Six Lessons Learned From My First Pro Season
I had six races and six struggles this year. I was dished up some ass-whopping from fellow competitors and my body. All. Year. Long. From starting off at St. Anthony’s triathlon and coming out of the water in 2nd to last, to dealing with ongoing back issues that steadily got worse, to unexplainably having both of my quads cramp during mile 11 of Marine Corp Marathon, it was a humbling season. Sport can be incredibly uplifting at times but equally challenging. And a relentless challenge it was. I did my homework before electing to get my pro-license and knew that it would be an uphill battle, but to have it coincide with some unexpected challenges certainly was not part of my plan. It hurt. And even one month removed from my last race, it still stings a bit. But rehashing the details of this season’s struggle won’t be of any value for me, or anyone who happens to read this. So, instead, I’d like to focus on my top six lessons learned in my first pro season. 1. Numbers do not equal fitness “More work equals bigger numbers, which must mean I am getting more fit.” “If I take a short rest before the race, watch my recovery numbers rebound, I must be ready.” “All TSS is created equal.” No, no, and no. It took me a good 4 years, but I finally have learned that this is dangerous and it is wrong. As my wife – someone who has never used Training Peaks and logs her workouts in a paper journal succinctly stated one day: CTL is simply...
