Everybody Wanna be a Beast

Just over a week to go til Ironman Chattanooga! Training is in the taper phase. However, biking 70 miles last weekend and 50 this weekend hardly feels like a taper. But I guess compared to the 100 milers I have done 50 should feel like nothing. I'm feeling ready and prepared with my fitness and nutrition plan, but I do have my moments of doubt that creep into my mind wondering if I can really knock out 140.6 miles. I do my best to push those thoughts out quickly, but sometimes its harder than others. A prime example of this occurred the other night.

For years, actually most of my adult life, I have had a recurring dream that I'm trying to get ready for a sports practice or game, and just cannot get ready. Tasks that I have done hundreds of times with ease, become impossible to complete. It usually starts with me having no clue what my locker combination is, so I work forever to try and get in just to get my clothes to get started. I'll put my shoes on, but then realize I didn't put on socks first. I'll take off the shoes, put on socks and shoes, then realize I never taped my ankles. I'll put on my football pants, only to realize I never put the pads in them. This type of thing happens to about everything I need to do to get ready, and inevitably I never make it to the practice field or game before it is over. This "dream" reared it's ugly head just the other night, although this time it was triathlon specific to this race. I was in the hotel the night before, and couldn't get anything prepared for the next morning and just wanted to get to bed. I eventually just went to bed and was going to finish up in the morning. Well, the next morning I realize that I never checked my bike into the transition area the day before as required, I had not packed any of the 5 bags they give you for your gear, and I was still in the hotel room at 6:30 am and the race started at 7:30 am. These are the dreams that you wake up in a panic, wide awake, and feeling like you are in no way ready for this. But that is when I take a minute, and think back to everything I have done in the past 6 months to prepare to try and convince myself that I, in fact, am ready.

One thing that gets me back on track is watching motivational videos. During the last year of prep, I have gotten into watching motivational videos to get me pumped up. One that I particularly like is a short video by motivational speaker Eric Thomas. For reference, he is speaking to the NC State football team. So some of the things he says is relevant to that audience, but some themes he touches on are universal. Here are a couple of those that I really like:

The Grind - always time to grind. You gotta outgrind, and no one should out work you.

Practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanence.

Everybody wants to be a beast....until it's time to do what beasts do.

Real lions like to hunt. They love the process as much as they like the prize.

A real man in the dark, when no one is watching, is putting in work.

Here is the video, enjoy and get motivated!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASIT7U463Q0