Two weeks ago I raced in my first-ever triathlon. 🏊🚴🏃♂️
Miraculously, I did not drown, crash, or collapse. I actually finished. 😅
I practiced the bike portion four times:
- Sep 2 → 10.2 mph
- Sep 4 → 10.5 mph
- Sep 11 → 12.2 mph
- Sep 17 → 12.4 mph
- Sep 21 → 16.5 mph (race day)
My fastest practice time was 12.4 mph. On race day, I zoomed at 16.5 mph! That's 33% faster! ⚡
Not because I suddenly got stronger. Not because I learned a new technique or was drafting the bike in front of me.
I raced faster because there were no blockers:
- We had our own lane on the road.
- Police waved us through intersections
- Volunteers held signs showing the way.
I was able to accelerate and keep moving at my top speed for ~45 minutes. The only thing I had to do was push with my legs and steer.
My practice route has 2 stop lights. It doesn't sound like much. But you lose all forward momentum and spend a lot of energy to ramp back up.
If you want to move fast you need to accelerate to max speed and then stay there as long as possible. Anything that slows you down wastes momentum.
To move quickly in business, tech, and life remove blockers before you start moving. It's a marvel how fast you can actually move.