Getting hung up

Last Saturday, I found myself hung up on thoughts and frustrations, due to misreading the distance to a checkpoint or feeling like the kilometers were taking an eternity to tick off. This is a familiar experience, of course. Yet, I was surprised that despite years of racing and knowing objectively that I would only reach the checkpoint or finish line when I actually arrived there, I struggled to accept and let go of these frustrations. They were just manifestations of mental and physical fatigue, but they were stubborn. Interestingly, whenever I managed to let go for a bit - such as seeing my crew at the checkpoints or during the last 5km of the race - my mood improved significantly. I picked up my pace and rediscovered the joy of running.

Reflecting on this experience made me consider areas I need to keep working on for better handling this in the future:

1. Physical strength: Aerobically, I was okay, but my hip flexors and quads were compensating for weak glutes. I could benefit from more strength and stability exercises, perhaps even joining a CrossFit or cross-training program.
   
2. Nutrition backup: I skipped a planned stop, which shouldn't have been a catastrophe. Having backup nutrition with additional sugar and calories could be a good emergency measure.
   
3. Visual / Sound: The course wasn't visually or physically exciting, so I could have used more music to compensate. I need to be okay with zoning out with music and actively use it to boost my mood and pace.
   
4. Clear mind: The weeks leading up to the race were quite hectic, and my mind was full of worries. I should take time out and pause commitments as much as possible in the lead-up to the event
   
5. Visualization: I didn't do any visualization exercises this time. Visualizing the difficult moments in a race and how I can overcome them could be helpful.
   
6. Body tune-up: I had a treatment/massage session that focused only on one side of the body. Interestingly, it was the other side that failed on race day. I should return to regular full-body treatments and ensure a full-body tune-up before race day.