Doing Loops

Yesterday, the Triathlon Family Singapore committee and volunteers met to discuss our roles in the coming Triathlon Sprint. This is an annual event that attracts new and seasoned triathletes. All participants will complete on loop of the swim, ride and run.

Some of the best roller-coaster rides include loops, and these are heart-stopping, adrenaline-infused, portions of the short but intense ride. The G-forces offered by these cleverly design rides increase at certain rises in the crest of the tracks. The sharp turns can also shake you into submission, and surrender to the moment and momentum. The screams are testimony of how fearfully thrilling it can be.

In conversations, some are fond (and skillful) of running in circles. They give others the runaround, evading and deflecting the questions. It appears to be a skill of politicians and celebrities. It is certainly the opposite of stating ‘No comment!’ It would be better to attend to most of the questions instead of avoiding them. This annoys journalists, colleagues and customers. Get to the point quickly!

Leadership Lessons: How straightforward are you when answering questions? How open, transparent and honest are you when cornered for answers? How fast do you connect the dots between request and delivery?

*****

Last night I completed a 10K run at 4:59 minutes/K, as I had the meeting to attend. Tonight is my swim drill night with about 3K of pool buoy strokes. Despite a sore left pectoral (probably, a strain from my bike crash about 10 days ago), I hope to be able to swim comfortably and complete the last two intense and longest training weeks before my taper to Taupo. I hope to bypass sub-optimal conditions and be in my best shape of my Ironman life. A heavy working week poses significant challenges to preparing for a race, however it is focus that brings it all back to relevance and reality. Live within each moment ad do what you can do. Train safe.

10 Pre-Triathlon Tips

I like to share my suggestions for those attending their first Sprint this year, including the Triathlon Family (TriFam) Sprint on 5 February.

1)    Focus on your main goal. As I learnt from TriFam co-founder, Ser Luck, ‘Aim to complete. You can compete later.’

2)    Practice your transitions: From-swim-to-ride, T1 & ride-to-run, T2. Make time to wear your attire and footwear properly before dashing off.

3)    Use time-savers: elastic laces for running shoes; shoes mounted on pedals; helmet & sun-shades and race-belt (with race-tag) on bike-handles;

4)    No need for power-gels or drinks for the race. You can consume one power-gel 15-30 minutes before the race. Be hydrated. Have a full bottle of water on your bike-cage.

5)    Pacing is everything despite it being called a sprint. Do it at your best training pace, not harder or faster.

6)    Patience is a value to be mindful of throughout the endurance race. If somebody has a mechanical failure on the bike, or has a goggle-leak you can still catch up.

7)    Make sure that all your equipment is in serviceable condition. Check brakes, tyres, helmet, goggles, and shoes before you race. Race with the exact attire, equipment and footwear you trained with. NO NEW STUFF!

8)    Race only if you feel about 90-100 percent ready. Never race if you are unwell.

9)    If you have to walk it (run) or slow down (ride/swim), do so. Ask for help if you think you need. Do not be offended if an official asks if you are all right.

10) Enjoy the day. Appreciate the volunteers, spectators and officials – they help make our dreams happen. It is just a race. There will be more.

In 2006, I ran my only OSIM Bosses’ Challenge (triathlon sprint) in which I placed third. I had to fight hard for the podium placing, and missed second place by three seconds (as the spectators alerted the guy in front through their cheers). I learnt to be patient despite a moderate swim (I am no sprinter), a decent ride (the favourite dropped out due to a lose seat), and ran my heart out for the finish (thus clocking the fastest overall run-time). I did not know I placed third until the race announcer informed me. It was a sweet ending for sticking to the plan.

Pareto Principle: The 20:80 Rule

Vilfredo Pareto discovered that 20 percent of pea-pods in his garden contained 80 percent of peas; he extrapolated that to his observation that 80 percent of the land was owned in the early-1900’s by 20 percent of the population.

The Law of the Vital Few, also known as the 80:20 Rule (Principle of Factor Sparsity) is an interesting and universal one. Without delving or stirring more contemptuous disregard for the often-maligned and misunderstood Bell Curve theory, suffice it to say it describes how most processes are engaged by a smaller group of action-orientated people. 20 percent of the top salespeople draw in 80 percent of the company’s profits. 20 percent of the giving population donates nearly 80 percent of the total funds in public charity.

The newly rejuvenated Triathlon Family of Singapore will deliver its annual TriFam Sprint event on 5 February. Do spread the word and invite your endurance-minded friends to join. We hope that the concerted efforts of less than 20 percent of the members can activate the participation and involvement of the other 80 percent. Already TriFam has attracted a significant pool of volunteers, many of who raced in the earlier series. Many of these have progressed to longer-distance races like Olympic Distance Triathlon, Half-Ironman, Ironman and ultra-marathons.

Celebrity DJ, Rod Monteiro is now a champion of stroke prevention after his case of acute stroke. The active sports-person is noted for being a very strong cyclist and runner, and a golfer with a low handicap. Perhaps, star-power can be amplified through publicity and positive word-of-mouth marketing to enhance education and active awareness on health and well-being.

Leadership Lessons: How would you apply Pareto’s Law to your favourite cause? How will you engage the other 80 percent on your team to excel? Which processes in your profession and business reflect Pareto’s Principle? How do you harness the social media platform to significantly support your cherished charities? How will you engage the other 80 percent of your performers on your team?

T’was the Morning Before Christmas…

Photo-credit: Richard Leong (One of our largest turnouts)

This morning, 18 swimmers showed up for our fortnightly Sentosa Lagoon Swim at Tanjong beach. Our new President of our online tri-group Triathlon Family, Andy ‘Small Circle’ Ng attended as a participant – which we appreciated. Four times of the 420-450 metres (according to our Fearless Leader, Matt) laps later, we did a 4.5K run. After some fun plotting (strategizing with the Survivor mantra ‘Outwit, Outplay, Outlast’) we managed to overtake our youngest Ironman Western Australia finisher in our group. I had fun acting out a mock ‘Iron War’s scene where you go mano a mano with a young buck, and then breast the imaginary tape with experience. At the end, pacing is everything and, if you do not want to hold the lead then drop the pace and follow. I called out everybody’s time as they cross the last lamp-post before the carpark. Some of us were coasting on our post-Ironman or post-marathon peak. Like Steve 'Pre' Prefontaine said: 'In running, what matters is the heart!' 

Photo-credit: Richard Leong. My poor impression of Macca; 11 IMs down, two to go for 2012!

I learnt from my cyclist friend, Bernard that doing power sets on the ride, builds strength quickly. However, this comes at the expense of tendon and ligament development. It takes longer for your elastic and inelastic connective tissues to adapt alongside the highly responsive gross muscles used in pedaling. This must contribute to my mild soreness near around my kneecaps – whose history has been relatively injury-free. We were in agreement that riding with faster riders should encourage strength and speed on the bike. You learn to hold your pace and place when you 'pull' your team or draft with it.

Photo-credit: Richard Leong (End of the run set. Spent but happy!)

Tomorrow, I am headed for a 4.5-hour ride (with 30-minute sets as my Main Set) in the east. Already I have a few interested parties who are tempted to ride on a humid and cool Christmas morning. I will follow up with a brick-run, which sets the premise for an unrepentant evening of Christmas feasting and friendship. Next week, Fox will probably prescribe an appreciative easier week; or not. The daily rainfall has affected one 2-hour run, and two pool-swims so far this week. No drama. There is always the next session. Put heart and mind into the effort, and savour the results and outcomes.

Enjoy your weekend and celebrate in your unique way!