The hardest workout of my life. . .

I know all of you out there have heard someone talk about the hardest workout of their life or the hardest thing of there life and once they get going the challenge that was set before them wasn't really that hard, but it was a mental wall they had to climb. Today I climbed that wall.
My schedule got rearranged (like they always do) and I had to double up on two serious workouts back to back if I was going to meet my training goals for this week. At 6:30 am Natalie and I left for our ride, nothing too serious, 17.12 miles and we maintained a 4:30/mi. pace which is pretty good for us right now considering we are riding these distances on mountain bikes! Anyways, as we are getting closer to the end of our ride and approaching our apartment I start to complain, "I wish I was the one getting ready to go to work instead of having to run ten miles" and Natalie answers me, "Yeah right, I'll take that run any day".

Now for those of you that know me I have always been a really good short distance runner. In high school my sister gave me the nick-name "midget" because in comparison to the other runners my build and the way I ran made me look like a midget, but I've always hated going for those long runs. Anything over three miles was laboriously intensive and I didn't want anything to do with them. Once we made our mind up to do this ironman thing I knew that I would have to change my outlook, but that it would be hard. So there I was this morning after having finished a pretty intense ride tying my shoe laces and putting on a purple bandana to get ready for this run.

Natalie and I have a policy that we don't ever run with ipods when we run together, because sharing the pain is part of what this ironman thing is about, but I was going out alone and I decided to bring along some audio of some great speakers that I needed to catch up on. I got it into my mind that I would just pace myself and finish. That was the most important thing I could do, finish. So I kissed Natalie goodbye and was out the door on my way.

Two miles in I felt pretty good until I had to hop the fence to get onto the horse trail (nice packed dirt trail, great for running) and I almost fell backwards trying to get over the fence. My legs were wobbly and I almost keeled over. On my second attempt I made it over and started my run again. Mile four: I'm hot, I've soaked through my shirt and sweat more than I knew was in me. My bandana couldn't keep the sweat from my eyes but I pushed harder. When I got to the first water fountain on Bolsa Chica State beach I stopped my watch, took off my head band soaked it in cool water, hid in the shade for two minutes, then I started again. My body temperature was not able to regulate itself any longer. I was burning up, so I knew that I needed to cool my body down every few miles. When I reached mile seven I was so tired and overheated that I though I might have to call a taxi!

I've playing in Rugby tournaments, I've run races, swam races, competed in Soccer tournaments and worked 10 hour days on Ranches and building pools, yet here I was faced with my greatest challenge to date. I made a decision there to finish even if I had to stop in the shade ever 100 yards. I would stop my watch every time I stopped and not advance any further until my watch was started again. What I knew then, and what I am sharing with you now, is that if I could finish this workout, as hard and challenging as it might be, then I could finish the ironman I have set in my sights next may.

I do have to give some credit to Bill Orender and his talk titled "Driven by your Goals", seemed like the perfect thing to motivate me through this run, but it is important to know that I am not a good distance runner and that it still stands as a major challenge to me and I'm sure it always will, but perseverance and perspective are two majors factors in achieving any goals. It was important for me to persevere, but more importantly the perspective I have now at this stage of training allowed me to realize that I couldn't fail, I was beyond that point. Four weeks ago that would have been a different story.

Lastly it is important to set your goals. Every week Natalie and I sit down and write our goals out, "Think in Ink" so to speak and every week we try to hit those number. Without those goals there is no point in training, or doing anything else. Make goals and stick to them, you'll see what you can really achieve!

I've wanted to quit several times, not just during the workout, but the whole thing, "stupid Ironman" I'd say, but that not it, its stupid Troy for not believing in myself. Have a great day! I hope you accomplish all you set out to do!