“we are all painfully and constantly aware of how we stack up, not just with our contemporaries but with our historical counterparts as well. In that regard it’s different even from other sports”
-John L. Parker Jr. Once a Runner

It is too true. As triathletes, we too play into the numbers game. It is the only objective way to measure our selves against anything. At this point, most of us have seen our first race, or it is so close within reach it keeps you up at night. This article is for that time after the race. Not when you have just crossed the line when your soul is overwhelmed in the triumph of obstacles. This is for that time when reality sets in, usually a day later when you can stare at your splits, stare at your place, and then stare at yourself in the mirror wondering what the hell am I doing?

Finishing a race has a dignity all on its own. Some might take it for granted, but be reminded even the best athletes DNF races. If you have made it across that line, be thankful. Accentuating the positive is always good for the mind. There is though, a time to be picky, and it is acknowledging where can improve, and taking what we learned that turns us all into a better athlete today, than the one we were yesterday.

Compare your results to your goals. How did you stack up? Then ask why, and I mean really sit down and ask why. Did you over train? Were you skipping workouts to avoid swimming/cycling/running? Do you love swimming so much you spent all of your time in the pool and ignored running? The race was a culmination of your efforts and it reflects those efforts. Not often or at all do you hear someone say, “I rarely ran at all the month before the race and my legs felt awesome on the run.” If you felt a discipline inadequate, it is time to develop a plan to conquer the beast before you race again.

Training is not always the white whale. I for example, was in great shape for a particular race in November. Everything was going swimmingly until the final 10k of the half marathon. Things shut down. Why? I knew right away, but I hadn’t taken any nutrition for the run. My plan ended at the bike. So what did I do? Formulated a plan, and executed for the next race. The result was a run split that was roughly 15-17 minutes faster.

Whether it was training, nutrition, health or mental; We all have reasons why we performed the way we did. Learning and building on these experiences is paramount in building the athlete you want to be. Train, race, analyze, learn and grow. Generate dialogue with friends, take notes, and make a spreadsheet and dork out. Then look at your finish line photos and watch as your smile slowly creeps from ear to ear.

Written by Chris Berg