New Mantra

It always amazes me how when something put on the calendar months in advance is suddenly right there in front of me, and with each day it gets closer, the more hectic my thinking becomes. I constantly question if I'm training enough, eating the right foods, improving in any way that will translate into a satisfactory race. In two days, I'll know the answer. In the meantime, I'm trying to only think positive thoughts.

When I run now, I don't allow myself to focus on any fatigue I may be feeling. I don't allow myself to acknowledge the heaviness in my legs when I first begin. I focus only on my newest mantra: is what I'm doing getting me closer to my goal or farther away? I really, really like this question as it applies to so many areas of my life, not just the training and eating. With my writing, each day I sit down at the computer and when I go to surf the internet or hang around Facebook, that question spurs me to pull up my current work and spend time on it. I go for adding at least 1500 words, and when I reach that goal, I give myself a five minute break to check out my favorite websites. So far, this new routine has worked wonderfully for me. I've even suggested it to some of my students during workshop days in class. I know how hard it is for me to sit for any length of time and try to write a page, so I try to show them that even I have to give myself rewards. A couple of students are using this method and are actually finding it works for them, too.

In two days, this mantra will definitely be at the forefront of my thoughts. The run is first in the duathlon, which I'm happy about. I think I'll have a better time of running first then getting on the bike. My goals are threefold: not finish last, run under 33:03 (my sprint tri 5K time), and complete the 12 mile bike under 40. I really don't know what I can do the 12 miles in since I've never done a time trial for 12, but in going out with Hubby and doing our loop, me always slowing down for him, we can complete it in 45. I'm hoping with a steady pace and me trying to catch people in front of me, I can actually do it in 40 or less. We'll see.

The butterflies are flitting in the stomach as I think about all of this, but I kind of like the feeling. And by 9 a.m. Saturday morning, it'll all be over with and time to find another event to work towards.

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