Yes, it is amazing to complete a hard training cycle and nail a PR. Yes, it is fun to look forward to race for months. Yes, it is fun to be prepared. Yes, it is fun to go the 'pain place' as some of my friends call it.
But I am not doing any of those things in the next month (except the 'pain-place' part), because sometimes you gotta race just for the sake of racing. There are no blistering times in store. There are no expectations (or so I'm telling myself). There have been no elaborate training plans. There will only be spontaneous racing.
I think it's easy to let pride get in the way of the joys of racing. Many don't want to race unless they are going to be in tip-top shape or can threaten a PR. But half of the fun of racing is the opportunity to compete, the rush of adrenaline that surges when the gun goes off, and the pleasant fatigue after it's all over. All of those feelings can be enjoyed without optimal fitness.
Let the spur of the moment racing begin! First up: Green Lake Gobble 5k!
