Never, Ever Give Up on your Dreams!

A little less than ten years ago, after I had fallen asleep at the wheel of life (for a Decade), I came to a crossroads. My 19 yo Stepson, Reece, had passed tragically and I had taken a long hard look at myself and determined that I would try and restore my body (and my health) and I started to Dream again.

To Dream of the future, of the Possibilities and I’m glad I did as it’s been an awesome Journey and this morning I came across this You Tube clip, which reminded me of why we should Never, Ever Give Up!

This video brought tears to my eyes and Arthur’s transformation is nothing short of miraculous and illustrates that ‘Nothing is Impossible’, as long as you refuse to believe the limits that others place upon us and you don’t place a ceiling upon yourself.

I would like to request each and every one of you to encourage somebody today, somebody who is trying to improve themselves, somebody who needs encouragement, somebody who would like a second chance, somebody who wants to Dream all over again. You can help make it Possible!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448&feature=youtu.be

Dream Big!

2013 CAN be your best year yet!

Every New Year we are granted an opportunity to start afresh or to continue in the same direction we have been travelling. Tomorrow, the 1st of January sees the calendar turn to a new chapter in our lives, to a blank page and 12 exciting new months are presented to us. They can be embraced or feared and for me each New Year has become an opportunity for adventure, for growth, for inspiration, for enthusiasm and to face my fears head on. So how do we maximise the windows of opportunity that will be presented to us in 2013?

If your Goals or New Year’s resolutions have not been realised in previous years, surely it’s time to try something different, as Albert Einstein said that the height of insanity is doing the same things you did last year, whilst expecting a different result.

I know that most people will say we need to dream, we need to have Vision and to an extent that is important, but everybody can dream, everyone has some sort of vision, so why is that 90% of people cannot achieve their goals or New Years resolutions? I think the reason that most people do not get from where they are now (current reality) to where they would like to be (future reality), is because they encounter obstacles whilst trying to cross the abyss and more often than not they had not given any thought to the obstacles, or the effort it may take to achieve their goals.

In addition people like to dream, but don’t take Action. Push yourself for two weeks, as that’s how long it takes to break a habit, or develop a new one. Get out of your comfort zone, stretch yourself a little for 14 days and those difficult steps, those early days soon become weeks and if you persevere in a few months time you WILL see an extraordinary change in so many facets of your life.

So here are a few ideas on Goal Setting:

1. Vision:

Yes, I know it may sound contradictory, but it all starts with a dream, or a vision, but this is not the most important step in my opinion. Bill Hybels says in his book Courageous Leadership that Vision is “a picture of the future that produces passion”.

The key here is how much Passion? How will you fuel the fire when the going gets tough? If you can see yourself as you can become and not as you are and the person you can become is something you really, really desire then you will be able to fuel the fire, you will have unlimited energy resources and you will be able to keep on, keeping on through the bad times, as well as the good times.

Are you in a Valley, are you unhappy with life, with yourself? I was rock bottom 8 years ago when I was weighing 100kg and extremely unfit. I was a spectator of life, but I decided to do something about it. Yes, I had dreams and aspirations but very often the people I was friends with, working with would talk about how difficult it would be, that it was impossible. But, have they ever been there or is it just their perception? Is it a ceiling they placed upon themselves and in turn, they painted us with the same brush?

A key problem for adults is that many of us have stopped dreaming, somewhere along our journey of life, we lost the ability to dream. Observe most young children, they are brilliant and creative thinkers, hungry for knowledge, new experiences, new friends, new dreams. Everyday they face the unknown, they encounter obstacles head on as they learn, smell, taste, see and hear things, breathing and taking in all life has to offer and the next day they are ready to fire on all cylinders once again.

Have you stopped breathing and taking in all life has to offer, embracing every second of every day? Are you being held back by self imposed limitations or by the ceiling placed upon us by our friends and family? (So choose the company you keep very carefully) 

Anything is possible, so don’t deny yourself the opportunity to become your personal hero, just because you think it may not be possible. Anything is possible if tackled one step at a time, so if you are going to dream, then dream big dreams, dreams that will excite you and inspire you and that will provide the fuel, the passion to keep on keeping on when the going gets tough.

2. S.M.A.R.T. Goals

It is important to set appropriate goals, such as

Specific/Measurable/Achievable/Realistic/Time Bound

A Goal is simply a promise that you make to yourself, but it is also the PLAN, the projection of your intention to move from A to B, from your current reality to your future reality. The first step to self improvement is achieving our Goals, so set achievable Goals and if you have a big goal, or a long term goals, break it up into smaller, more manageable goals.

Think of a 5000 piece Jig Saw Puzzle and I’m sure you will agree with me it is quite intimidating. How do we get started? Well the most important piece is not one of the 5,000 pieces, it is the picture on the box (vision). Once we have a vision, we need to set some SMART goals and go after them one step at a time.

A good example would be working on the boundary (and not the picture or the final destination), as we have the corners and the straight edges to guide us. As we position more and more of the boundary pieces, we start to get encouraged and from that we get the fuel to continue, so go after your goals one step at a time, one piece at a time.

Over time those small steps become days, become weeks, months and if necessary years and before you know it you will have achieved extraordinary things, you will have become your personal hero.

People often ask me how I have transformed my life and although it’s taken 8 years or more, I achieved it one step at a time, one day at a time. I cannot single out one little thing, or one big thing, but one thing I can say is that achieving the initial smaller, achievable goals I set for myself makes each subsequent task or goal that little bit easier. (My initial goal was to run 20 minutes three times/week without stopping!)

So for me the key is achievable, manageable goals tackled one step at a time and then to persevere, to endure, to commit and to believe that anything is possible.

3. The Road Map

It is absolutely key that you have a Road Map, a blue print, of what you are wanting to achieve and how you are going to achieve it. Knowing where you are (current reality) and being brutally honest with yourself is important and then determining where you want to be (future reality) and how badly you want it is key.

The next step is to try and identify the route that needs to be travelled in order to get to the finish line (future reality).

However, just as in a race a competitor can easily identify the starting line and the finishing line and with a little bit of research the route that needs to be travelled. But, a competitor never knows what obstacles they may encounter along the path and it is how one deals with these obstacles that determine how successful or unsuccessful we may be.

We need to Plan to the best of our ability, but we can only plan for so many obstacles, but we need to be prepared for, or anticipate the fact that their may well be unexpected hurdles that we have to scale in order to achieve our goals.

4. Obstacles 

It’s easy to Dream or to set Goals, as our minds can conceive some very exciting things that we would like to achieve, but very often we have no idea of what it will take to achieve our goals and then as soon as we encounter an obstacle, we back off, we say it’s a lot tougher than we anticipated and we throw in the towel.

Picture in your mind moving/pushing a Grand Piano, in our minds we can see ourselves pushing it from one room to the next and it takes little, or no effort. However, in real life it’s a tough physical ask and it may not even be possible.

When I started my ‘triathlon’ comeback, my point of reference was 10 or more years earlier when I was a successful and competitive triathlete and the training was relatively easy. Fast forward a decade of inactivity and an extra 20 odd kilos and I had no idea what I was letting myself in for. It was far tougher than I had imagined and it would take lots of perseverance and commitment to achieve what I had set out to do.

A combination of inexperience, a lack of research or proper planning could have set me back, but see section on ‘Burn the Boats’ (#5 below) which assisted me to remain focussed, in addition to the fact that I had a strong purpose for wanting to restore my body to its former fitness, as I was doing it in memory of my late stepson Reece Walton, who passed away tragically in 2004.

Fortunately I am the type of individual that when I do make a commitment, I try and find a way to see out my commitment, so even though I was unprepared for what lay ahead, I made steady progress, taking it one step at a time and the days became weeks, months and years and before I knew it I was close to where I wanted to be.

So best you ascertain exactly what you could expect, by consulting a professional, a coach, a guide as there are people with great experience who can prepare you for what lies ahead and how best you can achieve your goals.

Being lucky is when preparedness and opportunity meet, so be well prepared.

Sometimes though you can plan to the best of your ability, but how do you plan for a torn Achilles Tendon (2005), a DVT (2007), a broken collar bone (2010 twice), mechanical failure (2012)? Remember we learn life’s biggest and best lessons not from our victories, but from our failures or how we respond to adversity.

5. Burn The Boats 

We live in an instant gratification society, where we can get most things at the click of a button, or the swipe of a credit card. However the important things in life don’t come easily and we have to endure, to persevere, to commit if we want to make life changing decisions.

I’ve also found that people set goals that are meaningless and can be tossed out of the window in less than a week. A Goal is a promise to yourself and if you can’t keep a promise to yourself then where are you heading with your life?

So best to commit your goals to paper, or stone as in the olden days, then it is a lot harder to change your mind, or to give up on your goals when encountering obstacles.

I learnt of a saying ‘Burn the Boats’ which I try and live by, the short story is of a General who beached his boats when going to war and ordered the Boats be burnt. When asked why he said he wanted his soldiers to know that there was no turning back, no thought of surrendering.

I’ve been criticized in the past for being overly optimistic, for sharing my goals publicly, but I’ve used this to my advantage because when things go pear shaped as they did at IMSA 2009 or Kona 2012, there can be no turning back, no thought of surrender. I was on record as saying I think I can go sub 10 hours in an Ironman, on saying I dream of being on the podium at a World Championship. Imagine I threw in the towel, it’s all very well for being criticized for dreaming big, but I’d hate to be criticized for throwing in the towel.

So when I encounter obstacles they generally fire me up to want to work harder, to strive harder, to persevere and to try and become the best I can be.

As Eric Liddell said “ In the dust of defeat as well as in the laurels of victory, there is a glory to be found if one has done his best.”

 

 

Scott Rigsby’s 5 Key Steps to achieving the Unthinkable:

Scott Rigsby suggests that you contemplate the 5 key steps that he took to cross his finish line and transform his/the world.

1.       Have a Dream:

Nothing can happen until you have something big in your heart that drives you. Your dream is yours alone and it doesn’t matter whether or not the dream seems attainable right now. In fact, searching for your dream may be a process you need to go through before it is fully revealed.  Whatever the path, you must be willing to try and you will know you’re on the right course when that dream becomes bigger than yourself. It will become your passion. Just spend some time thinking about what you’d really love to achieve, and pray For God to begin the process of discovery for you by opening new doors.

2.       Build a Good Support Team:

Big dreamers take big risks and going it alone means almost certain failure. Your support team doesn’t have to include your family, and it may not even include your friends. Find people who can help you on your journey and then ask them to join you. You’d be surprised how often people will step up to help someone achieve a dream. Don’t be afraid to approach the people you admire and ask them for advice or help along the way. If they don’t know you need help, they can’t help you. In my case, finding my support team actually became part of the journey. When you’re doing the unthinkable, those in your camp actually share in the journey with you.

3.       Choose Faith over Fear:

In every situation, you can choose to make decisions out of either faith or fear. We all play self-defeating mind games that define our thinking and perceptions of ourselves and others. When I started my Ironman journey, I had no money and no experience. I was overweight, too old and going through difficult relationship issues. What it all boils down to is that poor self-image and personal negativity are really just expressions of our own fears. Fear is the leading cause of the death of our dreams. The only antidote I know is to choose faith. Faith will lead you to face your fears and point you straight to the core of how to withstand the doubt and uncertainty. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step, even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”

4.       Expect and Overcome Obstacles:

Anything worth doing will present some challenges; otherwise you’d have done it already! However, no matter how much faith you exhibit, the ‘day of trouble’ will come. According to Jeremiah 16:19, that is precisely when God becomes our strength, our fortress and our refuge. Expect that you’re going to face some difficulties along the way, plan for how you are going to address them mentally and physically, and commit to reaching your goal in spite of them. There will days when you won’t feel like putting in the effort, or the conditions may be such that you want to give up. Those are the days when you must push past the fear or pain, for it is the strength you have gained during those days of difficulty that you will rely on when the unanticipated obstacles appear. Training breeds perseverance and instills confidence that you will be able to move past the obstacles, no matter what.

5.       Cross your Finish Line:

Somewhere along your journey, you envisioned what the experience was going to be like when you approached your finish line. Your dream may have taken months, years, or decades to achieve, but the finish line is always there for you to cross. If your mission is truly ‘unthinkable’, then your finish line will be characterized by the following truths:

*Your ‘unthinkable’ finish line was originally inconceivable and unimaginable.

*The line that you must cross cannot be moved closer in or lowered to make it easier.

*Pursuit of your goal will scare you out of your comfort zone.

*Your goal will cause you to doubt yourself, and others will tell you that your goal is crazy.

*The mountain you must climb will be taller than anything you have ever done.

*You will experience many setbacks and failures on your way to success.

Your finish line is where you placed it, and once you get there, you may find that it was the experience of getting there that has made you stronger and more capable of taking on additional finish lines.

You might even find, as I did, that your dream becomes a mission and your mission changes the world. I wish you all the best in living your own ‘unthinkable’ dreams.

Extract from Scott’s book, Unthinkable, pages 251-254: Author Jenna Glatzer

The true Heroes of Ironman?

Ironman….. ‘Anything IS Possible’

We’re on the eve of the 2012 Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and while one marvels at the condition of these seemingly super human Ironman athletes, the true Heroes of sporting events like this often only surface (to the public) on race day.

Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting one of my Heroes, Scott Rigsby! You may never have heard of him and when a good friend, Graeme gave me the book ‘Unthinkable’ in July 2010 prior to my departure for my ‘first’ Kona adventure, I had no idea who Scott Rigsby was.

Nine seconds was all it took. That’s how long it took for Scott’s life to come crashing down around him. Twenty one years later, on October 13^th 2007, it took Scott 16 hours, 42 minutes and 46 seconds to make Ironman history, becoming the first double amputee to complete the Kona World Championships, comprising a 3,8km swim, a 180km bike and a 42,2km run.

Before I tell you about Scott’s tragic accident, let me ask you one question. Are you planning on going to your grave with the Dance still inside of you? Alternatively, what is stopping you from chasing your Dreams, your Goals? Most of us have a fear of failure and this stifles us and prevents us from getting off the Couch, such that we become spectators of life and in some cases, life’s biggest critics.

I know this because I was once there, I was stuck in a rut, I had fallen asleep at the wheel of life and I was like a rabbit in the headlights, too scared to do anything about it. “The common conception is that motivation leads to action, but the reverse is true-action precedes motivation.” Says Robert J. Mc Kan.

I had hit rock bottom and I was waiting to be motivated, but when you are in a rut (or a comfort zone), laziness is a terrible habit and it keeps on knocking, such that months, even years just fly by. Proverbs says, “Hard work means prosperity; only fools idle away their time.” (12:11 NLT)

I confess I was idling away my Talents (and my time) and I was jolted out of my slump when my late Stepson Reece passed away tragically in 2004. I believe that Reece saved my life and hopefully I can inspire others to restore their lives, or reinvent their Dreams by my actions, alternatively by sharing the ‘Unthinkable’ stories like Scott’s with you.

I fully agree with the statement that action precedes motivation, so set some small goals and achieve them as progress fuels motivation. So I would like to encourage anybody who has a desire to better themselves in any sphere of their lives, to take Action and stop waiting for Motivation to waltz into your life, as that rarely happens. Remember it only takes 2-3 weeks to break a habit…..anyway enough of that and let us get back to Scott’s story, as the lesson here is that if Scott could complete this gruelling Ironman in Kona, Hawaii then ‘Anything IS Possible!’

In 1986 Scott was 18 years old and an aspirant sportsman, working a holiday job pre College and riding in the back of a pick up truck that was towing a three ton trailer. When the trailer was clipped by an 18 wheeler Truck, Scott was thrown over the side and dragged an astonishing 324 feet along the baking hot tarmac, before being pinned under the trailer.

Initially his right leg was amputated and after another 26 surgeries, endured over the next 12 years, he had lost his left leg too. Doctors said it would be more than a year before he could ever expect to walk again, let alone run. Heard that before?

Incredibly 9 years later, Scott accomplished the ‘Unthinkable’….. On October 13 2007, after arduous training and battling his mental demons, he became the first double-leg amputee using prosthetics ever to cross the hallowed finish line in the sporting world’s most gruelling and prestigious event, the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

I would recommend taking a read of the book ‘Unthinkable’, which documents Scott’s remarkable journey from the devastating crash that claimed both his legs and from his subsequent battle with depression and alcohol, to the drawing realization that God had a greater plan for his life. The unthinkable courage, determination and faith Scott demonstrated in training for and competing in the Hawaiin Ironman triathlon will inspire and amaze you.

For Scott’s five key tips on how to achieve follow the link below…

http://ironmansa.com/2012/10/11/scott-rigsbys-5-key-steps-to-achieving-the-unthinkable/

The book Unthinkable is authored by Jenna Glatzer.

 

The significance of the 27 year dream

When I started writing my weekly journal, prior to leaving Los Angeles for Kona, Hawaii I realised that it was exactly 27 days until the Ironman World Championships. I stopped to reflect about the upcoming 27 days, as well as the number 27 and I realised that it was quite a significant number in my life.

It isn’t significant because I was born on the 27^th, but because it was 27 years ago in 1985 that I first heard of triathlon and entered a triathlon. In 1985 I think there was only one Ironman, it was in Hawaii and I dreamt of racing it.  At the age of 27 I plucked up the courage to leave the comforts of the teaching profession and head to Europe to attempt some Triathlons, only to injure my knee and return 6 months later without having done a solitary race.

So it was 27 years ago (1985) that I saw a poster advertising Port Elizabeth’s first ever Triathlon, to be sponsored by Total Sports and it would comprise a 1500m swim, a 35km bike and a 15km run.

I can recall thinking, quite  naively, that this event was made for me…. I wasn’t the worst swimmer, I had ridden a bike when I was young and I could run. All I needed was a bike and I managed to get a Le Turbo at a cost of R450 (US$35). Race day dawned and I can’t remember if it was windy, but I do recall the sea being quite choppy, but I was hopeful I could compete against the likes of Jack De Kort, Mark Edge, Ian Walland and a few other lifesavers who had taken up the challenge.

When I saw about 6 or 7 strangers amongst the masses on race day I was worried and started enquiring who they were, only to hear they were the winners of races held in other cities, including the national champion Manfred Fuchs from Durban and Paddy Murphy from Cape Town. To say I was in over my head was an understatement, especially as my biking was woeful, but fortunately the 15km run was my saviour as I made up a 7 minute deficit off the bike to win that day and then I was hooked.

I then set myself a goal of trying to win the Durban Ultra Triathlon,  hoping to qualify for the SA team to the London to Paris Triathlon Relay and the Ironman in Hawaii.

I came close, but never did win the Durban Ultra in 1985, 1986 or 1987 and gave up Triathlon in 1988 to concentrate on the Comrades Marathon. I was lured back to Triathlon, via the Leppin Ultra-Man in 1990, a series incorporating 5 ultra- distance races, including the Durban Ultra Triathlon.  I managed to win the Durban Ultra Triathlon that year, overhauling Jaco Loots and Manfred Fuchs on the 32km run and I was going to go to the Ironman in Hawaii, or so I thought.

Little did I know how much sporting isolation would put paid to that, until I received a regret letter from the organisers and that was the beginning of the end of my sporting career.  Motivation started to wane and competing for SA coastal teams vs inland teams didn’t quite cut it, but as sporting isolation contributed to change and to Mandela’s release from prison I don’t hold any regrets about that.

When we emerged out of the darkness and back into world sport, I was trying to assist the athletes I was coaching to win races and make it to the Olympics. Focussing on the athletes and their needs and neglecting myself is hardly a worthwhile excuse for allowing myself to deteriate as badly as I did, but I ballooned to a Ton and am not proud of that fact.

Most of you know that for me there was a Before and an After moment in my life. Before my Stepson’s tragedy in 2004 I was in a rut and I can assure you it was not a ‘comfort zone’ and since then it has been the After! I started out trying to run 20 minutes three times a week with Richard Sharwood and gradually progressed to running a marathon and then the Ironman. At first it was a case of trying to get fit and then that spark that was ignited by Reece’s passing, became a flame within and as I fuelled that flame with more training and progress it became a burning desire to fulfil a lifelong dream.

In 2005 at the SA Ironman awards evening I wrote on a serviette the words “in 2010 the year you turn 50, you WILL qualify for Kona!” I chased that dream with all my might and even though I did my Achilles and missed the 2006 race, I tried in 2007, missing Kona by one place. Then I had the DVT scare after the 2007 IM and missed the 2008 race. In 2009 I was fit and ready, but self-destructed and ran a 6hr 15 marathon. I recall vividly friends suggesting I give up on my Dream, as they obviously saw that I was trying too hard and I was becoming a little despondent, but I had to keep on trying.

I don’t regret much in life, because the only time the rear view mirror is of value is when you are prepared to learn from your mistakes or experiences, so I prefer to look forward. However, although I didn’t regret the sporting isolation I did regret giving up on my sporting goals a year or two too early, as the opportunities for South Africans in 1992 and beyond were bountiful and I missed every single one, because I had not persevered. So close, yet so far and 2009 was another of those watershed years…. Do I quit or do I push on?

Life is a 10 speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use…. Charles Schultz

Choosing the latter wasn’t easy, as Money Talk had just merged with Consolidated

Financial Planning with new leadership and structures and it also required the support of my family, never mind the fact that I needed to up my motivation and my training. At Ironman SA 2010 I had the race I had been dreaming of and finally qualified for Kona and the Ironman World Championships. This was it, or was it? Due to the generosity of so many friends and triathletes, I was able to go to Boulder, Colorado to prepare and I had worked hard to get myself into shape where I believed I would be a genuine contender in Hawaii. Unfortunately a bike accident (clavicle shattered into 5 pieces)  2 weeks before Kona led to me flying back to SA for a collar bone operation on my 50^th birthday, instead of to Kona to fulfil my dream.

Today is the 2^nd anniversary of that dreadful accident and it’s been two long years since that fateful day, two years of sacrificing, two years of hard training and two years of personal growth. But it’s also been two years of immense sacrifice by my family and I thank them for their support and encouragement; it’s been two years of patience by my employers, my work colleagues and my clients.

So last night we touched down in Hawaii, what a relief to finally arrive on the Big Island as I’ve followed Paula Newby Fraser’s 8  victories, Dave Scott and Mark Allen’s 6 victories and the late Keith Anderson’s effort in those earlier years. More recently I’ve followed Raynard Tissink’s epic efforts and watched Craig Alexander and Chris Mc Cormack win 5 races between the two of them.

The next 3 weeks will be crucial to what happens on the 13^th October, but I’ve learnt to focus on the process, on the journey and not so much the outcome. For me I believe I’m victorious in having finally made it to the Big Island, the next goal is to stand on the start line and take it all in. Thereafter the first goal of any Ironman athlete is to get that sought after finisher’s medal,  although believe me when I say I will give this race my absolute all in an effort to let the world’s best in my age group know that I was present.

Kulia I ka nu’u – Strive for Excellence!

The Sun setting in Kona, Hawaii

Thank You Isuzu

How would you define Success?

In a world where people are often measured in terms of wealth, material possessions or status, how would you define being the Best or being Successful?

A dictionary may define best as “of the most excellent, effective, outstanding or desirable type or quality!” That is a pretty good definition, although it is very broad.

Remember, there is nothing noble about being superior to someone else, the true nobility lies in being superior to your previous self.

So in a material world where far too often we are judged in terms of worldly standards, I thoroughly enjoyed the book entitled ‘The Training Camp” by Jon Gordon.

The book is a Fable about excellence and talks about what the Best do better than others.  There are 11 key lessons and I thought they may be worth sharing, as these are things we can all strive towards in an effort to become better, or more successful. For more on this, follow the link….. http://ironmansa.com/2012/09/04/eleven-traits-of-the-best-of-the-best/

The past week and my final week in Boulder:

As mentioned previously the highlight was the arrival of my Family and it has been wonderful to be able to show them where I have prepared, to introduce them to new friends and show them some of the beauty of Boulder.

It’s been a busy week, with the kids running in the East End 2km, the Boulder Creek 5km and enjoying a tough 3km swim session with Flatirons Swim Coach Wolfgang Dittrich. This afternoon both Camryn and Jamie will be having a personal swim session with 5 times World Champion Simon Lessing and tomorrow they both spend a day at school in Boulder.

Camryn, Dad and Jamie pre the Boulder Creek 5km

This past week was a good week from a training point of view, as I seemed to come out of my little ‘training slump’, the highlight of the week being a 40km bike time trail, with a 10km run off the bike and for me, the numbers were very positive. You see I’m one of those people who are not the best of trainers, in the sense that I generally need and thrive on competition to dig deep and work at a higher level. I’ve always struggled to produce good training sessions (unless somebody irks me), so very often I’m going into races never knowing my true form, but simply putting in the hard yards and believing in my ability to dig deep and fight to the bitter end.

Yesterday (Sunday) I concluded my Boulder training ‘block’ with a 4 hour bike ride up to Raymond and Ward (9,000+ feet) and it’s great to be able to climb for almost 2 hours at an average heart rate of 118, when 3-4 weeks ago the average HR was 30 beats higher. To me that is progress, not sure if it is the acclimatization to the  altitude, fitness improvement or simply taking it easier, but I do know that my brain is able to turn those numbers into a positive. So now it’s time to back off, idle and look forward to a great game of Chess in Las Vegas at the World 70.3 Championships.

I mention Chess, as these races require an inordinate amount of patience and you very often have to react to your opponent’s moves, before striving to knock the Pawns off one by one and seeking that elusive check mate. Also treating the race as a game of Chess certainly helps to take the mind off the real pain that our body and mind has to endure, in order to be able to persevere and  produce our best.

Perseverance is not about talents, nor time…. It is about Finishing!!

Perseverance does not demand more than we have, but all that we have.

Perseverance recognizes life is not a long race, but many short ones in succession.

So while I thought I knew a lot about Sport, I have realized that every day, every training session and in particular every competition presents another opportunity for me to learn more about Life, about persevering, about trying to be the best that I can be. This has been an incredible Journey where I am able to learn more about Him and who I am.

Pastor Bob Richards, an Olympic Pole Vaulter says “people are inspired when they see themselves as they can become and not as they are. It’s when they see themselves, not in terms of their weaknesses and shortcomings or failures….But in terms of what they can be, when they begin to believe they can be what their vision tells them…. That’s when they’re inspired.”

In this sporting Journey of mine I have tried to focus on seeing myself as I could become and no longer as I was and I certainly hope that I have learnt from my experiences along the way and that I could in some small way aspire to the Lessons learnt in the Training Camp.

Incidentally, the Journey has been more rewarding to me than any medals or accolades achieved along the way. In the Training Camp they talk about the Journey being more important than the Destination and that the Moment is more important than any success or failure and I would have to agree with this, as it is the opportunity that is the success and the reward.

“Success is like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when you’re tired,

you quit when the gorilla is tired.” –unknown.

 

Eleven Traits of the Best of the Best

Eleven Traits of the Best of the Best 

 (Extracts from the book The Training Camp by Jon Gordon together with thoughts of my own)

‘Coach Ken knew that Greatness was a Life Mission and that being the best really wasn’t about being better than anyone else, but about striving to be the best you could be and bringing out the best in others.”….. Jon Gordon 

1.       The Best know what they truly want.

-You have to know what you are working toward. It’s very often in the distance, but you need to have a clear vision or picture of it. Bill Hybels in his book Courageous Leadership defines Vision as “A picture of the future that produces passion.”

2.       The Best want it more.

-How do you compare two people and decide who wants it more? Truth be told we cannot measure desire in terms of thoughts and wishes, as virtually everybody has a desire to be better, to be successful. If you are not taking initiative, what is the point of all the ‘wishing’, so you can see who wants it more by a person’s actions.

3.       The Best are always striving to get better.

Almost anybody who wanted to be great will have been striving for or pursuing perfection, with passion. It requires time and effort, but more importantly it requires a willingness to move beyond your comfort zone. If you are striving to be better, then you are growing and if you are growing it is not always comfortable. To be the best, you have to be prepared to be uncomfortable and you have to embrace it.

4.       The Best do ordinary things better than everyone else.

You need to become a master of the ordinary, the basics. Ever read the ‘Outiers’ by Malcolm Gladwell? They talk about practising, focussing and improving the little things every day. They found that what separated the best violinists from the good or average was not talent, but the amount of time spent practising. By the age of 20, the best had practised 10,000 hours, the good 8,000 and the average 4,000 hours. It’s not rocket science, there is no substitute for practice and hard work.

5.       The Best zoom-focus.

To be the best, it’s not just about striving to be better, it’s about getting better by focussing on the right things. It’s not simply about practice, it’s about focussed practice. It’s not just about taking action, but taking zoom-focussed action. When you zoom-focus on the process, the outcome very often takes care of itself.

6.       The Best are mentally stronger.

The good news is that if you are mentally strong, you can become stronger and if you are not mentally strong now, you can develop mental and emotional muscle over time. I think I know this better than most, as I was mentally very weak at school and as a young adult, but I learnt how to deal with my fears and trained myself to become mentally strong. It’s about trying to remain positive when adversity strikes. It’s about being resilient when facing pressures, challenges and change.

7.       The Best overcome their fear.

One has to confront the issue of fear if we are to achieve greatness, it’s the ultimate battle. Far too many withdraw and lose this battle, instead of embracing their fears and going on to achieve their dreams. The good news is you don’t have to do it alone, your friends, your family, your coach are all in the trenches with you.

8.       The Best seize the moment.

They do this because they do not allow their fear to define them. I’ve often quoted Dawson Trotman, who says that the greatest time wasted is the time getting started and the reason for this is because many people have a fear of failure and they are not prepared to try, to understand that every journey starts with a single step. You have to seize the moment and tomorrow never comes, so why not start today? Even if you lose or fail at first, you are one or more steps closer to being better than you previously were.

9.       The Best tap into a greater power than themselves.

John Ortberg talks about the game of Monopoloy where the aim of the game is to Acquire and to be Ruthless, but at the end of the Game, as in Life all the Material possessions go back in the Box and there comes a time when you have to ask yourself what really matters? 

Very often Pride creeps into our lives and we believe we can do it alone. This can lead to us trying too hard, as we try and seek acceptance or love based upon our accomplishments and success. The problem is that there comes a time in your life when you realise that all the material success and accomplishments in the world count for very little and cannot fill the void. It’s a little ironic how Pride can push you to be your best, but often keeps you from it.

But there comes a time when you realize that you cannot achieve, you cannot do it alone and you start to tap into a power greater than you imagined. It’s the hardest thing in the world to do, to hand over control but when we do, it allows us to become more than we wanted to be. It inspires us and moves us to maximise our potential.

10.   The Best leave a legacy.

How does one leave a Legacy? Nelson Mandela left a Legacy by aspiring to a bigger purpose, by making your life about more than yourself. In ‘the training camp’ they talk about moving from success to significance and our Fellowship leader once said life is about striving to move from prominence to significance.

11.   The Best make everyone around them better.

They do this through their own pursuit of excellence and in the excellence they inspire others. One person in pursuit of excellence raises the standards of everyone around them. It’s in the striving where you find greatness, not in the outcome. Being the best doesn’t last. But the person you become and the impact you may have on others are timeless. 

“My spirit and beliefs had never been locked in that Prison. My body could be contained but the story of my dreams could not. He didn’t understand that the only Prison that takes away a man’s freedom is one that doesn’t allow that man to dream.” – Nelson Mandela, who was held captive for 27 years on Robben Island.

THE ILLUSION OF STUCKNESS

THE ILLUSION OF STUCKNESS

Paddy Cloete (Psychologist and Ironman) 

In the movie League of Their Own, that portrays a fictionalised account of the real life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, one of the players complains, “It just got too hard” to which the manager replies “It’s supposed to be hard.  If it wasn’t hard, everybody would do it.  The hard is what makes it great”.  With Ironman South Africa only six weeks out, many of you may be able to identify with the player’s complaint that it is just too hard.

Ironman training is hard.  During the last six weeks there might be times when you find that the going is slow, when you are discouraged and frustrated by your apparent lack of progress.  You might feel stuck, and wonder if you will ever get unstuck.

It is important to remember that as we take the journey through life there is no such thing as being stuck.  It is an optical illusion.  This also true of Ironman training.  There is no more stuck in your training than there is stuck in the growth of a tree, which one can never see growing all the time that it is growing.  There is no more stuck in your training than there is stuck in the dry, grey field in winter, from which a lush carpet of grass and wildflowers will grow in spring.  There is no more stuck in your training than there is stuck in the growth of your child, whom you cannot see growing, yet s/he continues to outgrow their clothes.  Nothing is stuck in nature.  It is all motion, though sometimes very slow motion.

When you feel stuck and you feel like giving up and committing no more effort, know that it is a normal feeling when you have been working hard towards realising your goal.  The excitement of starting to work towards a new goal will eventually disappear and then the reality of the hard work required to reach your goal will appear.  Remember stuckness it is just your perception, an illusion, a feeling not reality.  You are feeling stuck because you are not seeing any evidence of movement and progress, but just like in nature, the absence of evidence of movement and progress does not equate to being stuck, there is movement, you just need to believe and keep going.  Athletes often need remind of this fact when doing a sea swim in tough conditions.  Those unfamiliar to sea swims will often remark that they are going nowhere, to which I usually reply just look behind you and your see how far you have travelled, so just keep going.

I frequently draw inspiration from children’s stories because they communicate valuable life lessons which we as adults tend to forget.  The children’s story of the two frogs in a pail of cream communicates the life lesson regarding the illusion of stuckness beautifully.

Once there were two frogs, a big frog and a little frog, who were hopping across a field on their way to a pond.  In the middle of the field, they came to a big pail and, being curious frogs, they jumped in to see what was inside.  There was cream inside!  The two frogs happened to love cream, so they stayed in the pail and drank their fill.  When they were done, they tried to jump out of the pail, but couldn’t because there was nothing solid in the pail for their back legs to jump from.

The big frog was one of those negative and depressive types, and immediately said, “Forget it!  We’ll never get out of here!  This is hopeless!  We’re stuck!”  But the little frog, who was more of the upbeat, positive, optimistic type, said “Well, it certainly looks like we are stuck, but while we are trying to think of something to do, why don’t we just swim around?  After all, we are frogs!  What else can we do but swim?”

So they started swimming around and around the pail of cream, trying to think of what to do, all the while the big frog complained that they’d never get out of there and they might as well quit.  “I’m so tired,” he said every few minutes.  “I can’t go on”.  “No, no, let’s keep swimming” said the little frog, who though tired himself, was not discouraged.  “I mean, what else is there to do?”

So they kept swimming.  They swam and swam, around and around, for hours, the big frog moaning and groaning about their plight every kick of the way.  Eventually he got so discouraged that he stopped kicking, took one last breath, and sank wearily to the bottom of the pail and died.  The little frog glanced down, felt sad for his friend, but just kept swimming, for many more hours, all through the night, he just kept going, until around dawn he noticed that something was happening … it was getting harder to swim through the cream … it was getting thicker and thicker!  All that swimming had churned the cream into butter!  After another few minutes, the little frog was able to get his back legs on top of the butter and with a great leap sprang out and was free!

The moral of the story is that when you think you are stuck, you never are; some important, though invisible, process is happening within you.  Next time you feel stuck, remember the two frogs and just keep swimming, cycling and running and you will make it to the start and the finish of Ironman South Africa.

Happy training, see you out there!

Recognition to Alter & Alter (2000)

The Road to Kona Week Two (Olympic Theme)

Oscar Pistorious epitomises determination and perseverance

As I’m pretty sure Olympic fever abounds worldwide, I’m dedicating this week’s review to some Olympic thoughts, as some of the performances, some of the stories are helping to motivate me as I prepare for Kona…. Phelps, Le Clos x 2, an unheralded Rowing Quartet, Oscar Pistorious and the Oscar gesture of the Olympic Games by Kirani James after the 400m semi-finals!!

Michael Phelps has taken swimming to new heights and I thoroughly enjoyed watching him being interviewed on NBC, where he spoke about the challenges he faced after his 8 Gold Medals in Beijing. Part of him wanted to relax and for two years he struggled to get going, before trying to get into shape again in 2011. I think the general public have no idea how mentally tough it is to keep pushing yourself, as getting to the top is a lot easier than staying there. What struck me was Phelps’ honesty when asked if he could have, would have changed anything? His response went something like this…..No I got out what I put in and got what I deserved, I have no qualms as I did what I wanted to do after Beijing. He went on to say that he doesn’t want to live a life of ‘what ifs’ and that was why he was at the Olympics 2012.

Motivation to train or prepare is a challenge we all face, including Age Group competitors who also have to juggle family responsibilities and work commitments, which can lead to time restraints. I’m also trying to live a life without regrets and what ifs, hence my reason for chasing a Dream that almost died a chubby death when I fell asleep at the wheel of life. My extreme motivation is aided considerably by Reece Walton (my late stepson who passed tragically in 2004 and was the catalyst that got me going again) and my late Dad, Harry, who was my biggest inspiration.

Talking of Phelps, he certainly did SA Tourism a huge favour when he said in an interview after his record breaking haul of medals, that one of his priorities was to visit South Africa and go Shark Cage Diving (with Chad Le Clos). Talking about Chad, he and his Dad Bert also put South Africa firmly on the map and a lot of that credit goes to coach Graham Hill… well done guys.

From a South African perspective, one of the performances of the Games to date came from our 4 Rowers, moving from 5^th to Gold in the final 500m, wasn’t that brilliant? It just goes to show what happens when you have a crystal clear Dream, or Vision. Bill Hybels in his book Courageous Leadership defines Vision as “ a picture of the future that produces passion”. These four guys had a hunger, a passion and put in hundreds, if not thousands of hours of preparation to cause a huge upset.

Well I’ve left what I believe to be the best for last… the Oscar of the Olympics has to go to Kirani James (current World 400m Champion) for reaching out to our very own Oscar Pistorious. I’d hate to call Oscar disabled as he has illustrated that there are no limits physically or mentally and while he inspires us able-bodied athletes/people, can you imagine what he is doing for those who have any form of disabilities? They are surely starting to rethink POSSIBLE?

Back to Grenada’s James, who not only exchanged bib numbers with Pistorious immediately after the race (the mark of ultimate respect) but he went on to say the following:

“He’s an inspiration for all of us. What he does takes a lot of courage, just a lot of confidence. He’s very special to our sport. He’s a great individual and it’s time we see him like that and not anything else.”

Need one say more and as Marian Hinton said “Surely Pistorius’ story of perseverance, along with Kirani James’ inspirational gesture, are exactly what the Olympic Games are truly all about.” Couldn’t agree more!!

Pistorious said “It just felt really magical. If I could predict what it would feel like or imagine beyond my wildest dreams, this was probably 10 times that. To step out in front of a crowd this massive, it’s a mind-blowing experience. I’ve had support in the last couple of days like I have never felt before.

In terms of Gold Medals won, South Africa is currently lying 13^th on the Medal Standings and while this is turning into arguably our best Olympics yet in terms of Medals, it has also portrayed South Africa in such a positive light. Hopefully our Politicians will follow suit and start illustrating the determination, motivation, perseverance that is required to be world class, while also understanding the need to play the game according to the Olympic spirit!

Should this happen then Nelson Mandela’s vision for the future of the Rainbow Nation would be realized. Will they see the light and contribute to Madiba’s legacy?

PS: I felt like an ‘Olympian’ after my race yesterday (see Boulder 70.3 report http://ironmansa.com/2012/08/06/boulder-70-3-race-report/) as I had a massage, ice bath and compression boots at Allsports Recovery.

By Proudly South African Alec Riddle

Boulder, Colorado

The Kona Dream

Nelson Mandela recently celebrated his 94th Birthday and we will do well to remember the remarkable human spirit and leadership he represents. Just before being released from a 27 year Prison Term, he remarked about the Prison Warden. “ My spirit and beliefs had never been locked in that Prison. My body could be contained but the story of my dreams could not. He didn’t understand that the only Prison that takes away a man’s Freedom is one that doesn’t allow that man to Dream.”
My Kona Dream:
I have finally arrived in Boulder, Colorado after a very tough and soul searching 10 days with 80 days to my dream race the Kona Ironman World Championships on 13 October 2012.

It is 2AM on Tuesday morning in Boulder and Jet Lag is competing me with me for sleep and recovery time, but this year I am prepared and determined to win that battle and many more.
Another huge battle will be the battle of the bulge and yes, even I have to battle what is out there tempting us to enjoy the instant gratification of what is really nice right now. However, if we are to have a chance at reaching our weird and wonderful Goals, we have to be committed, to have Faith and say no to the temptations and yes to the important.
The sports nutrition part is easy as I have access to the finest products around courtesy of Cytosport, but it is the day to day eating, the temptations that are the real challenge. You walk into a Supermarket and there are 100’s of temptations, many cleverly placed near the till points where you end up queing, staring and often succumbing to temptation. I have to keep asking myself W.I.N. (What’s Important Now) and I stare the temptation down and ask if it will take me closer to or further from my goal? Need I answer?
I know I have an opportunity to fine tune my body into a lean, mean racing machine (aim to drop 5kg), but it will take immense courage and sacrifice, but this is the culmination of a 27 year goal and I am prepared to pay the price over the next 80 days. Strangely enough it is like anything in life, if you consciously work at something and focus intently then within 12-14 days it becomes a habit, a way of life and then there is so much positive momentum you start enjoying the process. The alternative is too ghastly for me to comprehend… fortunately for me I have had a very clear big vision picture that helps fuel my journey, to help me bear the struggle, to overcome the obstacles, to persevere through the Valley of preparation, of perseverance and to reach the mountain top.
Many people have asked me how I hope to do in Kona? What if you don’t achieve your Goal having sacrificed so much? This is something that I have thought about immensely over many years and for me it is quite simple, so I will try and explain and hopefully you will understand.
Once upon a time I fell asleep at the wheel of Life (for a Decade) and I ballooned to 103kg, it was soul destroying finding myself in such a rut. Fortunately it wasn’t fatal but you could say I was on Life Support just surviving each day, awakening without excitement, wondering what is next, how will I survive? Unfortunately it took the tragic passing of my 19 year old Stepson Reece to jolt me awake and while he was fighting for his life in Hospital on the real Life Support, I decided there and then to choose the high road, to transform, to dream again and I dedicated this to Reece.
In the words of Jon Gordon in his book ‘Training Camp’ I have a Life Mission.
I want you to know it wasn’t easy and it was a long, long road. You see there is no instant formula for change no matter what the weight loss marketeers tell us with their before and after pictures. My vision was crystal clear if you like and it didn’t matter how long it took, I was committed to trying and I was prepared to take that first step. Setting a Goal and taking that first step requires courage and it requires Faith to persevere through the many setbacks and obstacles that people will encounter while they are trying to achieve their Goals. The key was knowing what I wanted and why?
I think everybody has a desire to achieve Goals but here is the crux of the matter. You can either act upon it and do what it takes, in other words pay the price… the price of sweat, tears, sacrifice and deferment of gratification. You can either go for it, transform and achieve, or you can sit on the couch, watch television, with the knowledge that if you are not consciously creating good habits, you will be defaulting to bad ones. It’s a simple mathematical equation, either you are getting better or you are getting worse. Which do you desire?
Remember that Life begins at the end of your Comfort Zone! To be working on creating good habits is uncomfortable (although only for a very short period…. It takes 2-3 weeks to break a habit) and being uncomfortable places you either at the edge or beyond your comfort zone. Nobody and I mean nobody has ever achieved a goal of significance without being prepared to challenge their comfort zone and while I’ve been challenging mine, it is time to step up the ante and stretch it a little further.
I am ready to seize the moment. I am not going to allow fear of failure get to me, as it did when I was younger and I won’t allow fear of failure to define me. As Jon Gordon says, fear of failure exists, but we can overcome it with Faith.
My faith is growing and hopefully one day my Faith will be greater than any position, time, or performance. Even if I fail by worldly standards I am still on my path (life’s Mission), I still get to learn from the experience and I am one step closer to achieving my Goal.
Even though I have a Vision and a Dream, it is the Journey, not the Destination, that has mattered most to me. I have learnt more from my Journey along the way, than the awards themselves. I believe I have grown as a person, also within sport and business as a result of the Journey. I am no longer thinking what if I win or lose? I am no longer thinking what if I make a mistake, an error of judgement in the race?
However, I am thinking of preparing to the very best of my ability, to seek and spend time in the hurt box and to give it every ounce of sweat I have available on race day, to achieve the very best I can with the talent that I have been Blessed with. My Goal set way back in 1985 was to qualify and participate in the Kona Ironman World Championships and it has been a long hard road, that has almost been derailed a dozen or more times, but I have persevered and with the support of my Faith, my loving wife Michelle, my awesome family and children, my late Father, my work colleagues, my friends and training partners, support from strangers too and the support of Isuzu, who have been unbelievable supporters I look forward to standing on the start line on the 13th October in Kona, Hawaii, not forgetting the loyal support of Orca, Cytosport, Oakley, Online Innovations, Acsis and Action Cycles over the years.
When race day dawns I will line up for the dream race of my life. I hope to define that race with mental strength, with confidence and Faith, with the knowledge that I have prepared to the best of my ability and that I will have left nothing out there and hopefully close to ten hours later I will cross that finish line elated, but finish that race I will and I will define it by knowing that regardless the outcome I will have given my very best. I will be prepared for any hand I am dealt and I will play the game with good or bad cards to the very end. Just being in Kona and crossing that Finish Line will ensure I am a winner (in my mind) and have remained committed to my Goal and have persevered through the Valley of preparation, in an effort to scale my Everest.
I realise that this is my one shot, yet I refuse to focus on the outcome or result of that one shot. I will simply focus on the moment, I will not focus upon the past or the future, I will remain in the moment and focus upon that one opportunity. Success and rewards are merely by products for those who are able to seize the moment and are dealt a playable hand, not for those who look beyond it. Ironically Jon Gordon says to enjoy success you must not focus on it, you must rather focus on the process that produces success.
So to get back to the question of what am I hoping to achieve, well the truth is I am hoping to inspire people, I have no expectations, I will focus upon the process and in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “prepare and one day your chance will come”! So I will plot my plans and I will prepare to the best of my ability, but I do not determine my steps, so come race weekend I will surrender control and accept the cards I am dealt.
Hopefully I will be prepared for any eventuality and just as East London 70.3 could have turned out to be one of my worst days in sport if I allowed the cards (5 punctures) to dictate my destiny, in hindsight it was one of my very best days in sport because I was prepared to take the blinkers off and realise that there is far more to life than winning races. Simply being able to partake is a Blessing we should never, ever take for granted and for me my Life Mission is to encourage others to never, ever give up on your Dreams.
In closing, it gets tough out here and it can sometimes be depressing when you are having a bad day, so please feel free to send me a message, or words of encouragement, they will be greatly appreciated.
Till next week… now let me try and get another hour or two of sleep. Good Night and God Bless.

PS You can follow me on Twitter (@alecriddle) for short, snappy updates/pictures.