I took my usual approach and set three goals for the race. They were:
Happy Goal) Finish under 1:15:00
Really Happy Goal) Finish Top 3 in my age group
Ecstatic Goal) Finish Top 3 Overall
Well, I managed to pull out at 1:11:40!! and get second in my age group and sixth overall. While that was not my ecstatic goal, I was pretty darn happy with that time.
I also had the pleasure of seeing one of my clients start and finish his very first triathlon, and he rocked it! We have been working hard to get him ready for this race and he went straight for the Olympic distance. He set a few goals and managed to come close to his ecstatic goal, finishing in an impressive 2:48. And that is with over seven minutes of transitions. I already know where he can cut four minutes from his next race. (PS- Transition tips coming later this week- stay tuned!)
The post race feeling I have had with me for the past 36 hours is the absolute reason that compete in this sport. Finishing a great race can leave you feeling energized and focused for days. It makes you eager to train and "sparks" your motivation. I am already thinking about my next race...
It is, however, important to do a post race analysis. Yes, I had a great race, but what can I do next time to improve? My first transition was the pits (I could NOT get my wetsuit off - need to practice!) and I was struggling big time to keep up on the bike. These are the two areas I will focus on before my next race. Likewise, my client can easily speed up his transitions, but felt that he was overly conservative on the beginning of the run, as he was not sure how much energy he would have at the end. Those are the things you learn from racing experiences.
For those of you that raced this past weekend, run through it in your head- where could you chop off a few seconds or minutes? Where would you like to feel stronger? Use your newfound motivation and fix those things- it will payoff in your next race!
-Coach A http://www.sparkmultisport.com/
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