Week 12 of 12 IMAZ - Patience & Discipline
We have arrived to race week!
What a journey the last 11 weeks have been with you guys virtually - everyone adding/supporting this team with each post/workout/comment!
No matter if you are a veteran, a newbie or somewhere in between - patience and discipline this week and come Sunday in the execution of your plan cannot be underestimated! There is always something you can do better in that department than any of the preceding races and doing so will only increase the chances of you hitting your goals.
My One thing:
I know "One Things" can be personal, so I don't expect all to jump right in and lay it all out there for the group.
I spent 18 years being raised by a US Marine colonel.....hard to communicate or translate what that means but, in short, - you do what you say and you say what you do - and you do the right things for right reasons. (Some days I get that right and some days I have to reset/refocus and try again)
I have 1 daughter and 3 boys ages 15, 13, 11, 11 respectively and so the above has been handed down through many generations of military examples backed by actions... Very important for me to show my crew that consistent hard work and smart strategy/execution pays off....that is my primary one thing throughout the day for me (though they will be following virtually for this one).
Final thoughts from the wiki:
Key #4: The One Thing
Summary: During the course of your race day, expect your body to have a very convincing conversation with your mind: "Look, Mind, you've had me out here slogging away for 132 miles. This is really starting to get old and very painful. If I see another Strawberry Banana Gel I might throw up. You need to give me a good reason to keep going forward. If you can't give me a good one, I'm gonna slow down and you can't stop me!" If you don't have an answer ready, your day could be over right here.
Advice: Before the race, you need to be able to answer the question: "Why am I doing this race?" In other words, you need to determine what is the One Thing that put you in this race? To finish in the daylight with a smile on your face? To run a 4:10? .
- Whatever your One Thing is, be absolutely clear and rehearse your mind/body debate beforehand. Practice makes perfect and this is a critical thing to have ready for when your body starts to push back.
- Be warned: your body can be a helluva good negotiator at mile 18, especially if your mind hasn't prepared its rebuttal arguments beforehand.
Comments
This is great Shaughn. The one thing really does help. The gremlins inevitably come out late in the run, and I have experienced some very nasty arguments with them in my head. You have to be ready and strong to push that all aside and keep moving forward with your race and keep driving for your goals.
I'm planning to take a year off from racing to spend more time doing Dad/Son stuff with my 14yo this coming year (Mtb, climbing, mud-runs, backpacking.) Time is flying by and I will have lots time for racing after Ian leaves home, but we'll never get these years back. My one thing is executing a perfect race, making the top 5 in my AG and getting a KQ. I want end my 40-44 AG achieving the goals I set out three years ago. I, like Shaughn, have worked really hard to set an example for Ian what hard work and discipline can achieve and now is the time to prove that. Thats the ammunition I've loaded up for the nasties at mile 20.
Have a great week, stay relaxed and calm! See you soon!!!
I've been quietly and jealously following the IMAZ threads. Quietly since I'm not racing and jealously since you have such an awesome group!
Heather and I will be on site thurs-mon , attending the EN dinner , Heather volunteers on Saturday , and Sunday will be be on the race course. Look forward to seeing those I know and meeting those I don't.
i will be on kayak or standup board for the swim. feel free to rest a bit hanging on to me.
i will also be at run station 6. at mile 6. from 2 pm to 730 pm. so i will get to see you all. some for both mile 6 and 19. i will try to hold the drinks so you don't have to jump up.
My one thing is making Tim Cronk proud, I am not allowed to visit him & Heather in NH this summer unless I can show I put it all out there!
@Robin: if i rest on your board/ kayak, i expect you to smack me with the paddle and remind me that Cronk is watching!
LOL! See ya there - try not to be put off by my 1000 yd stare...
See ya there!
Everyone do what you need to do out there. We can socialize after the event. I expect lots of sweating of blood.
Today's mental situation:
Since I think I became over trained, I really haven't done much the last week. My legs feel really weird. Not sure what the feeling is. I've described it to my wife and she said something I don't quite understand. She used the words 'Normal' and 'Rested'. Not sure what those mean. ;-)
My plane gets in at 5:30 on Thursday, so I hope to drop my wife/kids off where we are staying and then catch the end of the dinner... hopefully.
I will be at the #10 RUN Aid station this year 3-9pm and will likely be around before-after (especially the midnight finish).
Ive had a rough couple of months after my July race and look forward to feeding off all the IM Race Mojo and sharin a little love for all the athletes out there on my home turf -especially for any EN peeps!
I plan on racing 2015 BTW.
For Peter C... I found out that if you get weird "wobble legs" during taper then a couple short-fast surges particularly in the last 2-3 days. The surges them selves will feel wonky ...like your knees might buckle... but the fast stuff really seems to get the blood into them and alleviates the "weakness" better than slow-ish jogging. my 2cents.
A couple of schedule related things:
Also, the schedule in the athlete's guide notes that Special Needs bags will be available in the TA between 8-10 AM Monday.
Everyone deluge Ironman with emails. You can not not have ice to give to all at a hotish race.
Friday - team pic @10:15 at 4keys
Friday - are we going straight to ride the beeline after 4 keys, or having lunch first? is anyone open to ride, then lunch?
Saturday - anyone interested in meeting for lunch?
Monday Morning, i wouldn't mind a 9am breakfast meetup, i have an noon flight and need to get return car, etc...unless I think i am getting a roll down (fat chance) I will be headed to the airport at 10...
I want to ride after 4 keys before lunch.
We are not leaving until Tuesday so we are up for anything on Monday.
I'm also in favor of pic on Friday before 4 keys
fred
I will update spreadsheet.
I will plan on lunch both Friday after four keys and Saturday. I am getting my packet at 9 am Thursday and will know the restaurants we have our vouchers for. I will make suggestions for both days on the group phone page and we can vote/finalize locations at dinner. Sound good?
Friday lunch: I suggest 4peaks brewing co on 8th and Mill, just 3 blocks south of theater. They are big supporter of our local races and chance to sample local craft brew if you are so inclined. Decent burgers and sandwiches. I will bet $$ that they are on our voucher list
For those of you laying it all out there come Sunday:
Thanks for the schedule update, that helps. I'm in for the Friday ride regardless if it's before or after lunch.
I like the one thing of "making Cronk proud", that made me laugh but it also rings true and speaks to the value of this group. Thanks to all of you for the input and feedback, I really appreciate it, it's made me better at this and I plan to show that this weekend.
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My one thing is my dad.
Like many fathers, mine had a strong and positive influence on my life. He was always an athlete and an adrenaline junkie before that term was even coined. But more than anything, he was a runner and a cyclist. As a young teenager, I remember him qualifying for Boston, in his first and only marathon, by running a 2:53. As an adult, I remember him pulling me along, on his single speed, on my first group ride after getting back into cycling, post college and kids and adult life.
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 55, I was 29. He lived with cancer for almost 20 years but he didn’t let cancer define him, instead he defined himself through the people he helped and the causes that he supported. He was actively involved with Habitat for Humanity, Animal Friends, Cyclists Combating Cancer and Spokes of Hope. At one point he was even a grant reviewer for the Live Strong Foundation.
He and I got to share the memory of my first IM finish, but he passed away last October, before I went to IMAZ as a volunteer and before my second round at IMTX. I thought about him a lot in Arizona last year, as I was helping others on their IronMan journey. He would have enjoyed that; spending the day outside helping other people achieve something special.
Training and racing IronMan keeps his memory strong for me. This is the sort of challenge that he respected and appreciated. When things get tough, his memory always gets me through. Honoring my father for all that he was and continues to be, that’s my one thing.
Like Rian, I'm dialing it back next year to spend more time with my kids boys who are 6 and 9. 5 and 6 hour bike rides + all the admin time just take too much time away. They still think I'm the coolest guy in the world, so I need to soak that up before I turn into a complete idiot in a few years.
I'm in favor of a group ride after 4 keys and before lunch. I may actually ride on Thursday when I get in. My rental car is pretty small, so hopefully I'm able to wedge my bike into it.
My ONE THING is a 4 hours marathon. I did IMWI in 2012 with a 4:25. I've put a lot into the run the last two years, so I want to be sensible on the bike (even if it means going over 6:00) to be able to execute well on the run. I'm gunning for a Boston Qualify in Jun, so being able to suck it up and get it done after mile 18 will give me a huge confidence boost.
Yesterday's brick went great on the stationary bike and treadmill at the YMCA. Even if the exercise bikes there are a little clunky, they have watt meters on them, and that's huge. I'm off work today and about to head back for today's run. Then it's time to pack up and enjoy lunch with the wife.
I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone and hanging out. Training with all of you has been a great experience.
My BRIC went well yesterday, hit all my numbers. I am doing a 30' run every morning with my canine pals-they are very happy.
I think my one thing is to hit my numbers, especially a 4:30 marathon-that will be a huge challenge for me!
Look forward to seeing everybody (well almost, not you Shaughn) tomorrow night at dinner!
So I was very busy last week and forgot to get my 'meet the team' bio and pic in on time so here are the pics I was going to share:
This is me at the start of the run, 2013 AZIM: REMEMBER: Smile a lot and thank the volunteers! Gratitude for the health and ability to be in the upper 0.1% who even attempt this should get you around a lot of negativity!!
The second PIC was a gift, on race morning, from my daughter who has great talent splicing and dicing on Final Cut Pro-I grabbed the pic and a card from my husband/son from run special needs bag at start of 2nd loop, and held them close to my chest and peaked at them when I needed inspiration!
T
My goal for IMAZ was to get into the best shape of my life and now that I'm here, I am very thankful that I can do something like this. I have a wonderful family, friends and do most races for charity, but this one is for me.
My thought for the day is from my first triathlon coach. He loves the sport and has been in it from the beginning. He helped plan the first triathlon at Fiesta Island here in San Diego and just completed his 300th this year (doing the run with a cane after an ankle transplant!) He is a character with a million stories but what stuck with me is his saying that triathlon is very zen (he also also studied yoga in India). "you cannot be anywhere other than where you are right now" true for your fitness and where you are on the course. Going to try to keep that in mind while I'm out in the desert on my bike ;-) Thanks to the group for all of the support and inspiration and to Betsy for so patiently organizing everything for us! Can put it off no longer - time to pack!
@Vicki: Great advice: All too often we are werapped up in everything but the present. If only we could all follow this sage advice!
@Betsy: I remember how proud of your daughter's project you were last year and how inspired. You look so great with that smile in the other pic. You are going to have an amazing day!
Good luck to everyone racing.
does anyone know where the recorded IMAZ webinar lives? i missed it and would like to download for viewing on the plane tomorrow.
Race Quest provides coaches to give us a rundown on the course. It was very cool to get a run, swim, and transition overview from Meredith Kessler.
One of the other coaches said the secret to the swim is to go inside the buoy line. You swim to the left of the buoys between the kayaks. I asked if you'd get disqualified. He said you just have to be outside for the turns. He said it was the best known secret about the swim, but it was the first time I heard it.
My take is that you'd miss out on drafting opportunities, although it will certainly spare you from the melee in the packs. Has anyone heard of this? Or had experience with it?
I don't think I'll change my plan this close to the race, but it was interesting advice. I'd like to hear the team's thoughts.