What do you think about during a race? (Page 2)

During a running race, I pull a Scout.  I'm much calmer.  Where am I in the race?  What is my current pace?  Can I meet my goal?  Am I behind?  What do I have to do to catch up?  Can I catch up?

During a tri, a whole different personality comes out.  I'm a nervous wreck.  Most of what everyone above has said, I do.  If you get Triathlon Life, there is a great little column in the most recent one comparing OCD v. ADHD triathletes.  I think I'm a little of both. 

On the swim - I've thought, "slow is smooth, smooth is fast", lengthen that stroke and pass this guy then relax and find the next pair of feet to over take.  Wait a minute, why are there six?!?!?!  Great, traffic jam.  I wonder if I can go under them?????

Out of the water to T1 - Ummm..... legs, legs would be good here.  Just don't fall over!!!!  And don't forget your sunglasses!

Onto the bike - Come on 20 (mph that is), come on 20!  Stay in aero, stay small, keep the stroke smooth.  Oooooo... pretty bike.  Stay focused!!!  Oooooo... nice pace booty.  STAY FOCUSED!!!!  WTF?!?!  He is 65 and he blew by me like I was standing still!!!!!!  *sigh* Stay focused. 

Off the bike into T2 - Clean dismount and DO NOT do an endo (almost done one twice now!!).  Don't forget your hat for the run.

Onto the run - Dear god, if you do anything for me today, please, and I mean please, do NOT let my calves cramp up like they did in that first tri.  Anything else, just no cramps.  Please no cramps.  Please no..... hey, she's cute and she's flying.  I think I'll.... thank god, water.   Hey, where did the pace boo....... How in the hell did she get all the way up there....... Great, more people passing me......  do I hear the finish line????  Yes, I'm almost done..... CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE!

AWWWWW, I love running races with you.  Let's try to go fast sometime though, m'kay?

So long as you're not pulling a Scout Break in a race.  That'd be a neat trick if you could pull it off, though. 

The old one armed swim technique....

Soooooo much to say, all of it will get this thread "yanked". 

sounds like most people think about math.  me too!

i think about splits and pacing, how fast i've gone, if i keep going at this rate when will i finish, etc.  if i am doing intervals, i will calculate the harmonic mean of my intervals so i can estimate my overall pace at the end.  extra points if i am right.  sometimes i will think about the math in my research problems.  but mostly i'm just calculating pace, the whole time.  it's fun.

if i'm really having a hard time though, i revert to thinking about breathing evenly. 

During a tri:

Swim - yay, swimmy. I like swimmy! Get out of my way, slow girl. Get out of my way, breaststroking Clydesdale whose wave went before mine but I've caught up to, and don't want to get kicked in the face by. Dang, wish I was faster, so I could be an FOPer right now.

Bike - Dear God, please protect me and my bike from crashing and smattering my remains amongst shards of aluminum and carbon bits all over this road. Tri-bikes whizzing by are scary...

Run -, I wish I were a better runner. Just keep running, just keep running, don't slow down and don't let the old ladies pass me...where is the finish line?

Finish Line - Yay! It's over! Can I do another one tomorrow?

I keep it simple and think about beer.

I think it's something like this:

AAAAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!

and then

"cramp cramp cramp cramp cramp. Gawd, that hurts!"

Before a race I'm checking everyone out.  Have any of you been to a sprint race and the dude takes his bike trainer out of the car and warms up before hand?  Come on a sprint?  "sorry Ryan didnt realize it was u till you posted your real picture"

During the swim.....6 years ago when I started tri ing I just couldnt wait for it to be over!  Now it doesnt bother me and I guess all I am really thinkin about it that mf'er better not elbow me or the one Im passing better not kick me!

On the bike.....Im so bad...I do this for fun mostly so im out there checking out the country side and all those mens calves

On the run....I tend to think of miles as minutes.....so depending on the length if there is 3 miles left then I think to myself.....you'll be all done in less then 30 min!

After the race.....it's just yeah......that was so much fun

okay, here's my bf's answer... he's too slow at typing, so I'm doing it for him.... he thinks this during a race:

the race... that's it.  he says it's the only time you aren't thinking of anything else... (but I kind of think he might be thinking of me in there somewhere).....

Don't Drown, Don't Drown, Don't Drown;

Bloody Helmet

Don't Crash, Don't Crash, Don't Crash;

Bloody Helmet

Don't Die, Don't Die, Don't Die, Oh the finish line... Sprint, Sprint, Sprint!