Ready to race? Again?
According to my Triathlete's Training Bible after an intense workout or race the body needs to 'recover' from that effort in order to reap the benefits of the work and keep getting stronger. While this isn't news to most of us, it is also easier said than done sometimes.How do you know if you are recovering? The best indicator is performance in races and BT (Breakthrough workouts - those intended to create serious adaptive changes in the body), BUT these are also the worst times to find out that you are not ready.
Typical signs that recovery is complete include a positive mental attitude, feelings of health, a desire to train intensely again, high-quality sleep, normal resting and exercise heart rates and balanced emotions.
Ha! If I was waiting for half of these most of the time - I'd never race again!
This Sunday, on the eve of my 33rd birthday I competed in the 6th Annual Portland Triathlon. The Olympic distance race included a 1-mile swim up and down the Willamette River, a 40k (about 25 mile) bike ride climbing from Cathedral Park and passing Kelly Point, and a 10k run over the St. Johns bridge and back. I avoided signing up for this race year and hesitated to put my name in this time around until nudged ever so gently by my race buddies. "It's the last race of the season! We're ready! Let's do it! I signed you up!" With 950 plus participants we'd be swimming with the big fish, literally! Racers came from all over the West, wearing pro-gear, suits with their names on the butt, and riding some space crafty looking bikes. Oh boy!
Cool as cucumbers we joined the ranks, early, early in the morning to set up our little transition posts. It all comes down to this. Ready or not. Best to be ready. And we were.
The sunshine guided our strokes, determination and practice fueled the ride and sheer desire powered our legs up the last climb and down into the finish line. You can tell from the photos that desire ain't always pretty. Arg!
But, if you get in early enough you've got time to brush your hair, slap on some lipstick and take the podium like the thing of beauty that you are!
"Hot for podium?!" You betcha! Ready to race tonight at Alpenrose? Not so much. I did mention it was my birthday the next day, right? My Training Bible, alas, did not recommend staying up late, drinking wine, and eating cake as the ideal post race procedure. So, my sore, tired, possibly cranky self is going to watch the race tonight and cheer like mad for all the other folks who'll surely need a rest tomorrow.
(Pictures coming soon!)
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