Post-Race Reactions - Jeanne Lehair

Embracing the Challenge

For any athlete, there’s always that one race that becomes a career-defining opportunity. The moment when everything—past struggles, mental pressure, sheer willpower—converges. I’ve heard countless stories about how special these breakthrough moments can be: they feel both surreal and meaningful at the same time, precisely because they are so rare.

This was exactly the case for our protagonist, who stepped up to the start line carrying the weight of a challenging previous year. Sporting events, like life, can be painfully unpredictable. Yet, just like Lionel Sanders (AKA “Mr. No Limits”) has shown us, there’s always a way to push beyond our comfort zone. The athlete knew this was no ordinary race; it was the moment to prove that persistence and passion can overcome any obstacle.

Staying Safe on a Hazardous Bike Segment

Right after the swim—where fellow competitor Terza set a blistering pace—the rain turned the roads into slippery minefields. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in triathlon is to keep your head in the game; being front and center on the bike segment becomes crucial when conditions get dangerous. The athlete’s strategy was clear: maintain position for safety and avoid a crash at all costs. Only two riders were willing to stay out front on those hazardous conditions, and she was among them.

I’ve personally felt that same anxious adrenaline rush when roads are slick—it’s like stepping on eggshells. But if you succumb to fear, your body tenses up, and you risk losing control. Instead, stay steady, engage your core, and trust your skills. That is precisely what she did, thus minimizing any potential disaster.

Fighting Abdominal Pain on the Run

Once onto the run, a new wave of exhaustion set in. Leg fatigue is common, but this time she faced intense abdominal pain, so severe that it almost worked in her favor. Strange, right? The pain acted like a distraction, pulling focus away from her exhausted legs. In my own rookie days, I used to wish for anything that would help me forget the stabbing burn in my quads. Ironically, the athlete in this story embraced that pain, harnessing it to maintain her final acceleration.

Through countless tactical surges—short bursts of speed aimed to disrupt competitors—she aimed to mentally discourage any close pursuers. If you can get in your rivals’ heads, you might break their will before they even catch you. As the cameraman struggled to keep up, her pace became an unpredictable dance of acceleration and deceleration, more a reaction to her internal struggles than a pre-planned race tactic.

A Mental Duel to the Finish Line

Even with multiple surges, she could feel the top chasers looming. Visualization is often underrated, but in this instance, imagining a mental duel spurred her on. Whether you’re convinced your opponent is right on your heels or still a minute behind, acting on that fear can light the fire you need to win.

As the final meters approached, she told herself, “One more push.” We’ve all been there at some point, pitting our brain against our body. But that’s where grit is born—the unbreakable resolve to keep going when everything screams at you to stop.

Victory and Hope for Future Opportunities

Crossing the finish line, her victory felt almost too good to be true. It was the first major triumph she had ever experienced—an achievement that left her in a state of joyous disbelief. In that moment, the grueling effort felt 100% worth it. This newly earned wave of satisfaction fuels her belief in chasing future opportunities with the same ferocity.

Sometimes, we forget to appreciate these milestones. We worry about the next race, the next training session, the next big goal. Instead, like her, take a moment to soak it in. Let that surge of happiness ground you—it’s a powerful motivator for everything still to come.

If there’s one takeaway from her story, it’s that no victory is ever really an accident. It’s earned through calculated risk, unwavering resolve, and a touch of luck in dodging those slippery pitfalls.