No Expectations; Relax!

It's fun to enter a race with no expectations.

To just hit the starting line ready for whatever comes your way and excited to just go.

Unfortunately, my brain is not programmed that way.

In my 10 years of competitive running. This type of race does not happen often.

It’s been hard to not set high expectations.

Even though, the goal after all is to test racing the half-marathon distance.  

But other time goals and expectations keep creeping in.

I want to win.

I want to set a course record.

I want to run a USATF Half Marathon championships qualifying time.

Relax. (I have to remind myself).

I want to rationalize my way into these being realistic expectations and goals.

But that is not the lesson to be learned.

I need to learn that trying my best on that day fulfills the goal of testing out racing the distance.

Other tough lessons I've had to learn and re-apply in this training phase:

Rest doesn't mean you’re weak or off “the plan.”

One bad workout doesn't mean your goals for the next race won’t be met.

With one workout and four days to go until my first half-marathon; I’m excited!

Taking Charge of 2013

2012 was a crazy year for me.
The crazy good = running a big PR in the indoor 3,000m, moving to Tallahassee to work at Florida State University, and having my amazing boyfriend move with me and love his new job here.
And
The crazy bad = being hit by a truck on March 9th while running in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
I spent way too much time in 2012 dwelling on that crazy bad.
2013 is not 2012.
Since November I have had a great time representing Capital City Runners in both local and non-local road and cross country races. In less than two weeks I will rock their fun jersey again and my favorite EC3D Compression socks as I hit the St. Marks Trail with hundreds of others to race the Tallahassee Half Marathon.
It will be my first time testing out racing the distance.
13.1
I have run that far basically once a week for what seems like forever (the last 6 years at least).
The farthest I have raced…
7. Once. So really 6.2 or 10k.
Basically, I am doubling my normal race distance.
Hence, the test run.
Training has been going well. I love the places we have to train in “Trail-ahassee” and I have so many great people to run and train with.
More details on training and racing to come.
For today is all about the foreshadowing.
Bring on the crazy good, 2013.
And try to keep up I have lots of plans.