Empowering the Mind: Race Week!

Now we are heading into the home stretch and the bulk of the training is behind us. Our goal is within a week’s reach and we have done what we can do to get our bodies ready. I want to use this opportunity to encourage each of us to think about what is beyond the Ramblin’ Rose finish line? It is a challenge of endurance athletes (and I presume all athletes in general) to fight off the “let down” feeling after training so hard for something and completing it. But I want to flip this on it’s head…how can you use the accomplishment as motivation to keep going and to stay focused on what makes sense for you to do next.

I say this lightly because I am big believer in taking time and space to allow your body and mind to absorb the positive affects of your accomplishment. So I do not in any way want to rush you through this part of the journey. But I do want to encourage you to leverage the experience to do the next thing that you “always wanted but never thought you could do.” So this week leading up to race day, I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on this experience – what worked, what didn’t, what made you feel more you, what didn’t feel like you, is there something else out there you may want to tackle next? So balance your thinking between looking back and looking forward. And, find a way to commit to yourself to pause just long enough after you cross the Ramblin’ Rose finish line to really feel your accomplishment – this feeling is the fuel for your next adventure so give yourself the gift of getting as much of it as possible! Soak it all in – you deserve it.

Good luck and have fun!