The Tri Town Times: 11/1/21

The Tri Town Times: 11/1/21

Image: Ricardo Valverde Everesting on Bogus Basin Road
This week: Prioritization and simplicity.

Hi all,
 
Here is your weekly TT Times newsletter:
 
Weekend race report:
Paula Findlay of Canada won Oceanside 70.3, while Ben Kanute took the men's title for his second time. Local professional triathletes Danielle Lewis took 4th overall, and Travis Wood 20th. Special shout out to local athletes Brigitta Gruenberg for winning her age group, and Chad Brumbaugh for qualifying for 70.3 Worlds.
 
 
Training thoughts and updates:
There is an old story about a Spartan and an Athenian:
 
"Once, a Spartan was visiting Athens and his host was showing off his own mansion, complete with finely detailed, square roof beams. The Spartan asked the Athenian if trees grew square in Athens. "No, of course not," said the Athenian, "but round, as trees grow everywhere." "And if they grew square," asked the Spartan, "would you make them round?"
 
This story, taken from The Warrior Ethos by Steven Pressfield, is a light hearted look at a key difference in prioritization between the Spartan and Athenian culture. The Spartan culture prioritized training and preparing for battle, often at the expense of other things. To reinforce this point the Spartans passed a law: nothing more than an axe could be used to shape beams, meaning their homes were simple log cabins. Their food, like their lodging, was also kept basic. To the Spartans, a focus on the culinary arts or architecture was to place your focus in the wrong place- the priority should be on preparing for battle.
 
This time of year I find it helpful to devote time for reflection and review, and a key theme that emerged was the importance of prioritization. To prioritize is so much more than completing a daily checklist. It's saying no to all the things that we *could* be doing (square beams vs round), and instead directing that energy to those things that matter most to us. We do not have time to do everything well- but we do have time to do the most important things well.
 
In many ways prioritizing what matters most results in simplifying your life. You no longer have to think about "all the things you could do", and can now simply focus on the few things that matter most to you.
 
"Where does endurance training and racing sit in the priorities of you life?" is one of the first questions I ask an athlete when they come on board for coaching. This is a particularly important question for those competing in long events like the half and full ironman distance. I don't expect it to be #1, (I would be concerned if it was), but I do expect it to be in the top 5. Endurance training and racing is a big commitment, and to be successful the first step is to prioritize our lives so we can devote the time and energy to it that it deserves.
 
A simple, properly prioritized life is free of distractions- meaning we can devote what limited time we have to those things we care the most about.
 
 
Quote that struck a chord:
Simple advice on prioritization from the insightful Baltasar Gracian:
 
"You cannot be great by being great at little things."
 
 
If you have a moment to spare:
Stunning video with Danny MacAskill on climate change.
 
 
Have a great week!
 
Antonio Gonzalez
Tri Town Bicycles
 
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