how to execute your practice race
Race season is heating up, and many of you will have scheduled a practice race before your “A” race of the season, which is a great plan. Entering a triathlon with the explicit intention of using it to prepare for your key event allows you the opportunity to test out new equipment, shake the dust off last season’s equipment, and remind yourself of the little things you really only deal with on race day.
To get the most out of this practice race, though, you’ll want a clearly-defined strategy, otherwise it could be a waste of time (and energy). Then you need to translate that strategy into a detailed plan for your practice race, execute it on race day, and capture what you learned so that you can apply it toward your “A” race. Sound complicated? Only if you don’t follow the road map in Coach Alison’s latest Triathlete Magazine article.
what to read / watch / listen to:
Coach Shana:
Read: Reddit triathlon community’s thoughts on “Proper way to make turns and u-turns on Tri-Bike?” If your triathlon will have u-turns, it’s worth practicing them a few times before the event so that you have more confidence and control going into tight turns.
Watch: Effortless Swimming (on You Tube) with Feedback Friday: “Can You Teach Yourself To Swim 2.4 Miles?” I enjoy watching swim videos, especially the ones with slow motion moments that really highlight a technique or form the speaker is discussing. Check out Brenton Ford’s latest in his Feedback Friday series for some cues to think about in your next pool session.
athlete win of the month:
Coach Alison: Michelle Friedrich
All of the athletes at IM 70.3 Victoria did an incredible job of racing on a less than perfect tri-weather day. 40’s and raining would be enough to keep me in bed, but our NYX athletes showed incredible grit in facing the day without flinching.
Michelle, though, had challenges beyond just the cold. First she came out of the water to discover that her (tubeless!) bike tire, which was fine hours before, was now flat. After bike tech struggled with it, they put in a tube and she was on her way … for a mile, when she discovered that the tired was once again flat. She waited in the cold – for a second time! – until the bike tech arrived to swap her wheel out, and then was finally able to really get going on the bike.
With perma-frozen feet and continued cold and damp conditions on a hilly bike course, it was hard to make up that lost time from the two flats. And then even harder on the run, when her legs were pretty shredded from the cold and the hills. So when race officials took her chip at the end of lap 1 of the run, she could’ve called it a day and headed home to finally get warm.
But that’s not what she did. Instead, Michelle embraced the “no f&cking quitting” mindset and said “cool, take my chip, I’m still heading out on lap 2.” I am so, so impressed with Michelle’s determination to cover all 70.3 miles – no official timing chip, no fancy finish line, just because she set out to do it and she was determined to finish what she started. I could not be more proud to be her coach!
what makes us better:
Coach Julie: The People We Surround Ourselves With!
Ever wonder why some days you feel unstoppable and other days you feel drained? It often comes down to the people you choose to have around you. Here’s why it matters and how to make the right choices:
- Support and Encouragement: Surround yourself with people who lift you up and believe in your potential. Positive reinforcement can fuel your motivation and help you achieve your goals.
- Shared Values: Choose friends and mentors who share your values and aspirations. They will keep you grounded and focused on what truly matters.
- Constructive Criticism: Being around individuals who provide honest, constructive feedback helps you grow and improve. They challenge you to be your best self.
- Inspiration and Learning: Surround yourself with those who inspire you and push you to learn new things. Their passion and knowledge can ignite your own drive.
How to Choose the Right People:
- Reflect on Your Goals: Identify what you want to achieve and look for people who align with those goals.
- Seek Positivity: Find those who bring positivity into your life and avoid those who drain your energy.
- Be Open: Be open to new relationships and experiences. Sometimes, the best connections come from unexpected places.
- Remember, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Choose wisely and watch yourself grow!
meet a teammate:
Teammate: Steve Sgro, coached by Coach Alison, resides in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada with his wife, Christine. They have 2 grown boys that live out West in Vancouver. One is just starting his working life outside of university and the other has one more year to go. They have 3 older cats, Carlos, Athena and Delilah.
- Favorite race: Hmmm… Favorite race I’ve ever done? Probably the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Such amazing energy from the crowd! I would classify any 70.3 I’ve done as harder (I’ve only done 3), but the Marathon was such a special day. My favorite race to continue to do? Probably Subaru Series Guelph Lake 1. It’s 2 days of racing. We always try to do the Oly on Saturday and the sprint on Sunday. It’s a goofy fun weekend with fellow Tri friends at the beginning of the season. We’re usually far from ‘race ready’ so we just have a lot of fun!
- Walk-out song: Again… Hmmm… I use this for a walk-out song and for a disgusting hill climb I have by my house that caps out at 15% for almost 1km. Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. I use the long version because it takes so damn long to climb that hill!
- 3 Words that family/friends would use to describe you: Pain in the Ass? Oops, that’s 4. Stubborn for sure! Maybe Crazy? (none of my family does endurance sports). Hopefully Awesome!
- Worst style choice you’ve ever made: That’s tough to answer as a 53 year old. I’m at the age now where most days could possibly be a ‘worst style choice’ day and I wouldn’t know it! I do remember a picture of a high school dance in a white suit with a red leather tie sporting my best attempt of Mike Score’s haircut from a Flock of Seagulls! That picture is gracefully a distant memory and hopefully in a landfill!
- If you could have an unlimited supply of 1 thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Easy!!! Bikes!!! Always N+1!!!