Quassy

Just back from probably the most miserable racing experience I've ever had - at the Rev3 Olympic Triathlon in Middlebury, CT. The rain, wind, and cold combined to present the greatest challenge I've yet faced in a race.


The swim went OK, my pace continues to improve and I felt comfortable in the water. However, after we  rounded the last red buoy and I could see the shore in the distance, it just felt like forever to finally get to the transition. Mentally, I was visualizing the impending agony of pulling off the wetsuit and getting on the bike for 26 miles of tough hills in the pouring rain.


On the bike, from the beginning to the end it was persistent rain and an endless parade of hills. People have told me that Quassy is a tough bike course, and the weather just exacerbated the challenge to another level. On the seemingly few occasions when we hit flat land, it was typically at higher elevations where the wind was gusting and almost blowing me off the road. Usually the downhills are fun and a great opportunity to pick up your pace. However, they weren't fun when you were on dangerous rain-soaked roads and your brakes were totally non-responsive. It was our version of Quassy's amusement park thrills - heading down a hill at 40 mph in the wind and rain with no brakes! Athlete #901 summed it up best around mile 22 when she turned to me and said "This sucks!"

Off the bike, the run initially felt great. The rain had lightened to a drizzle and the route began relatively  flat. However, by mile three, we were headed back up some long hills and it started to pour again - just to remind us that this was a finish line that we were going to really appreciate.




During the race, I was thinking about how all of the athletes are facing the same conditions. We're all reaching for the goal that we've been working so hard to prepare for, and the weather, albeit miserable, is not going to prevent us from getting there. We probably all had crappy bike splits today, but the playing field was level and it's a race that none of us are likely to forget anytime soon.


This finish line felt more rewarding than most!

Racing is exactly like life in that regard. We face challenges every day and we need to persist and adapt to achieve our goals. Not all projects at work have the perfect combination of resources to meet the goal, but we adapt and persist. There have been countless musical performances where the crowd is unresponsive, or the musicians aren't clicking, but we adapt and persist. Personal and family relationships often get strained and go through very difficult times, but we evolve and persist.


If every project was perfect, and every gig was amazing, and every relationship was consistently fulfilling and without strain, and every race was sunny and gorgeous, it wouldn't feel nearly as rewarding as it does when you need to struggle through adversity to achieve your goal. That's a big part of what makes life so challenging, and frustrating, yet incredibly fulfilling. We work through the obstacles, regroup, and arrive at the next challenge that much better prepared. It's all about the journey!


My goal today was to win my division....I placed third.