That said, one of the flames that begins to burn in the pit of my stomach ignites when the pre-race coverage begins, listening and watching the race and it's interviews of all those involved. It is enjoyable! It lights up that flame and throws my eyes towards next years calendar and starts my mind running through dates and potential races.
It is exciting. Planning out the season and envisioning the thrill that is gained from being in a race. The training is just collateral damage resulting from that desire. There are many who will play it cool and act the hard man or woman in the transition area, but make no mistake that we all love the thrill of the race and the desire to match ourselves against others to see who can go the fastest. Fortunately, by being in the middle of the pack, half the field is eliminated from that race which makes it so much easier. Ha!
To be honest, post ironman this year, my desire to race was naturally waning. Even though the ideal race at that distance had peaked it's head above the horizon, like the sun cresting at dawn, which had indeed emboldened my desire to go faster at the distance, my eyes weren't searching for the next iron distance race. In all honesty, there was a lack of direction at all. Then an email hit my inbox that livened things up a bit.
Two things happened at the beginning of October. In that first week back from vacation, we raced at 10 mile race that was a smash and garb of a race. One and a quarter hours later and it's all over, back in time for coffee and cake. A run that you can just leave it all out there and know you won't do too much damage. Sadly Napoleon did his usual 2 minutes faster that me ;)
The next thing to happen the Monday after as I looked through tired eyes at emails, was one entitled London Marathon. It had, in fact, slipped my mind that the ballot was even approaching, but this year it would appear success awaited. A scanned picture of the front of the "YOU'RE IN" magazine was attached to the email from my mum and suddenly that flame exploded in to a bonfire. I would get the chance to race one of the most famous marathons of all. What a treat!The brain immediately started in to over drive and the desire to race came rushing back like a flash flood flowing down an Arizona washout - and to race faster at that.
Our coach is a firm believer in spending October taking it easy and dropping down all the volume in the world. To get the athletes under his charge to begin to chomp at the bit like horses awaiting the starting gates to open. And it works. The team members and, if I'm honest, myself included are checking to see when the November schedules will be loaded so we can begin to start chipping away at that fitness iceberg to set ourselves back up for the next season. It's somewhat ironic though, as we all swear, sweat and suffer during those winter months spent in the dark basements on the trainer or out in the freezing cold pounding the ice-ridden pavements, or spending an eternity getting in to the seemingly frozen over pools. Yet there is no denying that in some twisted way, we all love it. No matter what someone tells you, they love it, otherwise they wouldn't do it. Simple really.
Okay, I'm off to stare at the calendar a little more and enter some races.
Good luck to us all!
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