Triathlon Lessons in Work, Life and Even AI

I have a milestone birthday coming up and decided to memorialize the occasion by completing an Olympic distance triathlon. I last completed a tri more than 15 years ago, shortly after graduating college. As much as I’ve complained about the training the past four months (just ask Brian Mann !), crossing the finish line yesterday (shockingly, a few minutes ahead of my 2008 time!) felt amazing.??

In the brief interludes between me questioning why, exactly, I was doing this again, I came to realize that many of the tactics that got me through the challenges of training and race-day mirror the skills that help me in life and in my role leading a global team of Customer Success Specialists.? Here are a few:

#1 - “Breathe Every Stroke” –My last semester in college, I took a triathlon class for my required PE credit which was led by the Cornell Swim Coach. He watched me swim one lap and told me I would be faster if I breathed every other stroke instead of holding my breath and breathing every third stroke. He was right. “Coming up for air” didn’t slow me down but made me faster and more efficient.?

It's the same at work. For one, data shows that taking frequent wellness breaks throughout the workday makes people happier and more productive at their jobs. This idea of “coming up for air” is also so important when working on a new project or any major initiative. Pausing to look at the bigger picture, to get feedback, to question, to test. And to do this not once – at the very beginning or very end of a project– but continuously. The extra investment might feel like a drag on productivity upfront but ultimately saves so much time - and energy - in the long-run.?

#2 - “Pump Your Tires” – Of the three events of the triathlon, I struggle the most with the bike. In my last weeks of training, I stopped by the bike shop to have a broken valve repaired and the technician checked my tires and said, “Woah, do you know your tires are way low on air?” He pumped the tires to the appropriate levels and, like magic, I moved a lot faster. Even with the exact amount of effort (high) and power (mediocre), just by changing my equipment, I was able to fly faster.?

I think there’s a metaphor here of the parallels of AI and cycling. As I think about AI and how it will change my work, tasks and life, I think of it as an opportunity to “pump the tires” - in other words, a way I can work with more efficiency and scale. In the near-term, streamlining low-impact, high-annoyance tasks. In the not-too-distant future, giving me better “equipment” to understand trends and make decisions.

#3 - “It’s not a Triathlon. It’s a swim + a bike + a run.” When I first signed up for the tri, thinking about the whole event in its entirety felt very daunting. So instead, I tried to think about it not as a “triathlon” but as three events – a swim, a bike and a run. In my experience, I’ve found that whether it’s a triathlon, a pregnancy or a major project at work it’s best to break down any big overwhelming undertaking into days, not months. A collection of micro-tasks rather than an intimidating whole.?

15+ years put a lot of wear-and-tear on my body. During that time, I had two kids, endured multiple surgeries and kept pace with the constant calisthenics of working mom life. After all that, it felt awesome to swim a mile, bike a marathon and run a 10K. It taught me a lot about resilience and the strategies and gratification that come with working toward a big goal at work and in life.

And now I’m definitely ready to celebrate this birthday with champagne instead of gatorade.