This was taken from a list of 20 things in the Beginner’s Guide to Triathlon – Chapter 9 – “How to Keep it Fun.” It’s an accumulation of C26 Philosophies and a good reminder for all of us as we go through this lockdown. Good points to keep in mind regarding training, racing, and life.
- It’s not about who’s fastest, it’s about who slows down the least – One of the ways we like to keep things fun is remove self-imposed pressure. In triathlon it’s not about “sprinting” (even if your race is called a Sprint) it’s about pacing and doing the best you can to be strong at the end. Over the course of training, you will begin to understand pacing and how it relates to everything in life. There is a concept called the “negative split” and we talk about it a lot. This means your second half is faster than your first. This takes patience at the start, but starting slow always sets you up for a better finish.
- You need energy to be motivated – Movement is medicine, but getting over the hump is not always an easy task. Do things you love and enjoy and create a good momentum. self-imposed stress is one of your biggest challenges and it can suck the life out of you. Another thing we always say is, “Stress is stress is stress.” Good stress, bad stress, it doesn’t matter, it takes energy. And the core principle of living is: It’s hard to be motivated when you’re tired.
- Don’t get caught up in the numbers, and remember to play like a kid – If you remember one thing, remember this . . . you are getting stronger and healthier, but sometimes it’s hard to remember when you’re in the thick of it. Your speeds and times will vary throughout training. Step back, appreciate your gains, and run free like you’re a kid.
- Attachment breeds Anxiety – Don’t attach yourself to goals like they are the final answer. Enjoy the process of being in the moment. Train like you know you are doing something good for yourself. Goals appear when you continue to take steps in the right direction. Show love and appreciation for your positive journey.
- Look at data from the right perspective – Don’t get caught up in the numbers. Triathletes tend to lean on their watch scores or bike computer results. But they don’t tell the whole story. There are many variables in training. You accumulate fatigue and that’s a GOOD thing, so don’t always expect yourself to be faster with every training session.
- Getting slower in training isn’t really a thing – If you’re training for triathlon, you’re getting faster. Your times may be slower, but as mentioned above there is an accumulated fatigue. You have to trust the process. There is a thing called “taper” where you let your body recover and heal before the race. You are fresh and will do things you never imagined, if you follow the plan.
- Getting out of yourself – Look, this is a process. Don’t get too hung up on yourself or who you feel like now. Know where you’re going and let that other you take over. It’s free and freeing to go down a path you know is the right direction.
- Don’t feel sorry for yourself – There are times when you may want to cry and quit. That’s a signal that you’re about to make a breakthrough. Even though it will seem scary, intimidating, and maybe even hopeless, don’t stop. Blow through that wall and see what’s on the other side.
- How do we get from THERE to HERE? – This is a very Zen way to think about your life and training. Most of us spend our time trying to get somewhere else, but what’s wrong with where you are? We all have goals and places we think we want to be, but all we have is what is here right now.
- Remembering what it’s like to be a kid – Again with the kid analogy, but if you think about it when were you most free? When you went out to play and we believe that is at the core of why we want to “play triathlon.” We’ve seen hundreds of examples. The joy, the pain, the smiles. It all feels right when you do it for the fun.
This is from Chapter 9 of the C26 Beginner’s Guide to Triathlon. It’s a totally free 10 Chapter resource for anyone looking to get into triathlon. It also includes a 12-Week Spring or Olympic Plan. Please check it out and share with friends or family if you think they might be interested.