2011 Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K

I know... I have been absent. I will talk about where I was and why... soon! But let me fill you in on my "race".

On Saturday, I ran the 2011 Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K with TG. It was not a GOOD race for me... mentally!

Background: TG was in a "little" accident on his bike ride earlier that morning.... like serious ROAD RASH! Gnarly wounds that would have laid me up for days. I was ending my 6 days of surrendering to REST due to my chance meeting with the pot hole during my practice Tri (I know, I still owe you a write up about that race). The stars did not align for a PR! Also, this was my first evening race.

I was feeling great before the race. TG and I did a little jog around a couple of blocks, and ironically, I got a side cramp. It was funny, actually. And there was zero pain in my ankle or leg.

Race started and we were near the front. It felt hotter than I thought, but I was doing well. TG kept saying slow down but, I was feeling good. First mile: 8:06. There was a hill and my breathing was all ragged. TG was trying to talk, get me to focus... count my breaths... but I WASN'T feeling it. My attitude was ALL negative. Mile 2: 8:36. By mile 3, I was so over the race: 8:45. TG removed my Garmin by mile 3.5 because I kept looking at it in disgust.

I started feeling better by 3.5 miles in. My breathing settled, but it was too late for my attitude. TG tried to make conversation... and I snapped at him, "Look, I can't talk!"

I made it across the finish line. I was even able to kick it up a notch at the finish line... only to see vomit on the road in front of me and I started to dry heave again. Thankfully, nothing came up, but it just made it the "perfect" ending to an AWFUL race.

8k = 43:49 (8:49 pace), 229/1074 women, 41/193 in AG.

My mental game was COMPLETELY off. I am not sure I even have a mental game to begin with. An AWESOME Triathlete posted this on her blog and it made a LOT of sense to me. Click HERE to read it. I ONLY wish I had read this article prior to the race.

I was even embarrassed to be wearing a skirt... I DID not live up to the GBA feeling. I think as I begin my marathon training on July 25th, I will be working just as hard on my mental game. Are you?