Training With the Tribe

If you've been reading my blog for long, you've heard a lot about E3 Multisport.  Coach Eric was over the Tri201 training program I participated in last summer in preparation for the Rocket Man Olympic distance tri.  I can't say enough good things about the level of coaching I received in this program.  I started the season as a timid tri participant and finished feeling like I was able to own the label TriATHLETE.

Saturday night (the DAY BEFORE the start of my 2012 tri-training season) I made the decision to officially train with the E3 Multisport Tribe!!  It was an instant mental transformation for me.  I woke up Sunday morning ready to tackle my planned 45 minute run.  It was planned out, basically, as a progressively faster run.  Every time my watch beeped at me signalling an increase in pace I heard a start gun in my head and gave it 100% effort level the whole time.  During the last hard effort, when I was tempted to slow down several times, I could hear Eric telling me, "only X minutes/seconds to go" causing me to push through the mental barriers that would have certainly weighed me down if I had to answer only to myself at the end of the day!

Even more exciting for me than working once again with Eric is the opportunity to work with (his wife) Coach Karen!!  I had the joy of running a couple of times with her during our training and have spent some time with her socially but haven't yet had a coach/athlete relationship with her.  She is ALWAYS smiling and has the sweetest and most positive disposition of just about anyone I know.  But...not only that...she is an AMAZING athlete.  She graced the podium at every race I saw her compete in over the summer with humility that is rare of a competitor of her ability.  The chance to glean knowledge from her has me just about giddy with excitement.  (Yes, I'm a dork...but really, anyone who loves anything should feel like this given the change to work with someone who is great at that particular thing...while Coach Karen isn't Chrissie Wellington...she's certainly an AMAZINGLY accomplished triathlete having completed multiple full-distance tris (as well as every distance up to it).)

Yes, I'm gushing...but only because of my excitement about what this opportunity will mean for my 2012 tri season.  When I set up my training plan for the IM 70.3 race in NOLA on April 22nd, my only goal was to complete it and still be able to walk around afterward.  I'm not going to lie...the bar has just been moved WAY up from there.  THAT is precisely what coaching should do for an athlete--give her not only accountability (as I said earlier) but also high goals to shoot for.  More than that, though, good coaching gives an athlete TOOLS which can be used to accomplish those goals.

I feel like I've just been moved up to the adults' table at the family Christmas dinner!!

Not me or my family...picture taken from HERE.

I said it before...I'll say it again 2012 is going to ROCK!!!

Thanks for stopping in...come again soon!!
:D