What if I am training my ass off for this half-Ironman and hoping for a PR but I'm actually slower than last year? What if I'll never have a PR again? What if I've reached that age where all I have to look forward to is getting slower and slower? What if I've had my last top-10 overall finish ever? What if I'm just having a pity party?
I know, the world won't crack and come apart at the seams, I know the sky won't fall, birds won't stop singing, the planets won't stop rotating around the sun. But as an athlete, these are tough questions to face. Somewhere around age 45, we know that we have passed the zenith of our athletic abilities and, as the saying goes, it's all downhill from there. Many athletes start later in life, and are just beginning in triathlons at this age. For them, they may look forward to many years of increasing fitness and speed. Other athletes start young and by the time they're my age they're too injured or burnt out to continue. For me, this is my 24th year in the sport and so by now I know exactly what my body can do with what amount of training. Or do I? Will this September half-Iron be the bell that tolls for me? What if?
3 comments:
I think you will surprise yourself, even after all these years and I think that is another great thing about this sport. Your body knows what it can do in training. But add the catylst of event excitement and some marvelous chemistry is brewed. No matter what: on race day the bells will toll and we all will cheer your effort and admire your courage to face your own questions.
what if you keep competing? and loving it for the sport instead of the times or placements....
like til you are 80?
There is no pass or fail...There is only doing it! You are still rocking the times...you worry for no reason. :)
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