Tag: sprint tri

Sprint Tri Is On My Mind

July 22, 2014

I still have several weeks to go, but the Women’s Sprint Triathlon is on my mind.  I haven’t actually registered for it yet.  I should because I do really intend to do it.  Maybe that will put some fire under my tail to get me more serious about it.  This weekend I did two runs in a row on Saturday and Sunday, but that wasn’t on my training schedule.  I just felt like doing it.  Then on Sunday I was riding around on my bike in the driveway with the kids.  It felt good to be on my bike again and I have to get back on the road for some training.

The website has good information for women doing this for their first sprint tri event.  They have tips for open water swimming.  I need to do some training where I swim in my pool, hop out and ride my bike for several mile while wearing the clothes that I plan to race in.  I did purchase a bathing suit top and shorts that are “quick drying” fabric and am planning on wearing my sports bra under the top and compression shorts under the shorts.  If the shorts are too wet I may have a spare pare in my transition area to change into for the run.  These are things that I will find out when I train.

2014-07-17 21.55.38

For my swimming in open water training, I will be in New Hampshire in August so I plan on working on that in the lake up there.  I need to find out of my Garmin watch can be worn in the water, or grab an old sports watch I have laying around in my house to give me an estimate of how long I am swimming out in the lake.  It won’t give me distance but I can use time as an estimate.

My friend Danielle has been doing some sprint tris this summer with some successful first timer tips.  Check them out on her blog www.liverungrow.com.

I have to admit, I am a bit nervous about this event.  It sounds good on paper (just like registering for the Dopey Challenge), but I really need to get it together.

First Step To Reaching Your Dream

July 17, 2014

I seem to be on a dream theme these days. I came across The Dreamers Podcast from Joe Pardo, which I had the pleasure to be a guest of on his show (coming soon); and also the Dream Warriors Podcast from Doc Kennedy and they have been very inspiring.  Today 59 years ago, one man had a dream that he made come true even when no one believed in it – Disneyland was born.  Walt is known for pursuing our dreams – “If you can dream it, you can do it”.

While listening to Doc’s podcasts today I got something out if it that I appreciated. In order for your dream to come true, you have to take the first step.  What great advice, but sometimes that first step feels like you are walking off a cliff. It doesn’t have to. Try taking baby steps.

Your first steps can be:

– To sign up for a class
– Attend a seminar
– Get books about the subject you are interested in
– Listen to podcasts related to the topic

As you educate yourself in the field you are interested in you will gain confidence.  Facing a new dream takes courage and risk.  Sometimes the fear of the unknown is why our dreams never come true.  Sometimes you need to give up things in order to achieve your goal.  But if it is that important to you, the end result will mean more and you may have no regret for the things you gave up.

It could be as simple as this… you want to run your first 5K.  So what would you have to give up to meet such a goal?  Well, you may have to give up a little sleep on a Saturday morning in the summer so you can get out and run in the early morning hours when it is cooler.  What’s more important to you, the sleep or working towards your first race finish?

Another road block towards reaching your dream is usually fear.  You are afraid of the unknowns and the what ifs.  If you let fear get in your way and paralyze you, you will never reach your dreams.  For instance, if you were working toward that new finish line (a further distance or your first race) you need to think of what those fears are and talk yourself through them.  What if I get hurt going further, what if I can’t finish, what if the weather is bad on race day.  I’ve had many of those things actually happen to me during training and on race day, but you learn from it and it makes you a better achiever.

I came across this quote from Anaïs Nin which said:

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

 

Very powerful quote for me.  Take your first steps.  What have you got to lose?  You may lose something, but what you will gain will be so much greater!  I know I am so scared of the Dopey challenge this January, but when I cross the finish line on January 11, 2015 I am going to be so proud of my accomplishment!  I also hope that during this process my children will see that I set my goal, worked hard for it and achieved it regardless of the fears and concerns that I faced during the way.

I am also afraid of my first sprint tri that I will be participating in on September 7.  But I am making the effort to get in more swimming this summer and have to get back on the bike again (I have been lacking since May).  But I will go for it.  If I fail, I fail, but I will feel better for giving it a shot.

What is your dream or goal?  What fears are holding you back from achieving them?

 

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