Are You Living It?

A la Dan, a few random thoughts:

-how to pick a great coach: go with the one who EXPLAINS things to you (even if you don’t really want to know). It’s not mysticism - there should be a reason for every workout you are assigned. The greatest coaches coach you so that you COULD coach yourself one day (even though you probably won’t want to because having a coach provides a lot of intrisic benefits). If they can explain it, then they understand it well enough to prescribe it…Janda was always expounding on the science of his choices and giving me links to resources because he valued an INFORMED athlete. That told me he wasn’t afraid to be challenged or questioned, and security is a sign of competence.

-Speed is a double-edged sword. The pursuit of it is what motivates us to train harder and smarter year in and year out. Speed is freeing. Speed is empowering. But t can also be demoralizing, especially when you don’t have it. It can trick you into giving up in a race or a workout. It can undermine your confidence when you expect it and it doesn’t show up. Sometimes speed is a liar…and sometimes it’s the only thing that tells you the real truths.

-Even if you are a pro, do this sport for something greater than competition. “Run the race in such a way that you might win.”

-An open letter of thanks to my friend Megan who is an incredible triathlete and is now a new mom. I met her when I first moved to Essex almost 10 years ago. She was a spinning instructor at the MAC and I was an out-of-shape work-a-holic, fresh off a ten year smoking habit. She was a model. I was 30 pounds overweight. She was winning every triathlon she entered but had the self-awareness to know that being a pro triathlete was not where her passion lay- she wanted to be a mom and care for a family. I thought triathlon was nuts and being a mom was even crazier. She was a former Division 1 swimmer. I was a former intermural rugby player.

Needless to say we didn’t have a lot in common. But we became friends, and she always encouraged me to do better as an athlete. She didn’t patronize me (although there were a lot of times that I was laughing inside as she described her “slow” running in a race (sub-7 minute miles)). She always spoke to me as though I was just like her - even when I clearly was not. I told her there was no way I’d ever do a triathlon, but she never threw that back in my face when I asked her for help in the pool because I might try to train for one. She never mentioned it when I’d disappear from the gym for months on end because I’d lost my motivation. She just helped encourage me to get back on track when I did come back.

So Megan, as you take on a new chapter in your life, the one you always knew you wanted, I need to say thank you for inspiring me to take on a chapter that I never would have dreamed would turn out to be my passion. You are an awesome friend, a great athlete, and will be an even better mom. And I can’t wait to see you back at the starting line.

a