Author: Empire Tri Club

“It was always very scary for me to even swim 50m in a pool. Now after a year of training, I realize the importance of mental strength and discipline in triathlons.”

Training for his first triathlon was nerve wracking and seemed daunting. Prior to race day, Sid had never run a competitive race. What got him through it was the assurance in himself that had been built throughout his training with the Beginner Program.

“After listening to some great advice from the club ambassadors and Ali, I just trusted the club’s training plan. I took every opportunity to attend team socials to ask questions and learn more about the sport from my Empire teammates. I also did not skip a training session. I think trusting the process and the work I put in made me confident by the time race day came about.”

The Beginner Program finished and race day came! Sid was pumped to get under way. His entire family traveled to the race site in Montauk, Long Island. He also had the support of his teammates which helped cheer him on to the end.

“The presence of so many Empire teammates was great. It really makes a huge difference when you have such a great support crew.”

When asked about the race itself, Sid shared his positive experience:

“The course was challenging and I exceeded my expectations. I learned a lot about how to pace myself during a race. In terms of nutrition, I did not try anything new during race day. I carried home cooked food to the race site, the same stuff I had been eating during training. That helped my performance. I also learned how important it is to consciously hydrate at regular intervals during the race and not just drink fluids when thirsty. Most importantly, I had a lot of fun during the race, even though it was tough. I hope to carry that feeling into the 2018 season.”

“I want to thank Empire Tri Club and all my teammates for being such a great source of inspiration and for sharing all your knowledge. The club has helped me push myself every day to be a better version of myself. Also, thanks to Saturday group rides, I’m now a fan of donuts/muffins after a long bike ride.”
We think you are pretty inspirational to us Sid! You’ve come so far and worked so hard to overcome your fear in the water. We look forward to seeing you accomplish many more goals this upcoming season.

This past November Jon competed in Ironman Cozumel finishing off his 2017 season. The latter portion of his training was not an easy one. With the race taking place in November, the weather starting to change and others heading into their off-season, Jon had to maintain his focus on that finish line.

“As others wrapped up their season and the weather started to change, I had to remain mentally engaged. It was no easy task when you have to go for a six hour bike ride in 35 degree weather! I’d argue that the mental component is the most challenging for which to train. You never know when or how you’re going to be challenged, but you can count on that challenge always arriving.”

Jon persevered and tackled his biggest obstacles. Race day came and he found himself with no nerves or hesitation and full of excitement.

“I was able to get down to Cozumel a few days before the race to acclimate to the climate as well as train on the course. That went a long way to mentally prepare for and visualize what race day would entail. I absolutely loved the race and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone! The swim was fast (NYC Tri-esq), the bike course was flat with minor headwinds, and the run course was packed with spectators, even late into the race. The energy was high the entire time. I am definitely going to race it again someday.”

Now laying low as we start 2018, Jon will shift gears a bit to focus on his upcoming nuptials this summer to fellow Empire Tri teammate Kim. All the best to this tri couple!