Race Day

Here we go, I am doing a race tomorrow. 

It isn't a triathlon, but a standup paddle board race instead. But still it is a race all the same. Should be an interesting morning out. 

If I am honest I will be racing in my least favourite condition, which is under prepared. I am quite a big fan of planning and preparation, so heading into a race underdone is particular bugbear of mine. Still, not a lot I can do about it, the race will be what it will be, still it is a frustration.

The lack of preparation is due to circumstances mainly out of my control. My fitness still hasn't really recovered from the 4 week break I had during June. The plan had been for a two week break which would have left me plenty of time to build to race fitness, but a really nasty cold extended that break out to 4 weeks, which meant more fitness lost and less time to recover it. The reduced preparation time has combined with a some particularly ferocious weather in June and July to make for a far from perfect preparation. 

My training last weekend indicated that things were well on the way to where they needed to be, but ideally I would have liked another two weeks to really lock that in, get a few more miles under my belt, some really long, race specific sessions. Missing those sessions means that the fitness probably isn't quite where it should be, but also the confidence is lacking too. At least the taper has gone pretty well, from that perspective I have done all I can. 

In the end the race result isn't a big deal, there are hardly sheep stations riding on this race. But at the same time it is an event that I had targeted from near the beginning of the year and so it is frustrating not to have been able to lead up to it in the way I would have liked.

Still, I have looked at the field racing, and it is pretty competitive, with a few paddlers who I wouldn't be trying to pace, even if I was in tip top condition. Without the pressure of racing for a win, I think I will be more able to relax and instead race to the best of my ability, whatever that currently is. 

Check back in tomorrow to see how it has gone.