Part of me thinks: so what I have only done a couple of duathlons? I was a pro in cycling, so I should not have any problems! And who cares I have not run since 2001? It should come right back! Who cares if when I showed up at Powerman Alabama, age groupers had to direct me in the transition area to the area I was "supposed to be" (I thought I could plop my stuff down anywhere!)? Who cares if I raced the race in a cycling chamois instead of tri shorts, because I wanted to be comfy on the bike (I guess this is not very stylish or saavy in the tri world...I do admit that chamois was a bit bulky on the run!)?
I only stayed a Cat 4 in cycling for a month, and within three months was doing a huge UCI stage race. So there! That is how impatient people do things! And if I am going to race, I want to race against the best! I am not sure that is the smartest way to approach things when you are a beginner, but that is how I do it!
It was a reality check to talk to some of the neo-duathlon-pros at Powerman. Many of them have been doing multi-sport for several years, and had just upgraded. I could not even fathom waiting years! I am impatient, and upgraded after one USAT race. I am not sure if that makes me crazy, or just driven to succeed. Maybe it just proves that I am impatient.
The patient, anti-Type-A part of myself reminds me to take this year as a building year. And to have fun! I am enjoying running again. I missed it in my life. Dealing with aches and pains that follow these races forces me to be patient as well. This past week, I have taken it almost off completely from training. My hip flexors really feel the running. They are improving, but I am accepting that the week following a race will be a full recovery week for me. I am trying to enjoy the down time, which I never felt like I had while racing and traveling so much as a bike racer.
Speaking of bike racing, I do think moving up so quickly did hurt me in some ways. I was always in over my head. I never let myself just take my time and learn: I was in such a hurry to move up and forward! I was not very good at being present. And I relied on my physical ability to get me by, rather than learning to race with my head, not only my legs. This is why I really need to keep my patience in check in my new sport: I don't want to make the same mistakes in multi-sport that may have held me back in cycling.
And at some point this year, to further test my patience, I will toss in the challenge of working on my swimming as well (though my plate seems plenty full right now!). In the meantime, I will start training again, and figure out which races I want to tackle next. I will go on gorgeous bike rides in the New Mexico mountains, and run on cool trails in the forest with Keiki, Klemmy, and Chad. Life is good.
