Fun wins.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a very informal poll on Facebook:

This is but a sample of the answers that were heavily weighted in favour of happy = success.

I’ll admit, I was sceptical. Doesn’t anger fuel you? When you are in a bad mood, don’t you just want to smash things? And by things, one could argue that smashing oneself on the race course totally counts.

With that in mind, I thought back to the last few races I’d done and while I was motivated to do well and put my heart into it, there was a certain joy in the execution that was lacking. I *always* dreaded the 4am or earlier morning alarm, and I just felt like I was going through the motions and ticking the boxes:

eat ✅ swim ✅ bike ✅ run ✅ go home ✅

For Coeur d’Alene 70.3, I really didn’t have anything to prove or high expectations. I’d secured my spot for World’s in April; my training was sporadic since spending a month in Baku. So I updated my goals for the race to a) take risks and b) really, truly have fun.

Making these goals easier to achieve can be attributed to loading up the Shaggin’ Waggon ™️ with a few of my favourite people and heading south to some great weather and a fun little town. Not to mention the great house, complete with lovely housemates.

I was so relaxed all weekend that not only did I forget to collect a timing chip at athlete check-in, I also forgot my cycling shoes race morning. I almost panicked but pulled it together, sprinted back to the house and made it back to transition before anyone really noticed I’d gone missing.

I squeeeeeeeezed into my wetsuit, all the while making terrible jokes with the girls and wandered down to the start. Those fasties headed to the front of the pack, while I happily dropped back and hung out where I belong (rather than near the front, which is where I’d been starting the past few races, and really had no business doing so).

Well, what do you know… I not only enjoyed the swim, I swam in a straight-ish line, didn’t barf and I got out in respectable (for me) time.

And then I totally killed it in transition.

The bike ride? It felt oddly effortless. It gives me tremendous pleasure to pass men on super bikes. True story.

And then I killed it in the next transition, too.

The run was through the ‘hoods of CDA, and I got to run most of it with Jordan (very famous race announcer and Oh Canada singer). There was chatting, high fives, smiles, we built this city on rock and roll, bagpipes, Christmas carols and finish chute that was pretty much perfection.

All day, I had a smile plastered on my face.

Here’s proof, courtesy of the awesome team at BCC Live (minute 5 to see just how nerdy I can get).

So you know what? Fun wins. Race happy.

—

Just the facts:

Swim 38:18 35/138

T1 2:54 #winning

Bike 2:49 13/138 Bye boys!

T2: 1:59 #winning

Run 1:48 12/138

#allthefun

—

Now, I hang up the TT bike for a few weeks and play in the dirt.