For the past couple of years I have been participating in triathlon – a multi-sport athletic event where participants swim, cycle, and run.
Although I am relatively new to the sport, it has become one of my passions. On a regular basis I am asked by friends, family and colleagues “what’s new Dan?” My response is usually “a lot”.
I have made many changes in my life and like to share with others the many things that excite and drive me. I have a loving relationship, great friends and family, I’m fanatical about travel (career breaks/mini-retirements as I like to call them) and oftentimes I bring up my passion for triathlon.
I am currently training for a half-IronMan distance race (1900 m swim, 90 km cycle, half marathon 21 km run) in Panama City, Panama and will likely then take things to the next level by training for a full
full IronMan distance race which is twice the distance.
When I discuss my busy training schedule of up to 9 workouts a week, the 6 am swim times, the 3 to 6 hour bike rides, and the 2 hour runs, most people ask “Why would you put yourself through that?” My girlfriend actually says “I organize my life so I don’t have to run”.
So why do I do it? I usually respond lightheartedly with something like “what did you enjoy most as a child? Swimming, biking and running, eh?”
Well, that is an obvious answer but there is more to it for me than that. For me triathlon has become more of a lifestyle.
I have always enjoyed running but have taken my overall fitness to a whole new level with multi-sport. I enjoy the feeling of being fit and physically strong. Although I would be laughed out of a weight lifting gym, my overall fitness makes me feel confident, as does having less than 10% body fat. For most of my 30’s I was 25 pounds heavier than I am today. Looking back on it now, I feel healthier than at any time in my life and my doctor agrees. My cholesterol is no longer a problem and I feel energetic almost all of the time.
Feeling good has infused an abundance of positive energy into my life. I am far more likely than ever to be productive a person. Whether it is at work, at home, or within relationships I approach most everything with positive energy.
I am less likely to procrastinate and have the confidence necessary to tackle projects or tasks; this has resulted in many successes for me.
Furthermore, when uncertainty creeps in or I don’t feel confident about a task or issue, I reflect on the self-efficacy I have gained from triathlon. This for me has been very empowering and I feel that I am able to accomplish any goal I set for myself. This has increased my overall self esteem, and I notice the benefits on a daily basis.
Participating in triathlon has assisted me to improve many skills. The obvious three are swimming, biking, and running. But it goes much deeper. Within triathlon you work on things such as: producing a training plan, participating in the training, learning proper technique and form, educating yourself on nutrition, recovery, transitions and the list goes on and on. The challenge of getting good at a multi-discipline sport takes years of practice and learning.
Since personal growth and lifelonglearning are passions of mine, it stands to reason I would enjoy these things within sport. Other skills I have improved on are goal setting, time management, planning, and discipline.
Triathlon lake swim start
In order to be successful at triathlon you have to hone your skills around discipline. By becoming a disciplined person I am able to be successful in other areas of my life.Discipline for me means being committed; it is a series of decisions that brings me closer to my goals. Each time I resist the impulse to eat junk food, or skip a workout I know I am becoming a stronger person, with the perseverance I need to achieve what I set out to do.
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Another important thing I’ve learned is how to focus on the task at hand and be in the present moment. When I am swimming it is not helpful to focus on anything but how to swim more efficiently and get to the shore as quickly as possible. There is little benefit from worrying about how tough the wind will be on the bike course, or how daunting the hills will be on the run. Fretting about the things beyond your control wastes energy and takes away from the thing you are doing at the time, which decreases your effectiveness.
Understanding the difference between what we have control over and what we don’t is very important.
Equally important is giving your undivided attention to the task at hand. Focusing on the single activity you are doing will greatly increase the chance of being successful. For instance, when Wayne Gretzky was breaking records in the NHL he was a very focused hockey player. During the game he was focused on making the play that would help his team; he was 100% focused on the task at hand, not distracting himself with the overall result of winning or scoring. In other words, his attention was on the small details.
When we focus on the details at hand they lead us toward our big-picture goals. If you were to study the most successful people at any task, whether it is hockey, triathlon, writing, public speaking etc., the one common denominator would be that those who are successful focus their attention on what they do and don’t succumb to distraction. The present moment is all we really have; it’s all that we truly have control over.
Since I have been participating in triathlon I am a much more focused individual. Can we really afford to be any other way?
I also believe that triathlon has taught me to be a more resilient person. Results don’t lie, neither does the clock. When you don’t train and choose to skip practice and training sessions it will show on race days with poor results and unachieved goals. In order to improve you must consistently push yourself beyond your limits in order to build strength, stamina and endurance.
How does someone get tough? They push through difficult situations (training days), learn from them, and get stronger from the experience. I have had many experiences which enhanced my resilience, such as climbing mountains, cycling across Tanzania,and training in horrendous conditions.
Earlier this year I participated in a half marathon in a blizzard where the footing was icy snow, the temperature freezing and the wind gusts up to 60 km/h. Getting through that experience was very difficult, yet it is also one that I will never forget. The next time I am struggling during a run portion of a race I can always recall that awful “blizzard race” and realize since I made it through that, there is no reason why I can’t get through this.
Resilience can push you beyond your limits, both in and outside of sport. I oftentimes relate demanding training experiences to other areas of life and usually draw the same type of conclusion: “if I can get through that (terrible experience “blizzard race”) then there is no reason I can’t make it through whatever I am dealing with right now”.
Deep down I have the confidence to know my body will respond to whatever I ask it to do if I prepare, train and feed it properly. Toughness and resilience have improved my ability to succeed during trying times. I feel that I am able to achieve the goals I have set for myself in all areas of my life, because I am capable of handling the challenges that will inevitably arise.
I believe that everything we do, we do for a reason! These are just a few of the reasons why I am passionate about triathlon.
By deciding to give “tri” a try, I realized I am capable of more than I imagined I was.
Keep being awesome,
Dan
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