A sense of belonging in sport

 

Does it matter if you consider yourself an exerciser or an athlete? I say yes. 

When you sign up for an athletic event, you have a responsibility to embrace your athletic identity. You don't have to be competitive against others but you should desire to challenge and better yourself. 

Because your thoughts and beliefs about yourself lead into your actions and behaviors, embracing your inner athlete means including your athletic lifestyle within your self-identity. 

Once you learn to learn to identify as an athlete, you start to behave like an athlete. You make better choices with your sleep, nutrition and lifestyle, which will likely improve your overall motivation and quality of life. 

While it's powerful to identify as an athlete, it's also important to identify as a member of a team or community. 

When you are around likeminded individuals, you feel a sense of belonging. This brings acceptance, confidence, connection, fun, motivation and accountability. Your tribe can help you find strengths, skills and abilities that you didn't know that you had. Being part of a team means being part of something that is greater than yourself. 

We all crave a sense of belonging and it's necessary for a healthy and happy life. Belonging to a group that embraces who you are (rather than needing to hide or change yourself) is important. A big part of feeling confident as an athlete is knowing that you belong. And this 'belonging' can be in a team or in a competition/race/event. 

As an athlete, you can easily destroy your confidence when you feel you don't belong. It's easy to look for reasons why you aren't good enough. 

OR, you can remind yourself of the reasons why you belong where you are.

Regardless of your experience level, you belong. You didn't improve by chance. You are doing the work and improving because you belong. 

To help build a strong case for why you belong and to help you find your tribe/community, here are a few tips: 

• You should never have to change yourself. When you try to "fit in," you may try to impress others or change yourself for the group you are around. A true sense of belonging is that those around you accept you for who you are and appreciate your authentic self. 
  
  
• Identify your core values. These are the beliefs that are most important in your life. Knowing your values can help guide your actions and help you make decisions. Your core values are what you care about the most. 
  
  
• Spending time with people is critical to help with feelings of loneliness and boredom. Your tribe should be composed of people who share mutual affection and trust for one another. Your closest support system should play a positive role in your life and happiness. 
  
  
• You can't show off your true self and be accepted if you don't know what your true self looks like. Belonging is all about feeling accepted for who you are. This acceptance starts from you accepting who you are and not feeling the need to change in order to be liked. 
  
  
• Say yes to new opportunities and experiences by maintaining a curious mindset. To grow, you must accept others for who they are. Less judgement, more acceptance. 

Congrats Trimarni TEAM!

In almost every aspect of life, a team can accomplish and achieve more than any individual.

We are so proud of our team for placing 3rd in the 2021 Ironman TriClub Global Rankings!!!
A team empowers you and doesn't suck positive energy from you.

Just imagine what you could accomplish in life if you had a team around you to support you, encourage you and to hold you accountable to your goals? What if you were part of a team that showcased your strengths, successes and improvements, but also challenged you to be the best that you could be? 

If you have ever been part of a supportive team, you probably recognize the benefits of being part of a team. A team can guide you on your individual path of development. A team gives you the right words of encouragement to keep you moving forward.

A supportive team enjoys your journey with you - no matter the day. When you experience success, your team celebrates your high moments with you. When you are having an off-day, your team doesn't let you give up. Your team never gives up on you. 

Your team should not sabotage your efforts. Your team should not make you feel like a failure. Your team shouldn't make you feel unworthy or not good enough. 

Having a successful team is not about having the best coach or leader.
Having a successful team is not about having the most talented athletes.

Individual success comes from having a healthy team culture.
A team culture with clear team values, attitudes, goals, ethics and expectations, individuals can nurture individual growth, fun, development and success.

As athletes, we have to find something to continually motivate us and that thing is best found when we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

Work independently, compete together.
Way to go TEAM!

If you are interested in learning how our team can help you become a smarter, stronger and more accomplished triathlete, click HERE.

2020 Trimarni Coaching: APPLY NOW!

It's that time of the year again!!

If you are interested in joining the 2020 Trimarni coaching team as a one-on-one coached athlete, now is the time to apply. We only accept new athletes once a year and the deadline to apply is October 14th.

At Trimarni, we are a team of hard working, caring, supportive and fun individuals who are passionate about triathlon. We care about your health and want you to maintain your enjoyment for your swim-bike-run lifestyle. We are an ego-free team where everyone feels included and accepted.
We care about you, your life, your goals and your personal well-being. 

As a Trimarni team member, you can expect to receive: 

• Motivation 
• Inspiration
• Education
• Team support

We are much more than a coaching business - we are a team. 

Please note, we only have a limited number of spots for 2020 coaching. We always give first priority to our current coached athletes and team members (educational team/training plan athletes).

If you are interested in joining the Trimarni team but are not ready for one-on-one coaching, we also have training plans (20-week Ironman and Half Ironman, as well as our 8-foundation plan and NEW to 2020, 12-week Sprint and Olympic) and our educational team membership. 

Learn more here about our coaching services. 

APPLY HERE for coaching. 

Building your team of experts

When browsing a popular forum page not too long ago, I came across a thread of an athlete looking for nutrition assistance. One of the comments had me thinking about the overwhelming number of experts that an athlete can choose from when it comes to assistance with health, body composition, mental skills, fitness and performance. This certainly extends to doctors, physical therapists, massage therapists, strength coaches, etc.

I believe that there's someone out there for everyone BUT you do have to do your due diligence. What is it that you need from your professional and does she/he have a similar belief structure as your own? 

Today, it's easy to turn to the internet and social media for health advice but the WWW isn't the best place to get information as it relates to your personal situation.

As it relates to finding the best "expert" to assist in your health, performance and/or body composition goals, here are a few of my tips:

1. Credentials - Today, anyone can claim to be an expert. Use your basic knowledge to determine if your expert has credibility to call him/herself an expert. Does this person have the appropriate education/schooling to diagnose and treat you? You can also look for advanced credentialing such as CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sport Dietetics) to demonstrate specialized experience, knowledge, skill and expertise in a certain area.
   
2. Experience - It goes without saying that you should be searching for an expert who has expert experience in the area that you need help with. In some fields, lots of experience may be more beneficial than having lots of credentials. If you are an athlete, your expert should be experienced in your sport. Just because someone has formal education to call him/herself an expert, this doesn't mean that he/she should professionally counsel you. While she/he may have textbook, laboratory or internet knowledge, it's also good to have real life experience.
   
   
3. Avoid black or white thinking - When you reach out to an expert, you should be able to ask questions without judgement or fear.  An expert should have time for you - treating you like an individual, listening to your background and always considering options and different problem-solving strategies. Rigid thinking and not listening means an inability to change the mind. But with humans, we are all different. Flexible thinking and personalized advice is important in the counseling process as it relates to long-term success.
   
4. Philosophy - I feel a business or personal philosophy is extremely beneficial when it comes to finding our expert. Instead of reaching out to someone who is popular, you should understand and align with his/her methods and philosophy. Ask around for recommendations and referrals from athletes who have worked with your potential expert to ensure that you find the right person for your needs. Pay attention to contradictions in advice, extreme methods or affiliations to "sell" you a product. Take some time to understand the set of beliefs and principles from your future expert to ensure that he/she practices what he/she preaches. Above all, a philosophy outlines the values that are important to that person/business. If you don't connect with his/her philosophy, there's a good chance that your expert is not the right fit for you (even if he/she worked fabulously well for your friend/teammate and has a large social media following).
   
5. Don't look for a quick fix - As with any professional, it's important to find someone who is properly trained and offers sensible, realistic, sound advice. Don't choose your  expert from his/her social media following/presence or a promise that he/she can quickly cure/fix your issues. Ask questions before you commit. With so many self-made experts, it's difficult to recognize who is trustworthy or not. Be mindful that a change in behavior/health is never a quick fix. Don't expect immediate, rapid or dramatic changes when starting on a new journey. If your expert promises that you will be an overnight success or there's a quick fix for your problem, be warned that something is too good to be true.
   
6. Take your time - Just like with any field, finding the right professional for your needs may take time. Instead of googling for free advice, start the process of finding the expert who can help you answer your questions and give you appropriate advice that will help you reach your goals/needs. And it's ok to have multiple experts in the same field! 

A big thank you to the experts that are part of my team!

• Erin Carson - Strength Coach
• Gloria Petruzelli - Sport Psychology
• Chris Johnson - PT
• Scott Kaylor - PT
• Dr. Casses - Doctor
• Kelly Vanleeuwen - Massage Therapist 
• Kristen Johnston - My swimming partner 
• Campy Sumbal - Recovery coach ;) 
• Karel Sumbal - Life-long teammate 
• Our new coaches!! (More on this soon)