With Memorial Day weekend 2021 now firmly in the rear view mirror the racing landscape ahead now looks wildly different from 2020. Are there still uncertainties? Sure. Are we still dealing with a true struggle with COVID-19. Decidedly. And yet the reluctant hopefulness of the early part of 2021 seems to have turned in many areas to a new wave of hope and anticipation for the future. Things are heating up and not just the temperatures. Racing is back.
While I certainly understand that not having access to racing last year pales in comparison to what so many have gone through and endured. That being said, it was not only those of us who participate in endurance sports for leisure who faced the impact of the hold on racing.
Many people who I know as close friends lost their livelihoods--or at the very least had to radically alter their lives to survive financially. In addition to being an endurance coach, I am a triathlon official. Since the beginning of the year I have traveled to races across the country. And I can tell you that those who put on races and those who participate are super excited to be back.
As I think back on most of my blog posts from 2020 and the first part of 2021 I know that I had a general theme: Racing will return, will you and I be prepared when it does? Well, here we are. I hope you have not allowed the uncertainties of 2020 to carry over into 2021 and impact your preparations. But if they have. And if you have been caught a bit off guard by the news that a race you are signed up for is actually going don’t panic! Instead adjust your expectations and go race for the joy of participation.
At every race I have been to so far this year I have detected a general theme as well. I have talked to many athletes who all say generally the same thing when I ask them how their race went and it goes something like this, “It was super hard. I did not train like I usually do for this race. I had so much fun and I am so happy that racing is back!”
So as things begin to open up and more races come back online and those summer temperatures rise, let’s embrace the fact that things are heating up!
Mark Turner (aka Coach MarkT) is a Houston, Texas Metro area based Coach who is a USA Triathlon Level II and Paratriathlon Certified Coach, IRONMAN University Certified Coach,VFS Certified Bike Fitter, and Mental Strengths Performance Coach. Coach MarkT absolutely loves coaching and helping the athletes achieve their dreams. MarkT is also a US Veteran having served in the United States Marine Corps. He is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. In addition to endurance sports, his interests include history, science fiction, and cooking. He can be reached at markt@teamMPI.com.