Why do I do this? Triathlons, I mean.
Let me see the sense of accomplishment, nice but I can get that with other endeavors. Become fit and healthy. I do not need competition to do that. I can train, eat and rest as I am now but not compete. No denying that I would become healthy and strong and no race fees. The fellowship, Yah right. Anyone who knows me sees the humor in that.
So what drives me to train, to sacrifice, and to endure?
It is a hard enough question to face let alone answer. It is hard to look deep inside deep into our internal mechanisms. What binds me what drives me. What makes me get up in the cold and face 3-4 hours on the bike? Or it has me up at 4:45 am to make it to the pool for a 1 hour swim before work. Instead of burgers and fries its lean chicken and salad. Man I love cheese burgers (5 guys the best). The DVR certainly allows me the joy of keeping up with a few shows (NCIS, Hawaii 5-0, and Modern Family).
Self awareness is disturbing. I do not see how one looks deep inside without questioning everything you feel and experience. By questioning your deepest thoughts, are motivations, your confidence can take quite a beating.
Why should your confidence be any different than your physical body? I put my body through its paces, to make it stronger. Why should my confidence be any different? Why not strain your confidence. If you give it a workout now and then won’t it get stronger? Also like our physical bodies we should give it proper rest as well. Wow to think we can periodize our confidence workouts?
Well back to the task at hand. Why do I do it? Sitting here in the airport you get some time muse about these kind of things. As long as the jerk a couple seats over would settle down. In the few minutes he has been here I have overheard his loud phone conversation, Pal I do not really care to hear about your relative’s trial and impending incarceration. I also like your ipad but not enough to listen the loud movie you are watching. The 5 minute discourse on the merits of an aisle seat could have been just between you and your buddy and not shared with the entire gate.
I am going to have find that guy and thank him. Without him I would not have realized one of the greatest enjoyments I have in my triathlon life. That is a complete and utter void of BS! This is especially evident on race day. There are so many things to focus on. I have no time for my own BS let alone anyone else’s. Let’s face it an Ironman is dangerous enough when you are focused. A lose of focus can be disastrous. A bike crash is just one example of what can happen. A crash comes suddenly and its impact can be catastrophic. Equally dangerous are the things that sneak up on you. Dehydration for example, slowly depleting your body of a vital resource can lead to a degradation of health that can result in a hospitalization. The ramifications could be many times greater than a bike crash.
I seriously doubt that this joy of focus comes to many of use in many different ways. Not just athletically, I am sure a musician feels the same as I do about playing a difficult piece. I am sure an actor playing a difficult role has an equal intolerance for BS.
Focus is an interesting concept. Is it a concept? Is it a state of mind? I think it is as much an attitude as anything. Whatever it is it sure does not come easy. That is especially true for me. From forgetting gear to not following my race plans (that are given to me and laid out in a very straight forward manner) focus is still elusive. I still have more to work on.
Whether focus or confidence they make up the mental aspects of Triathlons. There have been books written on the mental aspects of sports and some specific ones regarding triathlons. Really though what are the mental aspects of any sport? Are they not just the non physical aspects of training and racing?
If they are that simple then we should be able to train them as well. More to come....
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