Karel and I spent all of Saturday watching the Ironman World Championship. Actually, we first went out on our road bikes for a 2.5 hour ride (no shortage of mountain views) and then from 12:15-11pm, we watched and tracked athletes on Ironman.com. It was such a special day to have two of our athletes (Lisa and Leyla) out on the course for their first IM Kona experience (both finished!), which was also on the day when the male professional Ironman World Championship course record was broken. It was so much fun to track so many of our friends and to watch the professionals race in one exciting race on the big island of Kona! Congrats to everyone who earned a spot to the IM Kona start line!
I always find that the Ironman World Championship has a special way of helping athletes dream a bit bigger. While triathlon may not be for everyone, this recognized event is extremely motivating, regardless of fitness/athletic background.
While motivation can easily come from watching a one day event, not always is it easy to keep. If you have recently set a goal for yourself, you must be willing to maintain your efforts until you achieved that goal. Athletic success requires a lot of patience, persistence and grit but it often comes at the result of applying a little effort, day after day.
When a motivated, focused, determined athlete has a goal in place, there's often the tendency to make a lot of changes in an effort to reach that goal. Whether it's diet, training, lifestyle or a combination of all three, it's important to recognize that success does not come from a radical change or overhaul in your training methods, diet or lifestyle. It's focusing on the small things that make all the difference.
I always find that the Ironman World Championship has a special way of helping athletes dream a bit bigger. While triathlon may not be for everyone, this recognized event is extremely motivating, regardless of fitness/athletic background.
While motivation can easily come from watching a one day event, not always is it easy to keep. If you have recently set a goal for yourself, you must be willing to maintain your efforts until you achieved that goal. Athletic success requires a lot of patience, persistence and grit but it often comes at the result of applying a little effort, day after day.
When a motivated, focused, determined athlete has a goal in place, there's often the tendency to make a lot of changes in an effort to reach that goal. Whether it's diet, training, lifestyle or a combination of all three, it's important to recognize that success does not come from a radical change or overhaul in your training methods, diet or lifestyle. It's focusing on the small things that make all the difference.
Far too many athletes are constantly looking for quick results in an effort to achieve success as soon as possible. This inpatient thinking with a big goal in mind often results in extreme lifestyle changes with training and the diet. If you are willing and ready to get to that next level or you want to reach a personal goal, never underestimate the importance of making realistic, sustainable, smart and healthy decisions on a day-to-day basis.
If you have recently made a huge change, hoping for a grand, visible or talked-about outcome associated with it, you may find yourself with a performance decline or health issue in the near future.
It's not easy to reach a goal. Goals require a lot of hard work, patience, time and focus. But don't let the time that it takes to reach a goal scare you away from what could be an exciting and possibly life-changing journey.
Success is built on many small sustainable changes but small changes typically aren't visible or talked about. Minimal gains are not sexy and they don't get a lot of attention. They also don't make much of a difference at the time so you often feel like your recent change isn't working.
But eventually, they do add up to something very important over the long-term.
Think small for big things to happen.