It's finally here! The Clermont Draft Legal Challenge is just days away, and so many thoughts are running through my head. The past week has been pretty busy with our new 10k training kick-off, the store in general, out of town guests, and of course getting things ready for Florida. I've thought about this week with a certain feeling of dread, and it finally hit me over the weekend that 'the Clermont race' is NOW. There's no more putting it out of my head as some distant date in the future, I'm about to face the culmination of my training for the past several months. As you can tell, there is a little bit of pre-race anxiety here.

Why should I be anxious? This is all fun, right? Of course it is! But at the same time, there are expectations here. 

The top 3 females in the elite developmental race get their elite license. Obviously I would not have dedicated the time or money to this event if that weren't the ultimate goal. Based on the results from previous years, we thought this was a realistic goal, and if nothing else would prove a valuable learning experience. Of course, talent will vary from year to year, so just because we think I might have done well in the field last year doesn't mean the same will hold true for this one. My impression is that the race is pretty stacked this year. I've come to terms with the fact that I can't control who shows up and how fast these other girls will be- I can only control my own preparation and performance. I've  busted my ass, and it will show on Saturday, elite license or not.

I've never trained for a race SPECIFICALLY; I've just trained, and raced. As a result, I see this event as an end, when really it's just the beginning to my best season yet.  I think it's natural to get to this point before a race and feel unprepared- like you should do more JUST to make sure you're where you want to be. At the end of the day, I know I'm exactly where I NEED to be. I trust my training, and I trust my coach. I've trained consistently since July, taking only a few easy 'postseason' weeks in October. I've missed very few workouts, and most of the skipped workouts were done strategically (so I did most of the important ones). Not to mention, my training friends are kicking ass! Ginger swam a 200 in the 2:40's this morning, Brinn and Hannah ran a 5k this weekend in 20:30 & 20:33, respectively, and Elizabeth is not too far behind. Work works.

I feel I can't go into this race without thanking several people for their help. Mr. Andrew Hodges freely gave his experience and strategies for draft legal racing, and it was his New Years' party that ceased any liquor  consumption throughout the rest of this race prep. My training friends have definitely kept me on track and have pushed me through the good and bad days. Sponsors  Timex, Swiftwick, and ESPECIALLY Aerocat for hooking me up with an AWESOME bike deal, without which there's no way I would be able to do this race. My family who is always there for me and are my number one cheerleaders. Lastly, to say that this is an individual sport is simply wrong- my husband and coach, Kyle, is the brain behind this operation, so it's his fault if I suck! 

Regardless of how this race plays out, I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate, and I know it's going to be a great learning experience!