Another week in Dunedin means another week of stories to tell. Over this past week I competed in the main Otago athletic champs, moved halls, and have met so many new people and experiences. I am more than lucky with the room I was given here at my hall for the year, it’s one of or the largest of the whole hall, with massive windows, and plenty of room for all of my gear for my training and hobbies.
Being able to finally set up my new Volt V2 smart trainer was confusing but exciting now that I am able to have an alternative and easy way to train without having to travel to good training roads. I definitely don’t miss how much sweatier cycling indoors is than outdoors though that’s for sure.
Other than that I also competed in the 3,000m for the Otago Athletics Champs on Sunday morning after my second night in halls and first with everyone else moved in as I moved early due to the overlap of my course.
Having this race was nice as a piece of normality in my fitness to all the changes I had around me at my new ‘home’ but still strange as I still don’t know anyone besides the club coach for my athletics club and some of the other athletes older than me.
The race was nice to get some more short speed in with some competition around me, I was the only U20 category so I automatically won that title but that wasn’t the point of the race it was too just race and see how I preform and felt to know where I am at and to get myself out there, as doing uncomfortable things is what helps you grow and I have only learnt that through experience.
Knowing I wasn’t at the training for this event I knew I needed to play it in my own rounds, hitting hard and pushing the pace from the get go and not slow like many 3,000m races start as I couldn’t hold the ending pace otherwise, so thats what I did.
The gun went off and I sat around 10m ahead instantly, didn’t know what to expect to have in a response but it took more than half the race for someone to come back to me and challenge me for the front. Two girls, one 20 and one slightly older where with me and I tried to match all their moves through the race until the last lap as I expected I mentally couldn’t keep up and just matched how I felt and let myself feel.
I finished first in my category obviously and 3rd overall behind the 2 older women, although I was 20 seconds from my PB I was happy with how I felt and ran the race given where I am at and now with more training that my mental strength will come with it, as-well as being more consistent in my home life too.
Once I have fully settled into a routine. A routine that is hard to find especially this week being the popular ‘O’ week of Uni here in Otago. I’ve been missing my 2 hour long runs with the racing I’ve been doing so I’m excited for this week to finally get back to that normality and get my mojo of my training back into gear heading towards the 10km in Christchurch not too far down the track, hopefully to improve on my 10km I completed on the track last week taking into the account of the differences of the race environment one being on a track and the other having other obstacles.
I can’t wait to keep pushing myself to reach my fitness goals in life even if it means being uncomfortable in a new environment and using that to better myself and what I can reach.
– Jessica Bray