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I did my first triathlon over the weekend.
It went…terrible.
Or really great, depending on how you think about it.
Here’s what I think…
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Thoughts “negative Jen” would’ve had
Before the triathlon
I can’t believe I have to wake up at 4am, I’m so tired
I didn’t train and have never done an ocean swim before
Omg it’s raining, this is not a good sign
During the triathlon
I swallowed so much seawater this is so hard, I’m tired and can’t breathe
Omg I’m dead last, they made me cut my swim short cuz they saw I was struggling so hard lol
There’s an extra 2km run to get to the bike station? Why is it all uphill. There’s sand in my shoes
Uh oh there’s speed bumps on the road, I can’t go too fast on the bike…I’m getting lapped by all these ppl
Dang I don’t think I have time to finish all my laps so I have to cut it in half
Wait running after cycling is actually pain omg why do my legs feel different
Wait why is the run also uphill AND rocky, I keep almost twisting my ankle
WHY DID IT END ON AN UPHILL OMG
After the triathlon
Oh they don’t have a lot of vegan food at the end…rip
How am I gonna tell ppl I came in last and didn’t have time to do the full distance?
If my goal is to do well, I failed…I only did 325m swim, 2km run, 12km bike, and 5km run (instead of 759m swim, 2km run, 21km bike, and 5km run)
Reading all that feels exhausting, doesn’t it?
Thoughts I actually chose to focus on
Before the triathlon
Waking up at 4am = fixed sleep schedule (rn I’m writing this at 5am lol)
Didn’t train = perfect time to try my first ocean swim, it’s safer w other ppl there
Raining = gets me prepped for the cold water
During the triathlon
Swallowed seawater = yay free electrolytes!!
They cut my swim time short = I get to cheer on the other ppl! (I had to wait for the last person to cross the line for me to go after them)
2km uphill run to bike station = this is familiar and fun, idk swim and bike but I love running
Speed bumps while biking = I can slow down and enjoy the views! It was so funny cuz my partner took a vid of me…you just see the other cyclists leaning down so serious and then me looking like I’m just going for a joyride 💀 on my $30 FB Marketplace bike
Cut bike course in half = I know I could’ve completed it but there was a time limit, there’s nothing to prove
Running after cycling = this is new, really interesting. I love discovering new things and how they feel, it makes me appreciate my legs more
Uphill, rocky run = this is probably good for my brain lol I keep having to calculate where to step so I don’t fall
Race ending on an uphill = YAY hill training, my VO2 max (oxygen/lung capacity) is probably gonna improve now
After the triathlon
Lack of many vegan options = good thing I brought a granola bar, but also omg this is the best strawberry, grape, and banana I’ve ever tasted omg
Telling ppl I came last = I actually had a lot of fun challenging myself, I can focus on that more! And I shouldn’t be ashamed of my “failures” (note: ppl were very encouraging and focused on the fact that I finished my first triathlon without training!)
Whether I hit my goal = my goal wasn’t to do well - it was just to complete the race and have fun. I had to cut it in half but I completed it! And it was so fun cuz these positive thoughts were what was going on in my head the entire time
These thoughts might be borderline delusion sometimes but it genuinely made me enjoy life more.
If I had to pick between focusing on the negatives (exhausting, like I’m suffering twice - once by experiencing it and twice by thinking negatively about it)
Versus focusing on the positives (even if slightly delusional),
I know I’d be happier focusing on the positives.
How I felt afterwards
Because I was conscious of paying attention to the positive thoughts, I:
Was soooo hyped after, jumping around really excited to train for the next triathlon
Resolved to focus on challenging myself more bc I felt SO GOOD after, I realized I’ve been taking things too chill lol
If you took the 3 Day Reset Challenge,
You might recognize this from the mindset section.
The way you think about something can either:
Discourage you by making you feel like a failure and draining your energy
Encourage you by focusing on what you learned so you can improve for next time
Which life would you rather lead?
How was today's email?
Til next time,
Jennifer
P.S. my mindset is why I stayed so consistent writing these newsletters weekly cuz sometimes these send a few days later than I planned…but instead of being like “I failed, I’m giving up” I know I can get back to it!
P.P.S. If you enjoyed today’s email, I share a lot of similar concepts in my 3 day reset here!
There’s a day on mindset, another day on systems, and the last day on boundaries (bc ppl pleasing lol need boundaries to focus).
Someone shared this in the feedback form which was so sweet 🥺
