Ticked Off and Need Some Perspective

This is your journey, your place of fun. You have done an awesome job and have much much much to be proud of. Your family, no doubt, is very proud of you too. Losing 82 pounds in 6 months is astounding and reflective of your discipline and hard work.

If your BIL has a howdy-doody time too, well we don't want to begrudge him his tri-fun. If he wants to jump right into the deep-end of the pool, well, it's a starting place for some. Let's hope he doesn't panic in open water.

I guarantee you that your family will be most impressed with your accomplishments.

Ok, let's review.  What's your goal for this race? (afterall, this is YOUR race, regardless of anyone else who is participating). Take your goal, and focus on it, not on the other people there.  Everyone probably recognizes that your bro-in-law is a more natural athlete.  I, personally, am still much more impressed with your story:  82 lbs since January?  AMAZING. Competing in your second tri? CONGRATULATIONS. Loving an active life and don't miss the old one? WONDERFUL. I imagine that your family is just as impressed with your new life and committement you are showing to a healthy lifestyle.  It's great they are excited about supporting you and will all be able to see you in action!   

Good luck on your race, triathlete!

Sarah

Swim-Bike-Run your own race.  You set your standard, and then you go out and beat it. Don't worry about what other people can do.   Like others said, He might be full of it.  When it comes to crunch time, he might wilt.

I was 13 out  of 14 in my age group this weekend.  Big deal.  I was totally happy with my race, (but not my T1 & T2)  I achieved MY GOALS.   You achieve your's.

Wait till he feels the worms in his calves when he goes from bike to run.

Thanks guys and gals...I need to chill, but it just irritated me and I needed to vent.  One funny anecdote...being gracious, I let him know that I would be happy to help him if he had any questions about setting up his transition area, etc.  He asked me "What is the transition area??"  I explained it to him and he said "Oh, ok cool!!  I'm gonna have my wife holding some extra water bottles for me on the course."  I politely expalined that this was a no no and would probably lead to DQ.  So, I guess anything is possible this weekend.

I will be nice, help in any way I can, and run MY race.  Plus, at least for now, this is a "flash in the pan" for him.  I have four more races this season to prepare for, so I can't let this issue consume me.

I recently was able to convince one of my friends from work to do the Reebok Women's Sprint triathlon with me... When she started "training" she couldn't swim more than a lap or two in the pool, didn't own or have access to a road bike, and ran about 10 minute miles... She'd just had a baby, and was a bit out of shape, but she wanted the challenge of completing a triathlon.

Fast forward to race day... I've been training in earnest since FEBRUARY... with 2 tri seasons under my belt... she trained SPORADICALLY starting mid-May... borrowed a bike from a guy she was dating, and ran on the treadmill @ the gym, when she had time.

In the end... it turns out I beat her by less than a minute. And this was with a PR setting blazing fast bike ride on my part.

I try to think about it this way... Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses... I've never been much of an athlete... I was a cheerleader... and I swam for a bit in middle school, but that's pretty much the extent of it... My friend Kathy, on the other hand... is a natural athlete... she's tough, competitive, and strong! She's got great upper body strength, and she's a fast runner. It has taken me 2 triathlon seasons and 4 months of training this year to even REACH the point she STARTS at...

But that's OK. That's what makes this fun. That's what makes the world go round, actually. What fun would it be if we were all good at all the same stuff? Who would we learn from? Who would we teach? We'd be a one dimensional society... and we'd be boring boring boring.

Think of all you've accomplished just TO GET to the point you're at. When I started, I couldn't even run once around the track at the gym. (.12 miles!). It's the journey.... not the destination. I promise.

Now go get 'em!!!!

Whizzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Sounds to me like your family already knows what an accomplishment it is for you, is already proud of your goals to date, and can't wait to see you do this since they were already planning on being there. I think that will still overshadow the fact that your BIL did it on few weeks training, and possibly with a better time. The grandeur of the accomplishment isn't as great for him and I think they know that. Besides, he's an in-law so he's already second in the pecking order!

Of course, there's always the possibility that he somehow just happened to get a flat before his bike ever left the rack?!

Good luck in your tri this weekend! And 82 pounds - way to go!

Brandt that's not so childish.  I had a similar issue last year.  Here's some perspective for you though:

1. Your BIL is full of sh!t.  There's NO way he's holding 24mph without clipless pedals.  He's either blowing smoke, riding downhill and flats with no uphill work, or he's just guessing at his speed.
2. He's not running 10 m/m yet (see first part of item#1).  He has run 10 minutes after getting off the bike, going to the bathroom, checking his email, etc.  He *might* have gone a total of a mile, but he's rounded his time down.
3. He thinks a brick is something on the outside of a building.
4. He knows nothing of transitions.  He'll spend 4 minutes in T1 putting socks on wet feet and tying his shoelaces (double-knots) before he even touches his bike.  He'll spend 3 minutes in T2 just bopping around trying to FIND his TA, and another 3 before he leaves.
5. He *might* have some gatorade while on the bike, but he'll be dying during the run from lack of carbs.
6. He'll be trying to swim in baggies, and he'll have to deal with 'bunching' on the bike.

Honestly, as guys, we tend to exaggerate a little at times.  You'll smoke this cat...

Look at it this way...

1. You've already made some incredible accomplishments.
2. You've personally inspired another to engage in this awesome sport.
3. You have someone in the family who understands and appreciates your obsession.
4. Yeah, you're slower, but so what?  You're a leader, you broke new ground, he's a coat tail rider and owes his introduction to this sport to you.

Keep your perspective on the good things.  This is an incredible sport.  If I'm ever experiencing negative thoughts like envy or anger, its typically requires a self assessment where I determine something is actually wrong with my outlook.  This sport is about me versus my very own weaknesses and so long as I keep that perspective, all is well.

I know EXACTLY what you mean.  Some people are just more natural athletes than others.  And, it really bites when you have worked your BUTT off only to see somebody who just jumped on a bike yesterday smoke you. 

First of all, race day is a whole different ballgame than training.  Those transitions from one sport to another can be killer.  He's never done a tri before, so just moving from one event to the other could be difficult for him.  Whether he finishes in front of you or behind you, he will have a lot more respect for what it takes once he's done a tri.  Just remember to run your own race, and give it your best shot.  You may surprise yourself!

And you could always:

Tell him to start in the front and center of his swim wave.

Take a pin and sneakily poke a hole in his tire.

Hide his socks.

Tell him it's a good idea to start out in a big gear on the bike.

Just kidding, but just thinking about all the ways you could mess him up should give you a laugh anyway.

Last but not least, train your butt off and challenge him (3 weeks before the race) to an Oly distance.  That is a whole different animal, I'll tell you that much.

It's very nice of you to be gracious and fill this knucklehead in on preparing for his race - but STOP!  There is much to be said for letting him learn by doing. :D

Something tells me he's going to DNF or be completely wiped out at the finish while you will be coming in strong.

Enjoy your race!

Exactly!  There is no way he's riding this fast and I highly doubt he's running this fast.  And I'll guarantee you he's not going to ride or run those paces in a race.  Either his computer is wrong or he's totally BS'ing you.

It sounds to me like someone's a little jealous of your accomplishments and wants some attention too. If he needs it, let him have it. You're probably not going to race any slower or faster if he's there.Your accomplishments have been fantastic and the fact that your family is making a big deal about this shows it.

Also, I agree with Karl. When something like that bothers me, I check my own motivations.

 Race your race, enjoy the fact you're there and capable of doing it.