I Have Earned This Moment

Well, the seemingly endless training hours are at a momentary break. I have spent the last six months preparing for and building up to this weekend – the weekend of the 22nd Multistars Combined Events Competition. I am about embrace a moment I have spent the last four years chasing, four years of ups and down, tears and joy and everything in between ...

Tomorrow I will make my way to Northern Italy, to the city of Desenzano del Garda. I will compete in a field of 35 women from 16 countries, such as Russia, India, and Great Britain. I am starting ranked, 11th or 16th depending on which score you use – 5889 points is a wind-aided score, and 5797 points is from the Canadian Nationals in 2008.

Bart and I have spoken a handful of times in the last week and we are on the same page heading into this competition. We are both pleased with our preparations and feel very excited to see what the results will be in a few short days. We have a plan and we know what we are hoping for, but there is nothing left to do but relax and show off the skills we have been preparing.

I feel mentally grounded and focused on what I want and I believe in my potential. As for numbers and speculations going into this competition, I leave that to Bart. I am approaching the start line with a solid preparation. I am healthy, which has always been a major hurdle for us to overcome. I feel great. I am moving smoothly and I feel ready to get out there and get the ball rolling!

A great Steve Prefontaine quote: “you have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self satisfaction and sense of achievement.” This weekend I will step out there and know that this is the moment I have been preparing for and both embrace it and hold on tight – Bart reminded me today, after our last training session, that moments like this do not come along very often, so take hold and do not let go. I am ready and I am excited to show the world a new Susan!

You can follow the results at the following links:
http://www.multistars.org/
http://www.iaaf.org/wce09/results/eventCode=4157/index.html

Your Athlete,
Susan