There Is No Award For Fastest 2/3 Of A Race

About 10 years ago, I was a competitive triathlete, and I cannot tell you how many races came down to the last mile of the run (and, in some instances, the last half mile or less).

There were times I vividly remember when, after hours or more of racing, I found myself in a spot where all of the race prior didn’t matter – no matter how hard I’d worked during the swim, the bike or the first 5+ miles of the run. The only thing that mattered during that last half mile was that last half mile. What I did with that last half mile would decide the entire race.

In Triathlon, There Is No Award For Fastest Swim, Fastest Bike Or Even Fastest Swim & Bike. 

Nobody cares how you ran the first few miles of the run. Yes, your speed during the earlier segments of the race matter and ultimately help your finishing time, but the individual pieces fade at the awards ceremony.

The final result, and your total finishing time compared against the field, is all that will be remembered.