For The Love of Competition: XTERRA Eureka Springs

I remember blogging about this race last year. I remember the weeks leading up to it. The training, the preparation, and my freak-out/melt-down just days before. I was so worried that I couldn't do it. That I couldn't perform quite like I had in training...maybe that I would let my friends and family down, or worse let myself down. This year was no different. The week leading up to it was exactly the same. It was almost as if it were scripted from last year's edition. Late-night sobbing and the self-doubt that I had allowed to creep into my mind. Where had this come from? My training was on schedule, perhaps started a little later than ideal, but nonetheless on track. I was feeling good and even sleeping GREAT. That monster of "self-doubt" that I had allowed to get into my mind was beginning to destroy me, if I would let him.

Thank goodness for an awesome coach and amazing friends who were able to put me in my place. "Smile and have fun" and "pretend you're doing a brick with 130 of your closest friends" were the thoughts that kept running through my head. I went from a ball of jitters and anxiety to calm and relaxed.

I slept exceptionally well, given the circumstances and race morning was a blast. Not too many nerves. Seeing old friends and having my little niece and nephews to help me set up my bike definitely calmed me. I decided to take the swim slower than normal, not to push it. I hadn't been in the pool in over two weeks (MSU had it shut down for summer break). Caught up to the men's group and still somehow managed to come out of the water in 3rd place with a time of 16:49. (Like I said...I took it slow). I was in and out of T1 rather quickly.

They say NEVER to try new things on race day. So I tried two new things, racing with socks and without a Camelbak. I never was one to follow the norm. I decided to try racing in socks because I have been having problems with blisters, so thought that maybe this would be my solution. As for the Camelbak, I had forgotten it so I really had no choice. Ha.

(Lizz waving me into T2. All the way from Utah. AWESOME)

I got out on the bike and I felt AMAZING. So much better than I expected to feel. I walked the first major climb (as usual, to save my legs) and then hopped back on my bike. I tried to stay up with the men and the few women who had passed me on the climb. I keep my cadence high and my gearing low. I kept yelling out "on your left" and "out of the way" definitely not terms that I am used to saying, more like used to hearing. I pushed the bike pace feeling so good. Never in a bike race have I ridden with other racers for that long of time and what an exhilarating feeling it was. I got off the bike with pain as normal in the hips and back but a huge smile on my face. I don't know if I have ever come off the bike feeling that good. T2 was in and out.

Aly met me with Tre and Annie and they ran with me to the entrance of the run course. Seeing the excitment in their eyes getting to run with me was awesome. The plan was to walk the major climbs and sprint everything else. Like everything else in life, plans change and this race was no different. I was sprinting down a descent and stepped funny and tweeked my hip. From then on those 5 miles were rather painful. Whenever I would run, I would have shooting pain down the backside of my leg into my foot and my leg would buckle. Weirdest feeling to have only one leg give out. I was finally able to change my mechanics enough to the point where if I didn't land very hard of my right side it didn't hurt as bad. Whatver I had to do to get me through that finish line.

(Aly, Tre, Annie, and Will waiting for me at the finish-line)

I caught up to and passed three people. I felt so beat up towards the end but was once again met by my best friend and coach who ran me in to the shoot where I was greeted by my nephew who ran across the finish-line with me. It was an amazing experience to be able to share with so many friends and family. I came across the finish-line 5 minutes faster than the year before with a time of 3:41:34.