Benchmarks

I have a half ironman in 12 days. 12 DAYS, wasn't it just 12 weeks away! Wow, it is true what they say about time moving faster as you get older. Doing a race is like taking a test. It is the final exam to see if you prepared correctly. You can't cram for a race though, and that was my study method of choice for most exams. During the final few weeks before a race I get asked if I am ready by people who know that I am entered in a race. Maybe, they are asking because they know my history. They must know that I have shown up severely under prepared and failed miserably.(hey supercrew, remember Wildflower 1998?) It really is just like school. You skip lectures and labs and no matter how many notes you borrow from others, you are screwed! Nothing like a set course and a clock to let you know that you don't measure up. Over the last 10 years I have developed a few mock exams to measure my chance of passing the final. Most of the marks that I am aiming at are 10 years old, which means I was 10 years younger. From the benchmarks sessions I have had lately, it seems that I am as prepared as I can be. I won't set any course records, or even personal records. I do know that I have been enjoying my training and having lots of fun. That is the gold standard for me:)