Day 31: Triathlete Challenge Complete!

Well done! We never said it was going to be a walk in the park, but we also probably didn’t tell you it was going to be so tough. It’s no surprise that we came up with a challenging challenge, given that we assembled some of the best triath-minds in the sport. Your guides have been former pros, former legends, and top-shelf coaches who have thrown everything they had at you. It’s a wonder you’re still standing!

Just like the end of any big challenge, now’s the time for three super important things (do them in this order, trust us!):

Celebrate!

Shine a little perspective on your accomplishment! January is a hard enough month to get through, even with just your daily life—coming off the holidays, shorter days (Northern Hemispherians, I’m looking at you here!), cold temperatures, and tons of weeks before that “A” race you’ll be targeting. Life is hard, training is tough, and motivation is at an all-time low. But even if you didn’t quite nail every single workout in the Triathlete Challenge, finding something to get involved in is a big win anyway!

So think about it, what would you do with an age-group victory at your local tri? Probably go out and celebrate the success you’ve gained after lots of hard work! It’s the same here. Be proud of finding the focus to do the workouts our devious coaches and editors concocted; be encouraged that you took the time to try some of our daily tips on getting organized, resetting your approach, and improving your triathlife.

So after you’ve taken a day or two to revel in your upgraded tri status—even so early in the year, head on to step two…

Reflect

After nailing any accomplishment, it’s important to look back and see what you liked, what you didn’t like, where you struggled, and where you succeeded. The Challenge is no different! One of the best things about the Triathlete Challenge is that we had so many different types of workouts at different difficulties from so many different coaches with varying styles. In other words, you got an opportunity to taste from a big old triathlon sampler platter before deciding on the main course: your season. 

Take some time to evaluate which workouts you had a hard time with—remember that those are where you should focus on the rest of your pre-season work. Also recognize some workouts you really crushed—those should give you encouragement for the racing to come. Was there some expert advice you really didn’t want to take? Make a reminder or two in your calendar somewhere randomly in the next few months to check in on that area of your triathlon world.

After some careful reflection on the last crazy 30 days of tri, it’s time to look ahead to the future and…

Use The Momentum!

The Challenge may be over, but there are still more challenges to go! More than simply bridging the gap from holidays to a true base-building phase or providing you with a worthy New Year’s resolution, the behind-the-scenes goal for the Triathlete Challenge was to jumpstart your season. Now that you’ve dipped your toes (and feet and ankles and…) back into the tri waters, use the routines, skills, endurance, and tips to propel yourself into your best season yet! Be sure to check out more of our training, nutrition, and gear articles online from our hand-picked army of experts to help you hold your head start strong. Be sure to let us know how the Challenge went for you on social media, and keep up the good work!