Kona or Bust – Week 11 Game Face

Kona or Bust – Week 11 Game Face

I’ve often been asked were I go mentally when I race and how I can find a way to dig as deep as I do. The simple answer is 2 words…GAME FACE! I’m not sure exactly when it happens but there is a moment on race morning that a switch flips and I go into a zone. I’ve been told my face and expressions will literally change. I’ve countered with; “It’s nerves!” I’m met with opposition saying that it’s not nerves but a legit change in demeanor.

Maybe.

Am I aware that it’s happening?

Sometimes.

Most of the time I’m talking myself through my race plan trying to account for every important detail. Really though, it’s just nerves!

This weekend I raced for the first time since the 70.3 in St. Croix, 12 weeks ago. Inside those 12 weeks I’ve trained myself to a point of fitness that I have never been close to touching…ever. I’ve been organized and structured. I’ve changed my diet to make my body a more efficient machine. I’ve never felt more prepared than I did on Saturday morning for my hometown race, the MascomaMan Half.

I was nervous, as always, but eagerly put on the Game Face as soon as I walked into transition. I grew up training on the course. I’d done the race twice before, winning overall female and setting a personal record. I was confident in my preparation and game plan. All I had to do was race smart and see where that took me.

Rather than make this a race report, I’ll spare you the nit picky details of each leg and transition. The swim started 40 minutes late because of fog, but the water was warm and clear-ish, my lines were on point, and I came out of the water feeling solid. Transition 1 (T1 swim-to-bike) was tight…super tight. I couldn’t move without bumping another bike. Thankfully I got out of there will little trouble. The bike leg was a very typical New Hampshire course; lots of bumps, cracks & fissures, and deteriorating road shoulders. Just when I started to get my rhythm I’d hit a series of bumps or have to dodge a crack lose my rhythm and have to find it again. My legs took a little longer to get under me and just as the climbing started my legs started to feel good. Typical. The bike course was an extra 2 miles longer this year due to a change in venue but the final 2 were smooth and flat so I’m not complaining. Transition 2 (T2 bike-to-run) was fast and a little crazy. I came in to T2 as the second female. Immediately, I was on the hunt. So much so I hadn’t clipped my race belt on until I well onto the run course. The run is where my plan went a little astray. Blame it on my competitive spirit and the Game Face that I put on at the start of the race.

I rarely like to say out loud my goals for each race or each section. I don’t want to come off as being presumptuous about my ability or just plain crazy. I know what I’m capable of, but choose to shoot for just below that so as not to set myself up for failure. Call me a sandbagger if you want but it’s the only way I can mentally get through a race. Once I’m on the course I reassess where I’m at and make any and all adjustments to meet or beat my initial goals. However, at this race I had no intention of losing. This was going to be my day because I’d worked to hard not to cross the finish line first.

I dialed up my run to clear the 7 minute/mile mark to catch the lead woman. Smooth and steady was mantra. Once she came into sight I immediately set an evil death ray stare onto her back. It didn’t matter that she started 4 minutes ahead of me and if I stayed behind her the rest of the race I’d still get the overall win. For those of you that know me well enough know that that isn’t an option. In catching her I put out just a tad more than I would have liked but hoped beyond hope that the upcoming climbs would take more out of her than me. They didn’t. She caught me, but I wasn’t going to let her go to the finish line alone. She needed company. MY COMPANY! For the next 4-5 miles we matched each other step for step. I found another wind…sorta. We both dug a little deeper than we would have otherwise. The finish line always allows me to find a little extra and I had by a solid 10 yards at the line. GAME FACE Baby!

In chatting afterwards I learned that a few years prior I beat her in the Mooseman Olympic in a similar fashion; out of T2 and on the run. I have to say she was a worthy competitor and I give her a huge amount of respect. Women can be nasty to one another, especially the more competitive we get. She was quite the opposite and spurred me on when I was sure I wouldn’t be able to hang. I only hope I was able to repay the favor with my words of encouragement when she too started to fade too. Regardless of the personality that comes along with the Game Face there is always time for perspective and what’s more important.

After returning to home from a weekend in NH with family, I stopped to collect my thoughts. I had a lot of questions answered regarding my training and racing, but for as many that were answered a handful more arose. I have 11 weeks to figure them out and I’m confident that I’ve surrounded myself with the right people to make the seemingly impossible possible.

For as great as this weekend was there was also a low moment. I said what was more than likely my final goodbye to my high school basketball coach. Cancer has taken over his body and despite an amazing battle he’s not going to come out on the winning end. He played a hugely significant role in making me the athlete and competitor I am today. He treated my teammates and I like athletes, not girls. He taught us it was okay to dive on the floor and to celebrate floor burns. We were not overly talented but our mission was to work as a unit on the court. Team defense was our specialty and to hear him yell “Scramble” and sub in all of our smallest and quickest players to wreak havoc on the opposing team was a moment we waited for. It is fair to say that when I put my Game Face on it is because he taught me it was okay to do so. He wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. In fact he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way with his ruthless style of basketball and coaching. However, many of us flourished under his direction and would willingly put our bodies on the line to make sure we came up with the ball.

My conversation was brief but to be able to sit with the man that helped mold me into the athlete and coach that I am today was a moment I will not soon forget.

As you can imagine he sees life through a different set of eyes. His time is short and spending it with his kids and family are what’s important to him. He didn’t have to say it, but he made it clear, always fight the fight but never lose sight of what’s important in life, Family.

The next 11 weeks my focus will narrow and I will become more data driven than ever. Long rides will become painfully long but I’ll be sure to pull my head up every so often to take in the moment and think of those that are important to me. Regardless of how well I do in Kona, I will put my Game Face on and fight a good fight until all 140.6 miles are behind me.

SK