The Victory Lap

Sometimes, the best race reflections aren’t just about the time you achieved or the position you finished – they’re about how the day felt.

The months of hard work have been done. The training is behind you. The planning, preparation and commitment have all led to this one day.

And then, when it finally arrives, you get to fully experience it.

That was certainly the case for Mel.

I loved the way she described her race afterwards. Not simply as an Ironman she had completed, but as a victory lap for everything that had gone into getting her there.

“It really was a victory lap of the year’s hard work, commitment and dedication to give it a good crack.

I really wanted it so badly, and the controllables were so controlled. 🤩

My day happened. I raced within myself so I didn’t blow up or suffer too early in the event. I keep thinking, could I have done things differently? Maybe I could have pushed a little more. But the smiles wouldn’t have shone half as much if I had, nor would that marathon time. 🙏🏼🏅🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁿

Very proud of how I handled it all.”

What a day for Mel.

There’s so much to love in those words.

The gratitude for the opportunity to race. The joy of actually being in the moment and enjoying it. And the satisfaction of knowing she executed the race she had planned.

Of course, there’s always that little voice afterwards asking “Could I have gone a bit harder?”

But perhaps that misses the point.

Mel didn’t spend all those months working towards this day so she could spend race day chasing the last possible second at the expense of everything else.

She wanted to give it a good crack.

She wanted to race well.

And, perhaps most importantly, she wanted to enjoy the experience.

And she did all three. 

That’s a victory lap in action.

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There’s something else in Mel’s reflection that I think is worth thinking about.

Sometimes, getting the very best out of yourself doesn’t mean pushing harder at every opportunity. It means knowing when to push, when to settle, when to be patient and when to trust the work you’ve done.

That’s race execution.

Mel didn’t leave something out there. She got the very best out of herself in the right way. She controlled the controllables. She raced within herself. She didn’t blow up or suffer too early. She made good decisions throughout a very long day. And the result was a performance she can be incredibly proud of.

The best performances are the ones where everything comes together.

The preparation.

The patience.

The decisions.

The effort.

The enjoyment.

And, ultimately, getting the very best from yourself when it matters.

That’s what Mel did.

And perhaps that’s the real victory lap.