At times, the climb is steep, and it hurts. I work to gain elevation only to then lose it as I round the bend. These consistent setbacks mirror those I have endured throughout my 30+ years of being involved in triathlon, which begs the question--why bother? Why bother doing all that work, mentally willing myself through moments of fatigue and suffering only to lose all momentum moments later?

Some motivational words from Coach Molly Zahr, as we look to 2021.

“The day you stop racing is the day you win the race.” – Bob Marley

A few months back, I found myself under the surface of the ocean holding my breath at 80 feet, lying on some sand, just looking up at a rock cliff beside me. Utter silence, fish all around me. All I could think of was a song by The Talking Heads: “How did I get here? Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down Letting the days go by, water flowing underground Into the blue again, after the monkey’s gone Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground.”

My experience with virtual racing thus far and some tips, if you'd like to try it too.

Here we are – about to approach May 1st and, with a plethora of events being cancelled or postponed, race season 2020 is in jeopardy. With these cancellations, motivation to stay fit and healthy can be hard to maintain. Even with the world embracing the virtual training and race environment, most folks are still itching to get back to the real routine: early morning wake-up, pre-race jitters, and the elation of crossing the finish line.

I was once what you might call a bit of a ‘reluctant flier’. While I didn’t quite have a B.A. Baracus-type of anxiety around it, it wasn’t my favorite means of transportation. I wouldn’t not fly, but I would definitely check to see how long the drive would have been, for places where I wanted to go. And while I typically ended up boarding a plane to get to those places, it was rare that I actually enjoyed myself on it. You see, I hated turbulence. The plane would start shaking, and maybe do that little drop-thing that it does, and my head would instantly go to that scene from Castaway, when the FedEx plane plunged into the Pacific.

I often find myself asking folks for show recommendations. I think most of us find ourselves re-watching the same shows over and over (and over). If you’re like me, you may have already google-searched a list of shows to binge during work or workouts while in your new work from home office (WFHO), or workout from home gym (WFHG). Well guess what? Search no more…

Someday, 20-30 years from now, the next generation of endurance sport athletes, and non-athletes for that matter, will ask the million-dollar question: “What did you do during the COVID-19 Pandemic?”

A triathlete’s quick start guide to small changes that can make a big impact this season.