TRIATHLON TRAINING IN NICARAGUA

Posted on 1st February 2012 in CAREER BREAKS - MINI RETIREMENTS, TRIATHLON

Riding down a stretch of freshly paved asphalt I see the sun rising, while overlooking local farmers working in their peanut, yucca, and sugar cane fields. Glancing to the left I see a series of eight volcanoes, none more ominous than the one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Central America and its smoldering, gaseous fumes, San Cristobal.

What’s a guy from Winnipeg, Canada doing riding a bike in Nicaragua in January?  Well, it all started as a rough idea about six months ago.  I travel each year to a different continent to explore different countries and cultures, and what they have to offer.

Training in the midst of an active volcano, San Cristobal

As a triathlete I am an active person, so my travel plans always include some sort of active adventure. For instance, in 2011 I rode a mountain bike 1000 kilometers across Tanzania, followed up a few weeks later with summiting the tallest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. In 2010, I mountain biked and trekked into the ruins of Machu Pichu, Peru, and in 2009 I trekked into the Everest Base Camp in Nepal.

My plan this year was to somehow combine two of my greatest passions, which are traveling and triathlon.  I had few parameters other than my preference to avoid as much of the cold Canadian winter as possible by traveling during the winter months.

An online search for half-Ironman races led me to quickly conclude that the half-Ironman (1.9 km swim, 90 km cycle, and 21km half marathon) triathlon in Panama City, Panama on February 12, 2012 was going to be the one. I have long been interested in Central America and thus a plan was born. There were logistics that needed to be figured out (time away from my career, support from family, developing a training plan, pre-training) but I was convinced this could work out.

A few month later and here I am, basking on the beautiful beach of Las Penitas, Nicaragua after a terrific training ride of 120 km. Las Penitas is about 110 kilometers northwest of Nicaragua’s capital city, Managua.  I have been training (swimming, cycling, and running) on the beaches and roads of this sleepy little fishing village for almost two weeks and it has been a terrific experience to say the least.

I feel like I have found a little slice of triathlon training heaven; who would have thought that something like this was possible in Nicaragua? Click here to read more.. »

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HOW TO CREATE CAREER BREAKS (Sabbaticals)

Posted on 20th January 2012 in CAREER BREAKS - MINI RETIREMENTS

Career breaks or “mini-retirements” are gaps in a persons work career which last between 6-12 weeks, multiple months in some cases, or even up to a year and beyond.

They differ from routine vacations or holidays for several reasons. The duration of most vacations usually last from 1 to 3 weeks and has the intention of “recharging your batteries” and escaping ones routine life for a short period of time.  Saving money and looking forward to a 1-3 week holiday each year just didn’t cut it for me.

I was not willing to forego the freedom of “retirement”-type experiences until I was 60 years old.  To me, the idea of deferring freedom and fun for 30-40 years of work was too limiting.

I have many passions I want to pursue and I know how much the world has to offer, and I wasn’t content with putting all these off until later. I made the decision to do what I could to incorporate my passions into my career years, and not too see work and freedom as a matter of either-or.

Since I embarked on my first career break of 5 weeks in Australia in 2005, I have been taking at least one “mini-retirement” per year (sometimes 3 in 2 years) to travel the world for several weeks.  Earlier this year I spent 7 weeks in Africa and I am about leave on my next adventure on what I call “mini-retirement # 8” for an 8 week hiatus in Central America.

 

I consider myself a self-made career-break specialist.  Becoming one did not happen over night.  It took me several years to learn and understand the intricacies about travel, planning, purpose, and how to get away from my career for extended periods.  The question I asked most often is “how do you manage to get the time off from your career?”  My answer is usually something like “I make it happen”. Click here to read more.. »

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TOUR d’AFRIQUE EXPERIENCE

Posted on 20th December 2011 in CAREER BREAKS - MINI RETIREMENTS

Earlier this year I was on my way to Africa with a vague plan.  Each year I pick a different continent to explore and focus on doing things which excite me.  My travel usually involves adventure type stuff as I enjoy both physical and mental challenges.

I had about 6 weeks to spend in Africa and I wanted to become certified in SCUBA, climb to the summit of the tallest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro, experience a wildlife safari on the Serengeti and take in the culture of Africa.  I was able to enjoy each of those experiences, and a few more adventures, but in a completely different order than I had envisioned.

While in the Switzerland at the Zurich airport I met a wonderful person named Prisca Oluoch as I waited for my connecting flight to Nairobi, Kenya.   Prisca is a university professor at Strathmore College in Nairobi who was returning home to Nairobi from a speaking engagement in Spain.  We got to talking about her speech and soon
discovered that we had a lot of things in common and while sharing many similar values and perspectives.

Once our flight arrived in Nairobi Prisca had me set up with a taxi and gave me her contact info suggesting she might be available to show me around her city in the coming days.

I got situated in downtown Nairobi and was so excited to be in the heart of Africa for the first time (second time in Africa as I travelled to Morocco a few years ago).  It had been a very long day of flights and connections from Canada (about 30 hours) so I was happy to get some rest.

As it turned out Prisca and I were able to reconnect the following day as she agreed to meet me for a meal and then show me around.  At some point during our meal we began discussing her passion in cycling and my passion in triathlon.  Prisca shared that she loved to ride with friends in a group and that cycling was less common in Africa due to lack of money, bikes, bike shops, mechanics, parts etc…

Prisca explained that she was part of Wheels For Africa Kenya which is a group that is attempting to grow the sport of cycling in Kenya. One of the initiatives Prisca was coordinating is the attainment of bikes from North America and Europe. Prisca was in the midst of a partnership with a bicycle tour company named Tour D’Afrique; a company that provides supported rides across the globe.

It just so happened that Tour D’Afrique had a group of cyclists arrive in Nairobi that day.

Prisca asked if I minded joining her as she needed to meet some people to discuss their initiative; I agreed.  As we arrived at the fenced camp I noticed over 90 tents set up on the grounds and several huge trucks out back.  It occurred to me that a group of people were actually on this epic 4 month voyage riding 12,000 km’s diagonally across 10 countries of Africa from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa on a bicycle.
Click here to read more.. »

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PERUVIAN HOUSE PROJECT

Posted on 28th November 2011 in HELPING OTHERS

One of the most rewarding things I have ever been a part of was a house building project in a small town of Chinchero just outside of Cuzco, Peru. For me it all began when I received an email from my dear friend Tal Gur while I was travelling in Brazil.

The following is a condensed version of what Tal’s email read:  Hi All, As some of you know I’m in Peru right now and plan to stay here a few more weeks, mainly to help locals who lost their homes in recent floods. I need some help. Well, not me personally, but a family I have got to know.

A week ago I volunteered with a group of travellers ripping down and cleaning the remains of homes in a tiny village near Cusco that a friend of mine found during a motorcycle trip. It was quite a devastating day; houses collapsed, furniture covered with mud, broken toys lying on the ground, torn books & ripped clothing everywhere. Memories lost forever.

At the end of the day the old man who owns the house started crying like a baby in my arms. When we left he just stood there in his torn clothes sobbing his eyes out, looking a bit embarrassed. He asked us to come back; he was actually begging. Some of us went back the next day but most will be continuing on with their trips; I’ll be the only one who can help this family.

The Peruvian government has to deal with more than 10,000 people who lost their homes so this poor family can forget about getting any local assistance. 

To be honest, you wouldn’t let a dog or horse live in these conditions. Imagine everything you have is taken away. Imagine sleeping inthe cold. I have been seeing it all week and it really puts things into perspective.

I went back yesterday and made a list of what they need in order to rebuild their house and also to give them some food so they can survive the coming months. I then checked with some people here: A small metal roof for example, cost only US$10… I’ve currently collected $100 to help build a house and to help the family survive the coming months.

If you are able to offer any help, or if you know anyone in Cusco’s area who can join this life saving project, or even if you just want to drop me a line, please do so. In any case, I hope all’s well wherever you are Much love from Peru, Tal Click here to read more.. »

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WHY TRIATHLONS?

Posted on 12th October 2011 in EXPLORING OURSELVES, TRIATHLON

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. Click here to read more.. »

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SETTING OURSELVES UP TO SUCEED

Posted on 18th September 2011 in EXPLORING OURSELVES, ONE DAN'S OPINION

I believe that each of us is moving forward or backwards in life, never stationary.  The word stationary suggests being motionless, still, or frozen all of which are contradictory to moving ahead. Thus if we are not moving ahead, we are actually regressing.

The speed at which we are moving is different for each of us and changes fluidly over time depending on the amount of energy we invest, the motivation we have, and our commitment to learning.

There are many ways in which we learn.  Some find direct teaching by others to be the most effective, while others prefer to learn from their own experiences through trial and error.  Regardless of how we learn it is important to understand the influence others have on our learning; who we choose to surround ourselves with is very important.  One of the most effective ways to learn is through the role modeling and instruction, which can happen with coaching or mentoring.

So how do we choose a proper coach, role model or mentor?  It would likely be a good start to find someone who you respect, trust, and admire, and who shares likeminded values and passion for the subject at hand.  Another important aspect is to seek out someone who is knowledgeable in the area and an expert with the skill.

So what’s next?  How can I set myself up to succeed?

I believe that in order to learn something and get good at it you must consider the following three areas: structure, motivation, and skill/competency. Click here to read more.. »

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MY START IN TRIATHLON

Posted on 18th August 2011 in CHANGE, EXPLORING OURSELVES, TRIATHLON

My home town of Morden, Manitoba has the longest running triathlon in Manitoba, Canada and I have been intrigued with the sport since I first volunteered and participated on a relay team (run leg) as a high school student.

For me it was a good experience but unfortunately I allowed myself to be limited from triathlon due to a fear of swimming.  Although I could swim (barely), I thought it was too difficult of a skill for me to learn properly; thus I couldn’t do it because “I am wasn’t a swimmer”.

This thinking error prevented me from getting involved in a sport which I was interested in. I had this belief blown out of the water by a friend of mine over a cup of coffee in Dharamsalla, India.

My friend had completed an IronMan and many other distances of triathlon so we began discussing the sport.  He sensed my excitement about participating in triathlon one day but I explained my reluctance with swimming and my belief that swimming was something I “couldn’t do”.  My friend asked “if you want to do the sport why don’t you learn how to swim?” to which I responded “yeah, I should do that someday”.  He then asserted “you just said should; why don’t you make a promise to yourself and do it?”

Right then and there I took on his challenge and set a goal to participate in a triathlon within the next few months. Click here to read more.. »

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BEING AGITATED IS SO AGITATING – Why Me?

Posted on 12th July 2011 in EXPLORING OURSELVES, ONE DAN'S OPINION

We all become agitated from time to time. In fact, I become agitated everyday for one reason or another.

Oftentimes its small inconveniences which irritate us, while other times it’s something more serious. One thing I know is that I become agitated much less often than I used to. Maybe it’s a sign of getting older, maturation, or possibly something more has happened?

Are there any tricks or skills we can use in order to reduce agitation?

For me it has been rooted in the following:

Avoidance. Once we become aware of the people, places, things and thoughts which agitate us we can choose to avoid them. Avoidance is a good first strategy but doesn’t always work as agitation will eventually surface because we can’t avoid everything which annoys us forever. Chance meetings and automatic thoughts are a couple of reasons why avoidance will not work by itself. Click here to read more.. »

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COPING WITH STRESS

Posted on 3rd June 2011 in CHANGE, EXPLORING OURSELVES, ONE DAN'S OPINION

Now and again we see advertisements or read articles about how to cope with stress. If you do “such and such” you’ll manage stress more effectively or if you do “this and that” you’ll cope better.

What is stress anyways? Where does it come from? And why is it that a situation can be stressful for one person, and not another?

Let’s consider the following for a minute. For instance, if my girlfriend were to be on the way to an important meeting she needed to be on time for and happened to get a flat tire she would experience a large amount of stress.

She would perceive the situation to be very demanding; on a scale of 1-10 (1 being low stress and 10 as very high) she’d likely be a 7 or 8. Furthermore, her perception of her own ability to cope with the flat tire would also be stressful as she doesn’t have the knowledge or skills of how to quickly change the tire herself and still be on time for her meeting.

Although she is an excellent problem solver and would be able to call for help or utilize AAA, these options would likely take more time than she has to make it to her meeting on time, thus stressing her out about her perception of how to cope with a flat tire at a level of 7 or 8 again. Click here to read more.. »

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Dan McCaughan

Posted on 10th May 2011 in ABOUT DAN, ONE DAN'S OPINION

My name is Dan and I believe that it is my choice to create a fulfilling life for myself.

I challenge myself daily to make decisions and choices which contribute to a rewarding and satisfying existence. I follow my passions with unrelenting desire and it is my hope that by sharing my experiences others might be motivated to do the same.

Hopefully you will find something helpful within this blog which inspires you to bring to life your own vision of happiness and fulfillment.

Understanding that a rewarding life is a matter of choice has not always been the case for me. Several years ago I found myself struggling through life. It was apparent to some, but most had no idea of the discord I was creating for myself. I felt stuck in an unfulfilling job, had a tumultuous relationship, was living an unhealthy lifestyle, and was conflicted by the contrast between what society expected of me and what I really wanted. I began to realize that most of my relationships were lacking in substance and that I was floating through life, not experiencing much meaning.

Things changed when I began to take full responsibility for my thoughts, emotions and behaviours. I began to self-monitor my attitudes and beliefs, while reflecting on my purpose in life. I was displeased with the way I was conducting myself so decided to make some major changes and live life differently. I began to challenge my limiting beliefs and live my life with intention. That meant making changes in lifestyle, career, and friendships which weren’t serving me well. I made a conscious decision to cultivate a fulfilling life through purposeful and meaningful living.

Becoming introspective has been liberating for me. I started seeking new challenges, striving to achieve them, and found I was exceeding my limits.

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Each of us has the opportunity to create the fullest, most satisfying life we want in this world. Having dreams and pursuing them with passion is up to each of us.

Challenge yourself to expand your boundaries, dispel your limitations and get what you really want out of life.

Write your own story, you deserve it!

Make it happen,

Dan McCaughan

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