That is the question I’ve been asking myself since my sprint race yesterday. The final results aren’t in yet, but just based on feel it didn’t go so great.
The difference between being an athlete or asshole is simple and it all relates to how determined you are in your training and how hard you push yourself on race day.
For example, any asshole can show up race morning and wheel their tricked out bike in to transition wearing a cool race kit and look like they’re ready to race. But only an athlete is REALLY ready to go all out and meet their potential while suffering on the course to finish completely exhausted.
Prior to yesterday’s start I kind of envisioned my race ending like this.
Unfortunately it wasn’t that dramatic and there is no one to blame but myself. Before I go on, I’m not writing a pitty-party blog, it’s more of a realization that I have a LOT of work to do before Ironman Wisconsin!!! A LOT!
The only “problem” I had in the race yesterday was that I lot my chain twice. Other than that there was nothing mechanically or physically wrong with me. The weather was great, the course was nice I just really think I didn’t try hard enough.
When my swim wave went off I felt like I was flailing in the water, splashing around as if I’d never done it before. It wasn’t until about 1/2 through the swim couse that I got my act together. According to my Garmin data I got out about 1:45 slower than planned.
The bike I had relatively no issues with the exception of the chain coming off twice. I kept the 19mph pace that I outlined to Jen in my race plan, but maybe I could have pushed harder to make up the time lost in bike repair.
The run is really what’s been bothering me. I told Jen I was going to go easy for the first half mile and then all out the rest of the run. I didn’t do that. According to my Garmin data my average pace was 10:00/mile.
That’s pretty poor for “all out”.
I talked to Jen this morning and we’ve come to the decision that I didn’t push hard enough at all. I didn’t cross the finish line completely exhausted, I wasn’t completely out of breath and by no means was I suffering… Yesterday, I was an asshole.
Phil Castello 
You’re acting like a baby, not an asshole. This is part of the deal, you are not training for a sprint or an olympic, but the Ironman, the rest is just a rehearsal, a chance to work out the kinks, learn how to shift your gears so you don’t drop your chain and practice your finish for Madison.
Don’t beat yourself up, listen to Jen, work harder and change your diaper. You are going to be great.:)
I disagree & agree. I don’t think I was being a baby. I think that we came up with a race plan and I didn’t execute it. Sure it was a prep race, but that’s not the point. I should have made more of an effort to perform well.