Shut up brain...you're freaking me out!

We have an emotional side and an analytical side of our brain. Both are very important in different ways. They talk, yell, scream and at times, completely ignore each other. There are days I wish I had complete control. I can't tell you how much easier it would be if I was in the driver seat with all the crap that goes on in my head.

It is a little over four weeks to my event (I am no longer calling it a race. That just freaks me out). More and more, I find myself telling the emotional side of my brain to calm down. My right hemisphere is randomly sending butterflies to my belly throughout the day.  My left side yells back, reprimanding its right counterpart for wasting precious energy. If I am like this now, how am I going to control my emotions on race.... oops…event day?

I recently planned a vacation for Drew and I. We leave in three days. A glorious seven days away from reality, a cycling trip through Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail. I thought my coach would have an issue with this last minute decision, but he was actually thrilled. He said it would be good for me mentally. I guess he has coached a few first-time Ironman basket-cases in his time.

I hope I will be able to distract my right brain, if only for a week. My left says I am ready – I have trained hard and I am feeling great. My lake swims are still full of anxiety, but that is only when I am on dry land. Once I am in the water I am actually fine now... I have come a long way. My biking is super strong. I have never loved the bike more than I do now, and I really can't wait to ride the route in Louisville.

My marathon run will be interesting. I have never been stronger than I am now, but I am still a new runner and my brain and body knows it. So the Kentucky heat and the lack of experience will make this event a challenge... but a challenge the left side says I am ready for. This will be my first marathon run and it will be something I will cherish, no matter how hard it will be to complete (says the right side of course).

So I am working on my head right now. My injury-free, mega strong body is there, but parts of my brain are beginning to fixate a little. Time to focus a little training on the mental part of this game.