Mental prep

Following the Western States 100 coverage yesterday and early this morning really helped to get me excited for this weekend’s upcoming goal race. I’m still nervous though.

I’m really scared about the temperatures. I feel like I was aware of the fact that the temps would be a challenge for me. I knew when I signed up for a race in the summer that I would be running in the heat. Still, I’m thinking it’s only sinking in now. 

I of course, in this state of freaking out, went ahead and looked at weather records for this past September when I ran the Vermont 50km. I was NOT mentally prepared for the weather that day. I remember stepping out of the hotel on our way to the race start and I felt my heart sink. I could have taken a bite out of the air that’s how thick and humid it was. I remember seeing a high humidity percentage when I checked my phone. But today I went online to check. And I was indeed correct all this time, my memory served me right: 97% humidity. As the day pushed on the sun came out and the temps rose. The elevation was 6x worse than the race I’m coming up to this weekend.

In telling myself all of that I hope I can relax a little bit. Despite a few hiccups in training due to getting sick, getting a migraine, etc. I feel better with my training than I did for VT. The course is flatter, and I’m looking forward to the single track. It may be hot, but I dealt with my worst enemy in VT: high humidity. So unless it gets to a point where it’s the same humidity or worse (I doubt it), I think I’ll be okay. 

I had a great run this morning. Just a short 10km ish run. It was hot but I felt good. Afterward though I did not feel so great. I should have put electrolyte tabs in my water. Lesson learned, won’t forget that for race day. 

Starting now to think about prepping, packing, planning. Stay tuned for some posts on that. 

Top