Joe Namath, the great NY Jets QB, said "If you aren't going to go all the way, why go at all?" I think this speaks a bit - maybe a lot - to me. It's all about commitment; and, tied in with that, setting goals. As we near a New Year (can you believe 2010???), many of us - particularly, athletes - will be setting goals (others, resolutions). This month is a great time to start considering these goals.
But, back to commitment. When I ran for Boulder City Council this year, I jumped in with both feet, both arms, and my entire body and soul. Unequivocally, no candidate worked harder than me; although, some may say that was because I had the most to learn! Regardless, I was committed!
A week ago, it was minus 7 degrees here in Boulder. Wednesdays have become one of my 2 long runs each week, and my goal was to run roughly 16-18 miles on this day in order to see whether I should attempt a 50K run in January. Well, I did it! Throughout the run - on hardpacked snow and in absolutely frigid temps - I kept thinking about making that commitment. It is what kept me going, and the satisfaction of the result was enormous. The picture here shows me at the end of the 2:21 run. Funny - when it's that cold, the first part of the run is a cool down, and the end is a warm up :).
The value of setting goals cannot be overstated. Mine? Well, I have now registered for the January 17 Ultra 50K run in Arizona. My training since that cold run - and my new commitment - has changed significantly, with a focus - a commitment - toward success that day. That has required more running mileage, less cycling, much better nutrition. My runs have had much more meaning, been run much stronger, and have left me feeling much happier each and every day.
It is no secret that triathletes are typically Type A (Type A+++?) folks. Research says that such individuals are typically "uptight, preoccupied with success, overly competitive, and obsessed with time such that they tend to feel a sense of urgency even when there is no such urgency." Sound familiar? The time is now for setting goals for the coming year - whether near term, or for the entire year. It will be motivating, allow clarity of purpose with workouts, and allow a sense of achievement ... which all serves to lessen the "angst" created by the nuances of our Type A traits. And, know what? That's a good thing.
So, here's to a great New Year ... complete with goals, commitment, and many, many successes for all.
