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2009-10-17 10:00 PM

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Subject: Really Really Annoyed
Hello all,

We all know bikes have mechanical erros, I have had my fair share (chain breakin 10min before state champs), I havent ridden seriously in ages (nor do I itend to) however I wanted to improve biking for some tri's.

So I enter the 210km round the bay in a day. Have ridden heaps.

So what happens: 10km mark some guy in the Assos Lufshutz Jacket (have had my eye on it for a month...sooo expensive) drops his bottle I run over it and miraculouly avoid a crash like what happened 10 days ago (broke helmet...saved my life)

Then am in a pack of 20 odd people hooning at a lazy 40km/h, the guy infront without signally veers to the left, I run straight into a cone, couldn't do anything, my derailler came off my bike, day over within 25km. So annoyed!!! Spent the next hour sitting next to an exit sign waiting for parents to pick me up.

Have any of you had to deal with massive letdowns after serious training?? How do you approach it. Find another goal? Just keep training like never happened? I am in an unusal situation...


2009-10-17 10:14 PM
in reply to: #2465135

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Subject: RE: Really Really Annoyed
First off don't let a mechanical issue get you down. I agree it is really really annoying but it doesn't reflect on your preparation or ability. Glad to hear you were able to avoid the accident from the water bottle and survived your incident a few weeks ago. I think what you need is a confidence booster, a good ride without a breakdown to clear your head. You are obviuosly primed and ready to go, and none of these mechanical/accidents were your fault so a good run will help get it out of your head.

Think of it this way, you are getting all of your bad luck out of the way early in your season, so you should be golden the rest of the year.

Hang loose!
2009-10-17 11:37 PM
in reply to: #2465135

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Subject: RE: Really Really Annoyed
I was not able to compete in my last two races. The first was "The" race I had been training for all season. Several days before one of my best friends mother passed away. I had to be a Pall bearer on race day. Second one I was almost as ready for. Two days before the race i tried to alter my running form, both calf muscles got pulled (Yeah I know nothing new right before a race).
seriously bummed.
So now I have gone into off season bound and determined to improve my stoke, my bioke endurance and my running distance. I have two races that I have to make up for and some serious time to do it.
Now is your opportunity to analyze where your weak spots are and focus on them.
Give your body some rest and recovery time, analyze your logs and figure out what to improve and where and how to do it.
Look at it as a golden opportunity to kick some Tri butt next year.
Let me know if this helps might be the preface for a slef help Tri book LOL
2009-10-18 4:52 AM
in reply to: #2465135

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Subject: RE: Really Really Annoyed

You said your main objective for entering this event was to make you better in tris and you've achieved that through the training and effort you put in so that's a great thing - congratulations.

The events that happened outside of your control on the day of the race are just bad luck but at least it wasnt' your A race.

You can do the ride another day but you've got the endurance training you did in the bank and that was what you were after.

You're right to be annoyed, I'm a really positive person and I would still be annoyed, what you have to ensure is that you don't dwell on it or let it affect your future effort.  Count yourself fortunate not to be injured or that your bike was expensively damaged - it sounds like it could have been a lot worse.

It's not what happens to you in life, it's how you deal with it.  The same thing can cause people to claim they only ever have a rough ride and the next person to use it to fuel their determination.  Sports people HAVE to do the latter otherwise they will never reach their potential.  In  my opinion of course.

2009-10-18 8:26 AM
in reply to: #2465232

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Subject: RE: Really Really Annoyed
Cando - 2009-10-18 5:52 AM ...

It's not what happens to you in life, it's how you deal with it.  The same thing can cause people to claim they only ever have a rough ride and the next person to use it to fuel their determination.  Sports people HAVE to do the latter otherwise they will never reach their potential. ...



Sage advice, right there! 

Yes, I've had my share of disappointments in races. Crashes, mechanicals, injuries... No doubt, I will have many more in my racing, as well as in life in general.

In the end, I find that the joys and successes exceed the disappointments.

As far as how to handle a misfortune like that. I try to analyze the situation and see if there is any lesson at all regarding things I could improve in the future. Usually, I can come up with something even if it's a bit of a stretch. This is my preference, as it gives me even greater drive to improve. If not, I'm left with a shrug, a "that's racing," and an eye on the next goal.

2009-10-18 10:37 AM
in reply to: #2465135

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Subject: RE: Really Really Annoyed
In April, I decided to try triathlons for the first time. I started training, working hard, pulled the road bike down from the rafters and took it to the bike shop to get an overhaul. Kept training (on a mountain bike), got the road bike back, started training on the road bike but the chain kept hopping off. Took it back to the bike shop 4 (four!) times to get it straightened out, but it still kept hopping off.

Day of the race, it was pouring rain, but I did the swim, hopped on the bike and felt great. Halfway through the bike, my chain hopped off again and got wrapped irrevocably around my crank. I couldn't fix it and had to DNF.

I was so angry that I had trained so hard (for me) for this race to have such a disappointing outcome. I took the bike to a different bike shop (lesson learned), they fixed the chain and it hasn't come off since.

What did I learn from this? That I really like the training. About a week after the DNF, I signed up for another race and this time I finished it feeling really good. I like the training so much I am now committed to participating in triathlons until my body won't let me any more.

I really believe that obstacles are put in your way to find out what you are made of...will you let it stop you, or will you find a way around?


2009-10-18 11:11 AM
in reply to: #2465135

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Subject: RE: Really Really Annoyed
Race day mechanicals happen to a lot of folks - even pro elites at the world-class level.

Learn to expect them at the most inopportune moments, and also try your best to predict them and prepare for them, even though they can be totally unexpected. It's part of the deal on the bike.

Not that I could have avoided your mishap, but I do consciously both slow down and keep an "escape" route to my side when I'm racing with more than a few folks in my vicinity. (Pure roadies would scoff at this caution but we're trifolks so it's ok.) There is ample time on the course to hammer away in more open stretches.

 
2009-10-18 7:33 PM
in reply to: #2465135

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Subject: RE: Really Really Annoyed
I'm sorry you didn't get to do your big ride.

I got injured and withdrew from my last race of the season, which ended up being cancelled by lightning anyway. I was frustrated and disappointed, too, not to mention, fit. I rehabbed my sore back and found a century to ride, where I really pushed. Having a new goal to work for may give you a healthy way to deal with what you are experiencing.
2009-10-18 8:38 PM
in reply to: #2465135

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Subject: RE: Really Really Annoyed
I know this doesn't help at all, and i know I've had my share of days where I'd kick whomever says this to me in the jumblies, but...

$hit happens.

It does. It really does, and if you race long enough, it will happen more than once. A flat in your A TT, a mechanical failure 25k in, a broken foot the day before a race. It's just the nature of things.

All  you can do is learn from your mistakes (if that was the reason for failure) and move on.
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