Eagleman is 2 weeks from NOW. I am so excited and I feel ready, but know I
have 2 weeks of prep still to go, and am ready to stay focused for that.
My two weeks of prep is heavy in MENTAL prep… For me, this
is a huge part of race day and GETTING THROUGH it… and getting through it to
the BEST of my ability. I develop
mantras, identify possible scenarios that could happen and how to deal with,
and create opportunities for complete success by envisioning how I want to FEEL.
Today I am starting with the swim, which is a tough spot for
me.
Swim is my worst.
Last September, I was DEVOTED to ensuring that this year I was a faster
swimmer, and unfortunately I don’t think I am there. I may be a more “comfortable” swimmer- I may
love it a little bit more and feel more at ease, strong in my stroke, but
honestly, it unfortunately hasn’t translated into times. I hit a set back when my back went out in November/December and
even swimming was problematic for my back for a bit, and since then I haven’t
come back with the INTENSITY that I wanted to, BUT.. I am still READY… My swim
in Florida was a very fast ½ IM pace for me, so I’m not sure if I was
a.
Scared of the gators
b.
Maybe I was faster
c.
Maybe the course was faster- it was easy sighting
for me and I do think I did a real good job sighting, plus there was no current
in the lake we were in.
REGARDLESS, I am ready for EM swim, but there are some
things that I need to remind myself of.
***Swim start: I want
to make sure I have warmed up a bit. I plan to take some “throw away shoes to
the swim start area so I can just leave the, but that way my heart rate has
been up already.
I have a tendency about 90 seconds into swim to have not a
full panic, BUT… a point where I am like HUH, WHAT, I FEEL THIS!! Surprisingly, I always feel TIGHT IN MY LEGS-
like my LEGS ARE SUFFOCATING and not getting air?! Weird. But the main thing is that I remind myself
that I feel that and yes, swim another 1-2 minutes and that feeling will be
gone, so do yoga breathing until then and I will be FINE FINE FINE!!
WHAT ARE MY GOALS for the swim?
I would love to swim 36-37 minutes, BUT I know this course
has often taken me 40 and sometimes 43. It is a river, there is a current,
things happen, so ultimately, my goal will not be so much TIME, but my
ACTIONS/PERFORMANCE IN WATER. I want to
start strong, stay smooth and relaxed, BUT WORKING. Eagleman, I often end up feeling through the
water like yea yea, this is good, I’m doing so great… and I think maybe I just
stick with that and forget to WORK at the LEVEL OF RACE DAY! I certainly don’t need to “race” the swim,
BUT… I need to BEGIN. THE. DAY. And
those words will be my mantra this year for the swim. BEGIN. THE. DAY.: the swim ISN’T going to make or break my day,
but it sure will BEGIN it. I will feel comfortable
in the water, but at least the 2nd half I want to be at a place of
strong EFFORT.
I intend to set my watch every 8 minutes to beep, and that
will let me know when the 16 min mark is to def KEEP FOCUSED through that
CENTER SECTION when things seem blah… and then 24 minutes to ramp up, then 32
to GO GO to end.
I am completely okay getting out with heart rate up (not TOO
high) but I won’t be SURPRISED or worried by this. My arms will calm down on bike/ and thus my
hr will go down (until LEGS get that soaring again!)
**EAGLEMAN SIGHTING SOMETIMES GETS ME OFF BECAUSE THE SUN.
Ughhhhh… in the next 2 weeks I will practice sighting and
also make sure I am using my tinted goggles for sun…
I realize swim will not make or break my race.
I am committed to staying strong no matter what my watch says out of the river, BUT... I am going to go STRONG.
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