IMFL WK 20 of 20 - Bumblebees and Racehorses
The below is a modified excerpt from Joe Friel
Bumblebees are relatively huge, furry insects with tiny little
wings that fly with incredible speed, accuracy and agility.
NASA scientists were infatuated with the bumblebee.
How could something that big and furry fly with such
little wings? So they studied the bumblebee. The thought
process was that if they could replicate the physics of the
bumblebee, they could build aircrafts and weapons of
similar ability.
After extensive research, the scientists unanimously came
to the same conclusion: bumblebees can’t fly. The physics
behind bumblebees simply say they are too large and too
heavy. But here is the interesting part: No one told the
bumblebee it can’t fly, so it goes right on flying. It flies even
though the smartest people on Earth doubt it can.
Come Saturday, you need to BELIEVE.
You, as an athlete, need to have unyielding
belief in yourself. Don’t let your past, your peers, your family
or your competitors limit your performance. You, like the
bee, can fly if you believe you can.
Taper and Execute like a Racehorse
Racehorses are just like other elite athletes. They know
they are athletes, and they know they are different from
the other horses. They train with heart-rate monitors. They do intervals and
lactate-threshold training. They eat a special diet designed
to improve performance. They have coaches, and they get
nervous on race day just like we do.
The difference between racehorses and us is racehorses
don’t second-guess their training program, their abilities or
their coaches. Racehorses go all out when asked to; they
don’t save something for tomorrow or do extra intervals during taper week.
You’ll never see a racehorse doing extra laps around the track because it felt
like it should be doing more. Racehorses don’t look at other
horses’ training programs and freak out because the other
horses are doing double days. Racehorses just do exactly
what is asked of them—nothing more, nothing less.
Racehorses have 100 percent commitment to their program,
to their coaches and to being the best they can be.
How about comparing yourself with other athletes at the race venue? Do
you think racehorses hang out and build up extra anxiety by comparing
their training or bodies with other horses? Racehorses, just
have one purpose in their lives:
to get faster and stronger, to be better.
The take-home message is to have complete belief in
yourself. Believing you are capable is the first and most
important step come Saturday. Second, you must execute
with purpose, patience and discipline.
Think like a bumblebee, execute like a racehorse.
Comments
The Four Keys of Florida event is now on Friday at 10:00 a.m. at the Pavilion between the Boardwalk Hotel and the Beach.
This coincides with Mandatory Bike check which is from 10:00 - 3:00 p.m.
I travel tomorrow........organized packing process is on track:
I'll be tracking all you ninja bumblebees!
Patience & Discipline.
Travel day here for me. Hoping to land at PCB ~ 5 p.m.....then Checking in at The Shores of Panama.
Right now TSB will be ~+7 tomorrow morning......feeling weird................
Inviting all who may be interested to have breakfast tomorrow morning at Shores of Panama ~7:30ish.......for a Big Breakfast
My day tomorrow will be focused on Carb loading
9:00 ish athlete check-in
Pick up bike from TBT after checkin
Bike recon of course 60 - 90 minutes with whoever wants to come
Big Lunch
Team Dinner at 5:30
Starting this evening we will go to GROUPME texting.......
SS
@SS, my day looks a bit like yours:
Woke up at +8.1, feeling pretty fresh. I'm gonna get in a solid 60-minute ride and 2k swim before my flight this afternoon (I moved up the training schedule by one day to account for Saturday race). I land in Fort Walton at 4:30, two-hour drive to Shores of Panama. Will probably walk downstairs to Pinapple Willie's and eat dinner outside in the heat upon arrival.
Like you, tomorrow a.m. I'll be busy getting admin out of the way: early Wal-Mart shopping (across the street), breakfast, check-in, and bike retrieval from TBT. 11am massage, then afternoon swim in the Gulf with a small bike/run afterwards. I'll skip course recon (unless you've never seen flat highway concrete before, there's nothing to see/learn). Looking forward to team dinner.
Because 4 Keys is outdoors on Friday, I'll take my bike and bags to it, check those items into TA afterwards. If I'm gonna walk to/from Shores and TA on Friday (0.6 mi each), I'm only making that trip once. Feet up for good after lunch.
The only constants in the ever-changing weather forecasts are heat and humidity. Low of 68 on race morning, which will feel very warm compared to the typical 50s (last year 40s). The feel-like temps will reach into the 90's even before the bike is over, which for me = arm coolers on the bike and run, cold water dump the last two hours of the bike, then turning go-back into a mobile ice chest for the run. Hat instead of visor on the run to retain more water/ice. Low 80's may seem moderate to many of us, but a very humid low-80s during an IM run is hot.
@Mike, let me know when you go for the afternoon swim in the Gulf. I need to do that and need a partner. Just jumping in together will be fine.....(no need to wait around at my swim pace after the start........)
Any other takers for a Thurs PM Gulf swim?
I arrived yesterday, went for a run this morning & it's hot & humid! This is saying a lot considering I'm from the Woodlands, TX. Just be prepared to sweat!