Happy Ironman World Championship Day!!!
Sitting here on the couch, resting up for the Chicago Marathon tomorrow! What a great day so far. Little run and breakfast with my two favorite girls in the whole world, Ana and Lyla :)
Some real mixed emotions for me today watching Kona. Excitement, jealousy, pride....I can't wait to EARN my way back! It's starts tomorrow at the Chicago Marathon. I have a lofty goal of breaking 3 hours and no matter how good the day goes, it is going to HURT! Its how we deal with this hurt that makes great competitors and PR's!
As I was watching several friends compete in Ironman Wisconsin last month, I got to talking about mental strength with my buddy, Brian. He had recently read an article that said Endurance Athletes are the WORST quitters of all! I was shocked. But upon explanation, it made sense. Endurance athletes have the most "time" to quit because of the duration in competition. That aside, it is hard to keep mental focus for 3, 4, 8, 12+ HOURS.
When things get tough...we naturally want to find the reason why. And in my opinion, when the body and mind are tired...we gravitate towards the "negative why." I didn't get enough sleep, stressed from work, I dropped my salt, it's too hot, I'm not at race weight, and the list goes on and on and on....
To test this theory, Brian and I situated ourselves on a large hill at mile 18 of the run in Madison. At this point in the race, I'd say 90% of the athletes were walking up the hill. No doubt, their thoughts were "I can't run another step." So Brian and I cheered...and cheered LOUD. Guess what, 90% of the walkers ran up the hill. Why? I thought they were exhausted? I thought they dropped their salt? I thought they needed one more hour of sleep? I thought they biked too hard?
No, the answer is that their MIND gave up. They told themselves they couldn't do it anymore. We witnessed this for the better part of an HOUR. Athlete after athlete giving up long before their body would give in.
So what does it mean? It means find your "switch." On race day, there are NO excuses. Unless you can't physically move your legs...keep going. Turn the brain off...stop thinking negative thoughts...and most importantly....NEVER COUNT THE MILES DOWN! Stay in your mile...stay in your "comfort" zone and blow past the rough parts.
After a lot of self reflection...I realized that I had not unleashed my inner strength this year. Madison changed that....from that day on, my marathon training took off. No more ipod on the run, no more excuses (too hot, too humid, blah blah blah)...just hit the paces and shut the "F" up :)
Well, I've done that and I'm ready to show my inner strength tomorrow....I don't know when I will need it. Mile 16? 18? 22? all of the above? Probably...but I'll tell you this...if my legs are moving, I'm running HARD. No excuses.
I saw some tremendous inner strength this past year....my wife giving birth to my daughter, Dan and Scott RUNNING up that hill in Madison without giving in, the end to my marathon training....
So don't give in if you are racing this weekend....I'm not. Inner strength...tap into it....you HAVE IT.
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
I have a Blog?
Oh my...the last post here, Super Bowl Sunday! My how my life has changed since then! I've had a lot of random thoughts running through my head for the past few months but finding the time to write them down has been difficult. So...here we go:
Post Kona Hangover
With Kona just a few weeks away, the excitement is starting to bubble again. I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss Ironman, in some way, this year. I had several buddies competing...I even trained my first Ironman athlete for IM Wisconsin this year too! It was a blast and he did unbelievable. 11 hours in his FIRST IM!
What I didn't miss at all was the loooooong bikes! Sometimes, it's hard to see just how time consuming it is when you are in the middle of it...but taking a step back this year was GREAT. I did a lot more intensity and most of my workouts were done in 3 hours or under. That was amazing.
What I missed was my "Triathlete Identity." I'm an Ironman. I do it pretty well. So to get out of my comfort zone and try to get after the short course, it felt like something was missing. I think in the long run, this year away will do me a lot of good though.
So as the World Championships draw closer and the inspiration of Ironman Wisconsin lingers...I'm super excited to be back at it next year! I am officially signed up for Ironman Chattanooga. Another assault on Kona? I guess we will see.....
Baby Lyla
One of the biggest changes this year was the birth of my daughter, Lyla. What a blessing she has been. Life has a whole other level of meaning now. Being a father is the most rewarding thing I've ever experienced in my life. She is wonderful and I couldn't ask for a better daughter or wife (Love you Ana!)
From an athletic standpoint, Lyla is going to CRUSH it. She won her first "race." In the delivery room, our doctor said there was a lady in the next room delivering baby #4. No way we were going to "beat" her. Well...not only did we beat her...Lyla came out 15 minutes before the baby next door! TAKE THAT WORLD! She came to RACE....and to WIN!
People can tell you how hard it will be to train when you have kids, but until you experience it for yourself you just can't understand. It was TOUGH. Long nights....recovery time is a third of what it used to be. My "couch" time was quickly replaced with diapers, feedings, cleaning an endless supply of BOTTLES, and trying to pitch in wherever possible to help Ana. Oh...and I still had to go to work too.
But I got it in. My race season (to date) was a little bit of a disappointment if I were to be honest. I didn't have many bad races, I just never found the "race gear" that I have come accustomed to in the past. It was rough. I felt like I was at 85% all year. What I'm most proud of...I didn't hang it up. I made the effort and sacrifice and made ZERO excuses when I had the opportunity to train. I will be forever proud of the effort I put in...the results will come again. And truthfully, Lyla doesn't care how fast I go. She will only care that I have a smile on my face and I'm safe. At the end of the day, that is what matters...not a podium. Don't mistake that as me giving in....I will get back to the podium too :)
Short Course Experiment
So with Lyla being born, this was going to be the year of the "short course." If I just dialed it back and concentrated on speed, I would be fast right? WRONG. Looking back, if you want to do short course right...it takes YEARS of commitment. To "redline" for 2+ HOURS is a whole other animal. In the past, I've described myself as able to deal with moderate pain for a LONG time...well, MASSIVE pain for a short time SUCKS. In the end, it was a fun experiment and I look forward to building on this in years to come. Some regular sleep will help for sure.
I dealt with all kinds of issues in the races this year. Leon's I was totally flat. It was a good race, but not great. Pleasant Prairie was AWESOME...because I left the watch and power meter at home and just raced on feel. It was so cool to get back to the "basics" in that race. It was a good race, but not great. Racine was a total trainwreck on the run. The swim and bike were spot on....I started cramping in the legs on mile #1 of the run. Running 13.1 miles with legs cramps is perhaps the worst feeling in the world. Looking back, I messed up my nutrition on the bike. Didn't drink enough. Idiot. Racine was humbling. Nationals was fun! The leg cramps came back on the run...not sure why this time. It was a blast of a race...it was a good race, but not great.
So as the Tri season wrapped up, I was ready to move on from 2013. I didn't want to bike anymore...I needed a break from swimming...and I needed to put all the leg cramps behind me. It was a tough year...racing full on at 85% is hard. But like I said before, I'm proud of my year. I gave it 100% and still did pretty good. I can't ask for much more as a new "Triathlete Dad."
Chicago Marathon
So what's going on now? I'm running the marathon in a few weeks! This has been such a refreshing change from the Triathlon training. Lots of miles...lots of HARD miles as well. I was very worried that I wasn't going to hit my goal pacing because it felt like DEATH in training for quite some time. Were my legs fried out? Did this year take too much out of me? NO. The heat and humidity we had lately SUCKED. It made it hard to hit the intervals...but I stayed the course.
The last two weekends I've done 20mi runs and crushed them. A little break in the weather and low and behold....my fitness has been here the entire time! I still carry the inspiration from Madison IM and the mental toughness I saw on the course by my friends. These two factors have unlocked my run. I feel light and snappy. I ran the fastest 20mi training run in my life today and couldn't be more excited about the race. As with most marathons, if you have done the work, the rest is up to Mother Nature...let's see what she gives on race day.
Another inspiration for my Marathon has been the fundraiser that I helped to set up for my Sister and Brother-in-Law. The outpouring of support has been unreal. I am humbled by what I have witnessed. I am sincerely honored to be running "For a Miracle Baby." It makes it so much more special to run for something bigger than a mile split or place in the age group.
If you have time...check out the fundraiser page...a true inspiration!
www.youcaring.com/babyatkins-run.for.a.miracle
What's Next?
Well, the marathon obviously. An Ironman next September (I'm super excited because Ana's family is finally going to see me race. I really look forward to making them proud!).
Most importantly, to continue to set an example for my daughter on how to live an active lifestyle. How to push for your dreams. How to follow through on commitments. How to never give up and never make excuses. How to be humble with your accomplishments. How to genuinely care for others accomplishments. And how to give your best 100% of the time...no matter what circumstances you came to the race with.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful year. I plan on following up on this blog with more. Mental toughness....that will be the next one. I learned a TON watching IM Wisconsin a few weeks ago. I look forward to sharing that with everyone.
Thank you as always for taking the time to read. This is a very cool medium for me to express some feelings. I have had a lot of positive feedback from previous posts, so I hope my next blog isn't 7 months from now :)
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Post Kona Hangover
With Kona just a few weeks away, the excitement is starting to bubble again. I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss Ironman, in some way, this year. I had several buddies competing...I even trained my first Ironman athlete for IM Wisconsin this year too! It was a blast and he did unbelievable. 11 hours in his FIRST IM!
What I didn't miss at all was the loooooong bikes! Sometimes, it's hard to see just how time consuming it is when you are in the middle of it...but taking a step back this year was GREAT. I did a lot more intensity and most of my workouts were done in 3 hours or under. That was amazing.
What I missed was my "Triathlete Identity." I'm an Ironman. I do it pretty well. So to get out of my comfort zone and try to get after the short course, it felt like something was missing. I think in the long run, this year away will do me a lot of good though.
So as the World Championships draw closer and the inspiration of Ironman Wisconsin lingers...I'm super excited to be back at it next year! I am officially signed up for Ironman Chattanooga. Another assault on Kona? I guess we will see.....
Baby Lyla
One of the biggest changes this year was the birth of my daughter, Lyla. What a blessing she has been. Life has a whole other level of meaning now. Being a father is the most rewarding thing I've ever experienced in my life. She is wonderful and I couldn't ask for a better daughter or wife (Love you Ana!)
From an athletic standpoint, Lyla is going to CRUSH it. She won her first "race." In the delivery room, our doctor said there was a lady in the next room delivering baby #4. No way we were going to "beat" her. Well...not only did we beat her...Lyla came out 15 minutes before the baby next door! TAKE THAT WORLD! She came to RACE....and to WIN!
People can tell you how hard it will be to train when you have kids, but until you experience it for yourself you just can't understand. It was TOUGH. Long nights....recovery time is a third of what it used to be. My "couch" time was quickly replaced with diapers, feedings, cleaning an endless supply of BOTTLES, and trying to pitch in wherever possible to help Ana. Oh...and I still had to go to work too.
But I got it in. My race season (to date) was a little bit of a disappointment if I were to be honest. I didn't have many bad races, I just never found the "race gear" that I have come accustomed to in the past. It was rough. I felt like I was at 85% all year. What I'm most proud of...I didn't hang it up. I made the effort and sacrifice and made ZERO excuses when I had the opportunity to train. I will be forever proud of the effort I put in...the results will come again. And truthfully, Lyla doesn't care how fast I go. She will only care that I have a smile on my face and I'm safe. At the end of the day, that is what matters...not a podium. Don't mistake that as me giving in....I will get back to the podium too :)
Short Course Experiment
So with Lyla being born, this was going to be the year of the "short course." If I just dialed it back and concentrated on speed, I would be fast right? WRONG. Looking back, if you want to do short course right...it takes YEARS of commitment. To "redline" for 2+ HOURS is a whole other animal. In the past, I've described myself as able to deal with moderate pain for a LONG time...well, MASSIVE pain for a short time SUCKS. In the end, it was a fun experiment and I look forward to building on this in years to come. Some regular sleep will help for sure.
I dealt with all kinds of issues in the races this year. Leon's I was totally flat. It was a good race, but not great. Pleasant Prairie was AWESOME...because I left the watch and power meter at home and just raced on feel. It was so cool to get back to the "basics" in that race. It was a good race, but not great. Racine was a total trainwreck on the run. The swim and bike were spot on....I started cramping in the legs on mile #1 of the run. Running 13.1 miles with legs cramps is perhaps the worst feeling in the world. Looking back, I messed up my nutrition on the bike. Didn't drink enough. Idiot. Racine was humbling. Nationals was fun! The leg cramps came back on the run...not sure why this time. It was a blast of a race...it was a good race, but not great.
So as the Tri season wrapped up, I was ready to move on from 2013. I didn't want to bike anymore...I needed a break from swimming...and I needed to put all the leg cramps behind me. It was a tough year...racing full on at 85% is hard. But like I said before, I'm proud of my year. I gave it 100% and still did pretty good. I can't ask for much more as a new "Triathlete Dad."
Chicago Marathon
So what's going on now? I'm running the marathon in a few weeks! This has been such a refreshing change from the Triathlon training. Lots of miles...lots of HARD miles as well. I was very worried that I wasn't going to hit my goal pacing because it felt like DEATH in training for quite some time. Were my legs fried out? Did this year take too much out of me? NO. The heat and humidity we had lately SUCKED. It made it hard to hit the intervals...but I stayed the course.
The last two weekends I've done 20mi runs and crushed them. A little break in the weather and low and behold....my fitness has been here the entire time! I still carry the inspiration from Madison IM and the mental toughness I saw on the course by my friends. These two factors have unlocked my run. I feel light and snappy. I ran the fastest 20mi training run in my life today and couldn't be more excited about the race. As with most marathons, if you have done the work, the rest is up to Mother Nature...let's see what she gives on race day.
Another inspiration for my Marathon has been the fundraiser that I helped to set up for my Sister and Brother-in-Law. The outpouring of support has been unreal. I am humbled by what I have witnessed. I am sincerely honored to be running "For a Miracle Baby." It makes it so much more special to run for something bigger than a mile split or place in the age group.
If you have time...check out the fundraiser page...a true inspiration!
www.youcaring.com/babyatkins-run.for.a.miracle
What's Next?
Well, the marathon obviously. An Ironman next September (I'm super excited because Ana's family is finally going to see me race. I really look forward to making them proud!).
Most importantly, to continue to set an example for my daughter on how to live an active lifestyle. How to push for your dreams. How to follow through on commitments. How to never give up and never make excuses. How to be humble with your accomplishments. How to genuinely care for others accomplishments. And how to give your best 100% of the time...no matter what circumstances you came to the race with.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful year. I plan on following up on this blog with more. Mental toughness....that will be the next one. I learned a TON watching IM Wisconsin a few weeks ago. I look forward to sharing that with everyone.
Thank you as always for taking the time to read. This is a very cool medium for me to express some feelings. I have had a lot of positive feedback from previous posts, so I hope my next blog isn't 7 months from now :)
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Random Thoughts....
Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I'm surprised I remembered my password to log in here :) Time to catch up with a bunch of random thoughts and topics. I hope your winter is going well and you are getting excited about the upcoming race season!
2013 Schedule: This year, I'm planning to run more short course. I'm going to focus on speed and backing down the total hours spent training....in an attempt to raise my speed for the next go around for Ironman (Possibly 2014). I feel good about getting after it this year and look forward to a slightly different focus and challenge. Below is what I'm thinking about doing for the year:
Cary Half Marathon
Leon's Olympic Tri
Pleasant Prairie Olympic Tri
Racine Half Ironman
Wauconda Olympic Tri
USA Olympic Nationals
Chicago Marathon
Looking forward to hammering it!
Lance: It's no secret that Lance Armstrong was a huge hero of mine. This topic has been talked about so much, it is nauseating. So here is my take; Lance watched too much Batman growing up. He is the biggest Two Face that ever lived. No athlete or celebrity has done more, in my opinion, good with their status than Lance. For that, I'm hopeful that he continues that part of his legacy and turns this into a positive. I don't condone PED's, but I can see why he took them. I don't condone lying, but I can see why he needed to cover it up. What I can't understand, is why he would ruthlessly attack people for trying to tell the truth. Lie as much as you want, but there was no need to bring innocent people down. For that, Lance, you are a true asshole. I'm hopeful he will fight for something positive, but once an asshole...quite possibly....always an asshole. But damn can that guy ride a bike.
Super Bowl: My beloved Bears are not it. Therefore, go Niners. At least a former Bear quarterback is leading the troops. And...I really like this new style offense that the Niners are running. Not sure it is sustainable, the pounding that the QB's will take is no joke. But for now, it is fun to watch.
Parenthood: I can't believe I'm going to be a father in less than 2 months. My blog will probably turn into incoherent ramblings of poop and diapers. And I can't wait for that! I am super excited and a little nervous as well. There are so many unknowns coming...but the journey will be awesome!
Thanks for reading....I'm happy to be back writing and I look forward to chatting soon!
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
2013 Schedule: This year, I'm planning to run more short course. I'm going to focus on speed and backing down the total hours spent training....in an attempt to raise my speed for the next go around for Ironman (Possibly 2014). I feel good about getting after it this year and look forward to a slightly different focus and challenge. Below is what I'm thinking about doing for the year:
Cary Half Marathon
Leon's Olympic Tri
Pleasant Prairie Olympic Tri
Racine Half Ironman
Wauconda Olympic Tri
USA Olympic Nationals
Chicago Marathon
Looking forward to hammering it!
Lance: It's no secret that Lance Armstrong was a huge hero of mine. This topic has been talked about so much, it is nauseating. So here is my take; Lance watched too much Batman growing up. He is the biggest Two Face that ever lived. No athlete or celebrity has done more, in my opinion, good with their status than Lance. For that, I'm hopeful that he continues that part of his legacy and turns this into a positive. I don't condone PED's, but I can see why he took them. I don't condone lying, but I can see why he needed to cover it up. What I can't understand, is why he would ruthlessly attack people for trying to tell the truth. Lie as much as you want, but there was no need to bring innocent people down. For that, Lance, you are a true asshole. I'm hopeful he will fight for something positive, but once an asshole...quite possibly....always an asshole. But damn can that guy ride a bike.
Super Bowl: My beloved Bears are not it. Therefore, go Niners. At least a former Bear quarterback is leading the troops. And...I really like this new style offense that the Niners are running. Not sure it is sustainable, the pounding that the QB's will take is no joke. But for now, it is fun to watch.
Parenthood: I can't believe I'm going to be a father in less than 2 months. My blog will probably turn into incoherent ramblings of poop and diapers. And I can't wait for that! I am super excited and a little nervous as well. There are so many unknowns coming...but the journey will be awesome!
Thanks for reading....I'm happy to be back writing and I look forward to chatting soon!
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
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