Playing the Game.

I had perhaps the best workout of my training season yesterday. 40 mile ride to Kyle + 2.5 mile run off the bike. Somehow I found myself alongside Liz (who I gauge to be one of the strongest female T3 cyclists) and vowed to hang on with her for the ride. At the turnaround, I was feeling good so I decided to pick it up to race pace for as long as I could hold it.

I felt amazing. It was as if the bike gods were smiling down on me - the weather was perfect, my legs felt strong, my nutrition was working... I kept waiting for Liz & Jim to catch me, but they didn't. As I was riding, expecting them to come up any minute, I realized that I always ride with the mentality that I'm only as good as the people I ride with. In other words, I'm only as good as I think I am. Screw that - I don't want these manufactured limitations!!! So, I let them go, and I flew. What a feeling!

I joined Jim & Tom for a run off the bike. I was still feeling pretty good, and thanks to Tom's encouragement, ended up with a pretty quick 2.5 miles at a pace that shocked me. I'm still not positive I believe Tom's GPS, but I'll take it. The point is, I gave up thinking that I only run a slow pace and let my legs do the work instead. It worked!

This was always a favorite quote of mine: "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right." So true.

My other mantra yesterday has summed up this entire training season. "It's not about the score, it's about how you play the game." I honestly and truly do not care what my Longhorn time is. Of course I'd like to do well, but this entire experience is so much more than that. I have learned so much about myself, made so many new friends and gained insights and appreciations I never expected. I am proud of my training, of my decisions and of my accomplishments. I am happier with myself now than I can ever remember, and that's what it's all about.

I really am loving playing the game.