Beginners: Week 21

February 22, 2010

Nothing else much to say, except the obligatory speech I must give to everyone who has gotten this far in their quest.

You ought to be mighty proud of yourself. Being a triathlete is not easy. It takes a lot of time and discipline, and, inasmuch as we all go 'round only once in this life, why not spur ourselves to be the sorts of people we aspire to be? We all want, at the ends of our lives, to know that we've fought the good fight; run the good race. We all want to feel that we've achieved the goals for which we've aimed.

And what are those goals? Not to place better or worse than someone else, I'm guessing. Rather, you and I want to become more disciplined, wiser, harder, stronger, more compassionate, than the "you" and "me" of last month, and last year.

But that's got to be a sustainable drive. You've made it this far, and you ought to give yourselves a big pat on the back. But this ought to be a beginning, not an ending. You'll be extremely satisfied upon crossing the finish line. But let that not be an opportunity to slide into easier habits. Use this opportunity. You've gained new skills, new fitness, new habits.

Do not revert to passive, softer, slacker habits, but don't go the other way either. Do not adopt a training pace that guarantees you'll flag and fail before the ultimate finish line, which is, God willing, many decades into the future. Continue on at a sustainable rate, paying homage and honor to those other aspects of your life—work, family, friends, interests—that deserve a rightful slice of your time.

Triathlon is a terrific sport. It's the best sport in the world, in my book. But this lifestyle requires an artful balance to be struck if you want to continue to be a triathlete five, ten, and twenty years from now.

MISSION
This is the final rest week. Enjoy it. One of my great friends has done the Hawaiian Ironman a dozen times, first in 1981. His taper? Two weeks of never leaving his hotel room, watching I Love Lucy reruns for 13 straight days before the race. Perhaps that's a bit extreme. Just get yourself to the start line happy and rested and you'll be fine.

EXECUTION
Not much else to execute here. You've read it all, done it all, and you're ready. Good luck and have fun out there…

RACE THIS WEEKEND
SWIMMING: 2 OR 3 SESSIONS X 1500 – 2500 YARDS PER SESSION
CYCLING: 1 OR 2 SESSIONS, 45 to 90 MINUTES PER SESSION
RUNNING: 2-3 SESSIONS 20-40 MINUTES PER SESSION