"From Chaos comes Focus"

As I continue my IronMan training, it is sometimes a good or maybe bad thing to reflect on the weeks ahead.

Am I training enough!!!
Long enough!!!
Do I need more training sessions!!!
Longer Hours!!!
How the hell am I going to fit those long bike rides in!!!
Crap, I need to ride the IM Wisconsin course!!!

Why does it seem everybody in BLOGland is training harder than me for this race??

Will I be ready or will I fail?

Craptastic, I say....

This last thing but not least, does this training plan I got out of a book going to actually work or should I have gotten a coach?

With these thoughts in my head, I came across a Triathlon magazine, actually a 2005 article I just got around to reading...An Article by Andrea Fisher, a Pro Triathlete competing in her first Half IM..

It read:

"I have come to realize something very important about that race in Florida. As athletes we perform our best when we don't pressure ourselves, we reach our potential when we enjoy the journey"

"All too often we get caught up in what is happening behind us instead of focusing forward and taking care of what we can control....When I am able to stay focused on myself and enjoy the experience I have always posted my best race performances."

"If we remind ourselves to enjoy the journey, remove the pressure and focus forward our end result will speak for itself. I won't be able to go back and do my first half Ironman again, but I let them, the lessons that race taught me will stay with me a lifetime."

For me I know I have several goals, finishing, time goals, etc...Hopefully completing my first and not the last Ironman, but for now I will keep this goals to myself...

But as I'm nearing completion of my "build" or is it "adaptation" phase in my training, these words in this article hit the spot and help me re-focus and work on my mental attitude and understand that I must also learn to enjoy the journey,

enjoying biking and running with friends, old and new..

and seeing my daughter ride her brand new tot bike for the first time..

Knowing that the results will come..and not stress about the days ahead...

TOE THE LINE, and hit my marks..and I really need to stop hitting that snooze button over and over again and wake my ass up for my 5:00 am wake up calls..

Training totals for today...
&0 minute endurance swim, I really need to learn how to breathe!!!
60 minute Big gear bike ride workout
15 minute brick run off the bike...