I’ve decided to give writing a try. Not because I’m full of great advice but rather sharing some of my experiences with others who might be feeling similar. I am still not completely sure anyone will read this, but if you do, please let me know what you think. I would really appreciate that
Before I get really stuck in, I thought I should elaborate on who exactly “I” am. My name is Michael Ross – not the guy from the series “Suits”, or the serial killer you’ll come across if you type my name into Google. Rather I am a 21 year old Biology honours student at the University of Cape Town. I have loved sport for as long as I can remember. And while I have been good as many sports, I’ve never been great at any one sport. I thought I might as well give it a try by jumping into triathlon (I guess that means technically I still have a few sports to keep myself busy).
I recently had the privilege of competing in ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships in Denmark. I raced as an U23 elite. It was my first race on such a big stage. Immediately after the race however, I was left feeling slightly disappointed. I had a great swim and run, but leaked a lot of time on the bike. I had been working really hard on my cycling leg, but clearly hadn’t spent enough time on technical trails. Even during the race I was planning how I could be better prepared for future races.
Triathletes are often extremely goal driven. We set goals and then work really hard towards achieving them. Once we reach a goal, we very quickly set another. While this prevents complacency, it means we never really reflect on just how far we have come. How participating in this sport isn’t so much about the destination as it is about the journey.
The first triathlon I did was in late 2013. I came into triathlon from mainly team sports. It would be a real stretch to say throwing a cricket ball helped develop my swimming technique. After the gun fired, I nervously entered the water, feeling a little cold in my skimpy speedo. After a not-so-speedy transition I left on my mountain bike, with slicks applied in a futile attempt to keep up with the roadies. After haphazardly navigating the course, I started out on the discipline I was most comfortable with: the run. Arguably it wasn’t quite as comfortable as usual. My legs felt like jelly, and the running in cycling shorts isn’t ideal. I crossed the finish line feeling like a total wreck, but I was completely hooked.
Fast forward a few years, and things are a little different. Just under a week ago I lined up against 40 of the best off-road triathletes in the world, in national colours in the beautiful country of Denmark. It was a dream come true. And while I didn’t have quite the race I was hoping for, it was still much better than I could have ever dreamed of. I know I’ll soon set myself some new goals, for the moment it is important to look back and realise just how far I’ve come.
So if I have any advice to leave you with, it would be this: stop, for a moment, to look back at how far you’ve come, take time to “smell the fynbos”. The experiences you have had, the friends you have made, the places you have been, all because of this wonderful sport of triathlon. But don’t spend too long dwelling on the past because you’ve got some new goals to chase.
Happy training,
Mike
Mike Ross 