Feeling like Crap and Backing Out of a Race

Yesterday and today, I've felt like crap. It was a struggle to get out of bed, I felt like a zombie and was tired most of the day. I did a short ride with the g/f last night and felt fairly tired most of the ride, I never perked up like I thought I would.

I've come up with some theories as to why I feel this way as it is not the first time this season it's happened. Here they are:

• The g/f has been working nights and when she has a few days off she sleeps late and stays up later. I get up at the normal time and end up staying up later with her. So, it could be do to lack of sleep.
•  It has also been very hot outside and my swim on Monday was in an outdoor pool in 90+ degree weather. So, I may be wiped out from training over the weekend and not resting on Monday like I normally do. 
• It could be both of these reasons combined. 

Either way, I'm taking today and possibly tomorrow off depending on how I feel tomorrow. I'm racing this weekend and don't want to feel like crap because I know I'll still try to race if I can get out of bed and get there on time no matter how I feel...on another note, has anyone noticed that swimming with a cold is difficult?

This leads me to Backing Out of a Race. A few of the bloggers I read have recently backed out of races. While I have no issues with people backing out of a race if they REALLY don't want to do it or are sick/injured, I believe their reasons for backing out are due to more than not wanting to race.

If you're backing out of a race because you're a kick ass runner and you can't post a good bike split to save your life, who really cares? If you've only been biking for several months, of course you're going to be slow on the bike. Just have fun and stop trying to be so competitive right off the bat by worrying about your slow time. I bet you weren't a kick ass runner when you first started running but you stuck with it. You'll never regret starting a race but you will more than likely regret not starting a even if only slightly. Furthermore, if you live in an area with a large population of triathletes, most people are going to be ridiculously fast. Find a small race and maybe finishing closer to a podium in your AG will boost your self-confidence. I refuse to back out of a race unless it's due to a situation beyond my control.

If you're backing out of a race because your training is causing injuries and there is 3 months until the race, maybe you need to cut back on your mileage AFTER you've recovered. This happened both times I trained for a marathon and guess what I did? I cut back the mileage for the rest of training. If you keep getting injured then clearly something needs to change, you're probably doing too much or just doing too much too soon.

If you're backing out of a race because training is cutting into your social life, maybe long distance tris aren't your thing...or only be friends with triathletes/force your current friends to become triathletes.

Also, if you can't handle the amount of training for a half Ironman, what makes you think you can handle almost twice that amount for an Ironman?

Maybe I need to stop reading these blogs or just try to not be so critical when people aren't as Gung-ho about triathlons...