As her first season as a Pro begins to wrap up, Suunto athlete Jenny Fletcher turns out another solid performance at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon. She competed in the International Pro/Elite category and finished 7th among the women and 24th overall with a time of 2:11:22. After a hard race in Chicago, this past weekend went much smoother for Jenny as she produced a great PR during the run section of the Olympic regulation course. She writes from her blog:
Well the season is almost over but the stories and adventures continue. This past weekend was the Nautica Malibu Triathlon. I had about 6 or so miles to go to the finish of the bike segment and had just passed 2 girls and was ready to hammer home as I know these roads so well and know that I can get top speed on the return into Zuma beach... only to hear my front tire let out all the air. In my mind I was thinking... NO NO NOT NOW.... So I sit up and am thinking do I stop... it's only 6 miles should I keep biking??? I am still pedaling not wanting to give up the lead I had just started to accumulate from passing the girls. I struggled to keep pushing the bike to T2... It was flat and should have been easy but my legs were fatiguing out more than on the whole bike course... Everyone's yelling and cheering for me and I breathe a sigh as I make it to T2.... off of the bike and a fast T2 sends me out on the run course. I had decided in my mind that this race I was going to run a positive mental run.. and I desperately wanted another PB. I felt great. My pace was comfortable and I knew I was holding a good turnover. I had a few moments where I went into my slowing the pace down for no apparent reason but said to myself.... "not today... today I run because I know I was born to run and be fast"... and so I do. I run and I focus on relaxing and keeping close pace to Ave (One of the athletes I train with from Siri's squad)... It actually felt good to be so positive in the run and hold the pace I was holding.... and "YES" I was surprised that running fast in a race felt as good as in training. You see for me I have been running great in training but hadn't figured out yet how to translate it over into the racing... as I would get into the race and somehow decide that I need to go into conservative mode. All the fears... the what if's .... always battled in my mind as I raced. However... in the Malibu Nautica Tri I had another breakthough.... "WHO CARES??!!!" If I run my hardest and don't finish due to maxing out... who really cares... tomorrow everyone has moved onto another day and all my inner struggles of fear of letting people down... mainly myself... no one is even thinking about my race tomorrow... everyone has moved on except me.
SO today in this run... I had no fears... no cares... just a desire to run and run fast. Knowing at the end of the day I have to be happy with that. I am on this journey because I love to dream and strive and reach new limits and because there is no place I'd rather be.
And now for the reason of my passion at the end of this story.... I had a personal best in the run of over a minute. OVER A MINUTE... and I still know I have only just started this journey. I am so excited. That run changed my whole mind. It's one thing to believe and know you can do it... it's another thing to actually know what it feels like... and it's another thing to actually EXPERIENCE your dreams unfold before your very eyes. I am in awe and so thankful and blessed to be able to do what I love to do. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU AS ALWAYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO IN SUPPORTING ME!
For more on Jenny Fletcher visit her website here.
For more on the Nautica Malibu Triathlon including race results click here.
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