In my first sprint triathlon (in 2010) I wanted to believe that I could do it like most things in my life – might not be the best, but would not be the worst. I could not have been more wrong.
For anyone who reads even the first chapters of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Steven R. Covey knows that you cannot cheat a natural system. A computer programmer who does not actively participate in sports may not do that well “cramming” for his first race. That is exactly what happened and the results were predictable. Of all the men who finished, I finished dead last. Every grandmother and grandfather who finished all passed me. Even the ones riding cruisers rocking the streamers on the handlebars.
At this point, I faced two choices:
In some ways, I still don’t entirely understand all the forces that make me do the things I do. Ego, soul seeking, or maybe just a rock head. I chose to make a change. Like most changes, the decision is far easier than the execution.
My wife asked me a few times why I would keep at this. Each struggle just somehow makes me more determined to win.
I found out:
In the coming weeks, I hope to break down my discoveries into discrete lessons. In the process, I hope to better my own understanding as well as help those who may happen upon these posts.