Boulder Peak Triathlon 2013

Not much to tell about my last race in the Boulder Peak Triathlon held on this last Sunday.
The idea was to do it more like a race test, to see where my performance was after such a long time without racing due to a hip injury.
I didn't know what to expect, also because I was still not 100% adapted with the altitude effect. And I did feel breathless just after a couple meters of the swim start.

(chilling a while before the start!)

By the end of the mile 24 on bike course I was not even hitting my worse expectations, and some days you just need to accept defeat. One of my favorite authors, Paulo Coelho, has a brilliant description for it:

“Defeat is for the valiant. Only they will know the honor of losing and the joy of winning
I am not here to tell you that defeat is a part of life: we all know that.
Only the defeated know Love.
Because it is in the realm of love that we fight our first battles – and generally lose.
I am here to tell you that there are people who have never been defeated.
They are the ones who never fought.
They managed to avoid scars, humiliations, feelings of helplessness, as well as those moments when even warriors doubt the existence of God.’’
Manuscript Found In Accra – Paulo Coelho”

Therefore being defeat as part of victory, on that day I was far from any good result and I was nothing excited to start those 10k run. And also motivated by the recent injury to not push that run.
I stopped at the end of the bike course, and right there was Siri, my amazing coach, who didn't let me look down, and pointed out some important details for my next races. The new goal is to have my body 100%, injury free, and ready to load it with wkouts and next races!

If defeat is necessary, this was the first time I considered myself out of dispute. Before I could be happy just by doing my best and would considerate some facts as a lack of luck. But on this time I didn't see any advantage of giving my best effort to reach maybe 60% of potential. The goal now is to reach those 100%!

When facing major defeats, beyond the lessons sometimes you also get rewards from fantastic friends!! lol
Thanks Sara!! I loved the note and fancy beer!! #surprise :)

Working out in Boulder!

Two weeks of acclimating and the workouts are almost like in the NTP pattern!!
Actually we are suppose to crave for Oxygen while doing any workout, the difference here is that the breathless sensation starts way before any sign of muscle fatigue, what it makes it kinda funny!

(Ward, CO - @ 9.440ft, pic: coach Siri)

The good news is that I'm already running 50k's per week, and adios to that hip injury! So the expectations are getting bigger (not much tho!) for Boulder Peak Triathlon in a few days.

(Heading to wkout at 5:15am)

Well deserved day-off yesterday, for the reason of two days ago... It was tense:

From bed to swimming pool, starting at 5:30;

Swim done, ate and took a nap;
Woke up, ate and went for a bike ride;
120km's later I was like trash!
The plan became short and clear: food and sleep. I didn't even have time to shower, and so, to keep the sheets clean I slept on the floor!
I blacked out, drooled, dreamed, and woke up thinking that someone was calling my name! Lol. It was already 5pm and I made a huge effort to wake up, as I had made plans with some friends, to explore a bit of Boulder that night.

(At Downtown with Gui, Pati and Alexandre!)

Today I am feeling way better! Just smashed another 5k swim at 5:30am again! And later Im going to do a run at the Reservoir, where the race is going to be held at July 14th!!
Can't wait!!

PS: Thanks Valerie for reviewing my grammar!!