Ironman 70.3 Luxembourg….the bigger picture…
Some of this may surprise you….
I wanted to write this to give you an idea, an insight into how you
too can create an environment in which you can achieve what you
want in less than ‘ideal’ circumstances.
Oh and by the way if you think this is all happy clappy this isn’t
the read you are looking for…..
What happened …..
Incase you don’t know, yesterday, I knocked 53 minutes off the time
i did at the Ironman 70.3 UK back in June this year.
Well done me, high 5 haha!!!
Moving on….
—Why did I choose Luxembourg—-
For me this event was more than just another triathlon, more than
just getting ‘fit’ for something, more than ‘a reason’ to eat well,
more than a ‘goal’ , more than a ‘ focus’ .
It is part of something that takes me closer to what I know makes
me happy, what satisfies my sense of fulfilment , what feeds my
desire to be the best I can on a daily basis , it serves to enable
me to be adventurous and go to places I might never go during my
normal routine.
One of my life goals is to visit three different and new countries
each year…so it fitted that perfectly too.
——Why did I smash my personal target—–
When things got tough I just kept telling myself that the man who
says he can and the man who says he can’t are both normally
right……
It might surprise you that my preparation wasn’t ideal.
Yep I didn’t sleep that well the night before….
Actually listened to Will Smith at 1am talking about ‘ not being
out worked’ …..I love this speech he did on American tv.
I didn’t take time off work to train, I did get stressed and
slightly run down about 9 weeks ago , i did have to deal with the
after effects of a malaria tablet , I couldn’t eat exactly what I
wanted whilst in Cambodia.
I actually missed out on taking full part in a 3 peaks challenge
that I helped organise last week because I wanted to avoid any
accidents …..
There are sacrifices, this was one of them.
But I knew WHY I wasn’t doing it.
I guess a bit like when that person says to you ‘ oh go on….one
won’t hurt’ when you are trying to get your nutrition on the right
track…..
I had to tell myself….. No this might be one too many events in
the week leading up to the ironman.
——Excuses—–
As my coach told me I am not genetically cut out for this triathlon
milarky……. ( polite version)
But what I did do is make the best of what I could.
I am not the most elegant of swimmers, I am too big in my upper
body to be the best cyclist and I am naturally a sprint runner not
a distance runner.
None of which are ideal for ironman but you have to make the most
of what you have.
Coupled with that I do have two businesses to run and an insane
amount of ideas and opportunities thrown at me on a daily basis, to
keep under control which take up a lot of time!
It’s easy to stand here and make all the above statements excuses
and bemoan your genetics, circumstances etc etc
But that’s EASY!
—- A bit like —-
The person who blames their kids or partner for their lack of time
for themselves……. I actually work with people in very ‘ time
restricted’ positions who ARE ’making time’ for themselves each
and every day.
High five ‘ in the face’ to each of them….no doubt some of ‘
them’ are reading this .
—– getting caught up in someone else game—-
I think when we set ourselves targets we need to have in mind what
makes us happy.
Not what you think will make others happy or what would be deemed ‘
socially acceptable’.
B”@£ocks to that!
So if someone’s goal is to lose weight , inches etc….. it really
should be about them creating the body they are happy with not what
somebody else sets as desirable.
——What does success mean—-
It’s different for each and everyone of us…..
For some it’s about raising a family, for others it’s about
business, for many of us it’s about travel, sport , social status,
friendships , academic and self fulfilment.
The point is……being successful at what makes you happy often
comes down to identifying what makes you happy and having the balls
to admit it in the first place.
People think I am crazy getting up at 5:30am in the winter to go
and coach at 6:20am in the dark…..what they don’t realise is that
this is what fires me up, with people i consider part of my
extended family, this is what I love doing!
So the answer to those who think i am crazy is simple, you stay in
bed and keep moaning about how crap you feel on a Monday!;)
For me success at this event was not
about completing, the one in June definitely was, this one was ALL
about being competitive.
I would not have been happy with coming here and just beating my
time.
For me being happy with my result was about being at least 33
minutes quicker than last time…. So I did that and it felt great!
The question you need to ask yourself before choosing your next ‘
target, goal , adventure or any other pseudonym that it may hide
under is a very simple one…….
Why?
OH and then DECIDE when.
Enjoy your day….
Be Your Best
Matt
