"Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error"
Cicero
Again, too much time has passed between posts, something I plan to fix in 2018. Understand, I'm not making it a resolution, rather, a commitment. A resolution is easily broken; ask anyone who has resolved to "lose weight", "work out more", "stop smoking", etc heading into any new year. Commitment means more to me. But enough of that. To the point of today's post. The last one of 2017. And when I finally put fingers to computer, I came to a very simple conclusion. Based on the words of a man far smarter than me, I am an idiot. According to Cicero, I am a gigantic idiot. One for the books. And recognizing it now, is actually very, very helpful. Let me explain.
2017 was not one of my finest years. I'm speaking more from a personal and professional point of view. For every bit of knowledge I gained, I had to stumble, face down in the mud, eat crow, look foolish, get my ass handed to me, you name it, that's the only way I learned anything this year. It was as if I was 16 again, determined I could make everything work my way, without ever giving an inch. Somehow believing that slamming my head against the wall over and over would yield a different result. Shockingly, it didn't. So what happened? I spent the majority of this year, sick. Recovering from what was supposed to be minor surgery. Playing from behind. But I'm the one who put myself there. I had every tool at my disposal to do things right, and I ignored them. In fact, I think I went so far as to claim they weren't even there. Foolish. Idiotic.
On the exterior, I kept up a good front. I learned from a young age to hide weakness. It was important for survival on the Southside of Chicago. That is not a unique skill to me. I share it with millions. But it served me well this year while racing, training, coaching. The one person who saw me at my weakest, and was too young to understand, was my son. I am able to let my guard down around him. And its very comforting to me. I'm thankful for it. But with everything and everyone else, I couldn't show that. But I have to now. Its too important.
I didn't listen to my coaches. Not 100% at least. Cody, Dana, Amanda, all willing to help in a moment's notice, and I didn't fully commit to the process. I got wrapped up in my "ideal race weight" so much that I stopped paying attention to the process. The process that had gotten me to the start line of a race in March of this year that I won. Somehow, after that race, after the success, I stopped listening. While I was sweating 2-3 lbs, I gained 7. Stress did me no favors. Pressing did me no favors. As I told athletes on a daily basis to "trust the process", "change takes time", I wasn't even close to doing the same. I was way off the reservation. The fact that the aforementioned stayed with me through all the nonsense is a miracle. Trust in those who coach you is so critical to success. It sounds simple, straightforward. But its easy to lose sight of it. I got in my own head so much, that I was cutting corners. Or trying to slam more work into small spaces. I was all over the board. I'm extremely lucky to have had the success I did. But I got so smoked at Powerman Michigan because I was running on fumes, that I was easily exposed. I had no pop, nothing in the tank to give it a legit fight. This was past. "fall down 7 times, get up 8." I was getting up. Only to fall right back down over the same damn rock. That's not failing forward. That's just dumb. But I'll own it. All of it.
From that race at the end of September, until now, its been a giant fucking mess. Save the last 2.5 weeks. I have seen more doctors, ran more tests in 2 months than I did in 5 years. Fortunately, the fix is simple. For most issues. The sinuses, which bother me as I write this, continue to be a mystery to every doctor I've seen. But I haven't let it deter me from getting my ass on track. I took the better part of this year making the same mistakes over and over and over. It was maddening. I learned nothing until I found myself unable to stay healthy for more than 1 week. As I think about that now, I find myself fuming. I allowed my depression to blind me. I saw nothing good in myself. I couldn't get out of my way. For those who suffer from anxiety or depression, you know what I'm talking about. What got me out? My son. His constant smile. His joy and sense of wonder. He is my constant reminder to be a better man.
This took months. 11 months. I'm not out of the woods yet. But its a little brighter today than yesterday. I have more answers regarding my health. Solid answers. I have been vigilant in my pursuit of staying true to the process. believing in my coaches the way they believe in me. Embracing the community at CrossFit Iron Flag, where I am both honored and humbled to coach. To be a part of something bigger. A place where I want my son to meet other kids his age, make friends. See the importance of taking care of himself. Laugh. Love. Play. Live.
The losses of friends this year, due to suicide, 2 more lives gone. It hurts. It makes me listen to my friends more. The loss of some friendships, unfortunate, but I know life is better without these people. It helps tighten the bonds of those who I am truly close with, and reminds me to tend to those friendships with care.And I've made new friendships that I know will last. That for me, a few close friends is all I need. My family. My coaches. I have new sponsors, thanks to someone who has been in my corner for a while, my dear friend Melissa. Even when it was dark, she stood fast. I can't thank her enough for that. Jared and Haley, busting balls since the beginning. Thank you guys. The members at Iron Flag, thank you. Mary T. and Manny, thank you for the cards. Words that remind me why I am so lucky to do what I do for a living.
Its important to note, I haven't ignored the world around me through all this. I see the tragedies of Houston, Puerto Rico, California, the political strife, the revelation of sexual harassment on every level, the continued racial tension, I refuse to stick my head in the sand. The sport is not everything. There are people around us who need help. Even a simple, "how are you doing" can change a person's day. That depression is actually a disease. I heard more stories this year from people who have had close friends try to minimize that, make them feel like its not a big deal. That everyone goes through it. Umm, no. Depression, clinical depression and anxiety is not the same as getting anxious before a test. Or a job interview. Its not the same kind of depression when you break up with a significant other. No one, no one, has the right to minimize or diminish what you are experiencing. And if someone you are close to is doing that, cut the cord. They aren't helping your situation. And , their inability to appreciate, or understand what you are going through is on them. Not you. If you suffer, and you've told people close to you, and they give you some flippant answer, then tell them to go screw. If they don't want to get it, and that's what it is, them not wanting to get it, is on them. You have to be your best advocate in those situations. As hard as it is, you have to.
With the new year approaching, I'm not going to suggest making commitments or promises to yourself. Everyone is an adult, at least by age. Own your shit, and fix it. Or don't. If you are determined to fix it, move the nonsense out of the way. The clutter. The bullshit. The stuff that means nothing but we make it overwhelming. You know what I mean. People want to get a better job, but not willing to take a lesser job to at least gain experience. Or when an athlete needs the "right kind of music" to work out. What matter more, the work that's done, or who's singing? A little humility goes a long way. The process isn't easy. Its not supposed to be. Anything worthwhile is hard. You don't get to graduate from school with zero experience and get a management position. You aren't a world beater because you did all your training this week. No gold star. Stop waiting for someone to pat you on the back for doing something you chose to do. Are you doing it for the selfie or for something bigger? Who cares how many followers you have on the Gram? On your tombstone, is that what you want written? "He/she died doing nothing really noteworthy except 1500 Instagram followers". Fuck that. Aim higher. Because your worth it.
Stay strong,
Guy
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
How did we get here - 3 months post op, 10 months of a roller coaster, and a year of constant change
"I ain't trading my dreams for no suit and jacket"
From the song - Suit and Jacket, by Judah and the Lion
Has it been close to 4 months since I last wrote? I didn't want to believe what the calendar said, but there it was - June 26, the date of my last post. And as I thought about a minute longer, I realized that yes, I was never in a good enough head space to put my thoughts down in a cohesive manner. Struggling to recover from having my tonsils removed, something that, at age 44, really makes you wish your parents would have said "yes" when the doctor suggested it after getting strep throat at age 8. The 10 days turned into 6 weeks, leaving me a bit upside down, trying to play catch up with training and racing.
The time away from writing hasn't been easy at all. Racing has been successful, 3 straight wins post op, with a 4th place overall to boot. But that too took its toll - long days and nights, time away from my son, feeling pulled in different directions with coaching, training, racing, and most importantly, being a good dad. Often, its my son's face that provides me the much needed relief and moments of peace at the end of a long day to remind me of what is most important.
Over the last 3 months and change, so much has happened, both in and out of the world of multisport and CrossFit. The Games debuted in Madison to huge crowds, a phenomenal women's battle, and the unfortunate fall out of the 3rd place finisher, Ricky Garrard, popping positive for PED's. Proving that no sport is without its ties to drug use for the purposes of high levels of performance. With an increased prize purse, and perhaps more importantly, big sponsor dollars on the line, athletes felt the benefits outweighed the possible pitfalls leading to what we have just witnessed. Kona is a few days away, and the hopes of an American on the top step of the podium lies with spitfire Heather Jackson, whom I'd really like to see win the big show. Would do the sport some good to add her flare on that podium.
Outside of sport, I, along with everyone else, witnessed acts of hatred, anger, evil across the globe, most recently in Las Vegas. I would feel remiss not mentioning all the other things that are going on in the world because those events continue to shape everything around us. The sport is but a mere blip on the screen when taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. To stick your head in the sand and pretend as though everything is fine is not just niave, it doesn't stop these things from happening. Charlottesville, part 1 and 2, happened. Protests in the NFL happened and continue to happen. Ignorance isn't an answer. Ignoring a problem doesn't mean that you are sitting on the sidelines either. You are still picking a side. Inaction is an action. Its a conscious decision. Trying to avoid a problem doesn't make it go away, and it doesn't mean its not happening. It just means that its not in your backyard, at least not yet, so you're more interested in social media than social discord.
I promised I would not get political on this site, and I will stick to that. Perhaps the biggest thing I've come to realize is that in my sport, Multisport, as in life, the fear of speaking out, or trying to be ambivalent when there are obvious injustices, when you or people you know are being treated with a lack of respect, consistently taken for granted, stepped on, when people are in obvious need - like Houston, Florida, Puerto Rico - staying silent is approval of injustices. It is taking a side. I have seen in my sport, companies come in, make ridiculous promises to athletes without any ability to deliver on a quarter of those promises, all the while fleecing good people of hard earned money with these pipe dreams. Knowing that multisport is filled with people who have money, and will spend money to "get faster", one company in particular has charged monthly fees to be a part of a team that does what exactly? What do those dues get? Looking at it from the business side, if people are willing to pay, then why not charge them? But the bigger picture is this - those fees, plus astronomical costs associated with buying the company's products does something that this sport has become very, very good at recently - alienating people. Shutting people out of the sport instead of inviting them in. Exclusivity is the norm now. And that's, well, that's just fucking sad.
I can't personally sit idly by and watch all this happen. Its not how I was raised. I've fussed over the wording of this post, hemmed and hawed about couching my words in a way that the message wouldn't be too harsh, and I stopped and realized something so important. Life isn't a popularity contest. If you are living your life as if you are trying to win votes to be homecoming King/Queen, you will probably find yourself very alone and very disappointed. When you take a stand for or against something, half the people will salute you, the other half will vilify you. But does it matter if anyone stands with you? If you believe in what you say, if you know that a wrong has been committed and that your words can help someone heal, help someone realize that they aren't alone, aren't you obligated to speak? If you don't, aren't you simply condoning the bad behavior?
Understand, I'm not saying companies shouldn't make money. I'm not saying this sport is cheap, and I understand how margins work. Everyone needs to eat. To be successful. To create something that is lasting and has value. In any sport, there will always be equipment costs, coaching costs, entry fees, etc, that will add up. What I'm saying is that if someone can't explain fees in one sentence, then its most likely bullshit. Is that an oversimplification? I don't think so.
Moreover, if you have decided to simply "take it" whatever "it" is, be it inequalities in sport, at work, in life, and not said anything, then you don't get to complain about what is now happening to you. Inaction is an action. Indifference is a position. Its what gets you what you got. What is the incentive for someone who has been allowed to be abusive to stop if nothing is said? If no action is taken to end it? If there is no threat of exposing the injustice, then it will continue. Until you decide it won't. You. Not the person next to you, or your followers on Instagram, or the person who delivers your UPS packages. You. Fuck popularity. If you aren't willing to be the change that you want to see in your world, if you are waiting for someone else to do it, think of this - what if everyone else is waiting for "someone else to do it"? That is the attitude that allows for stagnation, and eventually regret, cynicism and derision.
My hope is that people will read this and perhaps, think about the things in their lives that require them to take a stand. It doesn't have to be something big or grand, but that one act can have a positive domino affect. I know that by writing this, by following my dreams and not selling out, I can look my son in the eye. You can't put a price on being able to live with yourself. So that might mean that I don't have the 5 bedroom house, or the new car every 2-3 years. That's fine with me. I'd rather spend 90 hours working on what I love, making a quarter of what I can at a job that I hate in a 40 hour work week. I'd rather stand for what is right, knowing it will cause some to leave my side, but ensuring those who are true friends will remain. I'd rather go down swinging than sit on my stool and never get in the fight.
May all of you find the strength to stand for yourselves.
Stay strong.
Guy
From the song - Suit and Jacket, by Judah and the Lion
Has it been close to 4 months since I last wrote? I didn't want to believe what the calendar said, but there it was - June 26, the date of my last post. And as I thought about a minute longer, I realized that yes, I was never in a good enough head space to put my thoughts down in a cohesive manner. Struggling to recover from having my tonsils removed, something that, at age 44, really makes you wish your parents would have said "yes" when the doctor suggested it after getting strep throat at age 8. The 10 days turned into 6 weeks, leaving me a bit upside down, trying to play catch up with training and racing.
The time away from writing hasn't been easy at all. Racing has been successful, 3 straight wins post op, with a 4th place overall to boot. But that too took its toll - long days and nights, time away from my son, feeling pulled in different directions with coaching, training, racing, and most importantly, being a good dad. Often, its my son's face that provides me the much needed relief and moments of peace at the end of a long day to remind me of what is most important.
Over the last 3 months and change, so much has happened, both in and out of the world of multisport and CrossFit. The Games debuted in Madison to huge crowds, a phenomenal women's battle, and the unfortunate fall out of the 3rd place finisher, Ricky Garrard, popping positive for PED's. Proving that no sport is without its ties to drug use for the purposes of high levels of performance. With an increased prize purse, and perhaps more importantly, big sponsor dollars on the line, athletes felt the benefits outweighed the possible pitfalls leading to what we have just witnessed. Kona is a few days away, and the hopes of an American on the top step of the podium lies with spitfire Heather Jackson, whom I'd really like to see win the big show. Would do the sport some good to add her flare on that podium.
Outside of sport, I, along with everyone else, witnessed acts of hatred, anger, evil across the globe, most recently in Las Vegas. I would feel remiss not mentioning all the other things that are going on in the world because those events continue to shape everything around us. The sport is but a mere blip on the screen when taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. To stick your head in the sand and pretend as though everything is fine is not just niave, it doesn't stop these things from happening. Charlottesville, part 1 and 2, happened. Protests in the NFL happened and continue to happen. Ignorance isn't an answer. Ignoring a problem doesn't mean that you are sitting on the sidelines either. You are still picking a side. Inaction is an action. Its a conscious decision. Trying to avoid a problem doesn't make it go away, and it doesn't mean its not happening. It just means that its not in your backyard, at least not yet, so you're more interested in social media than social discord.
I promised I would not get political on this site, and I will stick to that. Perhaps the biggest thing I've come to realize is that in my sport, Multisport, as in life, the fear of speaking out, or trying to be ambivalent when there are obvious injustices, when you or people you know are being treated with a lack of respect, consistently taken for granted, stepped on, when people are in obvious need - like Houston, Florida, Puerto Rico - staying silent is approval of injustices. It is taking a side. I have seen in my sport, companies come in, make ridiculous promises to athletes without any ability to deliver on a quarter of those promises, all the while fleecing good people of hard earned money with these pipe dreams. Knowing that multisport is filled with people who have money, and will spend money to "get faster", one company in particular has charged monthly fees to be a part of a team that does what exactly? What do those dues get? Looking at it from the business side, if people are willing to pay, then why not charge them? But the bigger picture is this - those fees, plus astronomical costs associated with buying the company's products does something that this sport has become very, very good at recently - alienating people. Shutting people out of the sport instead of inviting them in. Exclusivity is the norm now. And that's, well, that's just fucking sad.
I can't personally sit idly by and watch all this happen. Its not how I was raised. I've fussed over the wording of this post, hemmed and hawed about couching my words in a way that the message wouldn't be too harsh, and I stopped and realized something so important. Life isn't a popularity contest. If you are living your life as if you are trying to win votes to be homecoming King/Queen, you will probably find yourself very alone and very disappointed. When you take a stand for or against something, half the people will salute you, the other half will vilify you. But does it matter if anyone stands with you? If you believe in what you say, if you know that a wrong has been committed and that your words can help someone heal, help someone realize that they aren't alone, aren't you obligated to speak? If you don't, aren't you simply condoning the bad behavior?
Understand, I'm not saying companies shouldn't make money. I'm not saying this sport is cheap, and I understand how margins work. Everyone needs to eat. To be successful. To create something that is lasting and has value. In any sport, there will always be equipment costs, coaching costs, entry fees, etc, that will add up. What I'm saying is that if someone can't explain fees in one sentence, then its most likely bullshit. Is that an oversimplification? I don't think so.
Moreover, if you have decided to simply "take it" whatever "it" is, be it inequalities in sport, at work, in life, and not said anything, then you don't get to complain about what is now happening to you. Inaction is an action. Indifference is a position. Its what gets you what you got. What is the incentive for someone who has been allowed to be abusive to stop if nothing is said? If no action is taken to end it? If there is no threat of exposing the injustice, then it will continue. Until you decide it won't. You. Not the person next to you, or your followers on Instagram, or the person who delivers your UPS packages. You. Fuck popularity. If you aren't willing to be the change that you want to see in your world, if you are waiting for someone else to do it, think of this - what if everyone else is waiting for "someone else to do it"? That is the attitude that allows for stagnation, and eventually regret, cynicism and derision.
My hope is that people will read this and perhaps, think about the things in their lives that require them to take a stand. It doesn't have to be something big or grand, but that one act can have a positive domino affect. I know that by writing this, by following my dreams and not selling out, I can look my son in the eye. You can't put a price on being able to live with yourself. So that might mean that I don't have the 5 bedroom house, or the new car every 2-3 years. That's fine with me. I'd rather spend 90 hours working on what I love, making a quarter of what I can at a job that I hate in a 40 hour work week. I'd rather stand for what is right, knowing it will cause some to leave my side, but ensuring those who are true friends will remain. I'd rather go down swinging than sit on my stool and never get in the fight.
May all of you find the strength to stand for yourselves.
Stay strong.
Guy
Monday, June 26, 2017
Tales from the front, How did we get here- the loss of mastery and the rush to go long
"I do not fear the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, I fear the man who has practiced 1 kick, 10,000 times"
Bruce Lee
I'm sitting here, writing this post, realizing how long its been since I last wrote. Too long. No excuse, just life. Illness followed by more illness followed by ups and downs in training have me at this exact point - on my couch, 5 days post op - had my tonsils removed. At 44. To catch you up, it was the only move - strep throat with an abcess, followed by more strep and another abcess made this decision a no-brainer. I was going nowhere health wise, so it was time to make this move. I got in a total of 3 races - 2 overall wins, one, third place finish and now, recovering. Its not too bad, I rode my Schwinn Airdyne for 30 minutes, did some bodyweight work, and hopefully, by my appointment on Thursday, the pain will be manageable and I can return to training in earnest.
There was another reason for my decision to have the surgery, physical yes, but less obvious to the eye. Being sick constantly was leaving me in a state of depression, never feeling 100%, unable to remember the last long stretch when I wasn't on antibiotics, had quality sleep, was able to taste my food, could breathe constantly through my nose. After a while, it goes beyond mildly annoying, and leaves you with the impression that your life is not going to change. That this is the new normal. I refused to believe that, so I kept looking for answers and got one - surgery. Why now? Well, the idea of risking semi decent health for 5-6 months until the season died down, or losing 10 days in late June, with the promise of great health and more room to improve seemed like the best choice. A little mid-season off season. With popsicles. Enough about me. Let's move on.
Over the last few weeks, I've noticed a growing trend that the wonderful world of social media continues to promulgate like a virus - in the world of triathlon, you aren't really a triathlete until you've at least done a 70.3. Or an Ironman. Think this is just me and my crazy mind? Well, aside from the hundreds of posts I've seen from on-line companies promising "zero to Ironman" to people who have done one sprint, then felt the pressure of social media driving them to plunk down insane dough for an Ironman, without really understanding 1/10th of what they are getting themselves into, the biggest indicator for me came via a phone conference. I sit on the marketing committee for USAT and the vibe they've got at HQ is this - The average American thinks the only distance in triathlon is Ironman. Most triathletes entering the sport don't consider others as triathletes unless they have completed an Ironman. This was buttressed by a few polls taken showing this argument has merit.
In 2016, the average American thought that the triathlon distance in the Olympics, was Ironman distance. There are more elitist athletes in the sport shunning others who don't "measure up" because they're doing Oly distance or sprint distance races. How exactly does this help expansion and acceptance in the public? We are thought of as move exclusive than ever, in a sport that requires a decent chunk of change to race a sprint (not including race fees) let alone a half, and we are now turning on each other? Is it a surprise that we can't get air time for races? Why ESPN doesn't even sniff triathlon? Why race numbers are dwindling while race fees are rising? And how is this even remotely fair to the people who made a living racing Olympic distance races around the world for decades? Does this new generation of triathletes even know names like Michelle Jones? Greg Welch? Spencer Smith? Brad Bevan? Karen Smyers? Jimmy Riccetello? Mike Pigg? Or more recent names, like oh, I don't know - Javi Gomez and the Brownlee brothers? Or Gwen Jorgensen? I know I'm about to date myself here, but I remember when the gods of the Ironman distance used to be just as good at winning, yes winning, short course races. Mark Allen, Dave Scott, Scott Molina, Scott Tinley. Paula Newby-Fraiser all had the chops to win at any distance. The community, from the top down, supported one another, from first timers doing a sprint, to the seasoned veteran and his/her 10th visit to Kona. There was an appreciation of mastery. Mastery of the sport. Its challenges and its joys. Somewhere along the way, that got lost.
I've mentioned this before, but I'm a huge believer in "earning your way" to racing longer distances. To show more than just proficiency in understanding the sport, the training, the commitment and the sacrifices. I don't agree with the couch to Ironman plan - I think its dangerous and can cause more people to leave the sport after one race, rather than have a true appreciation for it and want to continue. But in our "have it now", "everyone is a rockstar, just check out their Instabooktweet posts" world, everything seems easy and worse yet, has to happen right now. As if the world will swallow them up if they don't go long. Patience? Why do I need that? Can't I just spend 5k on a bike, 1k on a wetsuit, 1k on a race fee, etc, etc? Can't I buy my way to an Ironman finish? 20 of my friends on Facebook seem to have, so why not me? Well, there's a ton of reasons, too many to list here. No one want to pay dues. Which makes physical therapists and orthopedic doctors happy, it helps bolster their business with broken athletes who jumped to long course because they felt left out of their tri club if they didn't. Its not simply about grinding for "x" amount of years, its about becoming a student of the sport and your body. Mastering each discipline and distance to promote longevity and better health for life.
The names of people I listed above, especially those who could conquer any distance, grasped this notion. They spent countless hours honing their craft, working on deficiencies, never ignoring the little things, and actually being bugged by not being able to be successful at any distance. Mastery requires this level of commitment. Its the 10,000 hour rule - it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at something. I believe that. Successful people, regardless of profession, also believe and practice that. As individual athletes, we've lost the concept of practice. We train, we don't practice. That's a mistake. If we looked at parts of our fitness, be it sport specific or general, we should practice things -breathing, focus or flow. body position in the swim, bike and run. The small things that can make 112 feel like an eternity or smooth. The things you can't buy. The things you must work on, daily, to be a better you. If you were to ask a concert violinist if they thought they could practice for 10 months and land a gig with the Chicago symphony, the answer would be a resounding NO.
Not a close enough comparison? What about the best QB's? Pitchers? Soccer players? Olympic weight lifters? Gymnasts? Let's go another level - what about back up QB's? Baseball pitchers in triple A? Do you think they just walked on to the mound a few days ago and threw 99 plus? With control? Athletes at the pro level have all spent countless hours practicing. Practicing their craft. Studying it, making every movement second nature. The notion that endurance athletes don't need to practice because of the nature of the sport is very short-sighted. I ran college track, swam in high school. I never said I was going to train, I said I was going to practice. My swim coach didn't want me to simply do 10,000 yards of shit work, he wanted constant improvement in my swim strokes, the same as any other member of the team. Track coach was the same. Then, the "more is better" philosophy became the norm, and the idea of spending any time on skill work became a thing of the past. Who had time to do 20 minutes of run drills when you had to run 15-20 miles a day? Those skill pieces were ditched, and more mileage was prescribed. So much so, that many new to the sport didn't know there was a "right way" or more efficient way to swim, bike and run. They simply preformed the disciplines hoping things would magically work out. As time went on, athletes were led to believe they could buy their way to faster race times, or great finishes at the Ironman distance, without any hint of skill work. Heavy heel striker? No problem, here's a 175.00 dollar shoe with a 29-33 stack height, (but its zero drop) and you can slam your feet into the pavement as often as you like. Barely swim freestyle?Hey, I've got a 1,000 dollar wet suit that will keep you a float and, cut through the water like a shark (assuming you can swim). The list goes on. If you tell the average triathlete they can get faster with 3-4 days, 20 minutes a day of skill work, or they could continue to heel strike with less pain in a 175.00 dollar shoe, I'm willing to bet the farm that the shoe is taken well before anyone thinks about doing skill work. Practicing. And so, we are here.
The worst part about this, is that we did it to ourselves. We allowed ourselves to get sucked in to the social media bullshit, unable to see the truth, to see what is really needed. We got lazy. We didn't want to do the "not sexy" stuff that we can't post on FB, or Insta. Who wants to see me do a bunch of run drills, when I can post about my latest long run, which hasn't gotten any faster in a year and show you my Garmin to prove I was out there, destroying my knees, hips, low back? We became impatient. We are incapable of spending time on small things. We lost the importance of mastery. To our own detriment.
I know what a lot of you are thinking - "I'm not a pro, I'm just looking to finish the distance. So why do I need to do this stuff? Why can't I just jump in and do the distance, cross the line, get the tattoo and live happily ever after?" You can. No one is stopping you. Actually most companies involved with the sport encourage it. But do you want to finish in 15 plus hours, broken, in agonizing pain, possibly doing permanent damage, putting your bike on eBay 3 days post race, or do you want to enjoy the experience, finish strong, recover quickly and possibly stick with the sport? Can you say fuck off to the social media bullshit and stay in your own lane? Can you ignore what everyone else is doing and follow something that you know to be true and worthwhile? Even if others don't agree, or laugh at you? Are you in it for the applause, or are you in it for you? Are you prepared to get zero likes on something and press on? Interesting, this advice works for life as well as it does for sport. Sometimes that line is easy to cross because of similarities between them. And this is such a case.
Maybe Bruce Lee knew what he was talking about.
Stay strong,
Guy
Bruce Lee
I'm sitting here, writing this post, realizing how long its been since I last wrote. Too long. No excuse, just life. Illness followed by more illness followed by ups and downs in training have me at this exact point - on my couch, 5 days post op - had my tonsils removed. At 44. To catch you up, it was the only move - strep throat with an abcess, followed by more strep and another abcess made this decision a no-brainer. I was going nowhere health wise, so it was time to make this move. I got in a total of 3 races - 2 overall wins, one, third place finish and now, recovering. Its not too bad, I rode my Schwinn Airdyne for 30 minutes, did some bodyweight work, and hopefully, by my appointment on Thursday, the pain will be manageable and I can return to training in earnest.
There was another reason for my decision to have the surgery, physical yes, but less obvious to the eye. Being sick constantly was leaving me in a state of depression, never feeling 100%, unable to remember the last long stretch when I wasn't on antibiotics, had quality sleep, was able to taste my food, could breathe constantly through my nose. After a while, it goes beyond mildly annoying, and leaves you with the impression that your life is not going to change. That this is the new normal. I refused to believe that, so I kept looking for answers and got one - surgery. Why now? Well, the idea of risking semi decent health for 5-6 months until the season died down, or losing 10 days in late June, with the promise of great health and more room to improve seemed like the best choice. A little mid-season off season. With popsicles. Enough about me. Let's move on.
Over the last few weeks, I've noticed a growing trend that the wonderful world of social media continues to promulgate like a virus - in the world of triathlon, you aren't really a triathlete until you've at least done a 70.3. Or an Ironman. Think this is just me and my crazy mind? Well, aside from the hundreds of posts I've seen from on-line companies promising "zero to Ironman" to people who have done one sprint, then felt the pressure of social media driving them to plunk down insane dough for an Ironman, without really understanding 1/10th of what they are getting themselves into, the biggest indicator for me came via a phone conference. I sit on the marketing committee for USAT and the vibe they've got at HQ is this - The average American thinks the only distance in triathlon is Ironman. Most triathletes entering the sport don't consider others as triathletes unless they have completed an Ironman. This was buttressed by a few polls taken showing this argument has merit.
In 2016, the average American thought that the triathlon distance in the Olympics, was Ironman distance. There are more elitist athletes in the sport shunning others who don't "measure up" because they're doing Oly distance or sprint distance races. How exactly does this help expansion and acceptance in the public? We are thought of as move exclusive than ever, in a sport that requires a decent chunk of change to race a sprint (not including race fees) let alone a half, and we are now turning on each other? Is it a surprise that we can't get air time for races? Why ESPN doesn't even sniff triathlon? Why race numbers are dwindling while race fees are rising? And how is this even remotely fair to the people who made a living racing Olympic distance races around the world for decades? Does this new generation of triathletes even know names like Michelle Jones? Greg Welch? Spencer Smith? Brad Bevan? Karen Smyers? Jimmy Riccetello? Mike Pigg? Or more recent names, like oh, I don't know - Javi Gomez and the Brownlee brothers? Or Gwen Jorgensen? I know I'm about to date myself here, but I remember when the gods of the Ironman distance used to be just as good at winning, yes winning, short course races. Mark Allen, Dave Scott, Scott Molina, Scott Tinley. Paula Newby-Fraiser all had the chops to win at any distance. The community, from the top down, supported one another, from first timers doing a sprint, to the seasoned veteran and his/her 10th visit to Kona. There was an appreciation of mastery. Mastery of the sport. Its challenges and its joys. Somewhere along the way, that got lost.
I've mentioned this before, but I'm a huge believer in "earning your way" to racing longer distances. To show more than just proficiency in understanding the sport, the training, the commitment and the sacrifices. I don't agree with the couch to Ironman plan - I think its dangerous and can cause more people to leave the sport after one race, rather than have a true appreciation for it and want to continue. But in our "have it now", "everyone is a rockstar, just check out their Instabooktweet posts" world, everything seems easy and worse yet, has to happen right now. As if the world will swallow them up if they don't go long. Patience? Why do I need that? Can't I just spend 5k on a bike, 1k on a wetsuit, 1k on a race fee, etc, etc? Can't I buy my way to an Ironman finish? 20 of my friends on Facebook seem to have, so why not me? Well, there's a ton of reasons, too many to list here. No one want to pay dues. Which makes physical therapists and orthopedic doctors happy, it helps bolster their business with broken athletes who jumped to long course because they felt left out of their tri club if they didn't. Its not simply about grinding for "x" amount of years, its about becoming a student of the sport and your body. Mastering each discipline and distance to promote longevity and better health for life.
The names of people I listed above, especially those who could conquer any distance, grasped this notion. They spent countless hours honing their craft, working on deficiencies, never ignoring the little things, and actually being bugged by not being able to be successful at any distance. Mastery requires this level of commitment. Its the 10,000 hour rule - it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at something. I believe that. Successful people, regardless of profession, also believe and practice that. As individual athletes, we've lost the concept of practice. We train, we don't practice. That's a mistake. If we looked at parts of our fitness, be it sport specific or general, we should practice things -breathing, focus or flow. body position in the swim, bike and run. The small things that can make 112 feel like an eternity or smooth. The things you can't buy. The things you must work on, daily, to be a better you. If you were to ask a concert violinist if they thought they could practice for 10 months and land a gig with the Chicago symphony, the answer would be a resounding NO.
Not a close enough comparison? What about the best QB's? Pitchers? Soccer players? Olympic weight lifters? Gymnasts? Let's go another level - what about back up QB's? Baseball pitchers in triple A? Do you think they just walked on to the mound a few days ago and threw 99 plus? With control? Athletes at the pro level have all spent countless hours practicing. Practicing their craft. Studying it, making every movement second nature. The notion that endurance athletes don't need to practice because of the nature of the sport is very short-sighted. I ran college track, swam in high school. I never said I was going to train, I said I was going to practice. My swim coach didn't want me to simply do 10,000 yards of shit work, he wanted constant improvement in my swim strokes, the same as any other member of the team. Track coach was the same. Then, the "more is better" philosophy became the norm, and the idea of spending any time on skill work became a thing of the past. Who had time to do 20 minutes of run drills when you had to run 15-20 miles a day? Those skill pieces were ditched, and more mileage was prescribed. So much so, that many new to the sport didn't know there was a "right way" or more efficient way to swim, bike and run. They simply preformed the disciplines hoping things would magically work out. As time went on, athletes were led to believe they could buy their way to faster race times, or great finishes at the Ironman distance, without any hint of skill work. Heavy heel striker? No problem, here's a 175.00 dollar shoe with a 29-33 stack height, (but its zero drop) and you can slam your feet into the pavement as often as you like. Barely swim freestyle?Hey, I've got a 1,000 dollar wet suit that will keep you a float and, cut through the water like a shark (assuming you can swim). The list goes on. If you tell the average triathlete they can get faster with 3-4 days, 20 minutes a day of skill work, or they could continue to heel strike with less pain in a 175.00 dollar shoe, I'm willing to bet the farm that the shoe is taken well before anyone thinks about doing skill work. Practicing. And so, we are here.
The worst part about this, is that we did it to ourselves. We allowed ourselves to get sucked in to the social media bullshit, unable to see the truth, to see what is really needed. We got lazy. We didn't want to do the "not sexy" stuff that we can't post on FB, or Insta. Who wants to see me do a bunch of run drills, when I can post about my latest long run, which hasn't gotten any faster in a year and show you my Garmin to prove I was out there, destroying my knees, hips, low back? We became impatient. We are incapable of spending time on small things. We lost the importance of mastery. To our own detriment.
I know what a lot of you are thinking - "I'm not a pro, I'm just looking to finish the distance. So why do I need to do this stuff? Why can't I just jump in and do the distance, cross the line, get the tattoo and live happily ever after?" You can. No one is stopping you. Actually most companies involved with the sport encourage it. But do you want to finish in 15 plus hours, broken, in agonizing pain, possibly doing permanent damage, putting your bike on eBay 3 days post race, or do you want to enjoy the experience, finish strong, recover quickly and possibly stick with the sport? Can you say fuck off to the social media bullshit and stay in your own lane? Can you ignore what everyone else is doing and follow something that you know to be true and worthwhile? Even if others don't agree, or laugh at you? Are you in it for the applause, or are you in it for you? Are you prepared to get zero likes on something and press on? Interesting, this advice works for life as well as it does for sport. Sometimes that line is easy to cross because of similarities between them. And this is such a case.
Maybe Bruce Lee knew what he was talking about.
Stay strong,
Guy
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Tales from the front - the honesty of Dark places
"The only way out, is down". -
Line from the film, Inception
Been a while, should have been more on top of things, but life, well, it gets busy. And the time between posts has allowed me the opportunity to reflect on so many things, parse out a lot of bullshit, as well as some sketchy people and dial in to what's most important to me. What drives me. What moves me on a daily basis. Which meant, I had to go dark.
Since the beginning of the year, I was fighting illness, usual stuff, sinuses, ears, colds, flu. And being sick had me reeling at times, as I would press to get in training, work, time with my son, my family. I felt pulled in so many directions, and I wasn't going anywhere. I wasn't centered. What had happened was I was sinking, allowing my depression and anxiety to take over, allowing myself to hear external voices that I'm normally strong enough to block out. And it would be easy to say that it was catchy sales pitches that caught me, but the truth, I was too weak, and I allowed myself to get wrapped in with nonsense.
As someone who suffers from anxiety and depression, I understand the stigma that society places on this illness. And make no mistake, its an illness. Its nothing to be ashamed of, or made to think otherwise, yet, we are typically treated with kid gloves, thought of as "odd" or too emotional to handle things. I've found that some of the strongest, greatest people in my life suffer from the exact same thing. They understand it can be crippling at times, lonelier and so silent its deafening. But they have also made peace with it, to gain strength, courage, confidence, coming back to the light each time, stronger, better, wiser. I've spent almost 2 decades fighting this battle, so the darkness is as much a part of me as breathing. I've come to accept it,and to learn how to harness it. This isn't easy, and its still a constant struggle. I feel its important to be open about this, because I have witnesses so many people who suffer and unfortunately succumb to the dark, forever.
I'm not suggesting to follow sufferers that my way is the way to go, merely the way I deal with things. I dug harder, and harder, buried myself in training, knowing I needed a race to eliminate some doubts, to jump start my season, to dial in one part of my life. And in doing so, I realized that my time meant something; my time with my son, who just turned one, shouldn't be interrupted. That my family time, which is so brief, needed me fully present, so when I was training, or racing ,or coaching, I was just as dialed in, no waste. This also meant that I had to face my demons head on, not simply for me, but for my son, my family. When I look at him, I feel more alive than ever. His smile, I carry it with me everywhere. So when I see him, I know I can suffer a bit more. I can fight the bastards with more strength and courage. So yes, I had to be prepared to suffer more, mentally, physically and emotionally. I had to do it on my own as well, because I needed to be able to understand how far I can go, how much further I'm willing to go, to help myself, my family, and anyone I encounter.
I did race, I did win. In a climate unfavorable to me. Without the help of sponsors that I expected to be there for me. Without a race kit to showcase the people who were supposed to have my back. Without fanfare or a crowd, without familiar faces. It was admittedly difficult being away from my son for 5 days, but I was flooded with photos of him, as well as great messages from my closest friends. It was the words of friends, and I must stress this, friends, who helped buoy my spirits. To call them friends is almost a disservice, for they are family to me. And without me saying a word, they knew I was hurting, and sent me messages at just the right times. But winning didn't break the depression. It helped, but it didn't fix anything. Yes, it helped me face demons, but they were demons that I was prepared to deal with, demons that I had anticipated. Even the time with my son didn't remove the depression. Yes, his smile provided a brief moment of joy, but when I was away from him, I would sink again. So I realized that I had to go deeper down the rabbit hole to get some answers.
The thing about the dark, it can provide some true clarity. You realize who wants something from you and who just wants you for you. The dark shows you who you really are; no filter. You are forced to see yourself and everything that is you - good, bad, indifferent. Sound scary? Well, it can be. Its not just about being physically uncomfortable, its about being mentally and emotionally uncomfortable, and facing those demons head on. They are there, waiting, because its where they are most comfortable. Its their world. And oddly enough, its where you can see them most clearly, although surrounded in darkness, they are at their brightest, most clearly visible to you. The first instinct is to run, to get out as quickly as possible. But that doesn't eliminate them, rather, it feeds them, fuels them, gives them more power. It emboldens them to visit you at the worst possible times, without warning, hitting you with waves of anxiety, which leads to depression. And then, they have you. They can pull you down at any moment. Mine wanted me with them, sifting through the debris of broken dreams and hopes. So to defeat them, to quiet them, I stayed with them, prepared to fight. Because I knew that on the other side were my passion and dreams, my son, my life.
What's important to understand is that I didn't come to this way of fighting depression without help. I was fortunate to have some great doctors and caring friends and family to ensure I was getting the help I need. I didn't care about the social stigma, I didn't care about what those closest to me thought. The one thing that I knew was that if I didn't get help, things wouldn't get better. And let me be even more clear - this isn't something that "goes away". Its not a "phase". Its an illness, that over 10 millions Americans suffer from. Many suffer silently, fearing what others will think. We've become so accepting of other diseases and illnesses, and yet, depression and anxiety are still treated as just a feeling, not a real thing. I'm here to say, they are very real, they are treatable, they do deserve attention. There is no shame, and I mean no shame, if you suffer. There are so many ways to fight this beast, so don't give up, and know that you aren't alone. Even if you are fighting solo, know that millions suffer with you, everywhere. If you are getting very low, please don't hesitate to reach out to call centers, hotlines that are available 24/7 to help. There are strangers who care about you, yes, people who don't even know you. I care. For anyone reading this, it doesn't matter if we are friends or not, I care. I want you to know you aren't alone. I have been where you are, I have been low. Lower than I care to remember, but I have. And I am still here, still fighting. You are important. Don't ever think different. If you don't know how to face your demons then reach out to doctors, counselors, whoever you can to help give you the tools to fight. There's not one way. My "Inception" path isn't for everyone.
Just remember, we give others the power to make us feel odd, to feel strange or out of place. To feel as if we don't belong. Fuck that. Don't hide who you are, because it doesn't help you. Don't give others the power to make you feel less than you. No one has that right. No one. If you take one thing away from this post, let it be that line.
Stay strong,
Guy
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Tales from the Front - Personal Responsibility isn't just a catch phrase
"If you're going through Hell, keep going"
Winston Churchill
Hey all,
Been a bit since my last post, fighting some sinus and ear issues while working and training has made the start of 2017 a bit challenging. But during this time, I've also had the opportunity to do some pretty cool stuff as well, things that I believe will help others in similar situations.
About a month ago I was approached by Eric Su, the host of the "Healthy Living"Podcast. He was interested in my story and wanted to know more. As we spoke, I was able to share my thoughts on how and why I regained fitness after a long lay off, as well as a couple accidents. He asked if I would be on his podcast to talk about that, and I agreed. The link is attached below.
During the podcast the one critical point that I kept circling back to, as my motivation, was personal responsibility. I had spent a fair amount of time in my life, prior to 2010, blaming everyone else for things not going my way. Or why I wasn't experiencing the success I wanted, or had the job I wanted, etc. I was great at finding excuses. Looking back, it's fairly embarrassing that I was doing that. I was really good at saying what I wanted to do, but my execution showed otherwise. I had the work ethic, it was part of my DNA. But somewhere along the way, I forgot about it. And it took a broken right clavicle and 5 broken ribs to wake me the fuck up.
I don't want that for others.I don't want them to have to experience trauma to realize they control their own destiny. Its easy to point to millennials and say they have become the greatest excuse makers on the planet, but that's a little unfair. Every generation has people who do this. So quick to blame the world for their problems -most of which are self inflicted to boot. I know I've talked about the need for all of us to take personal responsibility for our actions, for our words, for everything. Because, everything is everything.Let me explain.
Your actions, big or small, cause reactions. If we ignore the small stuff for too long, it will create a giant monster that will follow us wherever we go. And that contributes to our initial reaction to point the finger outward. We lose sight of the genesis of our issues, we lose sight of our goals. Because we became great at putting off what we considered to be small stuff - eating better, sleeping more, spending more time with loved ones, and became comfortable with our lives being kind of ok, but not really great, and definitely not what we wanted. Then, inevitably, something goes really sideways. And there you sit wondering "how the hell did this happen?" We've become so conditioned to dump out and not take responsibility, that we start looking everywhere else for a reason. Well, that doesn't work. You can't put a band aid on a head wound and expect things to be ok.
Its not easy to have, what I consider to be, one of the top 5 hardest conversations - the one with yourself about how you got to where you are. If you have gained 20 lbs in a year, its not easy to look in the mirror and say - "I did this. Whether consciously or unconsciously, I put myself in this position. And I'm the only one who can get myself out". Or - "I've been working a dead end job for 10 years. I hate it. I hate going. But I never did what was needed to get the job or career I wanted". Look, this conversation is not easy, but its worth it.
The minute you take personal responsibility for your actions, you will find that its not easy. I can't lie and promise that its all roses. But its worth it. You can start over, you can restart your journey. Understand your opportunity to change your life only stops when your in the grave. Is it scary to think that? Fuck yes. But its worth it. Is it scary to admit your failings, yet realize you are in control of fixing them? Absolutely. You have to. You have to take your life back. This might not jive with everyone around you and that's ok.
If you keep trying to make the world happy - you end up miserable. Why? Because the person who is jumping around trying to fix everyone else isn't getting fixed. You aren't taking care of your own shit. Trust me, you don't want to have something traumatic happen to wake you up.
Or don't. Not taking responsibility, is an action. Understand not doing something is actually doing something. Its a choice. So if you choose not to act - guess what - that's on you. If you have the hard conversation and decide - "ah, fuck it, change seems too tough", then you have decided to not change yourself. Which is fine, but you don't get to bitch about it anymore.
I know what its like to be lost. I know what its like to have a hard time looking in the mirror every day. I've been to the bottom more frequently than I'd like to remember. But I got up. And I've got zero super powers, I'm not talented, I'm not special. So if I can do it, so can you. SO CAN YOU.
Get up and stay up.
Here's the podcast link - http://www.ericwsu.com/154-guy-petruzzelli-get-back-game-become-healthiest-hlwes/#sthash.E74v1CSv.dpbs
Stay strong,
Guy
Winston Churchill
Hey all,
Been a bit since my last post, fighting some sinus and ear issues while working and training has made the start of 2017 a bit challenging. But during this time, I've also had the opportunity to do some pretty cool stuff as well, things that I believe will help others in similar situations.
About a month ago I was approached by Eric Su, the host of the "Healthy Living"Podcast. He was interested in my story and wanted to know more. As we spoke, I was able to share my thoughts on how and why I regained fitness after a long lay off, as well as a couple accidents. He asked if I would be on his podcast to talk about that, and I agreed. The link is attached below.
During the podcast the one critical point that I kept circling back to, as my motivation, was personal responsibility. I had spent a fair amount of time in my life, prior to 2010, blaming everyone else for things not going my way. Or why I wasn't experiencing the success I wanted, or had the job I wanted, etc. I was great at finding excuses. Looking back, it's fairly embarrassing that I was doing that. I was really good at saying what I wanted to do, but my execution showed otherwise. I had the work ethic, it was part of my DNA. But somewhere along the way, I forgot about it. And it took a broken right clavicle and 5 broken ribs to wake me the fuck up.
I don't want that for others.I don't want them to have to experience trauma to realize they control their own destiny. Its easy to point to millennials and say they have become the greatest excuse makers on the planet, but that's a little unfair. Every generation has people who do this. So quick to blame the world for their problems -most of which are self inflicted to boot. I know I've talked about the need for all of us to take personal responsibility for our actions, for our words, for everything. Because, everything is everything.Let me explain.
Your actions, big or small, cause reactions. If we ignore the small stuff for too long, it will create a giant monster that will follow us wherever we go. And that contributes to our initial reaction to point the finger outward. We lose sight of the genesis of our issues, we lose sight of our goals. Because we became great at putting off what we considered to be small stuff - eating better, sleeping more, spending more time with loved ones, and became comfortable with our lives being kind of ok, but not really great, and definitely not what we wanted. Then, inevitably, something goes really sideways. And there you sit wondering "how the hell did this happen?" We've become so conditioned to dump out and not take responsibility, that we start looking everywhere else for a reason. Well, that doesn't work. You can't put a band aid on a head wound and expect things to be ok.
Its not easy to have, what I consider to be, one of the top 5 hardest conversations - the one with yourself about how you got to where you are. If you have gained 20 lbs in a year, its not easy to look in the mirror and say - "I did this. Whether consciously or unconsciously, I put myself in this position. And I'm the only one who can get myself out". Or - "I've been working a dead end job for 10 years. I hate it. I hate going. But I never did what was needed to get the job or career I wanted". Look, this conversation is not easy, but its worth it.
The minute you take personal responsibility for your actions, you will find that its not easy. I can't lie and promise that its all roses. But its worth it. You can start over, you can restart your journey. Understand your opportunity to change your life only stops when your in the grave. Is it scary to think that? Fuck yes. But its worth it. Is it scary to admit your failings, yet realize you are in control of fixing them? Absolutely. You have to. You have to take your life back. This might not jive with everyone around you and that's ok.
If you keep trying to make the world happy - you end up miserable. Why? Because the person who is jumping around trying to fix everyone else isn't getting fixed. You aren't taking care of your own shit. Trust me, you don't want to have something traumatic happen to wake you up.
Or don't. Not taking responsibility, is an action. Understand not doing something is actually doing something. Its a choice. So if you choose not to act - guess what - that's on you. If you have the hard conversation and decide - "ah, fuck it, change seems too tough", then you have decided to not change yourself. Which is fine, but you don't get to bitch about it anymore.
I know what its like to be lost. I know what its like to have a hard time looking in the mirror every day. I've been to the bottom more frequently than I'd like to remember. But I got up. And I've got zero super powers, I'm not talented, I'm not special. So if I can do it, so can you. SO CAN YOU.
Get up and stay up.
Here's the podcast link - http://www.ericwsu.com/154-guy-petruzzelli-get-back-game-become-healthiest-hlwes/#sthash.E74v1CSv.dpbs
Stay strong,
Guy
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Tales from the Front - Its 2017, so now what?
"You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do".
Henry Ford
2017. Its here. For many 2016 was not as great as hoped; it left them with more questions than answers; while others found more clarity and purpose, more direction. And there were several who are in the middle, still wondering what they want to do or how to go about attacking their passions. Here's the thing - doesn't matter where you fall in the spectrum. A new year is an opportunity to create lasting changes in your life. The tools are within you, the key is discovering how to pull them out.
Its easy, particularly in the Midwest, to get lost, or derailed during the holidays, then, the holiday post mortem; overindulging on food and alcohol, the stress of family, Christmas shopping, travel, cooking, it adds up. And by the time you realize it, its mid-February and you are no closer to getting started on your "resolutions" than you were on January 1. So let's start with something simple - do not make resolutions. They don't work. They can be too esoteric, or so overly complicated that nothing gets done. That leaves people feeling worse, depressed they weren't able to step up, or more confused as to why things aren't working. And as great as goal setting is, it still needs more meat. I like the idea of goal setting; however, if you want to reach them, being a bit more strategic helps set small markers along the way to keep you motivated. Let me explain.
We all have what I term, "macro goals". Things like, "I want to be healthier", "I want a better job", "I want to spend more time with my family", all goals, but pretty broad. Instead of ditching those global goals, use them as the constant challenge, make them the reason for the journey and the victories along the way. So get a pen and paper, yes, millennials, a REAL pen and REAL paper, and write down the big goal. It makes it real; its something that you can keep with you at all times. Don't just state it out loud or in your head, shit gets lost that way.
From that big goal, break it down - what does "be healthier" mean to you? And I mean you; not your friends, family, coaches, etc. You. This is your goal. Yes, we are used to the definition that CrossFit provides for fitness and health, but that might not be specific enough for you. You have to put your stamp on it. Don't borrow from someone else, its just another way to give up on your dreams and have a built in excuse as to why. Screw that. Own this. Decide what it takes to reach the ultimate goal, and write those steps or smaller goals down. Create a road map. Don't know how to? Ask. The notion that asking for help is a sign of weakness is beyond idiotic. No one knows everything - sorry millennials. Creating your road map gives you a concrete plan to get you where you want to be. I don't know what it takes for you to get a promotion or a better position in your respective field. You may not know. If it matter enough, you will seek out the answers.
Notice what I wrote - if it matters enough. Goals are great, road maps are great, all of this is wonderful, but absolutely meaningless if it doesn't matter to you. This is part one of the tough talk - what really matters to you. Again, this isn't about what others think or do, its about what matters to you. Its very easy to get caught up in goal setting talk, positive vibes are floating around, positive talk, high fives, etc. But when it comes time to act, very few move. Why? Because bottom line, it just wasn't important enough. Goals are the dreams that speak to you, they are what motivate you, feed you, scare you, keep you up at night. So before you start creating your map, be damn sure the holy grail you seek is something you actually want to hold. With this comes another critical point, if its not important enough to you, then complaining that you aren't as good as someone else or aren't where others are is yours to own too. If you want to get 5 unbroken pull ups, then you know that you will most likely have to stay after class, or come in before class to put in some work. However, if you are the first out the door when class is over, well, those pull ups aren't going to magically happen. Its like trying to be "half way pregnant", you want something, but maybe not as bad as you thought, so you still want to bitch that its not happening. Umm, no. Goals by definition have to be an all or nothing deal. Last I checked, they don't give out half promotions. I guess you could be "kinda healthy" although I have no idea what that means. Be specific, own it. This is supposed to be important to you. No one gets a trophy for simply showing up in life. And taking your dreams to the grave cheats all of us, because you had much to give the world, not just to yourself.
With that, comes the second part of the tough talk. These are your goals, your dreams. That means you can't go into the process of chasing them thinking that others will support or be there for you. Your family, your friends, they may not understand or agree with your dreams. You must be prepared to go alone down this road. No safety net. I know its scary. I'm 43 and have been playing without a net for a long time. I don't live a conventional life. My family doesn't support my racing, never have. Same with training and coaching. Its a completely foreign concept. Eating healthy, being active, not typical in the Petruzzelli family. But I know this. So I go about my days not expecting anything. These are my dreams, my goals, my passions. I cannot ask or expect anyone else to be on board. If someone or someones are, then its a wonderful gift. Otherwise, I know what I need to do. My coaches have my back, just like all the coaches at Iron Flag have yours, and each others. We may all have different views of fitness, but we all agree that you, the members, come first. That we are there to help you achieve your goals, to follow your passions. If that's all the support you get, that's ok. You are your best cheerleader. You are your best anchor. Taking the first step may mean grabbing your own hand to get up. That's more courageous than you realize.
No built in excuses. If you get home and know that there is junk food in the house, don't blame the house for it. You knew it was going to be there. You have to change. How you handle those situations will let you know how much your dreams mean to you, and if you're lucky, then those closest to you will see it and help. But until that happens, if you know Sunday dinner means pasta and starchy carbs, don't get mad at Mom because its not how you eat anymore. Plan ahead.
I'm not going to promise you anything here. I'm not here to tell you its easy. Life isn't easy. There will be times along your journey that you will fail, you will backslide. Don't beat yourself up about that. We are human, this is going to happen. Know your triggers, and learn from the mistakes. Know that all of this is worth it. Don't let others dictate your dreams, that's the fastest road to resentment and regret. Instead, get up, shake it off, and attack again. Faster.
Stay strong,
Guy
Henry Ford
2017. Its here. For many 2016 was not as great as hoped; it left them with more questions than answers; while others found more clarity and purpose, more direction. And there were several who are in the middle, still wondering what they want to do or how to go about attacking their passions. Here's the thing - doesn't matter where you fall in the spectrum. A new year is an opportunity to create lasting changes in your life. The tools are within you, the key is discovering how to pull them out.
Its easy, particularly in the Midwest, to get lost, or derailed during the holidays, then, the holiday post mortem; overindulging on food and alcohol, the stress of family, Christmas shopping, travel, cooking, it adds up. And by the time you realize it, its mid-February and you are no closer to getting started on your "resolutions" than you were on January 1. So let's start with something simple - do not make resolutions. They don't work. They can be too esoteric, or so overly complicated that nothing gets done. That leaves people feeling worse, depressed they weren't able to step up, or more confused as to why things aren't working. And as great as goal setting is, it still needs more meat. I like the idea of goal setting; however, if you want to reach them, being a bit more strategic helps set small markers along the way to keep you motivated. Let me explain.
We all have what I term, "macro goals". Things like, "I want to be healthier", "I want a better job", "I want to spend more time with my family", all goals, but pretty broad. Instead of ditching those global goals, use them as the constant challenge, make them the reason for the journey and the victories along the way. So get a pen and paper, yes, millennials, a REAL pen and REAL paper, and write down the big goal. It makes it real; its something that you can keep with you at all times. Don't just state it out loud or in your head, shit gets lost that way.
From that big goal, break it down - what does "be healthier" mean to you? And I mean you; not your friends, family, coaches, etc. You. This is your goal. Yes, we are used to the definition that CrossFit provides for fitness and health, but that might not be specific enough for you. You have to put your stamp on it. Don't borrow from someone else, its just another way to give up on your dreams and have a built in excuse as to why. Screw that. Own this. Decide what it takes to reach the ultimate goal, and write those steps or smaller goals down. Create a road map. Don't know how to? Ask. The notion that asking for help is a sign of weakness is beyond idiotic. No one knows everything - sorry millennials. Creating your road map gives you a concrete plan to get you where you want to be. I don't know what it takes for you to get a promotion or a better position in your respective field. You may not know. If it matter enough, you will seek out the answers.
Notice what I wrote - if it matters enough. Goals are great, road maps are great, all of this is wonderful, but absolutely meaningless if it doesn't matter to you. This is part one of the tough talk - what really matters to you. Again, this isn't about what others think or do, its about what matters to you. Its very easy to get caught up in goal setting talk, positive vibes are floating around, positive talk, high fives, etc. But when it comes time to act, very few move. Why? Because bottom line, it just wasn't important enough. Goals are the dreams that speak to you, they are what motivate you, feed you, scare you, keep you up at night. So before you start creating your map, be damn sure the holy grail you seek is something you actually want to hold. With this comes another critical point, if its not important enough to you, then complaining that you aren't as good as someone else or aren't where others are is yours to own too. If you want to get 5 unbroken pull ups, then you know that you will most likely have to stay after class, or come in before class to put in some work. However, if you are the first out the door when class is over, well, those pull ups aren't going to magically happen. Its like trying to be "half way pregnant", you want something, but maybe not as bad as you thought, so you still want to bitch that its not happening. Umm, no. Goals by definition have to be an all or nothing deal. Last I checked, they don't give out half promotions. I guess you could be "kinda healthy" although I have no idea what that means. Be specific, own it. This is supposed to be important to you. No one gets a trophy for simply showing up in life. And taking your dreams to the grave cheats all of us, because you had much to give the world, not just to yourself.
With that, comes the second part of the tough talk. These are your goals, your dreams. That means you can't go into the process of chasing them thinking that others will support or be there for you. Your family, your friends, they may not understand or agree with your dreams. You must be prepared to go alone down this road. No safety net. I know its scary. I'm 43 and have been playing without a net for a long time. I don't live a conventional life. My family doesn't support my racing, never have. Same with training and coaching. Its a completely foreign concept. Eating healthy, being active, not typical in the Petruzzelli family. But I know this. So I go about my days not expecting anything. These are my dreams, my goals, my passions. I cannot ask or expect anyone else to be on board. If someone or someones are, then its a wonderful gift. Otherwise, I know what I need to do. My coaches have my back, just like all the coaches at Iron Flag have yours, and each others. We may all have different views of fitness, but we all agree that you, the members, come first. That we are there to help you achieve your goals, to follow your passions. If that's all the support you get, that's ok. You are your best cheerleader. You are your best anchor. Taking the first step may mean grabbing your own hand to get up. That's more courageous than you realize.
No built in excuses. If you get home and know that there is junk food in the house, don't blame the house for it. You knew it was going to be there. You have to change. How you handle those situations will let you know how much your dreams mean to you, and if you're lucky, then those closest to you will see it and help. But until that happens, if you know Sunday dinner means pasta and starchy carbs, don't get mad at Mom because its not how you eat anymore. Plan ahead.
I'm not going to promise you anything here. I'm not here to tell you its easy. Life isn't easy. There will be times along your journey that you will fail, you will backslide. Don't beat yourself up about that. We are human, this is going to happen. Know your triggers, and learn from the mistakes. Know that all of this is worth it. Don't let others dictate your dreams, that's the fastest road to resentment and regret. Instead, get up, shake it off, and attack again. Faster.
Stay strong,
Guy
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