Thoughts uncovered during those heat brain final miles of my race: It is OK to RACE. Race hard. It is OK to have GOALS and think about them every day. Short term. Long term. That is FUN! It is ok to have OUTCOME goals too AND to hold yourself accountable to them. You didn't fully predict where you'll be in 4 years, months, weeks or days or even minutes. You are logical enough to see the big picture and move forward with resilience regardless of outcome. You SHOULD go WAY over your FTP on the hills and risk everything sometimes. A lot of the time. A goal to "just finish" gets boring after a few times. Set GIANT scary goals. It's OK! It's ok to DNF! TRY new things on race day. Completely ignore your plan. Be willing to risk "losing your friends" if it means you get to make choices right for you! It's OK to talk to people on the race course. Compete. Go hard. Own it. Eat Reeses cups! Remember the inspiring random thing X said. Don't let all the RULES and conventional wisdom get in the way of your fun. Be aero. Obsess over data excessively & then dont look at it at all. Then do it again. Train like a horse. Be YOU and fight for justice even if you make waves...a triathlon tsunami of impactful change! Permitting bad behavior is being a bad friend. Pink is fast. You are a brave one. Listen when your true friends tell you you are overreacting. Be a student of the sport. Don't loose sleep over the opinions of sheep. Beat yourself up and baby yourself all at the same time. Don't give yourself away to just anything. Be discerning. Be BOLD. Be grateful! Forgive yourself for not knowing then what you know now. Influence a positive change. Be a mountain goat on the climbs. Keep in touch. You're on a triathlon journey. Be a shining tiger like your friends. Take Back the Race.