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| Monday Motivation |
I will not even dignify the question "Is it possible?" I think by even talking that way you begin to set yourself up for disappointment. Is not the slogan "Anything is Possible" part of the IM mantra.
I have typically suffered from a late race breakdowns. Last lap cutoff issues, as in a couple of minutes. I could argue time management should be part of my prep, but in all honesty time management though important is not my achilleas heal.
My breakdown starts in the ole noggin. Oh how I could count and list the ways that my mind has derailed me over the years, but in truth, what good would that do. What needs to transpire in the next 110 days is a mental transformation. I think it is simple in many ways and almost scary in others.
I will quote a movie "How much can you know about yourself if you've never been in a fight?"
Fightclub
How true... I have been in 6 of those fights so far and I have learned a lot and I imagine in the next couple of events I will learn even more. What I have to watch for is taking well meaning advice from people who have never been in the fight or think that the fight is too much for you. Sometimes you have to walk away from them. That is hard, but it has to happen.
I have also learned that I can do things that most people will never attempt or do. That is not to brag, but some people are afraid to try or fail. I love trying and I have failed a bunch. But in many ways I am fine with that. Life has or is not meant to be easy. It is challenging, but isn't that what we want? What fun comes with doing or achieving something that is easy.
Ok, back on track....
Mark Twain once said "Never allow someone to be your priority, while allowing yourself to be the option."
Truer words have never been spoken!
You have to be true to you before you can give to anyone else. I have tried most of my adult life to help others and be there for them and have allowed myself to take a back seat. Some people who have tried to coach me have tried to tell me that on race day that I have to stop being me and be the athlete that is only focused on you for that day. Not sure that has ever worked for me. I still have not found the killer instinct for a race, but to be honest I am not sure I want to be one of those people. I just need to take some advice from Mark Twain and become my own priority.
If that happens in truth, then I can become the better person to help others. The old expression that you have to love yourself before you can love others is really true.
Time to love me, because in 110 days, God willing.... there will be a race
If I keep writing, there will be 109 days and Coach Lisa will be mad at me for a red line on the Training Peaks app. What would we do without our apps? [A story for another day]
My typically "Peace, love and chicken grease" ending will be replaced by
Love yourself this day [Because I know there is a God who loves you and even loves me]
Paul