EVALUATE THE POSITIVE

After the race is over, take stock of the good things that happened. Like Jeff Symonds did in Kona, you may find you learn a lot from races that did not go well: the benefit of a good training effort, personal best splits, exhibiting good coping/reacting skills, or simply the positive experience of racing.

Racing can be fun on good and bad days. It is hard to have a bad race if you are still having fun, so maintain that perspective, relax and perform your best.

Four-time Xterra world champion Melanie Mcquaid has also won a number of 70.3 races to go along with her numerous Xterra titles. She lives, trains and coaches in Victoria.