Why do I Still Race?

Why do I still race?  I could be the coach that used to race.  The one who remembers the glory days and now I just sit on the couch eating bon-bon’s, remembering how I used to be healthy and in great shape.

But, that’s not me!

I believe it’s important to practice what you preach and I aim to do just that, PRACTICE!
Because at times it’s difficult to get it all right, Wait!!! Do we EVER get it ALL right???
Sometimes it feels like I do.  When I am in that flow state, but mostly I am just behind that, always striving to get back there. And that is what keeps me motivated to keep training after all these years (21 to be exact).

Racing is a privilege and as long as I get to keep racing, I will! There have been too many times over the years that I was injured or sick when racing wasn’t an option so I cherish racing.
I love it!  It takes me out of my day to day, shakes things up and pushes me out of my comfort zone.  Our minds and bodies need stress to improve, get stronger and faster. There is no better feeling than crossing that finish line, arms overhead, smiling ear to ear with that awesome sense of accomplishment.

Having a goal to get across the line with a new personal record or just get out there and give it my all helps me get my training in on a daily basis.  Without that race date on the calendar it can be hard to stay focused on training or stay motivated, especially after doing this for 20 years.  However, with a race day set on the calendar I’m much more likely to be consistent. Then there are the races where I participate just to get a workout in with no real goals but to cross the line.

I’m not the fastest triathlete by far, but I’m always just searching for ways to improve and get better just like all the athletes that come to me for coaching.  I never in a million years imagined I’d get to a World Championships, but I set this as a goal 3 years ago and this year for the second time I competed in a World Champs.  My first time was last September 2016, at Cozumel, Mexico. I competed in the Inaugural Age Group Draft Legal Sprint World Championships and this year in 2017 I raced in Penticton, Canada for  the Long Course Aqua Bike World Championships.

Traveling to cool destinations is also a bonus of racing!

The most important reason I race is because I KNOW it makes me a better coach.  When I’m racing I am constantly thinking how I can remind my athletes of all these things I am experiencing.  The chafe on my neck because I forgot to add coconut oil so my wet suit doesn’t rub. The benefits of chamois cream for a long course race. The best gearing for climbing, the healthiest nutrition that aids in performance; and a million other things that include the good the bad and the challenging.  I hope to inspire my athletes to set big goals and work smart and hard to achieve them. Everything I learn I love to share and pass along to them.  Racing takes skill,  practice and repetition to get better.  I have raced in well over 100 races and I have learned a lot but there is so much more to learn and share. Just as much as I love to achieve my goals in racing, nothing makes me happier than to see my athlete’s successes! It’s truly Awesome!

I don’t think my coaching would be as effective if I wasn’t still out there participating and getting the real time information.

I have a rule that I follow about who I learn from. This includes doctors, coaches, therapists. I always look at them and ask myself “Do they exemplify what I want to be like? Look like?  Are they fit and  healthy? Have they mastered what it is I am seeking advice from them for? Or have they helped others get to where I want to go?”

If the answer is “No,” I’m not likely to follow what they recommend as much as someone who does!

Thanks for reading.  Hope to see you at the races!!

Wishing you well,
Coach Erinne
USAT Level 2, 1999
CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, 2007