After my first triathlon, I told my coach how unnerved I was to have so many competitors pass me on the bike. Intellectually, I knew this to be inevitable. How could people not pass me, a novice to the sport? Practicing outside competition conditions is one thing, but executing – and maintaining poise – under such conditions is another.
I expected him to give me technical advice, like something to do with shifting gears or changing cadence. After all, he’s a very technical coach; he coaches Junior Olympians; he does not screw around. But this is what he said:
“When other people pass you, love them.”
What?
I was too stunned to press for more details. He went on to share some visualization tactics to maintain mental poise. Those I may share later. I want to focus on the love part for now.
Recently a wolverine was shot and killed in North Dakota. This was a big deal, as wolverines are rare. The wolverine, named M56, was the first one seen in North Dakota in over 100 years and the first one seen in Colorado in over 90 years. He was in Wyoming when he was first tagged. Between his sojourns down to Colorado and then up to Montana and North Dakota, he must have covered literally thousands of miles. Much respect to this four-footed ultramarathoner!
There is a nice eulogy of sorts to him on The Wolverine Blog. This is my favorite passage:
I had no idea what he would go on to do, but I loved him even then simply for being out there, for his presence on the landscape, which, even before his tremendous journeys, seemed huge.
This notion, of loving something just because it is alive and doing, is what my coach was conveying, I think.
Don’t be mad at the people passing you. They are giving you any number of things: (a) a reason to try harder, (b) an example/ideal to shoot for, (c) a view of nice calves. (“Calf envy” is definitely a thing, just Google it.) And don’t be mad at yourself for getting passed. You are suffering enough as is, having paid money to get passed and check out people’s calves.
Instead, be grateful.
Be grateful you can even afford a raceworthy bike (or have a credit card that can withstand such cost).
Be grateful to be out biking.
Be grateful to be not driving.
Be grateful that the race course protects you from drivers (more or less).
Be grateful for energy chews (yum).
Be grateful for fingerless gloves that automatically make you badass.
Be grateful that most everyone looks bad in spandex.
And be grateful for getting passed.
Enjoy the view.
Morning:
35 min. bike (5x 120-breath intervals @ +8 difficulty)
t1t2t1000 