Race Prep - Time to Lock and Load

Happy Halloweeeeeen! Another week has gone by and I have spent it in preparation for the NYRR Dashto the Finish Line 5K, which according to a recent press release boasts some big time names in the world of professional running:

“The inaugural NYRR Dash to the Finish Line will draw some big names, including Olympians Deena Kastor and Dathan Ritzenhein, on Saturday, November 5, during ING New York City Marathon weekend.

The race will offer a flat and fast 3.1-mile course through the heart of Manhattan, starting near the United Nations, crossing Midtown on famed 42nd Street, and heading uptown to Central Park for the last dash across the world-renowned ING New York City Marathon finish line.”

The start of the ING NYC Marathon

When I read these names along with a host of other names mentioned later in the article, namely USA 5K record holder Molly Huddle, multiple time Olympian Magdalena Lewy Boulet, and Kenyan superstar and silver medalist at 10,000m at the World Championships Sally Kipyego, my initial instinct is to take a big “gulp” and think “oh crap, what have I gotten myself into”. In years past, I would dwell on the fact that the current credentials of these women are more impressive than mine and waste a lot of energy thinking about that fact instead of putting it all into the race. But, that was the old me.

Some people assume that at this point in my running career I don’t get nervous anymore, but that assumption is far from true. I have just learned, through a number of different resources, to control my anxiety and use the energy that I could have wasted thinking about things out of my control to channel that energy into racing. The fact of the matter is that all the women (and men) who line up on race day put their singlets, shorts and shoes on the same way that I do. So when I start to feel a wave of adrenaline rush over my body, I remind myself that I belong. I put in the hours of training every day of every week, I go to bed early even if it isn’t the “cool” thing to do, and I attempt to eat more healthy foods than unhealthy foods – and boy is that a challenge because I have one wicked sweet tooth! In short, I do my best to live the life of an Olympian.

So, looking ahead to this Saturday in New York, my goal is to keep reminding myself that I belong until that blissful moment when the gun goes off, my mind goes blank and the world becomes quiet as every ounce of energy become focused on the task at hand. If I can accomplish this then I know that when I walk away from the finish line I will be able to hold my head up high and say “I gave it my best shot today”.

Questions and comment are welcome…so fire away!

-Meghan