Summer is coming

I guess it’s a common mistake. At least I tend to spend my time looking for more instead of appreciating what is right in front of me. But I do think, that as an athlete, where your job is to perform you will always be looking for more. How can I beat yesterday? 

​It’s all about the journey, the progress, the small steps. That’s what you hear. But is that a reality you can apply? When you are caught up in your own thoughts and that one bad; training, picture, race, comment, etc. can mess the ‘fine thought’ up. So what is all those thoughts about Malene? 

I know that if I only see the long-term perspective, then I don’t appreciate the present moments as much.

A Plan
You probably guessed it. Summer is coming. aka. World Cup season is coming. And it’s coming real close. Over the last month, I have been training specifically towards the two opening World Cup rounds (Albstadt & Nove Mesto). It has been a lot about high intensity and then two races to test out some details. Racing with fatigue in a training-block is so uncomfortable and challenging - but it’s good for me if I can stick with the plan and not be result focused. Besides the physical standpoint has the mental side of things also sharpened up (if you can say that in English, hah). I have the need of a plan.

​​A game-plan (aka. mind-plan) for the upcoming challenging races. 
It could be 
“omg I’m moving into the elite category, I’m gonna die a little, maybe a lot, who knows, definitely not me” 
or it could be 
“I’m so lucky I get to race side by side with the fastest women in my sport, and my family can even watch it from home, I only got 7 chances to do it this year so I better enjoy it”.   
If I'm smart I go for option two.  

It has been a journey, to get to from no-fitness in December to world cup-fit in May. It has been super tough, but also my best winter ever. 6 months of consistency both in completed training's and mind. So I’m prepared to enter the summer-season of racing. Whatever that will throw at me. Both good and bad days. 
I will need to beat yesterday and see the small steps add up, in order to compete with all those fast ladies. Because, I know that if I only see the long-term perspective, then I don’t appreciate the present moments as much. However if I only steer myself after my current given mood, then many things seem very difficult. 
​I need to apply the feeling of being on a summer trip full of learning - but don’t get caught up in the progress so much I don’t appreciate what is right in front of me. 

/Malene 

What is your pre-season thoughts?