Ooof this makes me nervous.

You may find time before a race where you are thinking, I can confidently say that the paper shows I am ready to race well, but at the same time, I am keeping the pressure off.

It can be easy at this point to start building it up in our minds, seeing it as almost a life or death situation, that we HAVE to run well or…….*insert here*.

It can be easy to forget that there will be other races, there will be other opportunities, and that all we can really do is do the best for ourselves and our fitness for this point in our lives.

I have interviewed Jared Ward for the run to the top podcast as well as Running4Real, and it was almost eerie how similar his approach to racing is to mine, but it gave me strength.

Jared’s story (who has qualified for the Olympics, and then finished 6th) is not about a magic workout or a moment when the stars aligned.

It is about putting in the work, day after day, and building up slowly over time, at a pace your body can handle.

It is about going into the race knowing what your training has demonstrated you are capable of, and believing in that with your whole heart.

This is where working with a coach comes in, and you can discuss what is realistic for you, but the principles are the same.

You should know what would be an A, B, and C goal is for your current fitness, and be prepared to stick to your plan, no matter what anyone else is doing.

BUT obviously adjusting that goal dependent on conditions, rather than trying to brute force your way to that goal no matter what.

If you cross the line knowing you ran YOUR best race, thats all you can ask for.

If people beat you, well then good for them, they are better than you, and there is nothing to be embarrassed about.

That doesn’t mean they always will be better than you, but if you ran your best for that day, that is all you can ask.

So, as you go into your final workout, which could be another race, as for me I will remind myself of all that I have done to get to this point.

The training is all part of the journey, and I know I have done what I can to take the next little step on my running journey, but no matter what, I am proud of the way I have approached my training to this point.

Now all you need to do is rest up, and be smart these next few days.

So much can happen in those days, but I plan on just trusting the process, and continuing to do the final prep work to be ready for my race day.

I would never have made it this far without Team Ice Cream, they have each played their part in getting me ready, and my sponsors have helped fuel my dreams.

You all make me realize that no matter what happens, I will be loved, I will still be me, and I can just give it my very best.

That truly is all we can ask of ourselves, so thank you for believing in me.