My two favorite moments from yesterday's LPT:
Waiting for the gun start...
Waiting for the gun start...
and crossing the finish! :p
Look at that relieved face! Most athletes consider the LPT as the 'fun tune-up race" leading up to the Half on the following week of the Challenge Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest. But yesterday was not much fun for me. You know those days where you feel completely flat, and no matter what you do you can't even push hard enough to get your heart rate up? Yeah, it was one of thooose. You know it's bad when you get out of the swim behind people you normally swim with, and especially bad when you don't have enough fingers and toes to count the AG men that passed you on the bike... The legs somewhat cooperated on the run, thanks to a lot of cheering and shouting from the Thanyapura gang - Jurgen, Konrad, and Konrad's mom! 6th of 7 pro women... Not the result I was looking for, but glad to still have burnt enough calories to earn my Thai favorites: crispy fish and green mango salad, and Singha!
I'm chalking it up to simply being tired - partly from having raced the Sunday before in Ilocos Sur, but mainly because of all the traveling and lack of sleep from the overnight bus trip from Ilocos to Manila, and going on a flight to Phuket on the same day. I wanted to catch the only direct Manila to Phuket flight via Cebu Pacific, and they only fly Mondays and Fridays. Not the smartest travel itinerary, I know, I know. If you guys could remind me not to do that again next year, I'd appreciate it ;)
I was annoyed to feel so stiff and tired still in the days leading up to LPT. And I have this gnawing feeling it's all because I didn't follow the one piece of advice Jurgen Zack always gives for post-race recovery, especially when planning to race back to back: do an easy 20-30 minute spin post race. I was lazy post-race in Ilocos, and just hung around for food, awarding, and went on to pack my things and sit in a cramped bus overnight. I know, I know, bad idea.
But throughout the race, I kept myself going with this mantra: Next week will be better, next week will be better!
Now I can't wait to race again on Sunday - redemption time!