I Never Get This Week Right

Here it is.  The week before a big race.  How will I mess it up this time?   Eat too much?  Starve myself?  Not run at all pre-race and feel sluggish at the starting line?  Work out like normal and feel fatigued in the first three miles of the run?  Build it up in my mind and literally lock up when it's time to move my feet?  Yeah, I've blown big races in just about every way imaginable.

My in-laws Kyle & Tracee, Michael & me at the Royals game this weekend,
The KANSAS CITY ROYALS are still in FIRST PLACE BABY!!!

This weekend is my big Spring race.  The Indy Mini-Marathon, the country's largest half-marathon.  Last year there were over 31,000 runners in this race.  It's huge!!!  And there are a ton of fast runners there.  Even if I ran the same time as a few weeks ago of 1:28'ish ... which is pretty fast for me and a PR ... I would still finish about 30th in my age group!   That's crazy.

Like I've mentioned in my last few posts, I'm about as fast as I've ever been right now.  Problem: all too often good training doesn't translate into good races.  For whatever reason, I consistently leave my fastest races on the training room floor.  I just seem to perform my best when no pressure is on during tempo or speed workouts in the middle of the week.  I freak out a little at the starting line and just don't run fast.  And that's a problem.

I think part of the problem is I build up these big races way too much in my mind.  I'm trying not to do that with this one.  Simply trying to relax.  I took a little of the pressure off a couple of weeks ago with a nice half-marathon PR at Rock The Parkway, but I know there is so much more where that came from.  My training times indicate that I should be able to shave off another minute or so from that race. I know that sounds like a lot, but I really didn't push it that hard in that race, and the Indy course is set up so much better for a PR.

Beautiful Kauffman Stadium on a perfect 70 degree spring day,
Topped off by a Royals 9-0 beat down of the Indians!!! 

Based on past race times we had to turn in, I was fortunate to get seeded near the top in the first corral.   Our friend Christa, who ran it in years past, told us that navigating the huge volume of people was an issue at this race.  So hopefully being near front in the thinner crowds will eliminate some of that.  Plus, like most races I've ran in Indianapolis, this is a very flat course, with almost no elevation over 10 feet.  So with any luck from the weather, the conditions should be perfect for a quick, hopefully record-setting run.

This week I'll lighten the load a little, but still try to keep the same intensity.  And my diet is really good right now, so I really don't see myself gaining any unwanted weight.  The key is just to relax, not think about it, and let it happen.  We all seem to run better when we're not all tense, and I'm living proof of that.  Hopefully next Saturday will be a shining example of what happens when you do it right.  I'll keep you posted ... have a great week!
... be great today!