One In A Row!

As triathletes, we all have fears. Fear of not living up to our potential and meeting our own goals. Fear of not living up to the expectations of others. Fear of not finishing. And, many more! These certainly apply to my IRONMAN journey. More important than the fears themselves are how we proactively deal with those fears. Some common recommendations for dealing with fears are:

• Breaking Down Roadblocks: Creating a roadmap of individual tasks that will help you gain confidence. This is more valuable than simply focusing on the overwhelming totality of your final goal.
  
• Facing Your Fears: Once you've identified the individual tasks, you set out to accomplish them. You face those fears and put them aside. Examples for IRONMAN training might be completing your first 100-mile+ bike ride, completing your first half-IRONMAN distance triathlon, completing your first open water swim, etc.
• Don't Compare Yourself to Others: I sincerely hope you read my previous post, "How to ALWAYS Win!", on Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation?! MOST people will perform better and be much happier by being intrinsically motivated. Find what is inside you and within YOUR abilities and focus on that. This not only applies to races, but to individual training events! You might outswim, outbike, and outrun your training partner 99% of the time. Do NOT let an off day allow fear to creep in or intensify.
• Begin: Making the decision to simply start breaking down roadblocks by facing your fears is a commitment to finish!

One of the ways I have dealt with MY fears has been to set goals and milestones. These were roadblocks to be broken down as I faced my fears. One of my biggest goals was to do my BEST to NOT miss workouts. I am not Superman. I did not have any false, fixed expectations of not missing a single workout during the months and months of training I was undertaking for IRONMAN Florida. More than most, I have an incredibly supportive employer, family, and network of friends. They have all gone above and beyond to ensure that the daily requirements of work, family, and life, in general, have not stood in my way anymore than necessary. I plan to devote an entire post to this amazing support system in the future!

By now, I hope you have also read my "IRONMAN Florida Training Camp Lessons!" post about my big, IRONMAN Florida Training Camp?! This was a weekend of big workouts and a very important milestone in my journey. Having less than stellar workouts weighed heavily on me physically and mentally. For some reason, I also did not sleep very well during the weekend. Regardless of the weekend's let-downs, I reached deep and managed to rally and have a really strong swim on Monday.

Then, Tuesday dawned with lots of promise. Throughout the day, I was watching the weather closely and it looked like having to head home a bit early, after an eye care appointment with my youngest daughter, was going to be a real blessing! An early start might allow me to get in a tough, 1:40 bike workout just before the heavier rains came in. The weather wasn't on my side, this day. Leaving my daughter's appointment, we were met by heavy rains. By the time we got home, the rain was accompanied with thunder and lightning. No outdoor ride, for sure. Feeling a little more tired than usual, I was going to pass on a hard, trainer workout and maybe do a nice, one-hour spin to at least get something positive in.

After dinner with my daughters, I decided to take a very uncharacteristic nap. Two hours later, I awoke to stumble downstairs, give the girls final instructions for the evening, and promptly return to bed. My eyes didn't open again until the alarm went off at 4:15 am for the next day's swim workout. It was official, workouts for Tuesday... MISSED! Streak over!

When speaking with people who are undertaking "streaks" of one kind or another, you often hear of a kind of relief once that streak comes to an end. I guess I do feel that to some degree. Putting things in perspective, my body was clearly in need of some quality rest. We are always encouraged to "listen to our bodies", but often fail to do so. Based on how I felt the next day, I'm really glad I listened.

Another key thing that I've always understood and support is something I saw stated, better than I ever could have, in a recent Triathlete magazine article, "A well-planned training regimen is not a fragile house of cards, and one missed workout (even a big one) will not cause the house to come tumbling down."


As a mediocre, at best, age group athlete, there is no "Kona slot" in my future. I'm doing this (IRONMAN) to find what I'm capable of. I have an outstanding coach and my plan is not a house of cards. My journey will not come crashing down based on missing this or possibly even some additional, future workouts!

BUT... I did wake up, completely refreshed, at 4:15 am the next day. I shaved and got myself to the pool for a 1-hour swim workout. My 100-yard swim times were well below my usual T-Pace. I felt GREAT after! My workout streak became ONE IN A ROW! One. In. A. Row! Woot! Yahoo! Let's do this!!!

IRONMAN Florida Training Camp Lessons!

This past weekend, I came face-to-face with one of the milestones I have had for my IRONMAN Florida journey since well before even signing up. Watching my friends accomplish their IRONMAN Florida dreams last year, I made note of the incredible sense of accomplishment and confidence they gained from attending the IRONMAN Florida Training Camp. I wanted that sense of accomplishment, the confidence, and the camaraderie offered by the IRONMAN Florida Training Camp. I counted down the days.

The 2014 IRONMAN Florida Training Camp, hosted by LifeSport Coaching, with coaches from LifeSport Coaching (http://lifesportcoaching.com/) (Chuck Kemeny and Marci Gray), Velocity Multisport Coaching (http://www.velocitymultisport.com/) (Jennifer Vogel), and Revolutions Triathlon Coaching (http://www.revtricoaching.com/) (Jeff Bowman) was held the weekend of September 12 - 14 at the amazing Laketown Wharf in beautiful Panama City Beach, Florida!. This offered a chance to swim, bike, and run the IRONMAN Florida course with first-class support from a dedicated and super-helpful group of volunteers. Evening educational/Q&A sessions and networking with the other 80+ athletes in attendance was incredible!

One of the personal highlights of the weekend was finally getting to meet the incomparable Shawna Block. Shawna is an incredible triathlete and fellow blogger. Having followed the blog detailing her IRONMAN Florida journey, I have consistently wondered if she could actually be as personable and down-to-earth as she reads in her blog. Somehow… she is! Shawna is probably one of the most genuine people I have met in my life! Please go get to know Shawna over at her Building Block blog at: http://buildingblockblog.blogspot.com/.

Now, before I get to the main point of this post, I just want to, again, stress how AMAZING all of the coaches and volunteers were. They did an AMAZING job of keeping up with the 80+ athletes on the 100-mile+ bike course, the 14-mile run course, and during the mass, swim start practice on the beach. We were kept safe and well-supported throughout the weekend. Just an amazing bunch and I am grateful for their time!

Did I mention that they charged NOTHING for this training camp?! Instead, they simply invited attendees to make a voluntary donation to a collection of three charities selected by the coaches! It was an awesome feeling to get so much from this camp AND know that I was also able to do something for some very worthy causes! In fact, if you would like to make a donation (Every little bit helps!) to these worthy causes, please click here before Friday, September 19, 2014: http://www.microgiving.com/cause/im-training-camp-fundraiser-for-cops-for-kids-south-city-multisport-club-and-dsaj

Now, on to the good and bad of IRONMAN Florida Training Camp. My goal on Saturday was to ride 100+ miles of the IRONMAN Florida course. At the beginning of the ride, I had a number of things I wanted to “focus” on during this ride. I wanted to get a really good feel for the course and memorize as many landmarks as possible. Cutting my rides/runs up into chunks helps me get through them and know when and where I need to put out and pull back on my energy usage. Knowing, “I have a pretty good downhill stretch after this turn!” or “There is a turn coming up after this stretch and the wind will be at my back!”, can be a big help on race day! Another point of focus, as always, was to stay on top of my hydration and nutrition. When it was time to eat, I was eating. When it was time to take a SaltStick, I was taking a SaltStick. When it was time to drink, I was drinking. I started off slower than I wanted to and picked it up after the first 11 miles. There, I made a few, very crucial mistakes.

My minor goals were given too much focus and I lost focus of the most important goals. I did not pay attention to what should ALWAYS be your main goal… knowing your plan and listening to your body. I simply did not stay within my goals for effort. For me this can be measured by heart rate and/or rate of perceived effort (RPE). In hindsight, BOTH of these were telling me that I was riding too hard.

The day of the bike at IRONMAN Florida Training Camp saw temperatures in the mid-90’s with a heat index well into the 100’s. Fortunately, this was not that foreign to me and I had trained in similar and even hotter. The problem I encountered was that, even though I stayed on top of my hydration and nutrition for my NORMAL effort, I was not taking in enough electrolytes for the increased effort I was putting out that day. 

The heat and the increased effort depleted my electrolytes. Going up the steep incline of the bridge, at mile 89, I started feeling the first twinges of cramping. I went over the bridge at an easy pace and pulled into a parking lot shortly after. I was doing OK until I got off of the bike to stretch. I was immediately hit with cramps. My legs (quads) locked up, tight. I have a pretty good idea that this was related to electrolytes as I was cramping everywhere… legs, groin, arms, feet, and even my jaw. Fortunately, I was not completely disabled by this and was able to do some light stretching and quickly mounted back up. The final 11+ miles were completed much, much slower than my normal pace, but I was really trying to save myself for the rest of the weekend’s workouts.(Bridge Photo)

Of all of the negatives I brought upon myself that day, I still managed to find some positives. The biggest was that I did a good job of realizing I was in trouble and changing things up to minimize the damage. Continuing to push would have been catastrophic! As it was, I was able to get back, replenish electrolytes and ended up having a very respectable swim that afternoon and ~14-mile run the next morning! Even with a body still sore from the cramping!

I have worked very hard this year and have had some really terrific, long workouts. I think this lead to a certain amount of complacency. IRONMAN Florida Training Camp could not have come at a better time to give me a proverbial smack on the nose to remind me that I am not impervious to suffering if I go to hard. You can rest assured that no matter what happens during the rest of my training and on race day, I am going to remember to always put the main focus on my plan and staying in touch with my effort as it compares to that plan!

Respect for IRONMAN!

I was raised to be respectful and with the belief that, when earned, compliments are free to give and usually quite welcomed. Serving in the U.S. Army for eight years, I learned more about “respect”, one of the Army’s listed, key values (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage). Later in my military career, I served as a Behavioral Science Specialist (Psychiatry, Psychology, Social Work, etc.). This gave me an even more in-depth look at the almost mystical power of a compliment.

Compliments are the simplest way to deliver praise and show our respect. They demonstrate awareness of the positive achievements of those around us. Even the most modest of people will benefit from being the object of a compliment. And… we benefit from the act of giving a compliment! Finally, not only does a compliment recognize past achievements, it is a very powerful motivator. People will often re-double their efforts to do even more of what solicited the positive feedback!

With this primer on respect and compliments out of the way, let me clarify that I am not an idol-worshipper. Oddly enough, I am more thrilled by the prospect of watching someone new to triathlons conquer their first open water swim than I would be meeting Olympian, Michael Phelps. I attribute this to how I think of myself as an “everyman”. I was never particularly “great” at any one thing, but that never stopped me from doing the best that I could at whatever activity I was engaged in. In the vein of “it takes one to know one”, I find myself rooting for the “everyman” and being more in awe of their achievements. Being one of them, I know what it takes to achieve their goals.

This brings me to IRONMAN. I have finished my base phase and, this weekend, will complete my first build phase. My coach put a very nice and motivating little message at the beginning of next week’s workout. It essentially said that I am doing great, about to begin my “Major Build Phase”, and to keep up the good work. Without looking at it again, I am not sure if it said something like that or, “Mwahahahahaha! Prepare to REALLY suffer!!!” I am afraid to confirm what it really says because I sort of black out every time I start looking at it…

All joking aside, I have always had a very deep respect for anyone able to train for and complete an IRONMAN triathlon. After spectating last year’s IRONMAN Florida, I could not say, “Good job, IRONMAN!” to enough of those weary finishers. The power of that compliment/acknowledgement was AMAZING! Their backs would straighten, they would stop wincing for a few seconds, smile, and offer a quiet, “Thank you!” I almost tear up thinking about it again.



That was probably one of the more powerful memories from that amazing experience. So much so, that when things are toughest, somewhere on the dark streets around mile-20 of the marathon, THIS is the thought I will pull up to help me push through my IRONMAN Florida 2014 bid. Yes, I want to hear the announcer say, “Ronald Harrison… YOU are an IRONMAN!”, but I think I will be even more emotional just hearing, “Good job, IRONMAN!” from friends, family, and strangers.




I have often heard that the actual IRONMAN race was just a celebration of all of the hard work done just to get to the starting line. As I live through that, it becomes so much more than just words. It is so much more than just the training. I have jokingly written about the number of bike bottles I have to clean each week and the amount of dirty laundry from all of this training. And, I am sincerely flabbergasted by how much effort I have to put in to packing multiple gym bags and backpacks when I have a swim before work, a run or bike after work, and God-forbid, a family or social obligation after THAT! If you see me wearing running shoes with my suit and dress shoes on a run, just shyly point it out?!


So, here is to you, IRONMAN! I just want to let you know that I am one of your biggest fans. My respect for you is growing every day, every mile, every dirty bike bottle, every load of laundry, and every time I pack another gym bag! I admire you more than words can express and hope to one day, soon, be like you!



OK, time to go look at next week’s workouts…

Find YOUR Confidence!

Sunday called for the first and shortest "Big Day" workout I will be completing on my way to IRONMAN Florida. This consisted of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 1.5-hour run. All meant to be executed as I would on race day, mimicking the intensity, equipment, clothing, hydration, nutrition, etc.

I showed up at the pool at 10 am only to realize that I had misread the hours on their website and the pool didn't actually open until 11:30 am. With thunderstorms projected for mid-afternoon, I decided that waiting around to start my swim would be ill-advised. I jumped forward and decided to do the bike, run, and then the swim. I figured this change would just increase my chances of missing the afternoon showers on the bike and run.

Well, the weatherman forgot to tell Mother Nature about his little "forecast". Within ten minutes of starting my ride, the rain started. Slowly, at first, but picking up intensity until it became a full-on downpour. The rain drops were huge and started to actually hurt. Visibility was becoming worse and worse and the roads were starting to become more obscured by debris and puddles. This first squall lasted ~45 minutes before breaking up into clear patches with periods of light rain. I was finally able to pick up the pace and hoped that the worst was over. I made the final turn for the last 14-mile stretch when the sky darkened and an even worse storm hit. This one not only had a wall of rain, it came complete with thunder, lightning, and swirling winds!

I made it back to my truck, changed, and started my run in what had turned into a very light rain. I would normally welcome the cooling rain on a run, but after being so waterlogged on the bike, a squishing, sloshing 1.5-hour run was not the highlight of the day. The worst part was thinking about the effect that the early, but distant, rumbles of thunder were going to have on my swim. Our local pools are definitely safety-conscious and will close at even the hint of a rumble of thunder!

Somehow, my luck turned. I finished my run, quickly drove to the pool, and ended up being greeted with a beautiful, sun-drenched, afternoon swim! YAY! Big Day #1, SURVIVED! And therein lies my confidence builder.

Rather than be disappointed by a slower than normal bike pace or a truck full of sweaty, stinky gear holding more water than I thought remotely possible, I looked for the positives. I found things to help build my confidence. Well, at least my confidence that if I'm faced with a rainy, stormy, waterlogged race day, I'm going to be able to make it!

Personally, I am building the most confidence by being as consistent as I can be with my training. Life happens, so it is nearly impossible to hit the mark and complete every workout, meeting every goal for that workout. And, we always have to listen to our bodies and our mental health! Physically, there are DEFINITELY those days where skipping a workout is going to be much, much more beneficial than simply slogging through with poor form. Psychologically, mental fatigue (burnout) is real and must be avoided. VERY few of us are trying to make a living at this, right?! So, if it is supposed to be fun and it becomes no longer fun, why do it?! Do not get to that point. Take a break when needed.

What have you done to find YOUR confidence?

• Fixed a flat tire.
• Completed a particularly difficult workout.
• Felt GREAT after that long swim, bike, or run.
• Conquered an open water swim.
• Made yourself get up for that EARLY morning workout.
• Made yourself go to bed so you can get up for that EARLY morning workout. (LOL!)
• Put together days or weeks of consistent training.
• Pushed through that workout in inclement weather.

Like stacking up bricks in a wall or tying knots in a rope, think of each brick or knot as one of those accomplishments you have had during your training. Look not only for the obvious accomplishments, but for the successes that are the result of overcoming adversity!

I tend to think that the lessons learned and confidence gained by overcoming adversity can be more valuable. After all, what will you likely find more valuable on race day, the confidence/ability to change a flat tire or the memory of the personal record (PR) you set at that early season race?

Start stacking up your bricks or tying your knots! Your day is coming!

I Got 99 Problems...

With apologies to Jay-Z…

If you’re having IRONMAN training problems, I feel bad for you son… I got 99 problems and motivation ain’t one! That’s right… 99 days until the biggest physical challenge of my life, IRONMAN Florida 2014. A 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a 26.2-mile run. Panama City Beach, Florida! November 1! Do I look and sound excited?!

I am in the last week of my base phase and the build phase is coming. I can feel all of the hard work I’ve been putting into my base. I can feel it under me and know I’m ready to build upon that in the coming weeks. 

I know that I will not always feel this good or this “up” during this journey. The long rides and runs already feel long enough. They will only get longer. Not only will I continue to build my body and my knowledge, I will continue to grow my willpower and continue to feed my motivation!

The ace up my sleeve for when things do start to get low is that I have an incredible support system of coaches, family, friends, and fellow athletes. I am not too proud to reach out for a little lift, when things do begin to get dark. So, be ready, friends… the “reaching out” will be coming!

And for the rest of you training for big races, I hope you’re training smart and also looking around to figure out who YOU can lean on when things get rough? Don’t wait until you’re in crisis-mode to start figuring out who to call on! Build that mental list now and have it ready to go so there’s no delay when you need it most!

And you know you can all call on me! My triathlon-training, rap-based, motivational, interpretive dance routines are pretty much legendary among triathlon’s elite...

Giving Away A Million Dollars!!!

I know I will deeply regret this, but I am going to give away a million dollars. Well... a million dollar idea at least...

With my training for IRONMAN Florida 2014 ramping up, I do NOT have time to develop, test, and bring this idea to market. Judging from the INSANE cost of anything associated with the sport of triathlon, selling just a few of these should make you an overnight millionaire! Make them out of carbon fiber and I am sure they will sell even better and you will become a billionaire! Rather than keep this stroke of genius to myself, I feel compelled to share this with you!

But first, there is no debate about the importance of fueling during a long ride or run and especially during something like the 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run portions of a full IRONMAN. Trying to take in calories every 20 - 30 minutes means I'm going to be fueling 18 - 24 times during the course of my IRONMAN?!

I find fueling to be much easier if I use a variety of products (flavors and consistencies). I am just not cut out to consume a single type of nutrition (gels, chews, blocks, bars, wafers, etc.) for all of those servings. My preference is to alternate gels (Hammer, Gu, PowerBar, and/or Honey Stinger), waffles/wafers (Honey Stinger), chews (Honey Stinger, Gu, Powerbar), and bars (Bonk Breaker). Those, along with my hydration (Gatorade, Perform, Fireball Whisky), give me all of the calories I need to perform.


Now we come to the problem. Convenience of dispensing nutrition!


GELS: I have long since learned that a Gel Flask is the most convenient way to take in gels. The flask is scientifically proven* to be 1,037% easier to use than tearing open those dastardly gel packets. AND... no trash to deal with/get you disqualified for littering! I prefer to use a Hammer Nutrition Gel Flask (http://shop.triattic.com/accessories/hammer-flask-5-serv/) in an Ultimate Direction Bike Mount Gel Flask Holder (http://shop.triattic.com/accessories/bike-mount-flask-holder/). This thing is the BOMB! I LOVE IT! They make one for your run hydration belt, but I have yet to try one out.



WAFFLES/BARS: These are a little easier to manage, but the packaging can be a pain. I find that simply cutting the waffle or bar in half and slipping it into a Ziploc Snack-sized bag is sufficient. This creates easier to manage portion sizes and LESS trash to deal with.

These things will print $$$!

CHEWS/CHOMPS/ENERGY BLASTS: Ahhh, the delicious Gummi Bears of athlete nutrition! OR are they simply unmanageable, sticky, globs of frustration?! As much as I enjoy them, they are difficult for me to manage on the bike.

Enter the most glorious idea to ever cross my** mind! THIS is the million/billion dollar idea! Simply pick up a bunch of 4" lollipop sticks (~$5 for 150 on Amazon), skewer your chews, slip the "chew pops" into a Ziploc Snack sized bag, and off you go. About half a bag of Honey Stinger Chews (pictured) will fit onto one, 4" lollipop stick, allowing you to break up your servings, as needed. This allows you to easily unwrap and partake of the glorious chews without getting insanely sticky!



"How do I turn this into a million/billion dollar product?!", you ask? Like everything else, marketing! Get these things made of carbon fiber, cheaply. Then, get a good celebrity endorsement! Get Rinny, Sharky, or that dude with the goofy sunglasses that always wins Wildflower! Plaster their picture on the label, package them 3 to a bag, and sell them for $10, $15, or $20! They will sell like hotcakes! Take a look at some of the stuff being sold and TELL ME I AM WRONG?!?!

Anyway, hope you find this little trick helpful and this post finds you training hard and training safe! If you do make a bunch of money off of this... I really would love a new tri bike. And a new wetsuit. And maybe one of those really cool aero helmets. And a new tri kit or three. Or, if you want, you could get me a few pairs of running shoes, too. Some straight-up cash for all of the IRONMAN Finisher gear would be nice, too...


* - No science was actually used in the determination of this number. 100% of people who use percentages are liars.
** - This incredible idea was not mine. The credit truly goes to fellow-triathlete and my wife, Michelle Harrison. Thanks, Bitsy Pookums!

Feeling the Sting of Triathlon's Risk-Reward Ratio!

A "Risk-Reward Ratio" is: A ratio used to compare the expected benefits of an investment to the amount of risk undertaken to capture those benefits.


A theme in my last post, "Dealing with the Monster!", centered around burning off nervous energy before a race by focusing on organizing my transition bag. The energy I pour into that helps me be organized, but more importantly, helps take my mind off the actual race... allowing me to relax.



Some might see the time spent organizing my transition bag as time wasted (Risk). To me, the organization, distraction, and resulting relaxation it provides (Reward) is well worth the effort. In that example, I end up on the positive side of the equation. My actions during the recent Army Strong Triathlon (sprint-distance triathlon) put me on the other side.

The Army Strong Triathlon was an important race for me. As an Army veteran, I always like to do well at this race. The past few years have seen me finish 1st and 2nd in my age group. I hoped for another good showing this year. However, for as important as this race is, being relaxed and having a good time with my friends takes higher precedence. For this reason, I made a concerted effort to not worry as much about the details of race. The usual time I would spend (Risk) setting up my transition spot and going over things did not seem worth the relative benefit (Reward).




In shorter distance triathlons, I perform what is called a flying mount. That means I leave my shoes clipped into the pedals of my bike. Coming out of the swim and into T1, I put on my helmet, simply grab my bike, and exit transition. I mount my bike and then, once underway, slip my feet into my clipped-in shoes, tighten the straps, and begin pedaling. This usually allows for quick transitions and allows me to get underway quickly.

At this year's Army Strong Triathlon, my usual mediocre swim was followed by a speedy transition and I was off on the bike. That is when it happened. The strap on my shoe pulled completely out of its slot and I spent the next ~1:30 (one minute and thirty seconds!) trying to avoid other athletes and wrecking while re-threading it back through. While there are probably several lessons to be learned here, like "Why didn't I just hop off, put the shoe on, and continue?!", I'd like to talk about lessons learned and the Risk-Reward Ratio.

But first, let us step aside and look at this cool image. This is data from my ride. All of the lines of data tell the story, but the most interesting is the gold line that shows my cadence (how quickly my pedals are turning). My normal cadence is well above 90 rpms. As you can see from the data, I am pretty much at zero for over 1:30. The only time it bumps above zero during that time is when I give it a few one-legged turns to keep from coming to a complete stop and falling over! Notice the falling heart rate and the blazing, sub-13 mph speed?!?! Awesome, huh?!

Anyway, the story here is not about something that went wrong on race day, but about something that has gone wrong for me before and could have been prevented. This was not the first time this has happened to me. During training, I've learned that loosening my strap up too much can lead to the strap pulling out of its slot. Normally, this is something I would probably check and double-check, along with ensuring I clipped the right shoe onto the right pedal and the left shoe onto the left pedal! (SIGH... Yes, I mixed them up once... during a race... on my birthday. DOH!) For this race, though, I valued staying relaxed and not sweating the details of the race more.

Now, for another aside and where our story gets painful. I went on to have a decent race and finished 2nd in my Age Group. How far ahead was the person who beat me??? You probably guessed it was less than 1:30?! It was 1:24!!! I was beaten by LESS than the amount of time I spent fixing a mistake I could have avoided. Does this REALLY mean I would have ended up getting 1st had this not happened? Maybe. Maybe not. The person who bested me may have simply had more in the tank at the end of the race and would have brought that to bear, outsprinting me to the finish. I did not put myself in a position to find out, though.

The thought here is that each athlete simply has to perform their own "Risk-Reward Ratio" analysis. If you are doing triathlons for fun, spending too much time on your transition setup may be counterproductive. If you are competing for a podium finish, not spending enough time on your transition setup may be counterproductive. The key is that you need to find that healthy balance where YOU can be OK with the consequences of how much time and effort you put into the sport! Who cares what other people, who have other goals and aspirations, think?! As long as you are OK with your decisions, that's all that matters!



Am I OK with missing out on first place? For THIS year... yes.