Enough Training! Let's Race!

Training bores me. I'm sick of it. Overstatements? Maybe, but I don't live to train. I live to race; training is just an interminable means to an end. Though I have a half-marathon in two weeks, my first tri isn't until late May and that's just too far away.

Thus I've booked May 1 to race the Steelcase Grand Duathlon in Grand Rapids, MI. A 5k run/30k bike/5k run format on courses described as "flat, fast and ready to fly" should provide some training benefits, and once again riding my bike in anger fixes - albeit temporarily - my need for an adrenaline rush.

I'll approach the bike leg as a time trial race of self-discovery. Historically I've not had problems transitioning from the bike to the run; I jump off the bike and start running. No problem. But now Karyn tells me that my relative ease is due to the fact that I'm not challenging myself enough on the bike. In other words, if you're doing it right and nailing the bike, the run's early stages should hurt a bit. Yippee.

Sooooo, time to test that theory. Stop being a slug...higher cadence...bigger gear...more focus on nutrition and hydration...push it. And try not to collapse. Remember: finish vertically, not horizontally.

Enough training! Let's race!