This week seems to be bringing a few of my friends to levels of anxiety only a first time triathlete can really relate to. I thought I would dedicate a blog to them.
It is one thing to be a runner, or a cyclist, or a swimmer. But to put all three together in one event, on one day, in one morning, all within the same few hours of waking up and crawling out of bed is not an easy task. Our muscles typically cry out, “What are you doing to me? Would you make up your mind which muscles you would like to use today?” Makes for an interesting argument in your mind. Or at least in my mind it is…
Why is this week in particular so stressful? Two major events are happening this weekend in the world of Triathletes… St Anthony’s Olympic Triathlon in St Petersburg, FL and AVIA Wildflower Triathlon Weekend in Monterey, CA. Some of those participating in the Wildflower Triathlon are taking on the long course, essentially a half ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run). The others, as well as those heading to St Petersburg, will be completing an Olympic Distance triathlon.
My friends, all of them from Team in Training, are starting to feel the event anxiety. I want to assure you all this anxiety will pass. There are things you can do now and all the way through your event to help ease that stress. I am by no means a professional triathlete; I just know all the things that made me anxious before Nation’s Triathlon and how silly I felt after it was all over. I want to share a few things with you… Like all advice, take it or leave it, I am just speaking from my personal experience.
First of all… NO NEGATIVE NELLY’S!! Don’t let, even for a moment, a negative thought consume your mind. You have trained for this. You have spent hours in the pool/ocean, in the saddle on the bike, and running around town prepping for this moment. The only thing you need to do right now is RELAX! Let the event happen and allow your training to take over.
When you arrive on event weekend at the destination of your triathlon, don’t spend too much time mulling over the swim course. For those in St Petersburg, when you arrive, most likely sometime in the afternoon, the water will probably be a little more rough than it is in the early morning hours. Whatever you do, do not let it psych you out. Thanks to our local chapter and the fantastic staff we have there, you are in your age group waves and not in the TNT Wave. That is GOOD news. You will have the best shot at a great swim in your age group.
While waiting for your swim wave to be called to the start, whatever you do, do not panic! I vividly remember almost crying as I hugged my teammates just before jumping in the water of the Potomac: as if I was never going to see them again. Once I entered the Potomac I thought I was never coming out. Obviously I was wrong.
I won’t spend time sugar-coating the distance which most of you have probably only ever completed in the pool. It is long. It is not easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it. But, you are WELL TRAINED! You CAN do this. Just take your time. The more you panic the more your heart rate will go up and up and up. That is never good for anyone. There are lifeguards and support all over the swim course. If you need a break, take it. Just remember this phrase: “I am OK, I just need a break!” The lifeguards are there to help and will ask you if you are ok. If you panic, they may take you out of the water and you will not get to finish your race.
As always, we never can tell what the weather will do on event day. For Nation’s Tri 2010 it rained. No, let me correct myself… IT POURED!!! We were soaked to the bone before we started. Most of us were new to the longer distance on the bike and very nervous about riding in the rain. Well, to take the words a very wise coach once told me (she is always in my head repeating this phrase) “Suck it up sweat pea; it is still better than Chemo!”
It is one thing to be a runner, or a cyclist, or a swimmer. But to put all three together in one event, on one day, in one morning, all within the same few hours of waking up and crawling out of bed is not an easy task. Our muscles typically cry out, “What are you doing to me? Would you make up your mind which muscles you would like to use today?” Makes for an interesting argument in your mind. Or at least in my mind it is…
Why is this week in particular so stressful? Two major events are happening this weekend in the world of Triathletes… St Anthony’s Olympic Triathlon in St Petersburg, FL and AVIA Wildflower Triathlon Weekend in Monterey, CA. Some of those participating in the Wildflower Triathlon are taking on the long course, essentially a half ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run). The others, as well as those heading to St Petersburg, will be completing an Olympic Distance triathlon.
My friends, all of them from Team in Training, are starting to feel the event anxiety. I want to assure you all this anxiety will pass. There are things you can do now and all the way through your event to help ease that stress. I am by no means a professional triathlete; I just know all the things that made me anxious before Nation’s Triathlon and how silly I felt after it was all over. I want to share a few things with you… Like all advice, take it or leave it, I am just speaking from my personal experience.
First of all… NO NEGATIVE NELLY’S!! Don’t let, even for a moment, a negative thought consume your mind. You have trained for this. You have spent hours in the pool/ocean, in the saddle on the bike, and running around town prepping for this moment. The only thing you need to do right now is RELAX! Let the event happen and allow your training to take over.
When you arrive on event weekend at the destination of your triathlon, don’t spend too much time mulling over the swim course. For those in St Petersburg, when you arrive, most likely sometime in the afternoon, the water will probably be a little more rough than it is in the early morning hours. Whatever you do, do not let it psych you out. Thanks to our local chapter and the fantastic staff we have there, you are in your age group waves and not in the TNT Wave. That is GOOD news. You will have the best shot at a great swim in your age group.
While waiting for your swim wave to be called to the start, whatever you do, do not panic! I vividly remember almost crying as I hugged my teammates just before jumping in the water of the Potomac: as if I was never going to see them again. Once I entered the Potomac I thought I was never coming out. Obviously I was wrong.
I won’t spend time sugar-coating the distance which most of you have probably only ever completed in the pool. It is long. It is not easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it. But, you are WELL TRAINED! You CAN do this. Just take your time. The more you panic the more your heart rate will go up and up and up. That is never good for anyone. There are lifeguards and support all over the swim course. If you need a break, take it. Just remember this phrase: “I am OK, I just need a break!” The lifeguards are there to help and will ask you if you are ok. If you panic, they may take you out of the water and you will not get to finish your race.
As always, we never can tell what the weather will do on event day. For Nation’s Tri 2010 it rained. No, let me correct myself… IT POURED!!! We were soaked to the bone before we started. Most of us were new to the longer distance on the bike and very nervous about riding in the rain. Well, to take the words a very wise coach once told me (she is always in my head repeating this phrase) “Suck it up sweat pea; it is still better than Chemo!”
Just keep reminding yourself why you are out there… BECAUSE YOU CAN!! There are so many people out there, over 900,000, living with or in remission from blood cancers. You give them hope every day there will one day be a cure.
So, to Brett, Stacey, Annette, Rick, Melissa, Tracey, Adrienne, Rob, Lynn, and all the others (sorry if I missed someone) heading to Wildflower and St A's this weekend... I will leave you with just one more thing from the TNT Cheerleader:
GO TEAM!!
PS: Just pretend you hear cowbells ringing as I shout out to you! And, Coach Rob, remember, there is NO WALKING in triathlons!!!
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