Compete

I believe everyone should compete. Yes, everyone!

Here’s why I think competition is so great.

ONE. It will push your training and fitness to the next level.

Whether you have a competition date, a target time, a weight PR goal, a new skill goal, a new rep max, new route to try, hill to conquer… targets give you laser focus for when you step into the gym, hit the platform, lace up your shoes, slip into the water, sit on your saddle, or hit the pavement.

TWO. It will build your character.

Learn how to win with grace, and lose with grace. Learn how to perform even when you’re shit scared and experience the sheer exhilaration when you conquer your fear (see my photo on homepage ;)). Learn valuable life skills like humility, respect, teamwork, patience, resilience, work ethic.

THREE: It will inspire you.

If you take competition the right way, when you see others achieving more than you, it makes you want to push harder. If they can do it, why can’t I? Be inspired, not jealous.

FOUR: It will widen your “fitness community”.

As I’ve said before, one of the key motivators is having workout buddies or teammates. The more you hang out with fit active people, the more fit and active you will be. Meet new people, be exposed to all kinds of new and crazy things people do out there, and try new things!

FIVE: It will be fun.

It may hurt a little, but in my books that’s fun! Feel the rush of adrenaline, the surge of lactic acid, exhaustion to the point of passing out, or pride at hitting a new record. It just feels amazing to do something you never thought possible! Then you get to go and have an awesome huge meal and frosty beverage, and feel good about it :)))

If I’ve made my point, when I say EVERYONE should compete, I don’t mean that you need to enter a “competition” (though I do recommend it!). What I mean is CHALLENGE, MEASURE AND TEST YOURSELF, however that looks for you.

I am talking about the guy who times his laps in the pool, to the girl who bikes along to peloton videos, to the woman who tried to see how many laps of the Chief she can do in 24 hours (admittedly this was for charity, but a great test nonetheless!), to the guy who plays tennis with a stronger player because he wants to win just 1 game against him, to the girl who tries to break her deadlift PR, to the teen who tries to beat his Grind time every week, to the lady who runs 1km for every year of her age (“50k at 50”), to the girl who tries to do a headstand on her paddleboard, to the guy working on his goal to lose 30 pounds, to the girl trying to get her first pull up, to the mom who aims to get to the gym 3 days per week for 6 months straight, to the 30-day yoga challenge, to the guy training for his first ironman, to the lady training for her first marathon, to the girl entering her first competition. (You know who you are ;) )

JUST COMPETE.

Set a goal, set a PR, set your timer, get a fitness tracker. You will be amazed at how motivating that is, and when you experience the exhilaration of success, you will want to set a new goal and keep going.

Sometimes you will “lose”, but you always win ;)

Fran