My thoughts for Shamrock have drastically changed since the beginning of the year. Until reflecting upon my performance at the Lake Effect half, I was gunning for a PR at Shamrock.
I was ready.
Yet realizing that there are only 3 weeks in between the races I don’t know if my body could recover quick enough. It took me just over a week to recover for training. After about a week I was able to hold similar paces with the same effort. In order to improve, you must either train a little bit harder or have a better day. I’m honestly not sure if I could have a better day than Lake Effect right now. The course for Lake Effect was perfect, flat and fast, nice weather conditions and I was pretty pumped. There was a slight wind but nothing to make me say OMG this wind is horrendous.
After thinking more realistically, I began to realize that my body might not be ready for a PR yet. I think I need more time under my training belt.
Although thinking back, my fastest 3 half marathons (the Nike Women’s half 1:24.49, The Shamrock half 1:25.15 and the Lake Effect half 1:25.32) were all surprises to me. I was never expecting to PR in any. I have found my best races have always come when I have less expectations. This leads me to the main point of the post.
I am a big self doubting runner. I find myself wondering what I truly am capable of. I wonder if my training has prepared me. My mind is always questioning whether I am ready for a race or not.
Is it because I’m not always confident in my abilities as a runner? Maybe.
I have always lacked confidence as a runner. There are very few races that I am 100% confident I am going to PR in. Leading up to a bigger race, I never know what my body is truly capable of. I wonder have I done enough training? Have I done correct training? I seem to always question myself and wonder how the race will go. I think as runners or who humans we can all relate to questioning yourself at some point (whether workout related or not).
I try and remind myself of things that I’ve done and can’t do now.
I remind myself of the training runs I’ve done when I haven’t wanted too.
I remind myself of the previous races I have excelled at in this training cycle.
I remind myself that second guessing my abilities will not get me anywhere.
I remind myself that running more miles or harder miles are not going to positively affect the race.
I guess my biggest motivation is this. I remind myself that after a good or bad race, I am still the same person. My life will go on and my family and friends will still love and care for me all the same. I remind myself that running does not hold all the marbles in my life.
As I head back to Virginia today I have time to reflect on training and get ready for an exciting race. Maybe it will be a PR, maybe not…If not I will regroup and continue training. My life (or yours) is not built on a single moment. You have many more moments and we have many more races.
Questions for you:
What do you do to build confidence?
What is your next goal race?
While Shamrock is a big deal for me I also have two more half marathons in the Spring.