Friday, June 11, 2010

Pre-race Schizophrenia

Wikipedia defines schizophrenia as "a mental disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality. It most commonly manifests as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction."

After traveling 24 hours to get from Hong Kong to the hotel near the race site in Cambridge, Maryland, I thought I was ready for a good sleep. I thought wrong and now I'm up debating if I should take a sleeping pill or not. While I ponder that I thought it would be interesting to list some of the thoughts going through my head about this race:
  • What did I forget at home? It has to be something since I packed for the race over a week ago.
  • That really doesn't matter since I can buy anything I need at the expo beforehand.
  • Most of the money in my wallet is Hong Kong dollars.
  • They take credit cards here.
  • I never have changed a flat on my Zipp race wheels and those valve extenders are a bit of a mystery.
  • I have changed, with no exaggeration, hundreds and perhaps thousands of flats so I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out eventually.
  • My record for flats fixed is 12 in one day. None were mine.
  • I once flatted about a half a mile from the end of a century. Many people riding by kept encouraging me to put the bike on my shoulder and walk it in.
  • I fixed it that day. My friends waited for me.
  • Even if I can't fix a flat on the Zipps, they may take a while but SAG guys will be around.
  • If I need a SAG guy, I'm having a crappy day.
  • Who am I kidding? I'm going to have a crappy day anyway.
  • I'll never travel further for a race in my life so this is already a weird sort of PR.
  • I was able to do 2 swims and a bike in Asia.
  • Both swims last week were in the rain.
  • The weather forecast for the race sucks. Chance of rain with thunder and a high in the low 90s.
  • That doesn't really matter since I'm still going to have a crappy day.
  • Swimming in the rain isn't bad as long as it isn't raining so hard you can't see the buoys.
  • I've already had that experience at the Mighty Hamptons Oly Tri in 2008.
  • My swim should be better than my previous race swims since I feel I'm swimming faster. What would be a good time?
  • Sub last time (43:01)?
  • Sub 40?
  • Sub 38?
  • It really matters on the current and chop.
  • The course is different this year too.
  • I haven't done an open water swim yet this year.
  • Last year in this race I got stung by jelly fish. Hope that doesn't happen again.
  • Am I going to rip a hole in my wetsuit again?
  • I checked that I have wetsuit glue in case I do. Looks like I need more (see expo).
  • What is the water temp?
  • Hot water was the cause of my pre-race full blown psychosis last year.
  • It wound up being wet suit legal anyway.
  • It is really cool driving to a big race site and noticing the tri bikes on the cars going the same way.
  • My bike is cool.
  • This is the first race I'm using it.
  • Don't go out too hard.
  • How windy will it be?
  • Did I say it is supposed to be 90 degrees?
  • There is no run for me (I'm doing aqua velo) so don't I shouldn't save myself.
  • Due to my hip and knee injuries, I don't feel I've trained enough.
  • I rarely feel I've trained enough.
  • I don't think I've trained at intensity. Duration should be fine.
  • I have no doubt in my ability to finish.
  • If I have to limp it in, so be it.
  • I'd like to bike faster than last year (3:05).
  • I haven't ridden aero enough.
  • A sub 3:00 bike would be nice.
  • A sub 3:45 race would be nice.
  • I'm still too heavy. Need to renew focus on that.
  • Maybe I won't have a crappy day.
  • How many people will be in the Aquavelo anyway? Is top half unreasonable?
  • It matters who shows up.
  • I'll show up.
  • I have friends racing too. I'm missing Tim and Christine though. Next time.
  • My family is driving down to cheer us all on.
  • That's the most important thing.
  • I get to race, I don't have to race.
  • Maybe I'll win?
I realize I suffer from pre-race schizophrenia but I think more people do than don't. Maybe some of these thoughts are a little bizarre but it will be what it will be.

Follow the plan, follow the plan, follow the plan......

Time for sleep.

13 comments:

Patrick Mahoney said...

Wow. Hopefully you are asleep now, but if you can S/B/R half as fast as your brain was just going you'll do fine.

Good luck and welcome home.

Caratunk Girl said...

HA! At least I am not the only one who does that before I go to bed on race weekend!

Good luck. Looking forward to the RR!

Big Clyde said...

But what's on your mind?

Do your best to enjoy it Rock. You will never forget this race and you likely will have the very best cheering section there out of all the athletes. Sounds like you already won!

Unknown said...

Have a GREAT time! Looking forward to reading about it after wards.

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

Longest. Bullet Point post. EVAH.

Don't go out too hard.

What are you? A porn star?

Good luck, bother!

Or is this race over already?

Whitarican (White-A-Rican) said...

LOL I was nervous reading this :) I am sure things will go well. Good Luck and look forward to reading race report!!!!

Anonymous said...

I always have trouble sleeping when changing time zones. Hopefully you will get enough to be rested for your race.

Kathleen said...

Your mind works as fast as mine! :)
Best of luck today!!!
I hope you got some sleep.

KC (my 140 point 6 mile journey) said...

Pure craziness! Gotta love it though. With a list of thoughts like this, i don't think you'll have forgotten anything...rock on rock star! Aqua velo is yours!

Julie said...

Hi Rock Star,
Are you sharing random thoughts? I thought that I was the queen of randomness:) This was pretty entertaining to read! It is crazy all of the thoughts that go through our minds right before a big race. I hope the race went well for you:)

joyRuN said...

Pre-race psychosis! Makes for very fun blog reading ;D

Hope you had a good race.

Big Daddy Diesel said...

Sounds like everyones head the week of a race, I hope you rocked it.

Rad Runner said...

I hope this post helped a brother out and put him to bed with an easy resting head!
I am a TOTAL crazy thought producer before a race.. It doesn't stop until I am running...