A big season ahead for the team
The winter season is where all the plans are laid, the preparation is done and the hard work put in place for the new season ahead. The foundations for the racing season are laid to ensure a solid race season for the team and for each individual athlete.
Team CPC has set that solid foundation, we’ve spent time working on individual deficiencies and imbalances, developing a sound strength and endurance base, and putting in the hard yards on those cold wet, windy winter days. Athletes have improvised, grown, learnt and developed as athletes and as individuals. And now before we know it, the triathlon season is upon us with the Noosa Triathlon on the weekend – the largest Olympic Distance Triathlon in the world! And this weekend sees Challenge Shepparton on our doorstep and the first race of the 2XU Triathlon Series in Melbourne just around the corner. Racing is here – and this is what all the hard work through winter is all about!
This season will be the first full season for CPC, and we’ve seen a steady growth in athletes since forming late last year, and I’m excited where things are heading this coming season. We have athletes racing over all race distances including sprint through to Ironman, we’ll see athletes race overseas including in Ireland, South Africa and the iconic Challange Roth, athletes will compete in ultra distance trail running, criterium racing, off-road tri’s, cycling events, fun runs as well as popular races Challenge Melbourne, Geelong 70.3 Ironman Cairns and more! It’s exciting working with a diversity of athletes over a variety of races and disciplines.
As we head into the summer racing season, our tight knit team continues to grow, each new athlete with their own individualised programs, their own individual goals, and their own motivations for wanting to achieve them.
And so too for me. I’ve been asked numerous times what I’m focusing on this year, what races I’m aiming for. I tend to not share these goals often as it’s my athletes that I want to focus on. It’s their stories that I love to share, for others to immerse themselves in and take inspiration from. But at the same time, I’m aware that as a Coach, I too inspire others. Not just through my coaching, but through my own personal journey and my own racing.
When my little man turned one recently, I took time to reflect on what my last year looked like. And it was a big one – but in a different way. I raced just a handful of times, but each of those times was a big achievement and exciting for me to toe the line again – especially to have my family on the sidelines cheering. But with a growing business and a little one in toe, it makes training and racing that much more challenging, but at the same time, even more satisfying. I get goosebumps when I think about races I have run and won, of near misses, of returning from injury and achieving all that I have. It stirs something inside me anytime I think about it. Because I miss it. I miss the thrill of racing, of pushing the body to it’s limits, of having a goal and chasing it with everything you have, of getting the most from your body, and nothing beats that feeling of crossing finishing a line with nothing left.
So what’s in store this year then? What race is going to drive me back ? What challenge am I setting myself? Despite that inner desire, I am setting aside my racing goals and plans for another season. For this season, I have another big season ahead – off the training track.
We’ll be welcoming another new addition to our little family in the new year and we’re excited about the news and the challenges a growing family brings. So racing – for now, will be on hold again for another 6 months (optimistic? maybe….. driven, always!)
Just as I say to other athletes, a race will always be there, you need to make sure it’s the right time for you to race to ensure you get out of it what you want to achieve. And for me – the next race is all about a growing family, along side a growing coaching business. Yep. The family is growing just as fast as the athletes! But that desire to return to racing will just continue to grow even stronger..
Before becoming a mother, and as a Coach and athlete, I envied parents who managed to juggle family life, with training and work and managing to fit everything into their week. And I always marvelled at how they did it. And just like each of these athletes (including many of my own!) I’m now doing the same and continually working on finding the balance between all facets and areas of life. And I love the challenge and the learning and growing that goes along with it. 🙂
As a female Coach, with a little one already in tow, I have worked through the process of coaching and managing the birth of a bubs and the time off around that before. And although an extra addition adds an extra challenge, I’m looking forward to that challenge like never before. If the female President of New Zealand President can do it, then hey – the rest of us can too! 😉
So for now – as the business and the family grows, my urge to return to racing is put on hold. But all that does is fuels the fire even stronger. I love a challenge and I can’t wait to return to racing as a Coach, as an athlete and as a mum of two next year. It’s going to be something special!
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Sarah is the Director & Head Coach at Complete Per4mance Coaching. Born out of the desire and passion to not just coach but to educate athletes, Sarah shares her 10 years of coaching and racing experience, knowledge and education with athletes of all levels to help them achieve their optimal performance while maintaining a balanced, happy and healthy life.
Contact Sarah to discuss training options for you.