DON’T LOOK BACK I am less than one week out from my Ironman Chattanooga race. As I sit here and write this blog many thoughts SWIM, BIKE, and RUN through my head!
I began training exclusively for this race on April 10. That was 5 months ago. I had been training prior to that for other races, but never a race as challenging as an Ironman. The questions I want to ask myself are did I SWIM enough, BIKE enough, RUN enough? Did I do everything I can? What else
can I do?
As I reviewed my training program, I thought, what does it matter at this point? I am less than one week out. There is no additional training I could do that will help me complete this race. I cannot make up for the days I missed. The only thing I can do is move forward, trust the process, and have faith. Focus on the things I am able to control.
What I can control this week are my nutrition and hydration for the race. Ensure my BIKE is tuned up and ready to go. Inspect my goggles and wetsuit for the SWIM. Ensure I have the little things available to me when I need them. So much of the time is focused on the training and not always on the equipment or ancillaries that help us. For example, I need nutrition during the race. I will be racing for up to 17 hours, hopefully less, so I will need to feed my body. I will need to replace the salt I will lose when sweating. I will need to have good, dry socks when I am on the BIKE and RUN. I will need sunglasses to protect my eyes, a hat to protect my face. I will need body glide and paste to protect my vulnerable areas.
These may seem like small things but they can be the difference between a Finishing Pic or DNF (did not finish). “I felt great but I could not finish because my nipple rubbed off (for those that don’t know…it can happen!) or my toes had blisters.” That would go against my #noexcuses mantra!
If you are trying to accomplish a goal, you cannot continue to look back and wonder if I had done this or if I had done that. It is too late! It is a daily process. If you prepare the best you can, #noexcuses, follow the process, believe you can do it, continue to move forward, and just have faith, you will cross the finish line!
This race will be just one goal I accomplish in my life. One more item checked off the bucket list. What the race preparation has taught me is DON’T LOOK BACK. I am not saying you should not take the time to reflect on the process but you cannot continue to live in the past. You have to focus on today so you can make it the best today you ever had. You cannot move forward if you keep taking steps backwards. This is more than a race. This is LIFE!
When I start my race on Sunday, September 24 at 7:30 a.m., I will not be looking behind me. I will not care who or what is back there. I will SWIM one stroke at time, I will BIKE one mile at a time, and I will RUN one step at a time until I see the finish line. When I do, I will know the process, the preparation, the belief that I can, and not looking back but moving forward got me there!
See the video below for more inspiration. Completing an Ironman may not be on your bucket list, but this video will inspire you to reach YOUR goals.