It’s Race Week: Why I’ve Already Won
Twenty weeks sounds like a long time. At least it did more than 5 months ago when I signed up for the Beach2Battleship Half Iron Triathlon and began my training. Yet, here we are. Just days away from the race. 4.5 days to be exact. The journey hasn’t always been easy, but it has been amazing.
As you can imagine, many people have been asking me … How do you feel? Are you ready?
My answer is yes. Because I’ve already won.
There are many factors we can’t control on race day. (For instance, I’m already panicking about the weather – which is now calling for cold temperatures on the bike – and the predictable coastal North Carolina wind.) But everything I can control, I have.
I’ve trained harder and more disciplined than I’ve ever trained. I’ve put in more time in the pool and on the bike than ever before. I’m swimming stronger, biking faster and running better than I ever have. I’ve tried to make myself as aerodynamic on the bike as possible, thanks to CogNation Cycling and my Giro Air Attack helmet. I’ve trained with some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. I have friends because of this crazy sport who inspire me every day and add more to my life than I could ever have imagined.
No matter what happens on race day, I’ve already improved. I’m already better than I was before I started this training season. I’m proud, and I’m strong. I’ve already won.
Race day is going to be the celebration of all of this, not just judgment day. I’ve already proven to myself what I can do. What I am capable of. I’m happy with that. That was the real goal. Mission accomplished.
Last week (week #19) was the beginning of my taper, but it was no walk in the park. Here’s what last week’s training looked like:
- Monday: REST
- Tuesday: Swam 2,600 meters (warm up, drills, sets of 100s and 150s at maximum intensity, cool down)
- Wednesday: 43-minute tempo run (5.2 miles) with 23 minutes at tempo pace (7:19-7:30)/Biked 1 hour and 16 minutes on the trainer (18.25 miles) with 2 sets of 16 minutes at tempo pace with a 10-minute recovery between sets
- Thursday: Lunchtime brick indoors: 12.61 miles on the bike followed by a 20-minute run on the treadmill, increasing speed in 5-minute increments from 8:34 to 7:19 (2.5 miles)
- Friday: Swam 2,200 meters (warm up, drills, sets of 400s and 50s, cool down)
- Saturday: Biked 2:45 on the trainer (43 miles) and ran 30 minutes (4.12 miles) at 8:02 pace (run was progressively faster: 8:28, 8:02, 8:01, 7:43)
- Sunday: Open water swim at Red Top Mountain State Park (2,300 yards)
This week, I’m in New York City to hang out with the Brooks Running crew before I leave for Wilmington. I’m so excited to get to spend time with the Brooks staff and the Run Happy Blog Ambassadors. I’ll share more with you about our adventures soon! In the meantime, here’s what my last few days of training look like:
- Monday: REST and 90-minute sports massage
- Tuesday: 3 to 6 mile run on the West Side Highway (my favorite running spot) with the Brooks Running team and Brooks blog ambassadors (I’m planning to stick 2 tempo miles into our run)
- Wednesday: Easy 30-minute run; Easy 30-minute bike or swim
- Thursday: 45-minutes easy on the bike before we leave for Wilmington!
- Friday: Short, easy swim
- Saturday: RACE DAY!!!!!
- Sunday: REST! At last!
Thank you to all of you for your support, encouragement and love throughout this process. I’m grateful to all of you – more than you could ever know! Here we go!
Do you typically take a day or 2 off before a race, or do you like to train the day before a race? How do you prepare for race day?
Comments
I have spent the last 5 months reading your blog and living the training experience vicariously through you! It has been amazing and so very inspirational. To read how you felt along the way made me realize that everyone has highs and lows no matter where they are on their personal fitness journey. I have loved every post. Thank you for sharing so candidly, the good, the bad and the ugly! I absolutely love these final thoughts. You HAVE already won!! Good luck on Saturday! I will be rooting you on every step of the way and looking forward to the race recap. Have fun and enjoy the experience!
I have also followed Jesica’s blog since this past spring & her training has simply been a source of inspiration to me also. I really can’t say it any better than Renee has already said it. Yes, you are a winner Jesica! Congratulations & enjoy your celebration on Sunday!
You’ve worked so hard for this that you should be proud of yourself whatever happens race day. I’m sure you’ll absolutely smash it! Hope it goes ok and fully enjoy your rest afterwards hehe.
I tend to have a very easy shakeout run the day before a race but sometimes nothing is better!
You’re gonna do great! Best of luck 😀
I usually try to take one or two days before a race to rest. Maybe do something easy, like walk or hike.
Love this. The idea that race day is a celebration, not some test, is a wonderful way to look at it. You are so ready. Now have fun!
You are going to have a great race! I’ve loved following along with your training 🙂 enjoy your time in NYC!
Pretty stoked to follow you on your race! You’re going to do so so so well b/c you have worked your ass off.
Good Luck girl! You are going to do great. I’ll be cheering you along! You’ve put in the time and the training and you will get positive results from that. Can’t wait to hear the race recap!
Thank you guys SO SO much! Your support and words of encouragement mean more than you will ever know. Thank you for following me along this journey and for helping me achieve my goals. Love to you all! xo
Jes! You are totally gonna rock it and I love your mental toughness. You’re right. You’ve already won! You’ve done the training, you are so ready! Go get ’em!
What an AWESOME perspective. I am definitely going to steal this for future races. You should be proud of yourself. Go and have some FUN with it! You deserve it 🙂
You will have a great race!! There is only so much you can control and it sounds like you have done what you can–and that just means that you can go out and have fun on Saturday.
I’ll see you out there! Fingers crossed it isn’t too chilly!
Love it! You have definitely already won!! You training really went great, and you seem confident and ready. I’m so excited for you, and can’t wait to hear all about the race! Have fun!!
I have also been following you along this 20 week journey and I am so proud of you! As you already know, the success you feel is based on the hard work you have already done. The hardest part of any endurance race is the TRAINING, not the race! You will be a winner when you show up to the start line. Your training has been such an inspiration, it has motivated me in more ways than one for my own training for my first Half Ironman which is next June. Congratulations – you are going to kick ### in this race- you will OWN the run, you are amazing!