3 out of 4 ain’t bad
Plenty of time has gone by for me to recover from my last
race, Ironman Texas. Not only is an Ironman (2.4mile Swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2
mile run) taxing on the body but it is equally tough from a mental standpoint.
I invested so much time into preparation for the day that afterwards I needed
some time to bring myself back to natural to avoid a dreaded burnout.
As far as the race goes it wasn’t the day I was hoping for
based on how my training went in the lead up to the race. I hoped for a better
performance and I didn’t meet my main goal. However, that doesn’t mean that the
race wasn’t a success. I realize that to have a perfect day a lot of things
have to go the right way for you, and there is a good chance that everything isn’t
going to line up on the day. That is why I set other goals that are big
accomplishments in their own right.
Goal #1. Finish the damn thing, not too many people can say
they have finished an Ironman
Goal #2. Enjoy the day, otherwise why put that much time
into something if you don’t enjoy doing it
Goal #3. Don’t stop, no matter what keep moving.
Goal #4. Personal best time, came up a little short there,
but 3 out of 4 ain’t bad.
So what’s the point to all of this? Goals are a big part of
keeping our motivation levels up and can be our reward at the finish line.
Maybe your ultimate goal is losing 30 pounds, and that’s great, but what
happens if you don’t meet that one goal? Are you disappointed if you lose 25?
Setting other goals like fitting into a certain pair of
jeans, lead a healthier lifestyle or run your first 5k, can help you stay on
track and keep you working towards that ultimate goal. For me, it’s back to the
pool, and more miles on the road because I have a couple other goals I have to
meet this year and those goals are why I keep pushing.
Oh, I almost forgot, one
of my favorite clients, Eddie, finished his first Ironman on the same day
and one of his goals was to beat his training partner, mission accomplished. BAM!
Ian
