I had a one hour recovery bike ride this evening, and rode down to the local park and back.  With nothing to focus on in terms of intervals, my mind had plenty of time to think.  

Having just finished Triathlon Training Camp and with the volume of my weekly workouts starting to pick up, my mind went to one question.  Will I get to do a triathlon race this year?

It has been a crazy year.  I planned to do at least four races and so far, the first three of them have already been cancelled.  I still think that there is a fair chance that my one remaining race, Ironman Chattanooga in September, might get cancelled too.

Inevitably, the thought of not having any races this year comes up, and I start to think about how I might feel, if that actually happens.  I concluded that I would be OK with it.  Do I want to race?  Absolutely, but my love for the process of training and getting better, will be enough to keep me motivated.  Races will happen again one day, and when they do, I will be ready.

As I rode my bike, I was thankful that my love of the process of training and ‘the journey’, is enough to keep me motivated.  I was also aware, that for others, the lack of races might be presenting more of a challenge.  I wondered how I could help people in this situation.  I didn’t get a good answer to that question, but hopefully I will be able to do something to help others down the road, should I get the chance.

In the meantime, I am fully recovered from Camp and ready to pick up the volume again.  I have a four hour ride and a one hour, 45 minute run coming up at the weekend, and I am excited to do both of them.