2012 is in the books, and I am looking forward to 2013. I started off in 2012 with great ambitions of attacking my weakness in the water
and the longer bike legs. This was a great goal and one I plan to
continue with in 2013 but with a different attitude. During most of 2012, I looked at my training like a job, as though I had to attack my weaknesses every day, and by doing so, it became a job. It wasn't long before my splits in workouts were rivaling my splits in races. I was so tense that I began to feel like I had to make things happen. This reckless idea most likely led to my 2 bike wrecks in the Boulder Peak and Boulder Half and might have had something to do with my stubbornness
that landed me in Boulder Community Hopsital with a heat stroke and
dislocated shoulder. Looking back, the race outcomes were no where near
where they should have been based on my training. With that said, I still managed several of my best times. In spite of the wrecks, I recorded personal best bike splits in both races, and my swims were the best I have had. It is a shame that I had 2 wrecks in my last 2 races, or I would have had a complete season of personal bests.
Personal bests usually give a person a great feeling, but they were not ones that I enjoyed. As I said, I had turned training and racing into my job and had lost the fun. When coaching, I constantly tell my athletes to relax and enjoy the race. I, however, was not taking my own advice. All
through college I prided myself in having fun. Some of my best races
were not because I was physically fit, but I was relaxed and was ready
to move when the opportunity was right. For 2013 I have a new mantra, and that is to have fun. This is not to say that I won't train just as hard, or that I won't race with fierce competitiveness. I will do these things but not at the expense of enjoyment. If I stay relaxed, work hard, and keep a smile on my face, there is no doubt that 2013 will be a successful season of training and racing. "Smile, it looks good on you," is a quote to live by. Life is short enough without the stress of a frown. Smile and make the most out of 2013!
