Sometimes a results list doesn't tell the whole story, and can offer misrepresented evidence of a particular race. Yesterday (last night, really) was the opening race of the 2009 US Distance National Championships here in Fairbanks, AK. The weather has been beautiful the last few days, dropping to zero at night and up to mid-20s through the day. In order to allow for more volunteers and perhaps spectators at the race the officials opted for start times in the evening, so I went out on the 10K classic course at 7:02pm.
Given the rather topsy-turvy nature of my season thus far my goal for the race was simple: race smart. That could mean a lot of outcomes in terms of result, but my primary objective was to cross the line knowing I'd given everything in a consistent and well-paced manner. I would say I accomplished 95% of that goal. I started in control and strong, skiing every one of the three significant hills on the 5K lap smoothly. I caught the 30sec man ahead of me and held off any attacks from behind. Halfway through the second lap I started to feel the slight onset of a back spasm (something I've been dealing with for much of the season), but quickly corrected technique and relaxed and the spasm retreated to the background. I regained my composure and was able to put in a hard push in the last 1.5K.
On the results list I was 39th, basically splitting the field: I was at the back of the SuperTour/National team athletes and ahead of the college/junior field. But more important right now is the personal success. I was recently reading the doctrine of one Mark Twight, a world-class alpinist and now owner and operater of the ultra-exclusive Gym Jones training center in Salt Lake. A good friend of Scott's, Twight has a very directed opinion about personal success and trial. It relates somewhat to the training he did of the actors and stuntmen in the recent movie "300", and the controversy surrounding how the actors truly achieved their physiques. But couched within Twight's defense of the actor's self-discipline and honest methods of achieving their ripped status, he reveals a more crucial philosophy. Check it out:
http://www.gymjones.com/knowledge.php?id=36.
I haven't been able to talk much with Sadie about her race; her result was good (8th) but in a short email she sent to me she sounded a bit frustrated with the performance. So there again: results never tell the whole story.
Team sprint this evening. Time to kill it in my own special way.
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