As we get closer and closer to the Mermaid Fremont Triathlon/Duathlon in June I am wondering....Are you finding YOUR happy pace? Are you finding YOUR stride? We are 5 weeks away from race day and now is the time to start settling into that happy pace and your personal stride. Sometimes it isn't the pace you had imagined it would be, but when we find it and accept it, race day is all the sweeter.
A few tips on getting ready for the big day...
Make sure you are getting in all three disciplines at least once a week and if you can throw in a brick workout (go for a bike ride and then a 1o minute run immediately after) your legs will thank you on race day!
If you are doing the triathlon, hopefully you have gotten in the pool and if you have a Master's swim program in your area, I strongly encourage you to check it out. The tips you get can make you a much stronger and confident swimmer.
Now is the time to do an equipment check and make sure you like what you have. Are you wearing a wetsuit? How about your goggles, do you like the style you are using? Do you know what you are wearing under your wetsuit? Do your running shoes feel good or do your feet consistently hurt after you run? It may be time to look at getting some new shoes. Make sure your bike has everything you need should you get a flat and practice what you will do if you do get one. The more you train with the supplies you will have on race day, the more prepared you will feel ~ giving you the freedom to enjoy the day and not worry about your "stuff"!!
If you are new to the Mermaid Fremont, I encourage you to get out to the race course at least once to check out the venue if you live close enough. If you don't have time to ride the bike route you could drive it so that you can get a feel for what the terrain looks like. The Quarry Lakes swim area is open at 6:30 am on the weekends (no life guards so swim at your own risk) and getting down there to see the venue might help put some anxieties at ease. For me, I feel a lot calmer on race day if I have seen where I am going to be.
If you are brand new to triathlon and open water swimming, I recommend coming to one of our clinics, we have a swim clinic coming up this Saturday and the tri clinic on the 17th. You'll be with other nervous Mermaids that will end up making you smile.
Hopefully you are working towards finding your own stride, as I walked around this past weekend at the annual Avia Wildflower Triathlon, I had one of our "Find your happy pace" t-shirts on. I couldn't believe the number of people that commented on it, men and women, I think it speaks bigger volume than we all realize!
Training is the time to learn about your body, what it is capable of and what it is NOT capable of. Hopefully your training is giving you a chance to push out those boundaries of what wasn't capable to new places of strength and confidence. Race day is your party, time to celebrate all that you have done and all that you have learned about yourself.
As many of you read last month, this past weekend I went to "participate" at the Wildflower Triathlon, it's an amazing event with over 20,000 people coming to race and cheer for 2 days. I did the long course triathlon on Saturday and as you read, this one was all about finishing for me and that's what I did.
Even still with all of my thoughts clear in my head before race day, knowing that I just wanted to finish having not put in the training this race demands and deserves, I found myself anxious, wondering what the heck I was doing, worried about how bad my time was going to be. I had to take a deep breath and do a little reality check. I thought a lot about all of you Mermaids and what we try to give you in the Mermaid Series. We strive to give you all an opportunity to push past boundaries that may have nothing to do with racing a triathlon or duathlon but have everything to do you with you saying, if I can do this....what else can I do! And of course, this race was all about that for me...
I thought a lot about some Mermaids that I know very well and while I was pushing my bike and body up some of the toughest hills I will ever ride, I rememberd them and their stories. I remembered where they have been and how by choosing to find THEIR stride and no one elses' they have changed their lives.
There was nothing easy about Saturday, I regretted it as soon as I started up the first crazy hill but was grateful for it when my legs burned and I was reminded how lucky I am to be alive and have my legs burn....
I cried as I climbed some of the hills thinking of all the things I have done and have yet to do and my tears were ones of gratitude for all of the people along the way. When I came off of the bike and was sure I couldn't go on the run, I was grateful for friends cheering me along and getting my butt out of transition.
And as I write this and my body is fatigued and I think back to my time....not my happy pace but my time on the clock, I have to remind myself that the time doesn’t matter, that I went with my stride. I remind myself that every stroke I took in the water was the one I wanted to take. And while every pedal I turned on the bike was a reminder of how much I should have trained I also pushed it just the right amount for my body, for my heart beat so that I would have the strength to put one foot in front of the other on the run. When I came down the mountain into the finish shoot and I let it all go, felt every bit of energy drain out of me...I knew I had found my happy pace among good friends and sweaty tears.
As you train for this Mermaid, remind yourself that it's ok to find your happy pace, it's unique to you and no other person is going to have the same one... so enjoy it... jump in... make a splash.... go for a ride... find your stride..
I look forward to seeing you soon and calling your name across the finish line.
-Coach Heidi
