Gary’s Fitness Blog

We all need athletic “blinders” … most of the time.

This morning Nikki and I got into an argument during our run. It centered around a workout that I had given the Chicago Marathon group that we were in the middle of completing. I was trying to get a message of “experience” across, while she was trying to get the point of “perfection” across.

In the end, we both had reason to feel frustrated. But the workout ended great and another life lesson was learned while taking part in this endurance lead life.

Upon thinking about this mornings run, I have continued to think about this idea of training with an emphasis on perfection. I am actually in favor of training for perfection, but only within the right mindset. For example, training with a focus on perfect experience and not perfect outcome.

This may seem like an argument in semantics, but I don’t think so. I’ll share more on this subject when time allows, but here’s a quick thought:

Perfect Experience vs. Perfect Outcome

I find that when I become more devoted to challenging an aspect of my own physiology or mindset I obtain a higher satisfaction out of my endurance lifestyle, versus the times that I become focused on obtaining some external outcome (i.e. Boston Qualifying, top 3 age group, etc.). The irony is that I often perform my best when I am able to completely detach myself from those external influences (times, paces) and allow my body/mind to focus on self-perfection in my performance.

This is a fine line (as in today’s workout) when a workout or race is governed by specific external factors. It is difficult but it can be done.

Creating our athletic blinders.

Elaine Breeden is a swimmer at Stanford University that just qualified for the USA Olympic Team in the 100 and 200 fly. Back when Elaine was a swimmer for the Wildcat Aquatics program, I had the opportunity to work with her for a short period of time in one/one and team settings.

At that time there was also some interest in sharing ideas with her about how to prepare mentally for competition, I wrote my “Mental Training for Athletes” article as a response to thoughts that I wrote out to share with her. As time passed, I continued to see personality traits in her (at 14) that I felt were an essential part of her success. I wrote some of those thoughts in a blog post titled, “Personality of a Champion“.

After Elaine qualified for the Olympic Team she was quoted in the paper and interviewed on tv, which lead me to send her some questions regarding her mental preparation. I feel that one thing she said in her reply, really addresses this topic of “perfect experience” vs. “perfect outcome”.

Here is that specific question and answer:

Me: I am really interested in some things that they quoted you saying in the Lexington Herald and in your interview, specifically: “I had my eyes shut and was focused on my stroke” interview after the 200.

Elaine: Closing my eyes is more of a natural reflex while racing than something I plan on doing. Its my way of putting “blinders” on so I think about my stroke, not the rest of the heat.

Most of us do not understand what it means to compete at such an elite level - I don’t. But I can only assume that the temptation to feel motivated or driven by an outcome is significantly greater at that level of performance than any level I have competed in. Especially when your competition is ultimately determined by finishing first or second (and not some personal best).

Elaine’s response is the reminder that I sometimes need. I need to focus on my experience and ultimately the performance will be there and the outcomes will take care of themselves. This is another characteristic of a champion, they understand what they can and can not control - then they perfect what they have the power to manage. In fact, earlier in her response she wrote:

“My focus going into trials was to stay confident and positive and to concentrate on the things I had control of. “

It appears that she is much better at implementing some of the mental training and preparation ideas that I shared with her than I am myself. Not surprising to me. As I have said many times since meeting her, she is very talented physically, but there is something about her personality and character that sets her apart (and she is only 19!).

Elaine has shared some more thoughts with me and I have a few more questions to ask her, but I’m going to wait until she gets back from China.

Seek the perfect experience. Control what you can. Find the blinders you need … and allow the outcome to occur!

I am about half way through a book titled “Beyond Booked Solid” by Michael Port. The book is a business read, but I just read through a section that seemed to apply very well to an athlete’s attempt at a new fitness goal (Remember - Brad says we are all athletes!).

In the chapter, Projects - How to Get Things Done, Port goes through a list of “simple rules to get things done.” Of course the rules are designed to address a business project, but isn’t taking on a half marathon, marathon or a triathlon a project? A project on yourself!

Think of all the management skills you have to use when you begin this journey of endurance: scheduling workouts, relationship building, family management, coordinating outsourced help (from coach, trainer, nutritionist, physical therapist, etc)… it really is a project.

Reading through the list of rules that Port shares, the one that really made me think about this connection was the last rule - “Have a Compelling Story for Your Project.” Let me share a couple quick quotes from that section:

“Keeping your passion and your focus depends on telling and retelling the story of your project” … “[your story] will become increasingly important as you face problems, setbacks, or any type of project breakdown”

Discussing some research by Dan McAdam’s, author of The Redemptive Self: Stories Americans Live By, Port talks about the value of our story to our behaviors:

“.. when we tell our life stories, we are really just telling ourselves who we are and why. McAdams found, for example that successful people often tell a life story characterized by overcoming adversity, connections with others, and a belief in the future. In fact, the narrative themes we choose when we tell our life story may well be diriving factors in our behavior.”

The Direct Application to the Journey of Endurance:

Some of the stories that I’ve heard over the years are pretty amazing.  When I think about the people that give me motivation to continue my own journey, it is because they have had a compelling story.  Here are a couple stories:

- Gordo Byrn - now he is a professional triathlete, finished top five at Ironman multiple times and has a performance lab in his basement in Boulder, Colorado.  But that hasn’t always been the truth, nor was it the story that inspired me to call him my hero in triathlon.  At the age of 30, Gordo was a beginner, just like most of us - with a full time job, etc, etc.  He used to talk often of his process to “come off the couch” and become the professional athlete.  This story is actually the force that compelled a masters swimmer to tell me about him back in 2001, and while the professional Gordo is interesting, the couch to athlete story is motivating.

- Brad (right here at sweat365) -  The title of his blog is pretty revealing, “Fat Kid becomes Ironman.”  Over the past year, I’ve had the ability to read and share in Brad’s story because he has been open to us readers through his blog.  It is a story that many people probably relate to, especially when they decide to take on this endurance project.

There are many more stories that I’ve heard at races, on blogs and lately on podcasts (steverunner, zentriathlon and confessionsofarunner), but one thing to think about when figuring out your own story is this:

Take control of your story.  Define your own path.  Don’t be afraid to dream (and become) big. Be positive.

I have written about the benefit of positive “story telling” in a post I titled:  Talk Yourself into a Better Triathlon Performance.  It was about the thoughts I had after reading Bobby McGee’s book, “Magical Running,” integrated with some ideas that I shared about - Mental Training for Endurance Athletes.

One of the more personal stories that I’ve shared related to self-image and running was a story I shared a couple years ago, Define Yourself (and Be Positive).  The point was of sharing that story is that we will have face our doubters.  We’ll have people telling us we can’t do that because we are not good enough, fast enough, strong enough, healthy enough or anything-not-like-them-enough.

It might be that we’ll have more people telling us that we can’t than telling us we can.  I even had a guy continually telling me I was “running too fast” - “was going to bonk” - “wasn’t going to finish” while running my first marathon.  (Jerk!)

But that’s the secret.  Develop your story.  Define who you are, what you want to accomplish and then share it.  The platform here at sweat365 gives you that ability.  And then sell that story to every person you see.

Micheal Port says in his book, “Never discount the power of the stories you tell about your projects.  Stories articulate why a project is important to everyone involved, and they keep the project on track.”

I’d love to hear your story.  If you’ve already constructed your story - Please share it by posting a link in the comments of this post.  We can all improve by reading other compelling stories.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” - Albert Einstein

I recently began reading the new biography on Einstein written by Walter Isaacson called, Einstein: His Life and Universe. I wanted to read the book to learn some basic facts about the man, but I have also gained some insight into the world of triathlon too. (Of course I had to be looking for it, but hopefully it’s entertaining / insightful none-the-less.)

The first theory of relativity that Einstein provided was called “special relativity.” (He later came up with his general relativity theory.) The take home idea from special relativity is that if there are two objects, determining who is at rest and who is in motion is relative to the “observer” and is not an absolute. The scenario used to best describe this idea was a man sitting in an armchair versus a women in an airplane flying above. In both scenarios the same laws of physics apply, therefore each person (man and women) could consider themself at rest, while the other is in motion. Neither is right or wrong. (Isaacson, pg 107-108).

In triathlon training and racing, I believe a similar understanding of relativity can be valuable. Follow my thought process for a couple steps:

- When training with a group it can be hard to do the training appropriate for you. We ride too fast to keep up or we want the group atmosphere, so we swim a masters workout that does not address an Ironman triathletes’or an individual’s needs.

- When developing a race strategy we make decisions and goals based upon what we would like (hope) to achieve. These decisions are not grounded in the honest assessment of our current fitness levels. (It would be ideal if specific workouts have been completed to assess those fitness levels… check out my last two race simulation posts as my examples: race sim #1, race sim #2). An even more frieghtening scenario is when we start setting race goals based upon our training partners’ race goals, keeping in mind their race goals may not be based upon an honest assessment either.

Even worse…. basing them on ideas, reports and race strategies you see posted at online forums or blogs (even mine)!

The relativity link..

The connection between special relativity and triathlon is that there rarely is a right or wrong when it comes to training programs or race strategies, there is only an appropriate program based upon the athlete (the observer).

When we complete workouts and follow our training partners’ lead we may be involving ourselves in a scenario that leaves us sitting “at rest” while our partner is reaping the benefits of the workout and maintaining momentum. The program has to be based upon the individual athlete to know for sure that progress is occurring. After all - it’s all relative.

Special Ironman Wisconsin 2007 Note:

I wrote this blog entry last week, but last night (8/10/07) found myself in the middle of a conversation that made me understand this idea a little better. A group of us doing Ironman races in September were sitting around eating at a local resturant, naturally the conversation lead to: How much training we were currently doing, How much training we would do ‘x’ weeks out, etc. I almost began to have an internal anxiety attack, because I came to the “realization” that I wasn’t doing enough.

It took a few minutes before I remembered this topic and understood that I was getting caught up in someone else’s experience. Their experience was robbing me of my own. I took on the attitude that what they were doing was right and therefore my experience was less-than-positive.

I pulled myself out of that place quickly and thought back to the positives that I personally have had lately. I also realized that if I was doing the training they were talking about (25 hour specific prep weeks) I would be left to heaps of dust come September 9th. Perfect for them, not reasonable for me.

How do we know if we are “at rest” or “in motion.”

There are ways that we can set up a program that encourages us to learn about ourselves enough to make those “honest assessments.” Here are several that I’ll share now:

- Races: A race is not only exciting, but a great testing ground to see if we have improved our fitness. Use shorter races strategically placed to enable yourself to make several observations throughout the year. Alan Couzens wrote a recent piece that includes an analysis of Jack Daniels’ Formula and using racing as test. (Use the link and check it out.)

- Fitness Tests / Test Sets: Set up your own fitness test and test regularly. Gordo has talked a lot over the past year about his 3 mile aerobic run test. Some things that I use are:

• –> 3 Mile Aerobic Run w/heart rate
• –> Thursday 6.3 mile group run w/heart rate
• –> 10 x 200 yard main set
• –> 4000 meter time
• –> North Middletown Bike Ride w/out and back, heart rate/time
• –> Valley View Ferry Climb time

- Meditation: I realize this may appear to be non-physical. It may or may not be, but one thing that regularly practicing a mindful state does is open up your awareness so that you can become more aware when you are training. Instead of looking at your training partners’ performance for validation of yourself, you maybe more comfortable looking within your own ability. (I do this well in training, not so well in the day-to-day).

Final Question:

Are you “in motion” or “at rest”? Remember, don’t confuse movement and progress!

It has been a long time since I made an effort to consciously work on
my mental approach to racing. The last time I remember doing anything
consistently regarding my mental approach to health, fitness or racing
performance was the 2003 season.

That season happened to be my most consistent year from a performance point-of-view and one of the healthier years in my life. Here are some thoughts that I shared back then: Mental Training - for endurance athletes.

Now that I have neglected this focus for some time, I’ve been reading some new
materials, re-reading some old books, going back through my journals
and just trying to re-establish some old practices, such as my mindfulness meditation practice.

It has been an effort, just like any positive behavior change - I guess.
What I would like to do is start sharing some of the thoughts and ideas
I am having and trying to implement.

Here’s the first idea: Talk yourself into a better triathlon performance.

I just read Bobby McGee’s book, Magical Running : A Unique Path to Running Fulfillment. If you have ever wanted to move beyond the typical sports psychology ideas, then I would suggest that you pick
up the book and work through it. It reads more like a workbook than a
text book and the practice is worth the time in my opinion.

The chapter that I seem to be going back to again and again is chapter two
- “Affirmed Running”. The shortest explanation of the material is, we
are who we say we are. And this is in a very literal sense. This means
that the words and vocabulary we use to describe ourselves is who we
will become.

As I take the effort and give attention to my vocabulary, I notice some interesting things. One thing that I’ve noticed is that I always describe myself as a slow/weak/poor/terrible swimmer. This self description of my swimming has become habit over the years and is so common that it has become almost a joke to myself. The interesting aspect is that by characterizing myself in this way, others’ perception of me is one of a poor swimmer too.

There are two aspects to this concept that I see:

1. Self-fulfilling prophecy. When we talk about ourselves in specific ways, our behaviors will commonly reinforce those attitudes. This results in our reality confirming what the perceptions of our “Self” has always been.

I usually describe myself as a poor swimmer, therefore I don’t enjoy swimming. That attitude means that I often skip a swim to go run/bike or anything else. The lack of swimming reinforces my perception because I don’t swim enough to improve my ability.

2. It doesn’t have to be a conscious vocabulary. The example of my swimming attitudes and behaviors is easy because it is a fairly observable behavior and apparent in my conversations. But what about the conversations that I have within myself that I am not consciously aware of? Are there negative discussions about who I am, what I have become or what I want to accomplish that I am not aware of?

What about this example: A triathlete begins their training as a young adult and works themselves into great shape over a period of 5 years. They set a goal to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Kona and it is a real possibility for them. As the race nears, they continue their efforts towards their goal, but then begin to have a little self doubt. They notice thoughts creeping in that don’t support their goals. Things like,

“You can’t compete against people who have trained for longer”

or

“Your competition has been doing this since childhood. How can you compete with that?”

The thoughts seemingly come from nowhere because the athlete is naturally a confident person in all areas of life. The idea here is that sometimes there may be some thoughts that are implanted or ingrained into our thinking that are not the way we perceive our self.

The key that I am learning is that positive self affirmations are an activity we need to participate in whether we think we need to or not.

Bobby McGee mentions in his book that we don’t have to even believe the things we tell ourselves. Why? Because the subconscious mind is not a logical mind, it will believe and/or absorb whatever we feed it. It then leaves the conscious mind to do the analysis. This is a great lesson!

This idea isn’t only valuable within athletics. I’ve seen positive affirmation activities used to improve one’s health too. Specifically, I remember a discussion where a cancer survivor made it a habit to look at herself in a mirror everyday and speak positive affirmations about her cancer. The one I recall her saying was,

“My body is cancer free”

It didn’t matter to her if it was true or not. She was trying to create a new reality.

Sharing my current affirmations:

I sat down and wrote a list of current statements that I wanted to keep in front of me on a regular basis. Here they are:

- I am a STRONG Swimmer.
- I am HEALTHY!
- I prevail and persevere when others do not.
- I have a DEEP fitness built from 9 years of training.
- I train wisely.
- I always race well and according to plan.
- I only have to be excellent in this moment, this breathe, this step, this stroke, this pedal stroke.

That’s the first lesson on mental training I wanted to share. Here are two activities for you to do:

1. Make your own list of 5 positive affirmations about yourself.

2. Hang that list where you can see it daily or share it with someone who
is supportive of your goal. Share it here in the comments if nowhere
else.