Okay. My first Half IM is tomorrow. (I did one sprint tri last September and did one Olympic tri two weeks ago. So this is my third tri. I have, however, run 11 marathons.)
The key to my success in swimming, as many of you so helpfully pointed out, will be relaxation. This I know to be true.
So I'm trying to relax.
One way for me to be relaxed is to have everything ready, to take care of all the details. So I went last night and picked up my race packet. I dutifully put my race numbers on all my stuff. I packed all my gear and supplies for the transition areas. I laid out my tri jersey and shorts, with my HRM strap and sports watch/HRM receiver, and with the water-proof tape for my nipples. I put my ChampionChip on my sox, which I put on top of my shoes. I cleaned up, lubricated and tested my bike, and even had my LBS do a drive-chain cleanup and a derailleur tune-up. I double checked my checklists. Everything is ready.
In addition, I'm well trained. I've run about 30 mpw (including one 10 miler each week). I've done two one-mile swims in the last week (one in the lake, one in the pool). I've ridden 80-150 mpw over the past 12 weeks, including a 50-miler in my tri shorts last week. I've trained a total weekly average of almost 10 hours per week (not counting additional strength training time). And I'm well tapered (decreased volume but constant frequency and intensity over the past two weeks; no weight lifting at all during that time). Everything is ready.
But I'm still nervous.
I do relaxation and visualization exercises, watch my recorded tape of "Surviving Everest," surf the Internet, post messages (like this one), do other things to keep my mind off the event tomorrow, and try to relax.
Everything helps--some. But it's still a struggle. Micro-bursts of panic still set in from time to time.
I'll be okay because my relaxation efforts are working. Besides, if I weren't a bit nervous, I probably wouldn't do triathlons. After all, part of the kick is the challenge and the adrenaline.
But I am curious:
What do you do to relax? How do you maintain the "I'm out to have fun" attitude or the "I don't give a hoot" attitude so that you can go out and perform to your capacity?
====================================
Do not take counsel of your fears.--Andrew Jackson
The key to my success in swimming, as many of you so helpfully pointed out, will be relaxation. This I know to be true.
So I'm trying to relax.
One way for me to be relaxed is to have everything ready, to take care of all the details. So I went last night and picked up my race packet. I dutifully put my race numbers on all my stuff. I packed all my gear and supplies for the transition areas. I laid out my tri jersey and shorts, with my HRM strap and sports watch/HRM receiver, and with the water-proof tape for my nipples. I put my ChampionChip on my sox, which I put on top of my shoes. I cleaned up, lubricated and tested my bike, and even had my LBS do a drive-chain cleanup and a derailleur tune-up. I double checked my checklists. Everything is ready.
In addition, I'm well trained. I've run about 30 mpw (including one 10 miler each week). I've done two one-mile swims in the last week (one in the lake, one in the pool). I've ridden 80-150 mpw over the past 12 weeks, including a 50-miler in my tri shorts last week. I've trained a total weekly average of almost 10 hours per week (not counting additional strength training time). And I'm well tapered (decreased volume but constant frequency and intensity over the past two weeks; no weight lifting at all during that time). Everything is ready.
But I'm still nervous.
I do relaxation and visualization exercises, watch my recorded tape of "Surviving Everest," surf the Internet, post messages (like this one), do other things to keep my mind off the event tomorrow, and try to relax.
Everything helps--some. But it's still a struggle. Micro-bursts of panic still set in from time to time.
I'll be okay because my relaxation efforts are working. Besides, if I weren't a bit nervous, I probably wouldn't do triathlons. After all, part of the kick is the challenge and the adrenaline.
But I am curious:
What do you do to relax? How do you maintain the "I'm out to have fun" attitude or the "I don't give a hoot" attitude so that you can go out and perform to your capacity?
====================================
Do not take counsel of your fears.--Andrew Jackson