The Steelhead Challenge

Whew! I'm not going to lie; I'm really glad THAT (as in the Steelhead 70.3) is over. I love to compete and all, but the half-iron distance is no picnic. I don't care how tough you are, it hurts. So, it didn't come as any surprise when, as per usual, I found myself questioning my sanity (and fitness) around mile 6 of the run. That seems to be the magic number for me in a 70.3. I'm much too deep in to consider just giving up, yet I'm far enough away from the finish line to allow me to envision crossing it. I'm exhausted. My quads ache. My stomach is anything but happy. It never fails; this is my mental wall. Luckily, I always seem to summon enough determination to trust my training and push through it. And this is exactly what I was able to do on Sunday.

All of this being said, Steelhead was a great race. It was a personal best for me, with a finish time of 5:35. The weather was great. The water was calm. It was also a great course, starting on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan, winding through the lushly green countryside, and finishing at the same beach locale. After the Boise debacle, I needed this.

I'm always going to over-analyze my performance, wishing I did this or that differently, but I'm actually pleased with my effort this time. I probably could have taken my training a little more seriously, and could have benefitted from a few more long brick days, but that's all behind me now. What matters most is that I continue to push myself and improve. Steelhead proved to be a prime example of that.

Now that the race is done, my vacation can truly begin. Now, my only concerns are of lying on the beach, soaking up the rays, and what kind of wine I'm having at dinner. Now, I can focus on being on vacation. What a way to wrap up this sumner...