keep at it, if you want it, set goals and if you endure long enough you may achieve your goals and you may also find every experience along the way is what really matters and the final goal or end result is just a celebration of your journey.  Thanks to everyone for helping me in achieving this vision quest.  I've learned so much from all of you, definitely more than I let you know but hopefully you all do in fact know... that I know ...that you know...  ; )

-Scott
 


Comments

Gavin link
08/13/2010 12:29

Keep the updates coming!

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