Are you ready to take on a triathlon? Fantastic, let’s get you started. Below are top ten tips to have a great first race. Check out the links embedded in the tips to dig deeper into each topic. Happy training, and I hope you have great first triathlon.
1. To get started, Sign up for a race
Signing up to the race sounds kind of obvious, but is very important. First, signing up tells your brain it’s go time.With that race day looming in the near future you will be more committed to train. . Second, choose a race that gives you the proper amount of time to train, but not lose your motivation. A training cycle of 8-12 weeks works well for new triathletes. Lastly, after you sign up, tell your family and friends. They will know you are serious about your new goal, and be your support system.
Happy President’s day Monday! Let’s do this! We all could use a bit of motivation to get rolling on Monday. On Mondays, I like to share a Mantra or short inspirational message. If the message resonates with you, use to motivate yourself in training or life. Do you have your own awesome Mantra? Please share it below in the comments.
It’s hard to fail, but it is worse never to have started –
T. Roosevelt
I sure Teddy Roosevelt would have been an Ironman, if the races existed in his time. He was a true hard man. As a child he was sickly from asthma, and instead of accepting his fate, he trained to get stronger. He eventually became very physically fit, and a celebrated boxer. His physical accomplishments were made from pure power of will as he was not physically gifted.
What I admire most about TR is his tenacity and fearlessness. When TR decided he was going to accomplish a goal, he went after 100%, and no man could deny him. That same will is required to take on big challenges like IM.
Welcome to Fantastic Finish Photo Friday. We want to bask in the awesomeness of your finish photos. A finish photo captures a moment in time, where you overcame the challenges of the race and training, and reached your goal. The feeling of elation as you cross the line is what keeps us pushing our own limits. Please consider sharing your own photo to inspire others who are working toward their own finish.
This week’s photo is from Tamsyn Smith:
Tamsyn:
Here’s a photo from the end of my first ever marathon in April 2012. It was cold, wet and windy and the course was flooded and rerouted, so I had to run an extra half mile, but I did it 🙂 Since then I’ve run another 4 marathons and have started doing triathlons.
What a great smile on what looks like a tough day. Way to persevere toward your goal. Check out Tamsyn’s blog, she is very entertaining, and gives great info from her point of view.
Please consider sharing your own photo to inspire others who are working toward their own finish. It doesn’t have to be from a triathlon, just any race that has special meaning to you. If you are interested in sharing, please send a message to firstimetri@gmail.com.
Merry Monday! Let’s do this! We all could use a bit of motivation to get rolling on Monday. On Mondays, I like to share a Mantra or short inspirational message. If the message resonates with you, use to motivate yourself in training or life. Do you have your own awesome Mantra? Please share it below in the comments.
One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure. – William Feather
I love this quote, because it talks about adventure as a mindset. It’n not the cliche “Life is an Adventure” ads you get from shoe companies. Instead, he says to get more out of life treat it like an adventure. If you are stuck in a rut, find a different rut to jump into. Be aware of your life around you, and look for opportunities to explore. Take your daily routine and look for ways to add variety and excitement.
Five suggestions to add adventure to your routine:
1. Change your commute. Drive home a different way. Take the bus. Walk or ride your bike. Change you view point on the same old way to work.
2. Try a new food. Go to an Indian/Ethiopian/Spanish restaurant. Taste food from another culture. You can learn a lot about another culture by tasting their food. If you enjoy cooking, try the recipes at home.
3. Workout in a different place. Change up that daily 5 mile run, with a new route. Do your yoga practice on the beach, or in a park. Instead of lifting weights at the gym, get outside and lift some rock and branches.
4. Lunch Al fresco. Are you normally eating your lunch in a crammed break room? Go outside and eat your lunch. If there is a park near by even better. The fresh air and change or scenery will get your brain recharged.
5. Plan a weekend adventure. One Saturday a month, break your routine and try something new. Take a short trip. Go for a hike. Check out a museum. Adventure shouldn’t be reduced to a family vacation one week a year.
Do you have any suggestions to add adventure to your daily routine?
Merry Monday! Let’s do this! We all could use a bit of motivation to get rolling on Monday. On Mondays, I like to share a Mantra or short inspirational message. If the message resonates with you, use to motivate yourself in training or life. Do you have your own awesome Mantra? Please share it below in the comments.
Don’t just think, act!
I am personally guilty of not following this mantra. I will anylize and over think what I really want until it doesn’t happen. This self sabotage is counter productive and borders on insanity. I don’t know if its fear of success or failure that causes this indecision. When I break this pattern and get into action, I feel better, and my life improves. I am in a constant battle with this resistance.
I know I’m not the only one. What thing in your life are you putting off, and over thinking? I’m not talking about putting off the laundry or getting your car inspected. What is it you really want, that you can act on now! Fear hates action. Take that first step toward what you want now, and the path will open. You have to take action right now, or the resistance will pull you back into indecision.
Let’s tie this into triathlon. If you goal is to complete your first race. Sign up for a race now. Are you an terrible swimmer? Sign up for a swim lesson. Don’t have a bike. Ask a couple friends, if they have one to lend. Most problems are caused by lack of resourcefulness, not lack of resources. Fight the resistance, act now, and take that first step.
Merry Monday! Let’s do this! We all could use a bit of motivation to get rolling on Monday. On Mondays, I like to share a Mantra or short inspirational message. If the message resonates with you, use to motivate yourself in training or life. Do you have your own awesome Mantra? Please share it below in the comments.
Today’s Mantra:
“Best day of my life”
This is one of my personal favorites. If you say this to yourself, and really mean it, you can’t help but feel better. This works fantastic in races. When you are really suffering, open up a big smile, and say “this is the best day of my life.” You may feel silly saying this as snot is running down your face, and you feel like road kill. If you are healthy enough to be out doing what you love, it is the best day of your life. Can each new day be your best day? I think so, if you want it to be.
Happy Monday! Let’s do this! We all could use a bit of motivation to get rolling on Monday. On Mondays, I like to share a Mantra or short inspirational message. If the message resonates with you, use to motivate yourself in training or life. Do you have your own awesome Mantra? Please share it below in the comments.
This week’s Mantra:
“This is What I DO!”
I heard this mantra on a podcast over the weekend, and it resonated with me. When racing or training gets really difficult, and you want to quit, remind yourself, “This is what I do!” You decided to take on this challenge, because it’s who you are. The pursuit of this goal is part of your identity, and this is where you are supposed to be right now. It’s a great mantra to bring you back to the present, and trust your training.
Some Examples:
You’re out for a 10 mile run, and it starts pouring rain two miles in. You could turn around or you can finish the run, because “This is What You DO”
Life throws a sick child, extra work, and terrible weather at you, but you still get in your weekly training, because “This is What You DO!”
At your “A” race of the season, you are on PR pace, but starting to fade. You can slow down or you can power though. Remember all of the training and effort you put into this race. You are crushing this race, because “This is What You Do”
Happy Monday! Let’s do this! We all could use a bit of motivation to get rolling on Monday. On Mondays, I like to share a Mantra or short inspirational message. If the message resonates with you, use to motivate yourself in training or life. Do you have your own awesome Mantra? Please share it below in the comments.
” Everyday is a Special Occasion”
I know this sounds kind of corny at first, but stop and think about it. How often in our lives do we get stuck in a rut or routine, and life passes us by. Another birthday approaches and you think, were the hell did the last year just go? This was happened to me more and more as I get older. The problem is the older I get the less time I have on this planet. Time is the number one, precious , non-renewable resource we have. The good news is we get to decide how it is used.
Instead of getting stuck in that rut, we can choose to celebrate each day. We can be grateful for what we have. We can seek adventure in everyday experiences, instead of just going through the motions. This will take a bit more energy than just droning on like a zombie, but the pay off is immense.
Here’s a couple of small suggestions to make today more of an occasion:
Take a different route to work
Tell someone you care about how much they mean to you
Dress up more than usual
Eat lunch outside
Map out a new loop for your run/ride
Start something new you have been putting off until the right time
Leave a comment of something you could do to make today a special occasion.
Happy Monday! Let’s do this! We all could use a bit of motivation to get rolling on Monday. On Mondays, I like to share a Mantra or short inspirational message. If the message resonates with you, use to motivate yourself in training or life. Do you have your own awesome Mantra? Please share it below in the comments.
Today’s Mantra:
“No one is useless in this world that lightens the burden of another” – Dickens
* This is a self promotional post, but for a great cause.
A few years ago I started a holiday charity called Merry Spinmas with my triathlon team. (STC Multisport) The mission of Merry Spinmas is to provide bikes for Christmas to deserving children in our community. We raise funds from the endurance racing community, and deliver the children a brand new bike, helmet, and lock.
This has been one of the most rewarding activities in my life. Every year I look forward to the program, even though it means a couple of months for really hard work, and lots of begging for money. I know a bike will most likely not dramatically change the life of these children, but it could be a step in a new direction.
When I was a child a loved my bike. It represented freedom to explore under my own power with my friends. Most days we would come home, throw our book bags inside, and head out on our bikes until it got dark. Not much has changed as an adult. I still love to explore on my bike under my own power with my riding buddies. Now it is more of an inner exploration, as I push to new distances and times, but the feeling is the same. I want to help provide that feeling to a child, who may not have that opportunity.
One of my favorite moments from doing this holiday drive involves a seven year boy named Tyreese. Tyreese requested a Disney’s Cars bike from our program. We found the perfect red Car’s bike in his size, but it had training wheels. When we delivered the bikes, Tyreese rode around for a few minutes slowly with his training wheels, then he shyly asked if we could take them off. Once the training wheels were off, he was shot out of a canon. Flying around the parking lot, a huge smile on his face. He fully embraced the feeling of freedom.
Enough about me. This post is about giving. It feels good to give. If you want to feel better in your life, go and do something for someone with no expectation of return. It doesn’t have to be money, it can be time or a favor, or just saying some kind words of encouragement.
If you really want to feel fulfilled, you have to give until is hurts. We do a great job of making it easy to give. Just text this number to donate, or do you have a couple of bucks to throw in the bucket? These are great ways to help quickly, but you aren’t really invested in the cause. You need some skin in the game. Go and set a big fundraising goal, or go and work with a cause you are passionate about. This is when you will feel the most engaged, make the largest impact, and feel great. It’s ok to feel good about yourself for doing great things for others.
Below is a great video with Tony Robbins that shows how one small act of kindness today, can lead to massive change in the future.
If you would like to read more about Merry Spinmas, or donate, for info can be found here.
Happy Monday! Let’s do this! We all could use a bit of motivation to get rolling on Monday. On Mondays, I like to share a Mantra or short inspirational message. If the message resonates with you, use to motivate yourself in training or life. Do you have your own awesome Mantra? Please share it below in the comments.
“It is better to travel well, than arrive” – Buddha
For me, this quote takes “life is a journey” to a new level. If that journey is pursued with the same passion as the goal, then the journey is more important.
If Buddha was an endurance athlete, he would say;
“It is better to train and race well, than PR”
Let’s take a marathon for an example. You train for 20 weeks for a one day event, in hopes of setting a PR. Race day comes and you were sick the week before, the weather sucks, and you don’t PR. Was all of that training for nothing? Not if you trained with purpose, and enjoyed the process. Think back to all of those long runs spend in the fresh air increasing your well being. You persevered when your legs were screaming to stop on the way to a new distance. Every time you head out the door to train with purpose, you are travelling well.
First Time Triathlete 
