Success in Training

This is a post I wrote for the #SuccessProject...

There are moments in each and every training session where I find small morsels of success. And yes, sometimes this includes simply surviving the workout.

BIKE:

As a female pro triathlete, I tend to ride with a lot of guys who are slightly stronger than myself. While I am not cursing this fact, I am often celebrating small bits of success including:

• The ability to cling to a wheel and stare at a cassette for just a few minutes longer before popping off the back of the pack.
• The day two hours into a ride where I am dying, fall off a wheel, and somehow manage to claw my way back onto that wheel. I will also fist-pump the air when I actually accomplish this. Unfortunately there is rarely someone behind me to share (or witness!) this successful moment.
• Actually counting out calories properly on a hard ride and managing not to bonk. Seriously – this is always a huge success!!

Belgian Waffle Ride descending Double Peak.

SWIM:

Small disclaimer – although I am a pro triathlete, I am NOT known for my amazing swim skills. I was once asked by an elderly gentleman at the pool if I was a professional swimmer. I am fairly certain I kissed him on both cheeks and he made my entire year.

• Realizing that over the past six years I have moved up from lane four to lane two at masters. Serious success.
• Pacing at masters while everyone around me goes out like a bat-out-of-hell and then dies.
• Actually descending a swim set. This actually did happen. Once.
• Continually staring at that black line. Day. After. Day. After Day.

RUN:

I am a runner. It’s my favorite of the three sports – I love that it comes at the end of triathlon. I love running girls down. I love the pain of pushing myself harder. I love the feeling of floating when everything clicks.

• Looking at a run workout on paper and being certain I won’t be able to hit the paces, but being unafraid to try – and ultimately surprising myself by hitting the numbers.
• The last half mile of any run that is a double-digit run starting with the number “2”.
• Finishing those runs that feel like incredibly long slogs.
• Coming back from an injury.

No matter what your sport – I hope you can see the small successes in every day training. Some days they are much harder to find than others, but I promise you they are there and they always make you a better athlete. You can check out all the Success Project blogs here for inspiration.