Adventures in Skydiving and Lesson Learned

One never knows, or truly understands how things like this come to be. It's a process. Short for some, long for others, and somewhere in between for the rest.

Some ten months ago a group of friends posted their incredible photos and videos of their skydiving adventure. When I saw them at a race a few days later, all I remember asking them was "why didn't you call me?"

Fast forward to July this year. I invited my dear friend Kellie to be part of my relay team at the Music City Triathlon. She had a "jump" scheduled for that day, so after some back and forth discussions, we figured out the timing for her to join me would not work. But, she invited me to go skydiving with her. "We could get Juliana to go with us," she said. As much as we tried to get our schedules to synch for that day, we couldn't. We tabled the idea for racing and jumping together for a future date.

Sometime in Mid September another friend, Lana, also posted some pictures and videos of her jump. She said she would jump again and would jump with us, so I knew at this point, that this, I must do.

Around the same time, in a conversation, after our Sunday 6 am run, my friend Max said that he would love to jump. I asked him to give me some dates. He did, we picked one and made reservations.

Unfortunately, we were not able to coordinate with Kellie and Lana. But Max and I were in. Now all I had to do was to get Juliana to join us. After a little no-pressure persuasion from dad, she agreed.

If any first-time jumper tells you they're not a little bit scared, or at least a little bit apprehensive or even somewhat nervous, they're not telling you the whole truth. I know I was. Not scared, but nervous. Nervous because of the unknown. Nerves are okay. Fear is not. I was not scared. I was excited and nervous, but not scared.

It took three tries for us to be able to do our jump. The weather got in the way the first two attempts. Clouds and rain all over the area. You don't want to jump if you can't see the ground. Because of these setbacks, Max could not jump with us the third time. So it was just Juli and I. Oh yeah, and her two friends. Bailey and Taylor. We had company.

We knew this whole experience would be epic and out of this world. Literally. We were asked to sign waiver after waiver telling us that in the not-as-unlikely-as-I-would-like chance we die, they aren't responsible.

We arrived early in the morning. We were to be the first group of the day. There were a total of six jumpers. We watched a video; couldn't tell you at this moment what it was all about but at the moment it all made perfect sense. I guess. Then someone proclaiming to be a teacher walked in and proceeded to give us instructions. Instructions amongst other on "what to do in the event 'this' went wrong or 'that' went wrong." Great! More reassurance that we were in good hands. Now, "which color do I need to pull if I have to pull the parachute open?"

Next step was getting suited up. Effortless. My tandem partner was all over this. I felt comfortable because he looked and sounded very professional and experienced. That is until he asked me to "check to make sure the hardness was on correctly." WHAT? How would I know that? Even if it wasn't, how would I know?

Then we boarded the unreasonably small plane. Small compared to any and all planes I have ever flown in before. There were two benches, one on each side. We would sit on these, facing the rear. I would sit in front of my teacher. Videographer in front facing me, recording my every move, or lack thereof. There were only two jump teams available that day so only two of us could go up at the same time. Juliana was on my left. And then there's the plane's door. It was a rolling door, made of some sort of plastic. You could see out this door.

Then the plane took off. Without consequence. That is if you consider the shaking and the baking on the way up "without consequence." I'm not afraid of planes. As a matter of fact, I love to fly. But hearing and feeling each and every one of the 5,438 rivets around me was a bit unnerving. But this subsided quickly. Then we continued to climb. We climbed to some 12,500 feet. That's over 2.3 miles up. That's a. long. way. up.

Then the door opened. The freaking airplane door opened. Have you ever been in an airplane 2.3 miles up in the air... with its door open? No? I hadn't either.

I would go first. Juli would follow. We waddled our way up and sat on the floor, at the door, with our feet hanging out. Did I mention 2.3 miles up in the air?

As instructed, my head was placed against my teacher; this so he could see where we were going. My hands were crossed against my chest and my feet were relaxed. And then we were falling. Free falling. 2.3 miles up in the air!

This was my favorite part of the jump. Maybe it had to do with the fact that in my mind I already knew how epic this would be. After we jumped, we tumbled a few seconds through the air, then we stabilized into the face-down position.

I did not know what to expect. This is not something you can imagine. You really have no idea. Will you feel like you'd lose your stomach? Will you feel like you're racing 125 mph towards the ground? You really do not. Even though you really are moving that fast, you do not feel it. Maybe it's because the ground is so far away and you can't compute speed. Or maybe it's because the wind resistance is pushing against you. You never feel like you're falling, you feel like you're floating. Floating with an incredible amount of wind at your face.

After a minute or so of this, he pulled the chord. There was a little tug. And then we were floating again. The big difference now is how quiet everything was, with the rush of the wind gone. It seemed like the most serene experience ever. We were now just gently floating toward the ground. Before I knew it, we landed. And I wish I hadn't.


So, what's the lesson learned here?

If you look deep into an experience like this, you could walk away with a lesson or two. If you look really deep, you could find numerous. But for me, one lesson stands head and shoulders above the rest:

"You can't touch the best moments in life"

My Incredible View

Yes. Hopefully, our lives have been filled with "moments", moments we will never forget, much less regret. Moments like our wedding day, the birth of our children. Moments like that fabulous sunrise or sunset. Or that hike in the mountains. We should aim to have "moments" not "possessions" or things define our happiness.

How many times can you say you have jumped out of an airplane? How many times can you say you have jumped out of an airplane with your daughter? This is one of my "moments"

Those that know me well are already asking "what's next?"

I've had a bucket list for many years.It has been written, not just wished or dreamed. It has been modified, added to several times. Many items have been deleted. Many items will take years to complete. Some items are crazier than others, but all of them are doable. It is truly a work in progress.

I share this list only with the wish to motivate each and everyone to continue your forward progress. Always keep going after what you want. Never let fear get in the way. Never let doubt control you.

To see what's on my Bucket List, follow this link.

So, as you can see, there's plenty of work to do ahead for me. This list will continue to be worked on, added to and modified.

What's on your bucket list?

The Race

Successful methods of motivation and the behavior that it inspires are as varied as the personalities we all possess. But there are some lessons that seem to have a universal inspirational affect.

Of all the stories I've read, and I've real a lot, "The Race" by D.H. Groberg, has made an indelible impact. It teaches us one of life's greatest lessons.

They all lined up so full of hope,
each thought to win the race,
Or tie for first, or if not that,
at least take second place.

And fathers watched from off the side,
each cheering for his son;
And each boy hoped to show his dad
that he would be the one.

The whistle blew, and off they went,
young hearts and hopes afire,
To win, to be the hero there
was each young boy's desire.

And one boy in particular
whose dad was in the crowd,
Was running in the lead and thought,
my dad will be so proud.

But as they sped down the field
across a shallow dip,
The little boy who thought to win,
lost his step and slipped.

Trying hard to catch himself,
his hands flew out in brace,
and mid the laughter of the crowd,
he fell flat on his face.

So down he fell and with him hope,
he couldn't win, not now;
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished
to disappear somehow.

But as he fell his dad stood up,
and showed his anxious face;
Which to the boy so clearly said;
get up and win the race.

He quickly rose, no damage done,
behind a bit, that's all;
And ran with all his might and mind
to make up for his fall.

So anxious to restore himself,
to catch up, to win.
His mind went faster than his legs,
he slipped and fell again.

He wished then he had quit before,
with only one disgrace;
I'm hopeless as a runner now,
I shouldn't try to race.

But in the laughing crowd he searched,
and found his father's face,
That steady look that said again,
get up and win the race.

So up he jumped to try again,
ten yards behind the last;
If I'm going to gain those yards
I've gotta move real fast.

Exerting everything he had,
he regained eight or ten;
But trying so hard to catch the lead
he slipped and fell again.

Defeat; he lay there silently,
a tear dropped from his eye;
There's no sense in running anymore
three strikes I'm out, why try.

The will to rise had disappeared
all hope had fled away;
So far behind, so error prone
I'll never go all the way.

I've lost - so what's the use he thought,
I'll live with my disgrace;
But then he thought about his dad
who soon he'd have to face.

Get up - an echo sounded low,
get up and take your place;
you were not meant for failure here,
get up and win the race.

With borrowed will, get up, it said,
you haven't lost at all;
For winning is no more than this,
to rise each time you fall.

So up he rose to run once more,
and new commit;
He resolved that win or lose the race,
at least he wouldn't quit.

Three times he'd fallen, stumbling,
three times he rose again;
Now he gave it all he had,
and ran as though to win.

They cheered the winning runner
as he crossed the finish line first place;
Head high and proud and happy,
no failing, no falling, no disgrace.

But when the fallen youngster
crossed the line last place,
The crowd gave him the greater cheer,
for finishing the race.

And even though he came in last
with head bowed low unproud,
You would have thought he won the race
to listen to the crowd.

And to his dad, he sadly said,
I didn't do so well;
To me you won, his father said,
for you rose each time you fell.

And now when things seem dark
and hard and different to face,
the memory of that little boy
helps me in my race.

For all of life is like that race
with ups and downs and all,
And all you have to do to win,
Is rise each time you fall.

So, each time you trip and fall,
"Get Up and Win That Race"

I would love for you to follow me on twitter, click here to do so. And to "like" my facebook page to continue the conversation. To do so, click here.

About Motivation And A Bit Of Inspiration

Since the beginning of my blog a few years back, it has been my motivation to share and help others reach their own individual goals, through examples of what can be accomplished if you just manage to stay focused, all the while reaching my own and learning through the process.

I have pushed myself, physically and mentally, far beyond any limits I thought I had, I have worked through it all in ways I never thought I was capable of. And no, I have no intentions of stopping any time soon. The process has required a lot of digging down and pushing myself way beyond a perceived comfort zone.

What is motivation? The process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. In other words, how we do what we do.

From personal experience, I have defined fifteen ways to stay motivated. I'd like to share that with you...

1. Set a Goal. You have to know what you want, you have to know where you're going. Without this information, you cannot plot your course. As Lewis Carroll said: "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there."

2. Make sure your goal is a SMART goal. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Specific). Much has been written about this, for a reason. This is a must. your goal must be as Specific as possible. "I will run a Half Marathon in December 2016". You have to be able to measure, not only your final accomplishment, but your progress along the way. Break down the goal in small bites you can wrap your arms around. "I will run a 5k by September 2016. I will run a 10k by October 2016. I will run a 15k by November 2016". Is this goal of yours something you can see yourself "really" Achieving? or this is this more of the "it sure would be nice if I could do this" type of thing? And along those lines, is what you're asking yourself to do, Realistic? Do you have the time required to train for such a goal? Can you run the miles needed to train your body to reach this goal? Would it be better for you to change the Time to a more realistic future time? I use the example of running a half marathon but this can be adapted to any and all goals. Always state your goal in a "I will" format.

3. This goal has to be YOUR OWN goal, and you have to have a clear and concise (brief but comprehensive) reason as to "why" you're doing this. While in the process of working towards your goal, you will need to remember your "why". This will help you push through those tough times when you need a little extra motivation. If you chose a goal because it's something that someone else has either convinced you to do, or something someone else expects you to do, it will not work.

4. Hang Around Friends with Similar Goals. Most people love encouragement. You will find this in large quantities if you hang around a circle of friends that share a similar vision and goals as you do. You will encourage each other, you will push each other through tough times and you will totally enjoy the journey together. Find a pal. Or two. Be warned, however... Your goals and that of your pals may change as you go along. You may find that your mission is now different than that of those around you. Don't be afraid to find new pals. I'm not telling you to dump the old ones, just telling you to adapt.

5. Follow Blogs that Relate to your Goals. The blogsphere is full of folks willing to share their experiences. If you need advise as to the process, there's plenty. If you need help with motivation, there's lots out there. Whatever you're looking for, there's someone out there writing about it. Better yet, start your own blog as my friend Alison did, "runningmama2016". A couple of others I would recommend are written by good friends as well... Scott's "Running, Rants and Randomness" and Alan's "Alan's Training Blog". You cannot help but get inspired and motivated by any or all of these three.

6. Follow a Plan. But be very flexible. An airplane leaving from New York en-route to Los Angeles does have a course heading that it follows, but on the average, said airplane will actually be off course 95% of its flight. The success of the flight hinges on the ability of the pilot and the airplane's computers to get back on course each and every time its deviates.

7. Keep Journals and Track Progress. What gets measured gets improved. If you don't keep track of how you're doing, you will not know how you're doing. Pretty simple but point is so missed by many. I love to write. What I post on my blog is less than 20% of what I write. I not only journal my training and racing progress (public), but I journal my mental progress as well (private). This has also been tremendously helpful in my professional life. I journal lots.

8. Take Compliments and used them for Inspiration. And learn to be complimentary as well. When someone, anyone, notices your progress and takes the time to mention it, be thankful. I have found one of my biggest motivators is to be very complimentary. But your compliments must be sincere. Don't compliment just to compliment and in hopes to get a compliment back. These are meaningless and soon they will lose all value. Compliments from the heart are priceless.

9. Accept that 90% of your success depends on your mindset. "If your mind can conceive it and your heart can believe it, then you can achieve it." No one succeeds by accident. You first have to believe; believe in yourself, believe in your mission, believe in your "why".

10. Feed your mind with Inspiration and Motivation Daily. Every motivational guru tells you this: "You are, or you will become, what goes into your mind." It doesn't take much. Again, change your habits. What do you listen to while in the car? I for one, listen to books on Audible. No, not all the time, but most of the time. I also have Sirius XM and refuse to listen to "talk radio" or "News Channels" or any station that has any kind of "commentary". 100% music, and as my grandson likes to say: "Papa has music from last century in his car" or "how come your music doesn't have any words?"

11. Remove all (or as much as possible) negativity from your world. Impossible! you say. This WILL require a lot of work and perseverance, but it IS possible. Identify those issues that seem to steer you down the wrong path. This includes negative people; they will suck the living daylight out of you.  I have very little tolerance for negativity. I have no use for it. I will give someone a very short leash. Very, very short. The pity train does not come through here. Brutal and Harsh? Maybe. But Oh so very effective.

13. Never Compare Your Goals to that of Others.Everyone is traveling a different journey. Sure, some of you may have similar goals as your peer, but everyone's path to success is different. One of the great motivation killers is to compare your progress to that of others. You have no idea where they are, where they've been or where they're going. Stay on point with your progress, encourage others to work on theirs and be inspired but not deflated by what others do, or don't do. My goals are not any bigger, any loftier or any more impressive than yours. My goals are mine for where I am. Yours are yours for where you are.

13. Tell Yourself every single day that "you got this". Once again and at the risk of being redundant and repetitive... You will not get what you want if you don't honestly believe you can. If in doubt, repeat after me: "I got this."

14. Work Hard Everyday. Do at least ONE thing that will get you closer to your goal. Wake up tomorrow and ask yourself: "What can I do today to get me ONE step closer to my goal?". A young man was asked to move a mountain from one location to another. Not overwhelmed by the size of the task he started moving rocks. Each day he moved just one. Slowly he began to see progress. The original mountain was becoming smaller, the new mountain was becoming bigger. Before he knew it, his task was complete. So, what can you do today to get you closer to your goal?

15. Never, Never, Never, EVER Give Up. Most of our goals are not reached because we quit. Often we quit right before we reach our goal. You never know how close you are.

Please realize that nothing you do, no steps you take, no plans or goals you aspire to achieve, will ever have a chance unless you first accept full responsibility for yourself and for everything that happens to you. There's no magic pill, no knight in shining armor. No one will come to your rescue. Only those that work hard will be rewarded. There are issues and challenges in everyone's life, and here's some more brutal honesty: There are excuses and there are results. Which one are you working on?

So, what do you do to keep yourself motivated and on track? Do you have any simple tricks that perhaps you'd like to share? Please leave them in the comments below.

I would love for you to follow me on twitter, click here to do so. And to "like" my facebook page to continue the conversation. To do so, click here.

The Fire In The Belly

"Only do what's in your heart, 

but do it with ALL your heart"

When I toe the starting line of a race, any race, be it a 5K, Half Marathon, Full Marathon, Olympic Distance Triathlon or the Ironman Triathlon (or any race in between) I can't expect to race with "heart" and finish strong, unless I have trained with "heart", unless I have trained my "heart". A very important part of this training includes a constant reminder, and a periodic gut check, as to the real reasons why I do what I do.

This has served me well in every aspect of my life; family, business, personal fitness, etc.

And this is a simple thing to do if you really think about it. You can't fool your heart for your heart knows your true intentions. Toughest part is being honest with yourself.

So, ask yourself this very important question: "WHY do I do what you do?"

And what is this "heart" thing I'm talking about?

It's the Passion; the fire in the belly. It's doing what you do and never feel bored, stagnant or stuck. Doing what you do and constantly feeling excited and inspired.

To keep your fire burning or to rekindle your fire, revisit your goals, your dreams. Constantly, in order to keep them in sight. Write down your vision so you can plainly see the direction you are traveling. Write it down and keep it in plain sight. Review it, update it, improve on it and move towards it. Constantly move towards it.

I have a specific race related goal. I have it written down. I look at it every day. There has been obstacles, but I have worked through them. I realize that there may be more to come, but by keeping my goal in sight (literally in sight) I remain focused and by remaining focused, my belly aches, for you see, my belly is on fire.

I get excited each and every time I get to spend time chasing my dream, my goal. This process has allowed me to live my life with purpose, now pursuing this calling has become as natural to me as, well... breathing.

Is the fire in your belly burning?

Living your life with heart fuels your passion,

 allowing your mission to stay sharp and in focus.

I would love for you to follow me on twitter, click here to do so. And to "like" my facebook page to continue the conversation. To do so, click here.

Keep Moving Forward

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity" 

It hasn't been easy. As a matter of fact, it's been anything but. Over the past few years, nine and change to be exact, I have felt somewhat invincible. But as it turns out, I am anything but.

For the first time in a long time, I found myself in unfamiliar territory having to deal with issues in a way I was, again, unfamiliar with.

Let me turn the clock back a bit to help make sense out of this.

I lived my life having to constantly deal with issues I had no answers for. More often than not, back in the day, I would just ignore said issues; let them work out by themselves, and then sulk over unfavorable consequences of such an approach. This seemed to be my modus operandi, I had lived in total complacency, believing that this was my destiny, the way things were supposed to be.

Fast forward to early 2007.

Unbeknownst to me at the moment, events of those days and times took me down a new path. One which I have traveled willingly and enthusiastically since then.

I have previously documented my entrance and participation into the endurance sports arena. I have become a marathoner and a 2X Ironman Triathlon finisher.

Up until late last summer, I had enjoyed my training and racing relatively injury free, other than normal and minor aches and pains that come with the territory, specifically the territory of added years and long training hours and miles, I had never been sidelined for any length of time. This is where the feeling invincible reference comes into play.

Every goal I had set for myself during this time, I met. Many of them scary as heck (who in their right mind swims 2.4 miles in a river?), most seemed unreachable and they were not easy to reach by any means. They required commitment, dedication and perseverance. The loftier the goal, the harder they were, as they should have been.

There's only one more race (still) left in my "must do" list for the time being. So following suit, I began perusing this goal. I set my sights on that finish line and planed for the journey ahead.

The days, weeks, months and miles passed as planned. Until the unthinkable, the one element I never planned for, because after all, I never had to. This one Saturday things didn't feel right, by Sunday I couldn't walk, by Wednesday I was laying on the MRI table and by Friday I had a diagnosis.

My plans were suddenly put on hold, things would not work out, as they had in the past, this time. I went ahead with my scheduled races, all three of them, but failing to accomplish my ultimate goal. This was tough; a hard pill to swallow.

Being the very transparent person that I am, it was also hard for me to keep this to myself. Except for those few friends that inquired, the subject was not discussed. For the most part, I did not want to make excuses for my short comings, I chose to address the issue in private and move on.

After a short thirty day hyatus from running, which allowed the injury to (almost) heal, I have resumed training. I will take a new approach this time. With the help of a very wise wife and daughters, as well as some very caring friends, I have come to realize that I may be an Ironman, but of Iron I'm not made.

I'm not sure where this particular leg of the journey will take me or how long it'll take me to get there. I do know however, that at least for the time being, I must Keep Moving Forward.

"Grandfather says this: In life

there is sadness as well as joy

losing as well as winning,

falling as well as standing,

hungers as well as plenty,

bad as well as good. I do not

say this to make you dispair, but

to teach you that life is a journey

sometimes walked in light and sometimes

walked in shadow.

Grandfather says this: Keep Going!"

I would love for you to follow me on twitter, click here to do so. And to "like" my facebook page to continue the conversation. To do so, click here.

What I Learned During My 101 Day Running Streak

Last week Wednesday, January 27th I woke up at 3:30 am, some thirty minutes earlier than usual, made me a strong cup of coffee, checked the weather ~ mostly because I have learned not to trust the forecast in our area ~ strapped on my heart rate monitor, put on my Garmin, laced up my shoes and along with my wife, drove to meet our 4:30 crew for a run. This would be my 100th consecutive day running. Today on the agenda was a 4 mile tempo run. And as it turns out, there would be one more day after this one, simply because you never stop at the finish line. Total streak: 101 Days.

It all started very innocently back on October 20, 2014. And the next time I took a day off was on Thursday, January 29, 2015. I say innocently because I really had no intention of doing this, and I'm not sure why it happened. I just know it did. Okay, maybe that's not the whole truth.

I'm always motivated by a good challenge, and after lunch with two friends, I felt compelled to try something different, so the idea of a running streak, of unknown time and distance, was born.

101 DAYS OF RUNNING BY THE NUMBERS

Total Consecutive Days: 101
Total Miles Ran: 551.8
Average Run: 5.5 miles
Earliest Run: 3:30 am
Latest Run: 6:30 pm
Shortest Run: 1 mile
Longest Run: 26.2 miles
Shortest Weekly Volume: 27.1 miles
Longest Weekly Volume: 57.3

Number of Marathons During Streak: 2 (The Flying Monkey and WDW Marathon)
Number of Half Marathons During Streak: 2 (Memphis St. Jude's Half and WDW Half Marathon)

I ran on flat, I ran the hills, I ran in the park, the big park, the greenway, the roads and sidewalks. I chased "The Monkey" and ran with "Mickey". I was a little "Goofy", somewhat "Dopey". At times I was cold, and once it was hot. I even got lost. I ran the treadmill a time or two.

I ran for Jerry's Kids, I ran with my wife, I ran with my daughters. I ran with my friends. I wish I had ran with my brother. I ran solo at times. I shared my story a time or two.

RULES FOR THE RUNNING STREAK

Rule #1). Run at least one mile per calendar day, at any pace, anywhere.
Rule #2). There were no other rules.

I have always been a fan of rest. Rest days are very important to me. The high volume of Ironman training has taught me to respect my rest days. So what did I expect to get out of this?

I went in with no real expectations and not a real number of days in mind. I did not start out saying "I will run 100 days straight". I started out saying "Lets start this and see what happens".

Two weeks prior to the start, I had done the Chicago Marathon, and two weeks before that, Ironman Chattanooga. I was tired and spent. I needed a break.

I did not tell anyone I was trying to streak. I went on my merry business. I didn't start posting my daily updates on facebook until much later into the streak. However, some time in the first couple of weeks my wife and daughters asked me what I was up to. I had no answer. I did not really know.

It was hard at first, those initial two weeks were tough; my body was used to resting every-so-often and now it wasn't. On those days that I should have been resting, I did my run(s) at a very easy pace. And as I did this, I began to realize something...

The easier I ran, the longer I could run. The more often I was able to run without feeling drained and the more enjoyable running become. It was fun.

Curiosity spiked. Could I be doing some damage to my running? Was what I was doing helping my running? So I started researching. This is when I came across the book 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald. This book explained perfectly why and how I was able to do this. I encourage each and everyone of you interested in running better and longer to read this book.

As my volume increased, my pace improved. I was able to run distances at speeds never seen before. All of the sudden I found myself running an 8:30 min/mile for distances I never had before.

As the days added up, I felt more at ease with the runs. I looked forward to them. Not sure if because I could add one more to the tally or because my body was getting used to the daily run. I would soon find out. The most miserable day of the streak was the day after the streak ended.

My first goal was to make it to 30 days. When that came and went, the next goal was 50 days. I remember that being a special day. I wasn't questioning, at this point how long I could keep going, just kept going. The days kept adding up and all of the sudden 100 days was within reach.

I learned discipline. Not that I didn't have any before, but this elevated my discipline level to a new level.

I learned to remove limitations. Most often these are self-imposed limitations. The idea of running 101 days straight, or a 57.3 mile week with a half marathon and a full marathon in it, was unheard of. I could never do that. I was too old, too fat, too tired, too everything.

I learned that it was easy to re-light the fire. I fell in love with running again.

I learned that the best runs come to you unexpected.

I learned that running every day can make you a better person. The daily sessions of short(er) runs can do wonders for your nerves

I learned that daily running can be very addictive.

I learned short(er) runs are a great way to start off your day.

I learned that there's always room for improvement and if you focus you can improve quickly.

I learned that there really is time enough in any day to go for a run.

I learned that it's really all about the journey, not so much about the destination.

I truly learned to appreciate my abilities.

I learned that you're never too old to push yourself outside your comfort zone.

I learned that I'm stronger than I thought I was.

I learned that bad days are followed by good ones.

I learned that it really is all mental.

I learned that I'm still able to dream bigger and bigger.

I learned that bad weather is not an excuse.

I learned that the beginning is always the toughest part. Sticking to it Changes Everything.

I didn't know how I would feel the day the streak ended. I was dreading it. All I knew is that I would not stop running. I ran the day after my goal of 100 because stopping at that point would be like stopping at the finish line, and we don't do that. We never stop at the finish line.

I will not streak again anytime in the immediate future, but I cannot tell you that I will never streak again. When the time comes again, when it feels right, when the body and mind tell me that it's time, we will do it again.

I do know one thing though. Next time I do this, I will take someone with me on each and every run. I will ask a couple of friends (or more) to join me on day one. I will ask the same friends to join me on my last run. Wish I had thought of this before. You in?

About The Fifth Element

Many say that triathlons have four disciplines:  Swim, Bike, Run and Nutrition.  I'd like to add Mental Strength as the Fifth Element, specially if you're involved in long distance triathlons.

It is without a doubt that an Ironman event is the ultimate test of speed, strength and endurance; a physical test like no other.  However, it is very possible that the triathletes mental strength will be tested to an even higher degree.

Making it through one of the world's most grueling events is not a matter of chance.  No doubt you will come, as most do, physically prepared to endure the challenge.  You will be ready to swim the 2.4 miles, to ride for 112 miles on your bike and to run a marathon (26.2 miles) because you have done your work.  And all this, you're asking your body to do in less than 17 hours.

But making it through the event is the easy part.  Getting there is another story.

At this moment you could be in the honeymoon phase of training.  You're just getting started.  Maybe you just returned to the pool and are getting a feel back for the water.  After your session you still have a smile on your face.  If the weather has been nice, you have a few rides and/or runs under your belt.  Nothing long, nothing hard. You're just getting your legs ready.  You still have a smile on your face.

A little further down the road, a month of so (depending on the date of your event), your training will be a bit more structured.  Perhaps you have hired the services of a coach, perhaps you depend on a close friend or an online buddy to get you to the finish line.  Regardless, structure will follow.

Then the miles will start piling up.  Your one a day sessions become two a days.  20 hours per week of training added to your normal, everyday obligations.  Insane. Your day off will be spent sleeping.  You will be tired.  Very, very tired.  All the time.  But this is normal.  Isn't it?

You will soon begin to questions your motives and your sanity.  "What was I thinking?", "It seemed like a great idea back then".  Doubt will begin to creep in.  This is your mind trying to tell you that the work is hard, very, very hard.  Your mind wants to know what you're made of.  Your mind is tired and it wants to quit.  So, what are you made of?


Your "I can" and "I will" self talks are beginning to change.  You will soon be saying "I can't" or "I won't".  As athletes we are very good at self talk.  Unfortunately our negative talks find their way into our mind much to often, much to fast.  They will, if we allow them, overpower and overcome the positive talks.  Again, if we let them.

I remember that one of my toughest challenges was climbing hard hills on my bike.  I would go around them.  I would dread the fact that I had to tackle them when there was no choice.  I would look at the top of the climb as literally say "this will never happen".  I also remember the day I was climbing this particular one and when things got iffy I started repeating The Little Engine That Could:  "Yes I Can, Yes I Can, Yes I Can."  And yes, with the "chugging" sound to go along with it!  Then, with a smile on my face, upon arriving at the top, I remember saying:  "Yes, I Did".  I repeated this each and every time I came upon a tough hill, including those at the Louisville Ironman.

Whatever your strategy is to eliminate negative talk, the most important thing is to recognize it and address it fast.  Do not let it take control.  Once it does, its hard, very hard to eliminate.

During training it is important to take continuous mental note of how you're feeling.  Your body, your mind.  There will be times when you're on a swim, a ride or a run when you just want to stop.  You're tired, you're in pain.  You just want to stop.  Acknowledge this and have a plan to deal with it.  Unless you are Superman or Superwoman, this will happen to you.  And at this moment, stopping is easy.  You're still training, there's always tomorrow.

At some point during the Ironman you are going to feel bad as well.  It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.  Again, it is important to have a plan.  A clear, specific plan.  What will you do?  Swim the back stroke, stop spinning, walk?  It is very important to remember that this will pass.  It always does.  Your  mental approach to pain will be the difference between a finish and a DNF!  Practice your mental plan to deal with this during your training.  You will have plenty of opportunity to do so.

My favorite strategy for dealing with misery during Louisville Ironman was to involve others.  I remembered that misery does indeed love company.  You can read my detailed account of this on my "About Becoming An Ironman" race report.  It was an amazing thing!

Before you even get started on your journey you must really have a clear and concise reason as to why it is that you're doing this.  Chances are that when you signed up for the Ironman you had goals and as you made your journey to the starting line, these goals turned into reasons.  Coming down the stretch, somewhere around mile 17 of the marathon, when you hit "the wall" things are no longer about your physical conditioning, your physical fitness.  All of the sudden things are about your "mental strength", your desire and your "reasons".  If, way deep down in every fiber of your soul you don't have a clear reason for finishing, chances are it may not happen.

Reasons are very personal.  They should be yours and no one elses.  What will motivate you to the finish line is highly personal.  The key is to have "your" reason(s) clear in your mind before the gun goes off, not at mile two of the swim, or at mile 90 of the bike or worse yet, at mile 18 of the marathon.

All during training, visualization and mental repetition will be your best tool.  When things get tough, look ahead.  Specifics will help.  See yourself crossing the finish line.  See your family and friends waiting for you with open arms.  See yourself feeling something in your gut you have never felt before.

Oh yeah, don't forget to have FUN. (it takes less muscles to smile than it does to frown, hence less energy spent). You will be nervous as you wait your turn for the swim.  Smile.  You will be in pain as you climb those hills on the bike.  Smile.  And as you progress through the run, yes... Smile.  Enjoy the Journey.  Be Proud. This will be YOUR day!

***There has to be a million and one stories of how different athletes deal with the mental aspect of training and racing, not just in triathlon but in any other sport.  If you are so inclined to do so, I ask that you please, use this post's comments to share yours with the rest of us.  Ideas and thoughts are always welcome.
__________________________________________


If you enjoy what I have to share,  I ask that you please visit this blog's facebook page and click "like".

About Mistakes

"If you're making mistakes, it means you're learning.  If you're making lots of mistakes, it means you're learning a lot."

There are two kinds of people who never make mistakes, the dead and the unborn.  The rest of us should strive to one day look back and consider all our mistakes as lessons, for this is what they truly are.

Everyone makes mistakes.  Accepting that fact is easier said than done.  We are all taught at an early age and reinforced through our entire life not to make mistakes.  Additionally, we are trained to react negatively when we do make a mistake.  Perfection seems to be a target of most people in their work, relationships and in life.  But there's big danger in that; perfection is not a place where we can ever be.

The bottom line is that we all make mistakes.  The key here is to understand that when we do make a mistake, there's a lesson to be learned; most, if not all mistakes, are gifts.  They offer us the opportunity to explore an area where perhaps we are deficient, need additional training or simply just need to reevaluate our approach; perhaps we were rushing.  Whatever the reason, we need to take time to explore what happened.  We can learn what we need to, to correct the situation and to put systems in place so that this mistake doesn't happen again.

I have made my share of mistakes.  So many so, that following the above mentioned statements, you would think that I am wise beyond belief.  Not so.  I started learning from my mistakes later on, sometimes after making the same mistake over and over again waiting for different results without altering the approach.  Thank goodness that one day I saw the light.  The ability to recognize this flaw comes with maturity and we all mature at different times and for different reasons.

I have accepted the fact that I am human and that at times I do things I will regret;  I may turn left when I should have turned right but I have learned to be open about my mistakes and to embrace them as opportunities to learn.  By doing this I can move forward instead of wallowing in regret and disappointment.

So, whatever happens, whenever you make a mistake or you are involved in a misunderstanding, take responsibility. There's always a lesson to be learned, no matter who was at fault.

Yes, its extremely difficult to accept that you were wrong, but it also very liberating.  It demonstrates strength, courage and a commitment to personal excellence and growth.  It is also respectful. You show that you care about yourself and others.  But if you're going to accept your own mistakes then you ought to do the same for others.  Accept theirs as you have accepted yours.

When you accept full responsibility for yourself, you also accept responsibility for making things right.  For correcting the wrong.  For fixing the mistake.  This completes the cycle.

You obviously don't want to be looking for mistakes to make, but putting yourself in situations and circumstances to try out new things will inevitably lead to making mistakes.  This is a good thing!  It's a way to learn and a way to avoid a world of complacency because of any fears of making mistakes.

__________________________________________

I will discuss "change" on the next post in the series "Position Yourself For Success."  Until then, I ask that you please visit this blog's facebook page and click "like".

Related Posts:

About Positioning Yourself For Success

About Attitude

About Passion

About Risks

About "Passion"

"Passion is the fuel that keeps us going in good times, bad times and all in between times.  Passion is the fire in the belly, the driving force or energy source that takes us to our destination... and beyond."

"Passion drives us to unimaginable places by helping us overcome unimaginable resistance"

Passion touches the depth of the soul and speaks to the spirit.  Passion can be so profound that trying to explain the feeling is like trying to speak a foreign language.  Although once felt, the need for explanation fades away and the experience takes precedence.

It wasn't until I met my wife that I discovered the true meaning of "passion", in more ways than one. Up until that point, I had no "fire", there was no purpose, very little meaning to what I did and how I did it.  I went through the motions and very slowly, I was getting no where in a hurry!

I had always been afraid of the "fire" because I didn't want to get "burned", so I was always very careful as to not let the spark fly.  I stayed away from pushing and taking risks because previous results had taught me that failure was not pleasant.  I had not realized, at that point, that each failure was a learning experience.

Fast forward 20 years.

Slowly I began to discover and fully enjoy newly discovered passions.  A new fire was added with the birth of each daughter, and later that of my grandson.  Amazing how how hot those burn today. I also developed a passion for all things right.  In my personal life as well as my professional one.  I found that these two merged nicely and when they did everything seemed to fall into place.  And with these experiences adding up one on top of the other, I ventured into a world I had feared for a lifetime.  The world of physical fitness, and an unprecedented passion followed.  It's been well documented throughout this blog.

According to surveys (you know there are surveys for everything), about 75% of the population do not know what their true passion is.  Clearly, not everyone seems to be doing what they were meant to do, but finding out what drives you is not as simple as it sounds.  It may come naturally for some but most of the time you have to ask yourself questions in order to pinpoint exactly what you were born to do.  But what questions should you ask?

These are only suggestions, but it's a good place to start:

* What puts a smile on your face?
                        Happiness and Passion go hand in hand.  So finding out what puts a smile on your face is paramount to finding out what you were put on this earth to do.

* What do you find fun to do?
                        Usually what we find that puts a smile on our face, we find fun to do.  Fun leads to happiness, happiness leads to passion.

* What sparks your creativity, curiosity and imagination?
                         Think of something you like to do where you find yourself expanding your horizon, always coming up with new,different and exciting ideas relating to the subject.                       

* What would you do for free?
                        What do you look forward to do regardless of whether there's monetary compensation or not. Doing what you have a passion for brings out your best, and this leads to greatness, and greatness leads to success.

* What do you like to talk about?
                        What topic makes you brighten up? changes your entire behavior?  Sometimes the topic of conversation may not be as clear to you as it is to others.  If in doubt, ask friends what it is that you like to talk about, what topic changes your attitude when is brought up.

* What makes you unafraid of failure?
                         When we do what we are passionate about, we have total confidence in our abilities.  Period.  Think of something you do or want to do, no matter what.  How can we fail when we do what we love?  Doing what you love is a success in itself.

* What would you regret not having tried?
                         We all have dreams but somehow life pushes us in different directions.  If you were at the end of your journey, what would you regret not having pursued?

Passion is yours to experience and revel in it, even if it causes you to scrape your knees every now and then.  Passion is within you.  It is yours to discover and master...But remember that passion will not be fully unleashed unless what you're doing, or want to do, is in alignment with who you are.

So, what drives you?  What sets your belly on fire?  Share your story with us by commenting on this post.

___________________________________________

I will discuss "risk" on the next post in the series "Position Yourself For Success."  Until then, I ask that you please visit this blog's facebook page and click "like".

About Setting Big Goals

Today's message is about setting Big Goals... Do NOT be afraid of setting a huge goal for yourself, no matter how outrageous it may seem, no matter how far out you may be, no matter where you are in life.  It is never to late to go get what you want.  Just. Go. Do. It!

Father and Son

A son asks: "Dad, would you like to run a marathon with me"?

Despite is heart condition, dad replies: "Yes"

So they participated in many a marathon together.

Dad always answered "yes" when his son asked if he would like to do another marathon.

One day son asked: "dad, would you like to do a Ironman together"?

Once again, dad replied: "yes"

So father and son went on to do the Ironman...

Sometimes a story comes along that leaves you speechless... I hope this is one of those times.