Virtual racing

So this is what it's come to.  Virtual racing.  Not something I'd ever heard of before but it's a gift from this current pandemic.  We're all locked up, limited to 1 hours exercise a day, assuming you're sticking to the rules and all races are cancelled.  And then, into my inbox comes an invitation to compete, yes compete, in a sprint triathlon - a virtual one.  WHF!
I notice that my fellow club members are all signing up so I think, what the hell, why not?  I may be a slow ultra runner but why not take on some short distance sprints and a bike race - I've only been on my bike 3 times in the last two years, and they were all in the last two weeks!
This weeks blog is about motivation.  For if I didn't have this "virtual race" in my diary, I can assure you I wouldn't have burst my arse getting ready for it with less than a weeks notice.  But that's the thing about races, even virtual ones, they are a target and once set you have to turn up ....and be ready.
On Friday I started with a 5km run.  Speed isn't something I've been training for, more endurance i.e. keeping going for 85 hours like my last Ultra.  I was really pleased with my time of 22:31 until I was informed that I'd ran it before the competition started so it was null and void. F@@k.
On Saturday I headed out for my 1.5km run and gave it everything; 5min 56sec pace 3:57 pace - delighted.  I followed that by my 20km bike - it was outdoor and a 20 mph wind so was reasonably ok at 28.5 km per hour.
The decision I had to make was did I give the 5km run another bash on Sunday having given it my best on Friday?  Bugger it.  So glad I did.  After all I had a target.  I couldn't have let it go and not completed the race.  So I went out and pushed myself to the limit.  It was tough.  Very tough but I had to convince my legs that they could go faster and my lungs they could breath better while telling my brain to MTFU.  I smashed it in 21:45.  Fastest 5km I've ever done, and all thanks to a virtual race.
The virtual race motivated me to push beyond the barriers I had set myself because I'm an ultra runner.  But I'm more than that.  I'm a 58 year old guy pushing the boundaries, pushing the limits.  I love every minute of realising I am capable of so much more.  And setting a target always raises my game.  What motivates you?  What gets you to push the bar higher?  Once you know what that is, repeat it.  Enjoy.