Aug. 2008-Overcoming Injuries

Sometimes the biggest opponent you have is yourself. Injuries, time constraints and self doubts can all work against you.

It’s more than being physically ready; you have to be in the right frame of mind for a race. I had definitely lost my confidence after the Pigman. I was planning on returning to action on Aug. 24 at the Hickory Grove Triathlon. A week before the race, though, I strained my hamstring. I couldn’t believe this was happening to be me again, since I had missed the 2007 Trihawk due to injury.

I didn’t want to drop out after training for months, but with an 8K running race and the ’08 Trihawk on the schedule, I wondered what would be the best course of action. That week I rested, used a heating pad and tried to rehab myself. By the weekend I felt good enough to go.

I traveled to the Hickory Grove Park on Saturday. I decided to camp at the "primitive
campground"--a decision I would later regret. I set up my tent and then went to the race site to check out the run and bike routes. It was then off to Ames to pick up my race packet and fill up on pasta at Applebee's (and no, I don't want to eat at the bar because I am by myself!).

I returned to the campground where my fellow campers watched me mix up powders and
gels for the next day. They probably thought I had set up a drug lab. I was bored so I went back to the race site and sat on the beach, mentally going over the swim (those buoys always look so far away!) and visualizing strong transitions. I tried to make it an early night, but a group of campers next to me decided to party until 2 AM! I got up at 5 so I would have to go on a couple hours sleep.

It was a cold morning, but the water felt nice. I found out I was in the second to the last wave. I had a sinking feeling. I am normally the slowest swimmer in my wave and the wave behind me usually catches up to me at some point. What if I was the very last person to leave the water?

Finally at 8:30 my wave started. I was in trouble right away. I was in good swimming
condition for the Pigman, but the flood had thrown off my training. I felt tired early on and I knew the whole swim would be a struggle. As I neared the shore I looked back and breathed a sigh of relief that there were still people behind me.

The bike route was three loops of the same 5-mile route. As I came out of the park all
of these bikes on their second and third loops were racing down the hill and I was supposed to "merge" with them. I felt like I was on the Tour de France! It was fast and furious and I never knew what loop the other bikers were on.

By the third loop I saw a girl ahead of me and I mentally put a target on her back. She turned around and saw me coming for her. She started to pedal harder, but I would not be denied. I passed a few more people on my loop, including three 20-somethings a mile from the finish. I actually felt stronger on the third loop than I did on the first and I wished I could do another loop rather than run!

It was back to transition and off on the run. The run was a mix of grass inside the park and pavement. Unfortunately, the three young girls I passed on the bike passed me on the run. My legs were feeling really tight, but I told myself it would get better. The run then went on the pavement of the county road. I looked back and there was the first girl I passed on the bike, maybe 200 yards back. I couldn't let her catch me. In my mind I would think I could hear her footsteps behind me and I kept wanting to turn around. I remembered the "Runner" song that says "don't look back, you've been there." As in life, what is behind you is in the past so there is no need to look back.

I saw a woman ahead of me who had started to walk so I set my sights on her and
forgot about the one behind me. I passed her and then I was all alone on the road.
Running gives you plenty of time to think so I started going over the swim and already
planning on what I needed to do in the off-season to improve. Soon the route went
back into the park on a mowed-grass path for the last mile and I was heading towards
the finish line.

I knew the only one I was racing against was myself, but when you can overcome injuries and your own doubts, you gain confidence. You start to believe in yourself. I learn from every race and improve in some way (hopefully my time). What doesn’t kill me, DOES make me stronger. Bring on the Trihawk!