My favorite between-major-events pasttime is to race short and fast races.  Why?  Because genetically I can go all day, but just not that fast.  Mixing it up during the season is fun and, well, it makes me faster.  There is really no pressure for such an event, but there is experience and pressure.  What?  Is there pressure or not?  Does that make me perform better or fall apart?

The reason to have often-termed “C” races is that you remove the results expectation and keep the performance expectation.  A great way to practice focusing on the process of each thing you are doing — which is the key.  Focusing on the result (aka, “I have to get xyz or else”) puts pressure on elements you may or may not control whereas putting focus on the process (aka, “fluid, complete pedal stroke”) puts pressure on elements you control right now. And, on the F-word:  how about that, when you are having Fun you perform well.

Something small, short, and fun is such an event for me.  Enter the 1st Annual Pflugerville Sprint Triathlon.  While many athletes were challenging themselves at IM Coeur D’Alene or Buffalo Springs 70.3, I was swimming in a warm, wave-free, just-made ‘lake’ in a small town North of Austin.  350 athletes and a warm, humid, semi-overcast morning.

To take pressure off, I got there with enough time to warm up and get situated.  Even in “C” races, I still find it helpful to go through the rituals, as those patterns create good habits for all race days.  I pack my BlueSeventy bag with goggles to wear, and a spare (I’ve never needed the spare but have lended them out more than once to a panicked person who lost, forgot, or smashed theirs); my Trek is clean and sleek; the Bontragers are checked/pumped; my Timex is ready to record my performance.

Best of all, I wear Jess’s Timex top.  Since we are talking about the mental game — in addition to confidently going through my ‘routine’, racking the imposing Trek+Bontrager combo, and the BlueSeventy gear… I get to pretend I’m Jess.  Now, I don’t want to overdo it, so I save these thoughts for the run.  Yes, Jess is very fast.

So, go out and race.  Have fun.  Use all the mental images that help you.  Prepare yourself mentally.

What happened in Pflugerville?  I gave the boys a run for their money, taking 1st of the women and 4th overall.

Pflugerville Sprint Triathlon

1 John Trowbridge - 1:01:42

2 Dan Carroll - 1:02:55

3 Ian Murray - 1:03:07

4 Juli Fiocca - 1:07:51  (rank = overall/women:  swim rank 16/3, bike rank 4/1, run rank 24/3)

18 Kristi Hobbs - 1:14:31

http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/171571_203749_2007.html