Since I recently realized I’ve completed 20 races, I've decided to do a small look back on my short career in the sport.
Mostly Random and Largely Inconsequential Things I’ve Learned in Four Years of Triathlon
- In three weeks preceding and following my A race I must not buy clothes. If I do, those clothes will only fit in the three weeks preceding or following my A race in following years
- It is possible to eat three breakfasts and still be hungry
- Coffee serves more than one purpose (don’t ask unless you really want to know)
- High fibre breakfasts are a bad idea on race morning, no matter how much coffee you drink
- Gels are disgusting but necessary and you eventually get used to them.
- You don’t need expensive nutrition bars:
- Nugget potatoes are possibly the best thing ever on a long ride
- Mini blueberry pancakes are pretty darned good too
- Almost ripe bananas are usually gross but when I’m riding they rock - The cycling skill I really want to master is peeling and eating a banana while pedaling
- Triathletes think you're wierd when you offer them pancakes 50km into a ride
- Chocolate milk is recovery food?! I love this sport!!!!!
- I am more likely to leave the house on time when I make a breakfast that requires 6 minutes to prepare than one that takes 30 seconds (huh?)
- After getting up early every day for eight months, sleeping in becomes incredibly difficult
- Naps are good
- My subconscious is a gullible five-year old
- I am never, ever going to lose my biker tan
My fellow triathlete reader(s?), please share any somewhat random and largely pointless things this sport has taught you!
2 comments:
Those are great! Just to add one more: The most difficult thing about the Half Ironman (and perhaps the full - I don't know yet)is when you've drunk way too much water, you try to forget about it, but you're in the middle of nowhere and you have to do something about it. Suddenly being toilet trained no longer seems like such a good thing.
Yeah, that cost me a sub six hour race at Oliver in June. My final time was 6:00:04, I regretted those 20 seconds wasted in the loo.
In IMC I didn't mind the break. That's where the level of the awesome-ness of the volunteers was really brought home - there was a volunteer at the portajohn to hold my bike! That amazed me.
Post a Comment