The Rookie is on May 10, just 3 days away. Texas Ski Ranch is definitely one of my favourite courses. I did my first race there, and the shallow pond is a great way of getting used to open water.
This is going to be my warm-up tri - and also my first full tri since Oct 2007. (Last summer, I did a relay tri, so I don't really count that.) So, I'm excited and happy to be back in the swing of things.
My goals for the race are pretty modest:
Swim
1. Stay calm
2. Do freestyle
Bike
1. Practice gear-shifting, and "finding the right gear for the moment". (will write about this soon, it was an insight I got from a Bike 101 that Coach A held for us a few weeks ago)
2. Hydrate on the bike
Run
1. Sl-og if I must, don't walk.
One of the main things I've changed in my training this year is how I hydrate. I'm a big fan of Nuun, so I'm definitely filling my bottles with Nuun goodness for the race. :) I'll probably take a few cliff blocks before the swim. And since this should be a pretty short race, I won't need to worry about nutrition on the course.
Most importantly, I want to reclaim the joy of tri-ing. Sometimes, setbacks in one's training occupy the mind so much, that we become one-tracked in resolving those issues, and we forget the bigger picture of why we're doing the sport in the first place.
I met a fascinating lady yesterday, an experienced & inspiring triathlete, Deb, who was introduced to me by my boss (who I consider my tri-mentor). We talked a lot about open-water swimming, and a few things she said really clicked with me. She said some times, maybe we just get caught up with being focused on the focusing on the problem - in my case, fear of open water - and not enough time on the solution. If I did the reverse, then maybe I would feel more motivated and empowered. My friends have observed my tendency to overthink things. That's hard to change in the short-run. So this nugget was a helpful suggestion to channel some of that over-thinking in a more empowering way.
She also shared that a good contemplation before the race, was to remember the reasons why I'm tri-ing. And as I reflect on it, I started tri-ing as a spiritual practice.. as a platform on which I would work to overcome mental limitations I had placed on myself ("I can't swim in the open water", "I can't", "I'm not an athlete" etc), in order to discover what I could really do. The fact that I've had setbacks awakens me to the fact that I still have much to learn, and a reminder that the fun is not over yet!
My mantra for this race will be "Let go, and be the Rookie!" :)
She also shared that a good contemplation before the race, was to remember the reasons why I'm tri-ing. And as I reflect on it, I started tri-ing as a spiritual practice.. as a platform on which I would work to overcome mental limitations I had placed on myself ("I can't swim in the open water", "I can't", "I'm not an athlete" etc), in order to discover what I could really do. The fact that I've had setbacks awakens me to the fact that I still have much to learn, and a reminder that the fun is not over yet!
My mantra for this race will be "Let go, and be the Rookie!" :)
8 comments:
Wow... I love your inspiration. I certainly needed that. I have very mixed feelings about the tri- more precisely about the swim. I am trying not to over think it. I am just going to treat it as another race. Mind you, I have NEVER swam that much, let alone in a race. I am trying to see the positives. Finishing this race will be a big achievement for me. I will limp if I have to :)
Good post Sha! I am sure you'll achieve your goals! You are an inspiration as always!
Vishi! About the swim part - seriously! it's all in the mind. Visualize yourself swimming calmly and effortlessly and I think you'll be half way there.
But who am I to give advice after my dismal open water swim experiences :P
Iti did a great job at her first tri (also at TSR), Vishi! She had only learnt swimming the summer before, and was just learning to swim 300m continously. She had guts to do the open water swim, and so do you! Your can-do attitude alone will take you further than you think. It's your spirit that is most important - it's easier to train the body than train the mind. So hats off to you for taking on the challenge and giving this your best shot!
Finishing the race is a GREAT goal, and I have no doubt you'll do in style, as always! :)
Yes we (or rather all of you :P)can!
Sha/Vish- You guys will both do GREAT!! Trust in your training and most importantly trust in yourselves!!
Swimming is the least enjoyable leg of that race (or any race for that matter for me...heehee). Goal for swimming for me has always been to simply "get through it!!". Don't set yrselves up with time goals or anything fancy. Believe me when I say that MOST triathletes (Ok maybe with the exception of Cha! :P )think that way. The race really begins after that...riding those beautiful scenic rollers and running that course trying to get to that 1 mi turn around point where there's an aid station and that's also where the High School band folks put on a great show and next thing you are running past the Don. T. Bonk zone waving at that crazy Mascot and then through the finish chute with the awesome voice of Adam screaming "Vishwas Iyengar from SA, TX and Sharanya Rao from Austin, TX....you guys are NOT Rookie's anymore!!!". Oh yeeeeah!! :)
I am not time obsessed (that's you Amit Bhai with all your fancy gadgets...Garmin...pinky finger watch and what not! :p)! But I do enjoy the swim - my least favorite is the Run! :)And my goal in this race is just to have fun! That's fundamentally why I do Tris! For the fun of it! :)
So have fun with me ya'll!!
Thanks for that A-bhai.... I like the simple 'get through it' :) Thats my plan.
See you all on the "rolling" hills. Hopefully I won't be rolling .... ha ha
Here's some wisdom from a couple of the best endurance swimmers in the world in the 1920's. I find their feats truly amazing, and their messages are clear and simple:
"One essential thing about endurance is that the swimmer must learn the art of relaxation. Unless every part of the body is relaxed and you know the proper method of breathing, you never will become an endurance swimmer."
-Henry Elionsky
"I must not give up; I must reach my goal." -Budd Goodwin
So, stay relaxed, keep your goal in mind, and you will be just fine. :-) The Rookie is all yours!
http://naturalstrengthbobwhelan.blogspot.com/2008/09/endurance-by-earle-e-liederman-author.html
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