NEW OPPURTUNITIES The beauty of triathlon, and sport in general, is the opportunity, or even the necessity, for mental and physical adaptation.

New Opportunities

The beauty of triathlon, and sport in general, is the opportunity, or even the necessity, for mental and physical adaptation. All these factors play a critical role in achieving personal bests at different stages in an athlete’s life. Absolute muscle strength and V02 max diminish over time, but the opportunity to make the best of what you have at the moment replenishes itself every sunrise. Here are some ideas to continue to achieve more personal bests, well into the future.

VIRTUAL UNIVERSES

Like many Canadian triathletes, you likely do some training (and more recently, racing) indoors. The virtual world is a safe and reliable place to chase after PBs. Pairing your treadmill or trainer to an app such as Rouvy or Zwift can make for consistency that the great outdoors can not rival. Provided the air temperature in your pain cave is the same and your calibrations are consistent, you can reliably compare one performance to another. The wind won’t change, you won’t have to slow down for cars; you won’t have to speed up for badgers. A PB is a legit PB.

LOCAL HERO

Although Strava has been around for years, some triathletes are unaware of (or unwilling to use) this app. For folks hungry for more personal bests, this is perhaps the lowest hanging fruit of all. Whether you call home Kamsack or Kitsilano, chances are there’s a cycling or running route that you can challenge. Even if you can’t become the Queen of Glenn Edith, you can work toward a personal best on a segment. And for those who need to be number one, you can always design (and defend) your own segment.

DIYIM?

COVID-19 taught many lessons to Canadian triathletes but one of the most practical may have been learning how to create our own tri-fun. Before COVID-19, entering an event was just a mouse click away. The cancellation of most of the 2020 and 2021 triathlon seasons, plus the uncertainty hanging over our upcoming season, means if you want a sure thing, bet on yourself. Whether it’s going out with friends to tackle a trail, or organizing yet another CovidMan in Penticton, the athletes that can create their own challenges without the need for race directors, timing chips, online processing fees or provincial sanctioning, are the grassroots this sport needs, even in non-COVID times.

NOVELTY FACTOR

As triathletes, we are optimistic people. Positive energy runs through our veins every time we don our swimsuit, buy a bike or tie our running shoes. As long as things continue to improve on the COVID-19 front, the pent-up demand to race and be with others will be immense. And, although we have a responsibility to support local races, while you are mapping out next year’s race schedule and are searching for more PBs, why not treat yourself to something new? Trying a race in a new location, tackling a new distance, or attempting a different type of multisport event, such as a swim-run, can push you out of your comfort zone and revitalize your passion. The novelty factor is a rich source of motivation and a sure way to ensure a PB.

ENDLESS HORIZONS

The attainment of a personal best is a special moment for all triathletes, and one that validates our participation in the sport and inspires us to keep striving for more. What makes a PB truly meaningful is the struggle and investment it takes to achieve one. Though a PB becomes more of a rarity as you progress in the sport, by focusing on the physical, psychological and environmental components, you can achieve many more throughout your triathlon life. Even though time can diminish your absolute speed and power, by searching for new ways to remain active and exploit your fitness, you, too, can find endless horizons.

Kevin Heinz is a coach with the Abbotsford Triathlon Club and the host of the endurance sports podcast, Fitspeek.