Wait what?! Winning isn’t everything? Says who? It’s true though, winning really doesn’t mean anything if you haven’t enjoyed the adventure along the way.
My coach Trista Francis, shared a quote with me yesterday that really hit home, and is absolutely perfect for the mindset that I am going into this race with. Just goes to show why we mesh so well as coach and athlete and why she is the best coach ever.
“Somewhere behind the athlete you’ve become and the the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you, is a little girl who fell in love with the sport and never looked back…race for her.”
-Mia Hamm
Course Talk. Weather conditions call for cold and windy. Bring it on.
This quote really sums up how I feel about this season, it was a wonderful learning experience, racing and training alike. There were good days and there were bad days, and looking back on all of it now I can really ask myself…why did I do it?
Going to bed by 8 or 9 every night, waking up at 5 every morning, sacrificing going out and being the quintessential “21 year old”, and turning down dates if they couldn’t have me home before my self imposed grandma bedtime. Why would I go through all of that? When I read this quote all of the pieces came together…because I love it. Plain and simple, I do all of it for me, because I love it.
I keep saying how triathlon is a lifestyle and it’s true, those who have been converted and are a part of the community understand. It’s an unspoken pledge to take care of your body, to dedicate and focus all the passion towards one goal, bettering yourself. This is why it’s not all about winning. I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for triathlon. This sport is so much more to me than race day. It’s the 3 hour rides I have to give myself continuous pep talks on so I don’t turn around early. It’s the track workouts and solo mile repeats that hurt so bad I’m ready to just say forget it, but I don’t. So I keep pushing myself, keep setting that alarm early and in the end I get to enjoy the benefits; a healthy body, a happy mind, and a light heart.
Tomorrow is my last race of the season and my last race as an amateur, so I will say it again with a small caveat, winning isn’t everything, but it sure is fun! 😉
T-minus 19 hours till Toyota US Open Triathlon!!
Zara Guinard 
Great attitude !!!! And a little bitter sweet yes??? Last race as an amateur part that is…….but your life schedule sounds like my life…….in bed by nine to be up for work at five AM……..ok could be 5:30 AM but get up so I can ride the stationary bike for 30 min to and hour before work………but as life is short you are so right to do something because you love it not for the winning or my case money..but winning and in my case money is nice…lol…we have more in common than you might think……eager to hear the race results…………enjoy the trip but kick some serious butt while you do it …..
Only one person can win the race, but it is still about a winning for everyone else. It is just that winning means different things. To some winning is finishing, to some winning is a PR, or even just getting to the start line. When you push yourself to things you didn’t think were possible you are winning regardless of whether you have a trophy that says so.
Happy Holidays,
TG