To Race or Not To Race

Yesterday there was a local 5K race and I was torn between signing up or sitting this one out. I did this race last year and it was OK but it didn't hit my hot button. Plus it's one of the most expensive races in the area with not much benefit for the buck. So I sat it out. Besides, I needed to get a bike ride in over the weekend and the weather forecast was slightly better for yesterday. I can make up a hundred excuses but they all lead to the same place. I didn't feel like running that race. Until I'm further along in the run part of my tri training I don't need the distraction.

So I put that race out of my mind and waited for the wind to die down to head out for a 14 mile ride. I was trying a new route and it involved riding through town, something I'm not very comfortable with right now. When the wind slacked for a little while I hit the road, headed out on the highway around town, then back through the heart of our little city. The wind was not too bad and I was feeling very comfortable, even on the city streets, until...

I forgot about the race. Traffic was blocked off for the runners at points across their route and I knew I would be sitting for awhile. But since I knew the route from the year before I cut over a few streets and was able to get on with my ride. Only now I was on Main Street with stop lights at every corner and cars pulling in and out of parking slots. Thankfully traffic was light at that time of day and I didn't have any problems. So now I can say I've ridden my bike down Main Street. Another first!

As I watched some of the runners cross the street I thought maybe I should have worked it out so I could run the race, more to support the race organizers then for my own benefit. They put a lot of work into these events and without local races many runners would not have the incentive to hit the road. But I needed to stick to my schedule and keep my big goal in mind. I'll be ready to do a full run in a few weeks but right now I need to concentrate on my heart rate training and building my stamina slowly. For me, skipping the race was the right decision.

My thoughts are with my friends C, M, and G, as they run the Oklahoma City Memorial 1/2 Marathon today. Go girls!!