"Just finish" as a goal (Page 3)

Thanks for the discussion. 

1)  Please refrain from personal sparring/attacks (that's the stuff that gets threads deleted)

2)  It isn't about whether someone's goals are worthy or not worthy.  It isn't my place to tell you what your goals should be, and if you re-read my original post, I NEVER did that.  What I did is take a frequently stated goal to a logical but absurd place (doing your own 140.6).  Why does that threaten so many people?  If you want to go out and do your own 140.6, I'll gladly call you an Ironman (this may offend those who want to protect the sanctity of "Ironman" as some special designation reserved for some elite fraternity, but I'm not worried about those people). 

Again, if you re-read my original post, there are lots of IF's including

3)  Failure is acceptable.  Sometimes we don't meet a goal, and most of the time, it's OK.  We shouldn't be so afraid of failure that we risk success.  There's a reason they give out finisher's medals at the end of the race instead of the day we sign up. Priorities change, catastrophe strikes, adversity builds and the future is uncertain. 

I have a lot of respect for anyone who shows up ready to race.  I have a lot of respect for those people who get pulled out of the race (injury, cutoff, etc.).  I have a lot of respect for people who stop themselves rather than risk a bigger goal (read some RR's where the author DNF'd or the threads where a poster is anxious because they know they can't or shouldn't try to finish the whole race and so should they even start it).  I have a lot of respect for people who do a race in 5 hours instead of the 3 hours they're capable of because they're supporting someone else in the race.  I have a lot of respect for people who finish the race smiling, whether it's the front, middle, or DFL. 

I'll end this post with two challenges: 

1)  Start nurturing and developing those Super Secret goals (the ones that you really dream about) and quit fertilizing the "just finish" goal. 

2)  Go rejoice (post) on a thread where someone hit a goal and is so excited they just have to share it with the BT community. 

Here's my morning contribution: 

"Just finish" can be that precious gem you find in the debris when your plan blows up.  It can be a perfectly acceptable outcome. 

I understand Fred and I know you would never intentionally offend anyone.  I agree that we should all do our best on race day....leave it all on the field...spend everything we have before we cross the finishline.  Not everyone wants to pay the price to go sub-12 in an IM and that's ok.  We all have different  levels of ability and committment and that's the reason you see IM finish times from sub-9 hrs to 17 hrs.  Think about that...that's an 8 hr + window. 

Good civil discussion for the most part.  :-)

~Mike

I'm going to get into the coaching business, and I'm willing to take you on as the first client in the revolutionary "McFuzz's Just Finish" Ironman training program free of charge.

The training plan is pretty simple.  Swim twice a week, building up to a long swim of 4000-4500 yards in a wetsuit (ideally, breastroke so you can sight well) but don't risk a shoulder injury with too many yards.  Practice going slow so you don't overheat.  Ride a couple times a week on the trainer (can't have you jeopardizing your goal with a potential bike wreck) building up to about 7 hours in the saddle.  Throttle back to about 15 mph because that will reduce the chances of GI issues.  Run on the treadmill at least 30 minutes 3 times per week at a 13-minute/mile pace and walk 4-5 hours at least once a week.   Stretch properly and you shouldn't have any issues with tendonitis, PF, or ITBs on this plan. 

Race-day execution is a little more involved. 
When the cannon sounds, pause for 5 minutes and say a prayer grateful that you are healthy enough to compete and there are volunteers, spectators, and fellow athletes sharing your experience.  As long as you're praying, include a short request for nobody to get hurt during the day.  (This also gives the crowd time to get ahead of you so you're not mixing it up in the crowd and risking an injury or swallowing too much water.)  Target coming out of the water at 2:00. 
When you get to T1, pause for another prayer grateful to have finished the swim.  Change into the comfy bike clothes.  Before you head out of T1, check off your preparations against the checklist so you didn't forget anything, hit the port-o-john, and say a quick prayer for a safe bike ride for you and your competitors.  If all of this takes 15 minutes, you're still on track according to the plan.  Now go start riding.  I don't want you riding any faster than 20 mph (risking a crash) and stay as far away from other cyclists and weird things in the road (like signs ).  Keep your average around 15 mph if possible so your tummy doesn't get upset.  Don't be afraid to stop and use the port-o-johns throughout the day.  If you average 15 mph (7.5 hours) and  spend another half-hour taking care of business, you'll still be 15 minutes under the bike cutoff.  You should be rolling into T2 with a nearly numb butt, but a full tank for the "run." 
In T2, say another prayer that you were able to successfully complete the bike.  Change into your comfy running gear.  Review your T2 checklist and head out for the marathon.  With a 15-minute T2, you have a generous 6:30 to get through the marathon.  Run at the 13 minute/mile pace as much as you can, but don't be afraid to walk the aid stations to get food and water.  You only have to average 14:53 to finish before midnight.  Remember, your goal is to (officially) finish, so you don't want to do anything to jeopardize achieving that goal.  Be sure to thank the volunteers, officials, and spectators.  I'd encourage you to say an encouraging word or two to every triathlete you see during the course of the day.  Collect your finisher medal, but before you pose for the finisher picture, pause and say another prayer for a successful and fun day. 

I'm confident with your current fitness, you'd be ready to start today and I know you have the discipline to execute this plan perfectly.  I'll see if I can pull some strings and get you into IMKY this month (the longer you wait to race, the more likely some other life event--like a car accident--foils the plan).  

This is a really interesting thread.  Thanks, McFuzz, for starting it and thanks to everyone who has contributed.  As I am training for my first IM, it has provided a lot of food for thought, and the timing is perfect.   My stated goal for my IM is to finish under the cutoff - 16:59:59, but I am guilty of having that 'super secret' stretch goal as well.  If everything goes perfectly, I might be able to get done in 15:00 (there - I said it, and I can't believe I am posting it here - yikes!).  That said, I realize that there are a lot of things that can happen over 140.6 miles or 15-17 hours that can impact that stretch goal.  I know going in that I am not fast - I am usually toward the BOP.  Therefore, I know I don't have too much margin for error.  My goal in the next few months of training is to give myself more cushion so that if something does go wrong, either physically or mechanically, my goal of finishing can be preserved.  If I finish, I will consider the day a huge success.  I will not be disappointed if I do not hit my stretch goal - 140.6 is a big unknown to me since I have never done the distance before - the stretch goal is a 'nice to have'.  In reality, for me it is all about finishing - upright and happy.

Ultimately, I would like to have memories like those that KSH described.  While I will always remember my time, I expect that I will think much more about the things that happen along the way - the person I ran with at mile 18, the friend that I saw on the second loop of the bike, the BTer volunteering at an aid station that gave me some needed encouragement, etc.  Of course, I want the day to be a challenging, fulfilling big event (something that 10 years ago and even five, would have been inconceiveable to me), but I also want to have fun.  I see each race as a celebration of the work that I have put in and an opportunity to prove what my training had led me to believe I can achieve.

Of course, everyone comes to this from a different perspective and has different goals.  Like KathyG pointed out, my best case scenario finishing time might represent someone else's worst possible day, and that is okay.  The people who finish before me are there for a variety of reasons - some are more gifted, some are mentally or physically tougher, and some have flat outworked me - maybe a combination of these.  The people who finish behind me also are there for a variety of reasons - I may have more natural ability, they may face challenges that I have been fortunate enough not to have, they may not have the luxury of putting in the training time I do.  Either way, I respect everyone who is out there, whatever their reasons or goals.   I think most of us feel that way.      

Just finished reading this whole thread and it contains some great subthreads but re: the "fop vs the world" vibe - from someone who has only completed three sprints I don't even feel right assigning myslef a "xop" status (call it other-than-fop) and I am constantly suprised how the "serious fop'ers" take the time to respond to the nOOb quesitons. That someone who can do a 9:30 weighs in on what are yankz-type questions is what I think makes this board so valuable -especially to the begginner triathlete.