Faye's Three Tips for Tahoe
It's the OCR race of the year - Spartan Worlds in Tahoe, California. The event goes down on Sept. 30th, and athletes from all over the world will be lining up and chasing glory. I'm no stranger to Tahoe after enduring a grueling battle to the podium last year at the World Champs, and I want to share a few tidbits of wisdom I drew from the whole experience. It can all be pretty surreal sometimes, and these are a few things I try to remember to stay grounded.
1. Always remember anything is possible Of course you should believe this for all races, but especially for Tahoe. Tahoe is unlike any other event because along with the excitement and energy brings a lot of anxiety and pressure to perform. Many have dedicated their whole year’s preparation for this one event; some will do well under pressure and some will crack. It may not be the fittest person who wins the race but the one who can emotionally hold it together, race smart, and EXECUTE when it matters the most. Focus on being that type of athlete; because you can’t control your fitness level anymore but you can control how you handle yourself when times get tough (and trust me there are many tough times on that mountain).
2. The hard work is done and this is supposed to be your reward
Reflect on all the hard work you have put in and remember this is supposed to be the reward for those efforts. You’ve trained hard all year and you owe it to YOURSELF to put your best foot forward. Make those 5am wake ups and those boring Saturday nights WORTH IT! Your goal should not be focused on crossing the finish line in a certain position but rather crossing it with nothing left. If you give it your all you can’t possibly have any regrets. Make that the goal: NO REGRETS!
3.Enjoy the WHOLE experience
This weekend has so much more to offer than just a 3+ hour suffer fest and its your choice to make the most of it. I can guarantee only one person will win the race, but you can have many wins within the weekend. Take the time to meet new friends, catch up with old ones, and just feel damn lucky that you’re in a beautiful place with thousands of positive, uplifting people, sharing the common goal of health and happiness.
Have fun out there friends, and stay gritty!
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