Another disappointment

After all the waiting and getting to within 3 days of the event, I was certain that we were going to finally have a race. Unfortunately, the cases of COVID-19 have been rising too rapidly, so having such a large contingent of people at an event was not an acceptable choice. 

In an instant, Ironman 70.3 Lubbock vanished.

I was disappointed but not devastated. The absence of a strong emotional reaction worried me. All-day I’d been reading posts on social media of people throwing up their hands in frustration and feeling like their training was for naught. In their minds, without a race, what’s the point of training?

For me, the training is the magic sauce. It is during the training sessions that I bond with other athletes. I find myself lost in the moment, enjoying the feeling of freedom that comes with movement. Training provides an outlet for all the mental and emotional energy that builds daily in our uncertain world. A race is definitely important, a proving ground, and status check, but it only lasts for 1 day. Training is part of daily life and provides a much larger impact on my overall wellness.

I was definitely excited about this race. After all the training I’d done, I felt ready to rock and roll and tackle my first Ironman event. As a bonus motivator, the famous Mike Reilly was scheduled to announce the winners. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to finish. 

Racing alone

After the cancellation, I decided to take advantage of my peak conditioning and do a half-Ironman distance race at home. I always prefer being outdoors, so I intended to do the race outside on Sunday the 29th. Unfortunately, on Friday, the Saharah dust storm had blown into town and our air quality plummetted. Coach Johnny didn’t want me doing this outside alone or in the dusty air so I agreed to do it in his training facility. 

8 am ready to race. 

Indoor setup

I was still packed for Lubbock (nutrition, gear, etc), so I didn’t have much preparation to do. The whole idea was exciting yet very foreign. I never envisioned racing an endurance event indoors. My goals were as follows:

  • Complete the swim in 45 min
  • Complete the bike in 3 hours 30 min or less
  • Complete the run in 2 hours 30 min or less.
  • Total race time 6 1/2 – 7 hrs maximum.
  • Remain mindful of my nutritional intake so that I don’t bonk or cramp up in the middle of the race.

 

I’ll discuss the actual events in the next post.