{"id":7016,"date":"2016-05-09T13:22:44","date_gmt":"2016-05-09T11:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.margaritamayo.com\/2017\/12\/27\/my-first-triathlon-what-playing-on-your-weaknesses-can-teach-you\/"},"modified":"2023-02-03T10:04:40","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T09:04:40","slug":"my-first-triathlon-what-playing-on-your-weaknesses-can-teach-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.margaritamayo.com\/en\/my-first-triathlon-what-playing-on-your-weaknesses-can-teach-you\/","title":{"rendered":"My First Triathlon: What Playing on Your Weaknesses Can Teach You"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Physical activity has simply never been my strength. Developing a career in the academic world, had me studying, speaking and writing \u2013 these were my strengths and I capitalized on them.<\/p>\n

To me, the white page of a new word-document is the perfect springboard to express my inner feelings and organize my thoughts, and I still feel most comfortable amongst ideas rather than the physical.<\/p>\n

It should come as no surprise that my preferred work environment is a coffee shop, with my laptop.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line”][vc_column_text]So, when I found myself at 7:30 a.m. in the Casa de Campo (the Central Park of Madrid), I wondered how I managed to get so far out of my comfort zone. Being at the park at such an early was no coincidence, however.<\/p>\n

After become a sports person at the age of 40, I\u2019ve been trying my hand at various physical activities.<\/p>\n

Most recently, I\u2019ve been training for my first triathlon, and race day had finally arrived.<\/p>\n

Because it is nice to see how the more experienced triathletes get through the race, I arrived early. Being most nervous about the swim, I explored the lake where I would submerge myself in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

Yet, the vicarious learning did not work as I had thought it would, because the lake is foggy in the early hours and thus it is difficult to see the swimmers from far away. My fears about the water rose.<\/p>\n

Luckily, the sun soon began to shine and I had also brought my computer to make the wait less stressful.<\/p>\n

So, I decided to look on the positive side: There is the excitement of doing something new, the satisfaction of learning new skills, the personal challenge of overcoming new barriers, and the enthusiasm of sharing this enjoyment with significant others.[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line”][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BKk0VAOQc04″ el_width=”80″ align=”center”][divider line_type=”No Line”][vc_column_text]Ok, I am a finisher. After writing the above, I went to the boxes and met with other people from the triathlon team. They have done well in the Olympic distance and were more than able to cheer me up and to the starting line and then onward.[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line”][vc_column_text]As I look back on the race, here are the four lessons I learned from my first triathlon:<\/p>\n