motivation

Workout to invest in your health. If you don't have your health nothing else matters.

Triathlons and weight loss.

What's your training plan for triathlons?

What's your dietary plan for weight loss?

Motivation is over-rated. Motivation comes and goes.

Plans are essential. When I have a detailed plan, I can follow it, even on days when I'm not "motivated".

If you don't have a detailed plan, all the motivation in the world won't help you.

That Guy
By Tom Demerly
www.bikesportmichigan.com

That Guy. You know him. He can also be That Girl, and often is.

It is that guy (or girl) who you see at every race. He's at every one. Everywhere in the country.

He is always more tan than you are. He is usually a good bit thinner too. His calves have those mysterious vertical striations that define each individual muscle; as if to say, "I have spent hours training each individual muscle in each calf- each individual muscle fiber in fact."


He/she has triathlon clothing that is super cool that you've never seen before. You have no idea where it came from. If you were to ask him- if you mustered up the courage to approach him- you would get some vague answer like, "Ahh, well, I know Dave McGillicutty at Sweetass Trisports and he got these samples, prototypes really, that he….. blah, blah, blah…." And you just wanted to know where you could buy a pair of those cool trishorts he has. Maybe they would make your ass look like Michalangelo chiseled it too. Prolly not though.

So this guy (or girl): His bike is clean. It is also weird. It has parts you think you may have seen in a magazine and, is that what carbon fiber looks like? Half the stuff he has, no, all of it, is stuff you've either only seen in magazines or never even heard of.

He's wearing sunglasses. But he didn't buy them. They just kind of "got there". He drives a special car just for doing what he's doing now: Getting ready for a ride, a run, a swim workout or the triathlon you're at now. He has stickers all over it.

You know when he talks about "Hawaii" he isn't talking about the state as a vacation destination, but rather, an event that you've only seen on TV. He is either talking about getting into it, having already gotten in, or why his last race there wasn't as good as it should have been. It had something to do with some chemical in his body you've never heard of. "Too much polychondrotineospandoplasm in my maldochondriacts during the last ten miles of the run. I should have know better." Yeah, an obvious mistake for someone like that guy (girl). Another thing that guy knows that you don't. Polywhat in his maldowho?

So you get to the race and there is that guy. Setting up all his stuff in the transition area like he's done probably a thousand times before, or so it seems.

And that guy is the reason why so many people are afraid to give this sport (and many others) a try. Because you know you are not That Guy (or girl) and they will look at you and think "Oh, another novice athlete…." And maybe you are embarrassed by that. I know I have been.

That guy is experienced, dedicated, accomplished, fit, knowledgeable, well versed and respected in the sport. You are a beginner. So you are at the bottom of the food chain here. You may be the big woman or man at work and at home. But here you feel like the first day of kindergarten and you don't even know where the bathroom is but you have to go. It's been a long time since you felt like that.

And you'll feel embarrassed in front of that guy.

Consider this though: You are that guy. You are that girl. Don't understand? Let me explain.

On the hypothetical morning we're describing you got up early, loaded up whatever bike you have (the old mountain bike you've had since you were 16, that old ten speed from college, whatever), put the gear you scrapped together in your car and went to the race. You stood there in your sweats and registered, set up your transition area as best you could.

Welcome to the show my friend. You are walking the walk.

You made that monumental leap off the couch and into the realm of That Guy. And now you, to millions and millions and millions of people- you are That Guy.

The next time you go to work when the conversation comes up about what you did Sunday morning you will say, "Oh, ahh, well I did this little triathlon, my first one, I'm not really any good, I was nearly last…."

But to the people at work, and your family, and your friends, and everyone else not there on Sunday morning (and some that were…) you are That Guy. The guy who does those endurance races. Who works out all the time (even if you don't). Who eats right (even though you don't).

Pretty soon it will get around work, what you did Sunday morning, and someone will ask you, "Hey, ahh, have you ever done that one in Hawaii?"

And then you answer, "Oh, Hawaii, no, I'm not that good. I've never done Hawaii…" And to you now it is just "Hawaii". You are That Guy. To someone out there you are That Guy.

Everyone has That Guy. He's better, faster, smarter, luckier. The interesting thing about That Guy is, to someone- you are that guy. No matter who you are, there will be That Guy. Don't let him bother you. Do what you do. Remember, to someone, you are that guy.

Welcome! Need motivation - I look to my children ages 3 and 4.

I am using this experience of training for a Tri as my approach to weight lose. I spent many years after 2 children gaining weight and not being active. I started to loose the weight 1 1/2 years ago with weight watchers but lost the motivation to continue. Not that the program doesn't work - it does but I felt "trapped" with counting and not having a true goal. Now,I workout towards something and use weight watcher's as a guide to healthier eating. I am having success in that I am eating more veggies (something I didn't do before) but more importantly I am living and more active life style which I want my children to see and also do. Of the total 50 pounds I needed to loose, I have 15 to go but it's a hard 15 - pounds that are stuboorn and don't want to budge. I just keep at it and looking forward to completing my first tri in April of 05.... something my husband has never done let alone thought of doing and is extremely proud of me for sticking with.

yes, I have days that I fall off the wagon, but I keep at it and tri and do better the next. My motivation comes from wanting to show my children a healthy lifestyle.

Good luck!
cathleen

Definitely have a plan. Realise that you are doing this for you and no one else. If you want to work out in the morning, make a promise to yourself before going to bed that you are going to work out when you get up. We seem to do such a horrible job of keeping the promises that we make to ourselves. We keep the promises we make to other people, are you telling me that you are any less important? Definitely have a plan. Good fitness is the best gift you can give to yourself. If you think that I'm bring selfish here, don't. With that gift, you enable yourself to help other people far more that if you were in poor health. And I'm not just talking about physcially helping them, by building houses or doing things for them (though that's great too). You help people that you know and love by being a good example and a good cheerleader. Oh yeah, and definitely have a plan. Forget about finding inspiration, motivation, etc. Take a strong hold of your life, claim it as your own and live it to the fullest.

-Frank

I'm just getting back into training after a long layoff and have had a few false starts myself. I completely agree with having a plan. I do best when I schedule my work outs at least the day before. If it's in my daily calendar and I look at it like an appointment, I do it. On a motivational note, I'll just say that feeling you'll have when you finish your first tri is amazing! Go get 'em.