First Tri on the Books! and other masochist minutae

So it's official...the first event is on the books (or on the credit card to put it more precisely). Super short sprint triathlon. Benefits the Colorado School of Mines swim team, so you know I'm down with that...

Last year I trained and trained, and never really got around to signing up for an event until the very end of the year at which point it was more like an afterthought. I suppose this was mostly due to finances (them things are expensive!) but regardless, I never got the full experience of training, so this year, I'm making the effort to get a full season in (goal is 2 sprints, 1 oly, and a half ironman at season's end - more details on that next week).

The best way metaphor I can think of for the training vs. competition debate is with my private music students. They come in, learn proper techniques and drills, practice (hopefully), get good enough to graduate to better gear, and start learning more advanced songs. This, to me, is only half of the experience of learning an instrument however. To really know what it means to play instrument, you have to prepare for and follow through with public performance. This could be a simple at home concert for family (doing all 3 events in a row while your boyfriend watches or 5k charity run), a recital with your peers (local sprint tri or marathon relay), or a concert you book in advance and promote to make into a real event (season ending half ironman).

Naturally your level of preparedness determines what type of performance you will be attempting, much as our level of fitness determines which events and distances we choose. This will change thoughout the year and from season to season. The real trick is being able to push yourself out of your comfort zone and strive for something bigger, but that is how you truly improve and get the full experience out of the practice/training experience. Finally, I always tell my students that they need to practice to be 10% better than they really need to be in performance, because you always have to factor in the effect of nerves and other unforeseen factors, probably not altogether a bad idea for triathlon either. I call this having "chops to burn" or maybe we could change that to having "lungs to burn."

Here's hoping our performances help push us all to the next level - see you in transition...

Couple Links:
-A somewhat humorous breakdown of defensive cycling:

"In a 2006 survey of 18- to 24-year old Americans, barely a third could find Iraq on a map; just over 1 in 10 could find Afghanistan; fewer than half could locate Ohio or New York. While you're on your training ride these very people are driving directly at you, cell phone in one hand, iPod in the other, steering with their knees. "

-Nutrition is especially important in early season workouts; post-workout specifically

-Gonna start trying out some home recipes of energy gel to get both my fix of being cheap (you wouldn't think something called "goo" would cost so much) and experimentation...I'll get my wife the gourmet into the test kitchen and check back in with a post in a couple weeks



'Til next time...
B