Going for Broke

As I am approaching the end of my transition period, and the beginning of some focused training, I am realizing just how important it is to train the mind. It's equally important as it is to train the body. I have spent a great deal of time over the past few years shifting my perspective, and now I am shifting into focus. Just as my bike test this Sunday has a plan to it, a physical plan composed of wattage, time, feel.... so must my mind. It worked for me on Tuesday during my run test.

I am finding mantras, words, things that mean something to me. And I am simply repeating them over and over to myself. I find that when I stop doing that, my brain starts to waver. Case in point, Ironman Lake Placid. During my tough miles of the marathon my mind was everywhere. Consequently my body was everywhere. The moment I pulled my mind back into the race was the moment I took off.

This week one of my favorite athletes to watch and follow, Gordo writes about True Limiters in his blog. It's worth a hop over there to check it out. A lot of what Gordo says hits home for me, and helps me in tremendous ways.

Think about what limits you. I think my head has gotten in the way quite a bit over the past 2 years. I am realizing with this new training focus and Coach T, that the single most important thing in determining our own success is what happens from ear to ear. Through Gordo I am learning to simplify my mental plan with races, and I am learning to develop ones along with the plan of a test in training.

On Sunday I will execute my FTP test with Coach T. He wrote me something that lit me up inside....

"On Sunday we go for broke."

And I love that. The bike is where I can shine, where I can light it up. Rolling towards Sunday I am practicing mentally, knowing that when I feel like my legs are burning up on the bike, it will only make me reach further and dig deeper. On my bike I always feel like I can fly.

Sunday I am going for broke.

I have a few athletes preparing for Ironman Kentucky next weekend, and they are absolutely ready. Bill will be competing in Ironman #2, Rich #7 and Jeremy and Glenn #1. It's been exciting to watch their progress.

In 2004 Bill did a 1/2 Ironman in 6:00. The following year he was at 5:10. This year he did a 4:57. I see tremendous potential exist within him. There has been nothing magical to his training. A HRM is all we have used. Through the past years Bill has trained consistently, he has thrown out the excuses, and just did the work.

Two weeks ago my husband was out running, Bill lives nearby and they hooked up at the end of their training days. Curt was running 90 minutes, Bill was finishing 3 hours and it was 95 degrees out.

"Bill looks strong." Curt cried as he came into the house after they were finished. "You can see how his body has transformed into a triathlete's body."

"So has his mind." I added, feeling pretty proud. For Curt to say that, was a huge compliment to both of us. To Bill as an athlete and to me as a coach. But in reality I just bark the orders, the athletes execute the plan.

The stars will need to align on the day of the race, and I won't put into public writing what I think Bill is capable of.... but Curt and I will be watching the race unfold. A quiet silence between us as these guys take on the day. Quiet silence meaning we know the splits that they are capable of.... and only until they cross the various mats will we know what the day is bringing.

One thing is for sure however, an Ironman is a long day. If you put in the time you will finish the race. If you put your mind into this race you can achieve a PR. Throw your soul in and you can create magic.

In the Iornman you will go to the brink, and you must be comfortable with seeing that side of yourself. You must be willing to look right in your own eyes and see yourself as you really are. Be ready for it because it gets ugly. However what is revealed is something magnificent. Only you can define it, and only you can understand it.

And those true limiters stop being limiters. They become the platform from which you begin to fly.

Thank you for stopping by.

:-) Mary Eggers