The Value of Team

A few friends have asked me over the years if they should join a triathlon team.  Memphis has several:  Los Locos, Memphis Thunder Racing, and Terrapin Racing.  Each team has a different vision and fits the needs of different types of triathletes.  

But triathlon is not a team sport.  I don't get to set my teammates up to score a goal, run back to cover for them, or talk with them at halftime on game strategy.  We don't win or lose together.  We don't rely on each other for a good performance.  And we are not responsible for bringing out the best in each other...or are we?

Yesterday, I had plans to do a training ride and then spend some time with my husband.  As usual, I have been over-committed, over-stressed, and really tired, so it was important to me to get stuff done and then spend some down time at home.  

And plans changed mid-morning.  My husband, sister, and co-workers have all decided that I have to get something done about my intense gray hair.  This intervention was scheduled last minute, and it fell right in the middle of my Saturday.  I was frustrated- and hair is never a priority to me.  I knew I had to keep the appointment or remain gray forever.  

3 hours later (I have a lot of gray) and the day was gone.  I had a little over an hour of sunlight to ride, but I had made plans to spend the afternoon with my husband.  I didn't know what to do, and riding in the cold afternoon was not appealing to me anymore.  I pulled into the parking lot and called Dave.  

Dave told me to go ride- that it was important for me to ride and we would go out later.  I thanked him and got out of the car.  It was cold, and I was unmotivated.  I got back in the car to drive home and started to pull out of the parking lot when....

I saw a Los Locos teammate in the distance- riding his bike.  If it had been any other cyclist, I would have kept driving.  But it was a teammate.  If my teammates are out training, I am out training.  I re-parked my care and got on my bike.  My teammate gave me the motivation I needed to train.  

Two miles into my ride, another Los Locos teammate passed me in his car and honked his horn while yelling "Hey Damie! :)"   More motivation.  

One mile later, I see another Los Locos teammate riding his bike on the other side of the road, and he yells for me to wait up.  It turned out to be Steve Franklin, and he joined me for the remainder of my ride.  We went to an area with some hills and tested out the knee.  I was slow, sucking wind, and dying.  Steve stayed with me the whole time, even though he was probably cursing silently because I was going to slow.  (I think he was at least impressed that I was willing to put a helmet on my head directly after paying to have my "hair did". )

Triathlon is not a team sport.  No one can  help me on the race course- cover for me, double down, create space, force a turnover, give me a chance to breath, or save me from a mistake.  But, there is value in being on the team- and it comes in the form of support and motivation when you need that extra push to stay the course.  Teammates are friends and mentors that help you get out of the car when you are turning around to go home, convince you to ride an extra lap of hills, and help you train harder/smarter/better.  Thank you to my 3 x teammates yesterday who directly and indirectly helped me to get  back on my bike.