Ironman is life.

I love the IM distance for so many reasons.  It's truly unique from every other distance.  There's a reason the IM club is difficult to gain access to.  What makes it so unique?  Why are IM athletes considered different than other triathletes?  What does this grueling event captivate athletes and spectators alike?
The mere thought of doing an IM can be overwhelming.  Waking up at the crack of dawn to be in a pool at a time when normal people are sleeping.  Spending more time on a bike now then you did when you were a kid.  Running, running and more running.  Then there's the race.  An entire day a moderate to severe physical exertion!
The thing I love most about all of this is that IM is like life.  There are ups and downs through training and racing just like there are in life.  We all have great days where we feel like we can topple the world.  Training/racing is easy on these days.  We feel as though we could go all day long.  Those are the easy days.  We have all had days when training was miserable.  Unfortunately, we probably have had races that were just as miserable.  This is life.  Typically, those that can get through the bad days are the people that are most successful.  Whenever I face a bad day or bad moment in training/racing, I tell myself that it will pass and I need to "put my nose to the grindstone."  It soon passes and things get better.  I apply this to my life every day.
Rough patches will pass.  Don't let them get you down or feeling sorry for yourself.  Remember what triathlon has taught you.  Those that deal with adversity the best are usually most successful.  Triathlon has taught me to suffer and endure.  Others realize this and have a unique respect for IM athletes.  There only a select few that are able to put themselves through that type of torture!
I've learned a lot about myself the last six years.  I've learned that when the chips are down, that's when I'm the toughest.  I've learned that I'm able to suffer more than I ever thought.  I've learned that I will continue to push my body long after it's told my brain to stop.  Most importantly, I've learned that triathlon is life!

Baby Steps

I just got done watching one of my favorite movies,  "What About Bob?"  Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus are hilarious together.  It's one of those movies that gets funnier every time you watch it.  Dr. Marvin's (Richard Dreyfus's character) best-selling  book is titled, "Baby Steps."  He says that instead of looking at the tasks for the day, look at the immediate task in front of you.  i.e. getting out of the room.  Bill Murray gets up and baby steps out of the room.  Why the movie review?  How does this relate to triathlon?  I've used "Baby Steps" for the last few years to get through training.
When I get my training outline for the month I like to look at how the next four weeks will play out.  When looking at the volume and hours spent training it can be overwhelming.  I usually spend 5 minutes looking at the whole month and then don't look at it again.  Rather that focus on the month or even week I try to focus on what I need to do to get through the day.  More specifically, I focus on getting through the individual workout.  It makes the task of preparing for an IM much easier.  The thought of spending hundreds of miles on the bike or running can be downright disheartening.  I try to hit each workout on the money and then get ready for next one.
Focus on today.  Understand what needs to be done to get through the day and then get it done.  Don't look down the road.  That big ride or long run will get here.  Each workout has it's purpose.  Make sure you accomplish your goal for the day.  Baby Steps!  It will make training a little bit easier.

For beginner triathletes

If you've reached this site it's for one of two reasons.  You're either a new triathlete (noobie) or an obsessive compulsive veteran that is trying to find out any and everything about the sport.  If you're a noobie, this article is for you. If you're a veteran, you still may be able to get something out of this.
I found triathlon after doing marathons for 5 years.  I was looking for something new and stumbled across triathlon.  Not knowing if I would like the sport, I didn't want to buy a bike so I competed on a road bike I had from college.  Looking back at the time leading up to the race and the race itself, I WAS AN IDIOT!  I had no idea how to train, no idea how to race, no idea how to even change a tire.  I jumped in with very limited knowledge and left that day knowing I had found what I really wanted to pursue.  I also left having eaten a big piece of humble pie.  I thought I would jump right in and find success.  I couldn't have been more wrong.
Fast forward to 2011.  I've been a USAT All-American the last 3 years.  I qualified and raced in the Ironman World Championships in 2010.  This past weekend I raced in IM Arizona and qualified again for the World Championships in Kona.  If you're looking for inspiration...here it comes.  I'm where I am right now because of one thing and one thing only.  HARD WORK!  It hasn't been easy and quite frankly there are times it hasn't been fun.  I'm constantly driven by the desire to compete with the best in the world.  It's taken me 6 years of training and racing to get where I am.  (The first 2 years were a waste because of how naive I was.)
If you're planning to get into this crazy sport or are already in and looking for help in being successful, here are some tips to help you succeed.
1.  Figure out why you chose this sport.  (Lifestyle, enjoy competing, lost a bet, etc.)
2.  Set goals
3.  Go back and make sure goals are realistic.  I always set realistic goals and then have on that may be just out of reach.
4.  Develop a schedule as to when you are going to work out.  Don't try to "fit it in."  Set aside time each day.
5.  If training and racing become cumbersome refer back to #1.  There will be days that you're miserable.  The good days should far outweigh the bad days.  If they don't, you need to remember why you started in the first place.  Train safe. Race fast!