PERSONAL BEST Performance SPORTS

Off and Running

2010-03-24T14:02:00.018-06:00

Saturday marked the beginning of spring and the outdoor running season. The sun was bright, the sky was blue, the air crisp, and the runners anxious to get off the treadmill and feel the rush of passing trees, friends, and mile markers.

With Idaho quickly joining the ranks of bellweather racing friendly states like California, Florida, and Utah, it was no surprise to see participation in the event at an all time high. Participants included some of the area's fastest runners as well as those who took great joy in crossing the finish line in their first race. More than 30 individuals felt the excitement of running under the finish line arch and into the crowd of cheering and applauding family and friends.

"I'm hooked!" commented Julia Olsen, a 28 year old mother of two from American Falls. "I was never an athlete in high school so running in a race made me real nervous. But when the volunteers reminded me that this run was to help me reach my goal of staying healthy and fit I relaxed and had a great time. It was exciting to cross the finish line."

Often people think that a personal best performance demands fast times and furious efforts. However, at the heart of Personal Best Performance we know that choosing a goal, overcoming challenges, and reaching a new level of personal success is really what's all about.

Way to go everyone!!!

TRAINING - Quality vs Quantity

2010-03-18T14:21:00.002-06:00

If you want to be a better triathlete, swim faster, bike faster, and run faster, but you already stretch every time commitment in your life to fit in as much training as possible, then you are not alone. The lack of time to train is one of the biggest challenges that a triathlete faces. How often have you said to yourself, "if I just add 500 more yards," or "one extra bike interval this week," or "can I fit in an additional run this week."? You convince yourself that if you just can be a bit more physically prepared, you will certainly race faster.

In truth, science and experience prove that you will race faster if you maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of your physical training. Your mental discipline will make each training session a success and prove to be the real reason for "breakthrough" workouts. Time spent learning to focus on training goals, overcoming training challenges, and enjoying being a triathlete will allow you perfect your training.

When someone has a poor race, they often say, "I just need to train more." If you catch yourself saying words like this, take a moment to reflect on your physical performance. Was it truly a result of your lack of training, or were you slow in the swim and tired in the transition because you believe that "practice makes perfect" rather than "practicing perfectly makes perfect"? Were you slow or fatigued on the bike because you did not train enough, or did you neglect hill or interval training in order to get "more time on the bike"? And just maybe your slow run time was a result of burnout and not too little training.

To succeed on race day you must train successfully. Each workout must have a time and a focus (endurance, speed, force), and as an athlete you must mentally discipline yourself to physically train with purpose. Remember: quality versus quantity.

For the First Time Triathlete

2010-02-11T09:02:00.016-07:00

As I sit to write this blog I can clearly remember my first triathlon; the decision, registering, training, doubt, trepidation, mistakes, race day, enthusiasm, camaraderie, fatigue, exhilaration, medal, sense of accomplishment . . . addiction. That was decades and more than 100 events ago. Today as a coach and race director I find my greatest enjoyment is in seeing others finish their "first" triathlon. At the finish line I have witnessed smiles and cheers, silence and tears, and even cartwheels. Amidst all the emotions I have observed I have never seen disappointment. No one who finishes a triathlon, who swims, bikes, and runs the entire distance under their own power, is ever disappointed.

For those who see 2010 as the year they will do their first triathlon we would like to offer you a few tips:

Begin Short

Triathlon events come is four standard lengths, Sprint, International/Olympic, Half/70.3, and Ironman. There have been some who have chosen a "long" race as their first simply because the name of the shortest race in our sport is titled a "Sprint". Keep this in mind, the average finishing time for the first time sprint triathlon participant is in excess of two hours. Triathlon is an endurance sport and the goal of anyone in their first season should be to finish their chosen event and enjoy, no . . . relish, the experience.

Choosing to do a shorter event will allow you the greatest flexibility in training and allow the greatest opportunity for success. This of course will only serve to build your confidence and give you a solid foundation for future success.

Register Early

With the unparalleled growth in the sport of triathlon we have seen the addition of quality races in our region explode. Several of these races have courses that allow first time triathletes to experience the full breadth of the sport, swimming, cycling, running, and transitions, while offering them the best chance at success. These races all have limits as to the number of participants they allow so we recommend you register early. This has several benefits. First, you will know what race you are training for and you can make your training specific to the course you will be racing on. Second, your goal will be in front of you so on the days when doubt or fear creep in you will be motivated to keep with it. Finally, a few races offer early registration discounts and saving a few dollars is always great.

Make Your Training Specific

You should establish a solid foundation in all three disciplines (sports). To do this you will need to focus on endurance, force (power), and speed. For your first triathlon your endurance base in all three sports is the most important with force playing a part and speed a bonus. Focus on your sport mechanics as experienced racers will tell you that a well-practiced triathlete tends to perform more calmly and efficiently on race day.

Prepare for Your Race
With many races including course information on their websites, with a few including course profiles and GPS data, you should obtain as much information as possible about the course you will be racing on. From there you can find water, roads, and/or trails to train in/on that are similar to the course conditions. Also, if the weather will play a part on race day, i.e., cold, heat, wind, then you can plan to include similar conditions on days that you swim, bike, or run.

You will also want to prepare for your race by using the gear and nutrition in training that you will use on race day. Remember: "If you have not used it prior to race day, DON'T use it on race day!"

Always check the weather report in the days leading up to your race day.

Plan Race Week

Each day of race week is important.

The days before your race you want to be sure to allow your body to properly recover from your training so you are ready to go at the starter's horn. You will want to be careful with what you eat so your digestive system and metabolism are in perfect working order. You will want to have clear directions to the race locations and know the timing for your travel to and/or from locations. As a first timer you will want to attend all the pre-race meetings. Check and recheck all your gear, nutrition, and paperwork.

During the days leading up to your race mentally take yourself through race day.

What will be your routine when you wake up?
What will you eat?
How much stretching will you do?
When will you arrive at the transition area?
How will you set-up your transition area?
What will be your warm-up routine?
What will calm you if you begin to be nervous?
How will you start the swim?
What will help you remember how to swim steady and strong, and to breathe?
How does your wetsuit come off?
What will you do in T1?
What will you do as you start the bike?
How do you transition off the bike?
What will you do if your legs feel like lead at the beginning of the run?
What will you say to yourself when it gets tough or you want to quit?
How will you feel crossing the finish line?

There may seem like a lot to think about and there is. So to be successful, mentally run through and think about them before race day so when they happen you already know what to do.

On race day you will want to have a schedule and a list. The schedule is remind you where and when to be places. The list is to remind you what to do, and or bring. Remember, if you are two minutes late for the start or have forgotten your bike helmet YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO RACE! You will want to be early to warm-up and calm yourself.

Following the race you will want to allow for recovery. What you eat and drink, and how much rest you get, in the hours following the time you cross the finish line will make are real difference in how you feel in the next few days.

BEST TIP

Yes, there may be a lot to think about as you approach your first triathlon but nothing is more important to remember than this:

You can do this!

We believe in you. . . Believe in yourself

Want To Improve Your Training and Performance?

2010-01-29T10:17:00.008-07:00

By this time in the new year most serious triathletes are completing their off-season strength training regimen (which started last October or November) and are beginning to work on the base phase of discipline training. This group will include those who seem to swim like a fish, ride like the wind, and run like they are being chased. In most cases they will be top overall or age-group finishers.

However, if you would like to improve your triathlon training for the coming season there are still some important things that will make a difference. Below are five tips to assist you as you strive for better results this year.

A key factor in training is to plan for your training. With today's busy lifestyle you must select the days, and time of day, for each training session. Each session must have a specific focus, i.e., endurance, force, speed, or strength, and you must discipline yourself to "stick to the plan." If you do not plan your week you are most likely to fall short of your goals. Remember: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

The greatest secret to triathlon training is proper recovery. Too little recovery between workouts and your body will fail to meet your training load. You run the risk of fatigue and injury. Too much recovery between training sessions and your body will fail to adapt and improve. Recovery includes: easy training sessions, massage, stretching, sufficient sleep.

Do not train every day. If you are willing to plan your training so you work on each discipline, i.e., swim, bike, run, transition, and focus on each element i.e., endurance, force, and speed, with progressive and recovery periods, you are sure to improve.

Train with the gear and nutrition you will be using on race day. One of the most common mistakes made by new and novice triathletes is the use of new gear or nutrition on race day. More improper fitting gear and untested nutrition (bars, drinks, gels, food combinations) have been the cause of a DNF (did not finish) or worse an agonizing finish on race day.

Prepare mentally. "Think you can, or can't. You're right!" "What the mind can conceive, and believe, it can achieve!" "As a man thinketh, so is he." Preparing physically has its limitations. Preparing mentally will take you beyond those limitations. What will be your mantra?

Years of experiences that include success and failure is where these tips were formed. Want to improve your performance this year and pursue a personal best, here is a place to start.

The Months Ahead

2009-09-08T11:26:00.006-06:00

The great Breakthrough in your life comes when you realize it that you can learn anything you need to learn to accomplish any goal that you set for yourself. This means there are no limits on what you can be, have, or do.

Albert Einstein

“Now what?”
Recently a newbie asked me, “Now what?” I could not help but grin as I remembered the end of my first season and wondered how long I would have to wait until I could compete again.

For most triathletes this season is just ending. Many of you were out in early spring running a local 5K race, perhaps even racing the Menan Butte Trail Challenge. May offered the first triathlons of the season and from there the racing season was in full swing. For some your season ended successfully at Blacktail or the Rush while others went on to challenge the Grand Columbian Half or the Florida Ironman. You deserve a pat on the back and congratulations for sustaining a long season.

Now you deserve a break. Welcome to the off season! Every triathlete, regardless of their level of competition, requires an off season. The off season is a time of the year when an athlete becomes more flexible when it comes to training, nutrition and diet, rest, racing and recovery. The focus includes more cross-training, indulging in holiday fair, and enjoying the company of family and friends. It is a time to mentally and physically recover and recharge from the discipline of a long season. The off season is as important to training as the recovery weeks scheduled into a training plan. A successful off season will assure timely motivation and the potential for peak performance during the racing season.

Many of you have you seen or perhaps even been, the athlete that has trained very hard through the fall and winter months only to find yourself flat, injured, and/or disinterested in the spring and summer. It happens all the time. Such an athlete lacks the understanding of rest and recovery as a key element to performance. Don’t make the same mistake.

Might I suggest spending two to four weeks doing as little physical “training” as possible. Don’t swim, bike, run, strength train, take a Pilates, Spinning, or Yoga class. Allow yourself to be a couch potato for this period of time, guilt free.

Following a good rest you are bound to be bouncing off the walls driving yourself and your family crazy. You can take this as a hint that it is time for you to return to some physical activity. For the next one to four weeks restrict that activity to anything but swimming, cycling, running. Nothing sport discipline-related. Cross train. Play basketball or ski. Take long walks, hikes, or snowshoe but mentally and physically stay away from triathlon.

With these weeks behind you, you will find a new enthusiasm for the Prep and Base periods of training. You will wake up refreshed muscles, renew acquaintances with old friends and/or competitors, and you will entertain new thoughts regarding breakthrough training. You will begin looking forward to next season with a sense of purpose and ambition. The chance of burnout, apathy, and injury has been greatly reduced. You will be ready for 2010.

Enjoy the off-season and you will a stronger competitor!

To Greater Tomorrows

2009-09-02T12:31:00.004-06:00

Live out of your imagination, not your history

Stephen R. Covey

This post is written for those who choose to become the creators of thier own destinies. To those who believe that whatever the mind can conceive, and believe, they will be able to achieve. They choose to make key decisions. . .in advance. They understand that if they make the vision real enough it will inevitably lead them to develop behaviors that will produce the desired results. They sense that there is immense power in developing a vision of who they want to be and what they want to achieve.

To Begin. . . Write Your Journal or Training Plan in Advance
Each day, give yourself permission to think, to imagine, and to envision what can be. As wondrous and impossible thoughts enter your mind, allow them to wander. Let these thoughts become your goals, your ambitions, your dreams. As you do so, you will begin to discover the power of the unquestionable ability of man. Think long enough, imagine real enough, and envision big enough and what seemed impossible will begin to take on the realm of possibility. Within time you will begin to believe.

Then. . . Discover the Unquestionable Ability of Man
There is no more encouraging fact than that of the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious effort. Learn to make key decisions that are consistent with your personal vision. With those decisions made, begin to employ the elements of personal management and personal leadership. As you do so, you will see your environment as an opportunity to fully and precisely achieve at the highest personal and professional levels.

Now. . . Pursue Excellence
Strive to “Not to be Good. . .to be Best.” Your vison will require you to pursue greater levels of achievement. In this pursuit you will need to move beyond being “good” and rise to new levels of excellence. Seek distinction in character wherever you go and in whatever you do.

Remember. . . With Every Challenge There Comes A Promise
Each day presents us with a variety of challenging situations. The difference between those who will find success in this life and those who will remain mired in a life of mediocrity is how they meet those challenges. Those with vision will see that every challenge comes with a promise. The key is to realize that each specific promise is directly linked to its corresponding challenge.
Your personal achievement will be a direct result of the challenges you are willing to accept. It has been said that an individual’s courage is not found in what they have overcome, but in the challenges they are now willing to face.

2009-07-02T21:38:00.002-06:00

Perhaps you run with the grace of an antelope or the power of an elk. Maybe you lumber more like a moose. In either case these visual images allow you to sense and feel the perfect mix of body, mind and spirit that is trail running. No other running event offers divinely unique presence of forest, lake, meadow, or mountain. Each trail has its own magic and reaches into your soul as you glide along a single-track trail, dance across a babbling brook, or light through a field of breathtaking flowers.

Trails welcome those of varying abilities and make equal demand of all. Breathing it all in is a greater task than catching one’s breath, and nature allows each participant to bask in the fountain of their future as they move through the beauty of nature. Others may be running the same trail, but this moment is truly your personal experience.

When is running not merely a physical exercise? When it lifts your heart, enlightens your mind, and expands your soul. Trail running is the “more” that every runner is looking for.

The Road Less Traveled

2009-06-22T14:13:00.008-06:00

As athletes we must travel the road to personal victory before we ever hope to arrive at the point of public achievement. We must develop the habits of personal discipline, personal vision, and master the principles of personal leadership.

Habits Of Personal Discipline
Personal discipline requires us to live by true principles. We must be willing to do what is required if we are to pursue personal success. Every day we must find the strength to overcome excuse and convenience if we are to maintain our training regimen. As we learn to make key decisions in advance we develop a deep sense of athletic integrity. We become courageous enough to demand more of ourselves.

Develop A Personal Vision
Many athletes believe that setting a goal is the key to their success. While setting a goal will help an athlete stay focused, it is the vision of that goal becoming a reality that will make difference during training and competition.
The athlete that can create a mental picture of each step leading up to the accomplishment of their goal is the athlete that will see training objectives reached and goals realized.
Develop a vision that it is real enough to lead to the development of personal behaviors that will produce the desired outcomes. Successful athletes know that there is immense power in developing a vision of want they want and how they will achieve it.

Master The Principles Of Personal Leadership
If we are to position ourselves to rise above the expectations of others we need to master the habits of personal leadership and rise above an environment of mediocrity. Develop a personal vision that creates the freedom to excel. See life as an opportunity to fully and precisely achieve at the highest personal levels.

Remember
With every challenge there comes a promise.
Each day presents us with a variety of challenging situations. The difference between those who will find success in this life and those who remain mired in a life of mediocrity is how those challenges are met. Athletes with vision will see that every challenge comes with a promise. The key is realizing that each specific promise is directly linked to its corresponding challenge.
Your personal achievement will be a direct result of the challenges you are willing to accept. It has been said that an individual’s courage is not found in what they have overcome, but in the challenges they are now willing to face.

Friendships

2009-06-15T12:11:00.002-06:00

For more than four decades I have been involved in sports. This last weekend I had a moment when I realized that whether I was a competitor, a coach, or an event director, I had always enjoyed the friendships that accompanied my participation in sports.
I still remember many of the names and faces from those early years. I smile as I think of the times we laughed, cried, and sweated our way through workouts. I even have good memories of those who were “bitter rivals” and fierce competitors.
Over the last 20 years I have coached, mentored, and encouraged more than 20,000 athletes. Some I have accompanied as they have reached great public victory. Others I have cheered as they enjoyed the great satisfaction of personal victory. All I have admired as they have overcome challenges to reach such achievements.
I believe the years ahead will hold more of the same experiences. And with those experiences will come new friends.

Personal Victory

2009-06-09T20:37:00.004-06:00

Think for a moment. . . What if you just finished the fastest race of your life and you were sixth in your age group? Question: Are you a loser?

Answer: No.

In time all of you will compete in a race where you swim faster, bike faster, and run stronger and faster than you ever have before. On that day the exhilaration of the accomplishment will leave you brimming with confidence and offer you a quiet sense of pride. Winning is about racing your best.
So, what does it mean when someone says, “I will give it my best.”? Time has taught me that these words are either a commitment to excellence and are representative of determination and resolve or they are words that lack substance and offer no promise of performance or effort.
To those who would be a part of the first group the word “BEST” is tangible. It is something they see in their mind’s eye. During a training workout they feel it as they break new barriers of doubt, distance, or pain. In moments of decision they reach for something deeper and refuse to quit. . . on themselves. They understand what it means to run with heart, because they have reached the point where everything physical seems to have quit. Those who belong to this group find victory long before race day.
Over the years I have watched athletes who have crawled out of the water at the brink of exhaustion, and yet cross the finish line to the cheers of family, friends, and strangers, only to be emotionally overwhelmed by their accomplishment. I have watch athletes wobble, stumble, and even fall at the finish line only to find the strength to stand as the finishers’ award was hung around their neck and raised their arms in victory. I have cheered for these athletes. For a few I have been emotionally touched by their personal achievement. In my mind and heart they will ever stand as champions. I have no doubt they truly gave their best.
I have been fortunate to associate with athletes that do not take their physical skills for granted. To them their “Best” is clearly defined. They have specific goals with measurable outcomes. They set precise objectives and strive to achieve them. Each training day has a focus, a purpose, even if it is to rest and recover. They understand success is in overcoming the obstacles, disappointments and even failures, and rising to new challenges and achievements. When, not if, they fall short of a target they see it as a learning experience and become a better competitor because of it. They understand that to reach their goal of doing their best they will need to develop a stronger character and persist where others might relent. They know and accept that it won’t be easy.
Now, think for a moment. . . What if you just finished a race where you failed to do your best and you won your age group because of little or no competition? Question: Would you feel like a winner?
Answer:

Triathon at Rigby Lake Reports

2009-06-01T17:26:00.032-06:00

Wow! What a way to begin the season.

Today we want to share with you some of the comments and pictures from last Saturday's Triathlon at Rigby Lake.

“I am just so happy. I am so proud of myself. There were times when I wanted to quit but I didn’t. I am just so happy.”

Susan Smith - Layton, UT

"I thought it was a super day. Great venue, and a good community feel. The raffle was large and impressive. There were enough water stops for the running. The transition zone was spacious and I liked the separate entrance and exit. The run path around the lake was great."

Doug Connelly - Kelly, WY

"I had a blast and it was a first class event that went smoothly I'd say. Weather gods were on our side and the race went off without a hitch! Good job."

Chris Martin - Bozeman, MT

"What a great day to race. This was my third triathlon and I had a super day. The weather was perfect except maybe a little warm on the run. When I was tired there was always a volunteer to cheer me on and I won a great raffle prize."

John Barlow - Corvallis, OR

"This was my first triathlon and until the Friday night meeting I was pretty sure I might not finish, but everyone kept encouraging me. Saturday morning the volunteers helped me with all my questions and the race officials were really personable. My family came to watch me and they were impressed by how well I did. I think I am hooked."

Tom Senter - Carbondale, CO

"I am so excited. This is going to be fun!"

Shaylee Liddle (8 years old) - Idaho Falls, ID

"I can't believe it. I just can't believe it. I wasn't last."

Joyce Tyler - Tallahassee, Florida

"Over the last few months there were days when I wanted to quit training. To finish a triathlon seemed like an impossible goal. I had never been athletic in school and had just started running last year, but you guys said it was possible. Now I am a triathlete. It didn't matter that I wasn't first, or that I wasn't fast. Like you said, it mattered that I finished. Thank you!"

Heather Munson - Boise, ID

"When I thought I couldn't swim anymore, I never gave up. When I thought I couldn't bike anymore, I never gave up. When my legs said to stop I never gave up. Do you know what it like to not give up when everything physical about you wants to? I guess you do, that is why you believe in us."

Mary Jensen - Salt Lake City, UT

"It is two days later and I am still jazzed about finishing my first triathlon."

Marvin Benson - Lake Tahoe, CA

We could have reported on the details of the race but we thought these comments said a whole lot more.

Remember: Each day presents us with a variety of challenging situations. The difference between those who will find success in this life and those who will remain mired in a life of mediocrity is how they meet those challenges. Those with vision will see that every challenge comes with a promise. The key is to realize that each specific promise is directly linked to its corresponding challenge.
Your personal achievement will be a direct result of the challenges you are willing to accept. It has been said that an individual’s courage is not found in what they have overcome, but in the challenges they are now willing to face.

Where Every Competitor Stands

2009-05-25T20:40:00.002-06:00

As an athlete it has occurred to me that when I enter a race, for at least a moment on that day I will be in the same spot as every other competitor—the start. Over the years I have noticed that every competitor seems to bring hopes, expectations, and even dreams to that very same spot. In the months that lead up to the race, each competitor will have trained differently. Some will have had social training partners; some will have had the help of dedicated spouses or friends, while still others may have had personal coaches. But on race day we stand on that crowded beach knowing that for one moment at the start we are on our own. We realize that no one else can do this for us. We will need to find the right pace to finish the race. We will need to find our own motivation, our own reserve of energy, and our own courage to finish. On this day we will probably experience doubt, aches and pains, and perhaps even failure to meet our own expectations. However, when we cross the finish line, we will experience the success of not giving up, of meeting the challenge of the day, and of knowing that on this day we gave it our best. By that fact alone, our family and friends will hail us winners.
In the months ahead we will train together. We will share our personal aspirations and goals. We will help those who will be entering their first event and learning from those who have gone the distance over and over and still pursue new levels of personal achievement. We will celebrate others’ successes and offer our support when others face disappointment. We will strive to better ourselves but never lose sight of the community of which we are a part.
But on race day, at the start, for a moment, we will each stand alone with our heart full of hopes, expectations, and even dreams. That moment is one of the greatest in all of sport.

Psyched!

2009-05-18T02:57:00.004-06:00

With the Triathlon at Rigby Lake just days away I can't help but think of one word. . . . Anticipation.

It is a sensation unlike any other. It encompasses our expectation of future performance, our dreams of racing success, and a vision of the pay-off for all our hard work.
As a triathlete, anticipation should and must be intricately tied to each of our training sessions. To succeed in training is to anticipate a focused and positive training effort with the expectation that we will take pride in the outcome.
During the early months of the season, anticipation plays the role of motivator. We strength train with the anticipation of growing physically stronger. We swim with the expectation that the drills and yardage will result in faster, easier swim splits. We ride anticipating being prepared to hammer the hills and maintain cadence. We run on the road, on the trail, up the hills, and in the sand expecting to develop a powerful finish to bring us home. We may even methodically set out our transition mat with everything in its place anticipating shaving off key seconds or minutes during our “A” race. We train perfect with the expectation that we will race perfect.
As the season progresses we perfect our nutrition habits expecting to maximize energy and minimize fatigue. We record training and racing montages on our ipod hoping to reach heart and soul as well as muscle and mind. We visualize each race day beginning to end believing that such preparation not only can but will make the difference in our performance.
In the week before the race we reach for our stack of favorite Triathlete’s magazine, optimistic that reading our favorite articles will help the week pass more quickly. We eat a specific amount of quality carbohydrates, proteins, and fats confident that our body will peak on race day. We physically inspect each piece of gear we will use to assure ourselves of top performance and fast times. We mentally breakdown the days, hours, and minutes before the race in anticipation that nothing will go wrong when it counts.
On race day we rise early, check the weather, and get to the transition area first, hoping to gain even a small advantage over the day’s competition. We inspect the course to memorize the turns, potholes, and aid stations to ease our mind about the last few details. We visit with family and friends early knowing that soon all our attentions must be focused.
Now you begin to feel anticipation with a capital “A.” Your heart beats faster. Your senses heighten. Your determination becomes solid as a rock. Today you will succeed.
Anticipation! It is a sensation unlike any other.

The Physcological Edge

2009-05-11T17:17:00.008-06:00

Since I started training for my first triathlon I have noticed the slow physical changes my body has gone through. These changes were not apparent at first but as my training progressed I was able to see tone and muscle where it had never been before. It made me feel good. Yet the greatest change had nothing to do with speed, strength, or endurance.
During my training I have put my body through many workouts and felt varying degrees of pain afterwards. At first I dreaded the workouts, but that soon ended and I began to look forward to the challenge each workout presented. I realized I was gaining greater self confidence almost daily and those around me began noticing it too. Once I became aware of this I felt unstoppable. It is true that the human body can endure extreme physical hardships but I am convinced that the trained, confident mind can take the physical body farther.
I cannot even begin to describe how it feels to have power over my own body and to have control in an area I once thought was merely genetic. If I am having a bad day I just make a long run to my soul and there I seem to find the strength I need.
The mental power that one gains through training is amazing and I think many beginning triathletes experience this. I now realize that I can improve as an athlete because my level of physical ability can be greatly empowered by my mental determination. The sport of triathlon is the essence of mind over matter. If for no other reason than this, I will be forever grateful to the day I went to my first triathlon.

Be A Dreamer of Dreams

2009-05-03T12:09:00.015-06:00

Throughout history the greatest achievements of mankind have come as the fulfillment of someone’s dream; ascending the highest mountain, crossing the mightiest ocean, standing on the moon. These events began as a dream in the heart and mind of an individual who saw beyond what others said was possible and wondered about the impossible. Ever wonder what the difference is between a wish and a dream? It is that a wish depends on someone or something else; a while a dream depends on the passion of the dreamer.
Be a dreamer!

Clarify Your Personal Vision
When the days, weeks, and months ahead of you become a picture in your mind’s eye, begin to look for the detail. As you see your success, identify the objectives and goals that stand out. What do they look like? What personal habits or characteristics do you possess? When you review your achievements, what singles you out as one who excels? What have you overcome to accomplish what others feel is beyond reach?
See enough detail to make your personal vision real!

Plan To Succeed
Write what you see in your mind. With words, draw the images of success, achievement, and accomplishment that your mind has opened to you. Begin to chart on paper the course from where you are to where you see yourself in your dreams. Eliminate doubt, overpower fear, and have courage to create a plan that will make your dreams real.

Begin Today
Now is the time to start. This moment. In some way, in any way, take control of your life and let your dreams become the power that drives your thoughts, your actions, and your purpose.

Remember:With every challenge there comes a promise
Each day presents us with a variety of challenging situations. The difference between those who will find success in this life and those who will remain mired in a life of mediocrity is how they meet those challenges. Those with vision will see that every challenge comes with a promise. The key is to realize that each specific promise is directly linked to its corresponding challenge.
Your personal achievement will be a direct result of the challenges you are willing to accept. It has been said that an individual’s courage is not found in what they have overcome, but in the challenges they are now willing to face.

The Road Less Traveled

2009-04-29T15:55:00.013-06:00

Master The Principles Of Personal Leadership
If we are to position ourselves to rise above the expectations of others we need to master the habits of personal leadership and rise above an environment of mediocrity. Develop a personal vision that creates the freedom to excel. See life as an opportunity to fully and precisely achieve at the highest personal levels.

Remember: With every challenge there comes a promise.
Each day presents us with a variety of challenging situations. The difference between those who will find success in this life and those who remain mired in a life of mediocrity is how those challenges are met. Athletes with vision will see that every challenge comes with a promise. The key is realizing that each specific promise is directly linked to its corresponding challenge.
Your personal achievement will be a direct result of the challenges you are willing to accept. It has been said that an individual’s courage is not found in what they have overcome, but in the challenges they are now willing to face.