Getting Through (my first blog)

Good evening.

Long are the times when I said I would never do this. Wait, blog that is. You and your dirty mind. However, a rebirth has occurred in me, and I want to share like a kid in time out. Currently I have 5 converts to the church of Triathlon, and I aim to convert as much as legally allowable while still maintaining "peaceful assembly" status. Sort of like Mormons, but I praise the bike, not the book.

You have probably (if you are following search criteria correctly) read your share of advice, thoughts and rantings of the insane about endurance racing. Most of them carry invaluable advice and all share a common thread. This blog is different (I have heard that before...namely on some first "blind" dates). Every post will attempt to dissect the race experience from a purely mental state and will hopefully clue you, others, random prisoners, and many more to adjust your racing, adjust your performance, and adjust your view.

This first subject is the approach. You have to crawl before you walk (or ride) and many times that takes some purging. Your mind is similar. Many of the filters you approach life with are combinations of learned experiences and advice, all wrapped up to give you the eyes and understanding that are unique. Unfortunately this can be the proverbial double-edged sword. If those filters get too strong, or too stubborn, you can have the makings of a racist, a sexist, or even worse, a cartoonist. Momma, don't let your babies grow up to be animators. Anyway, those filters need cleaning from time to time, and this first exercise does exactly that.

I call it fact checking. This is what the silly news-corps do when so-and-so politician argues a point in a debate. They fact check. On a side note, I find it hilarious that someone would think that a politician would be completely truthful anyway. You should fact check your approach to your race, your workout, your transition, etc. Within this simple exercise you will clear up fears, melt away anxiety, and further your healthy approach that in turn maximizes your experience each time you tempt that evasive little strumpet known as adventure.

Fact checking is real simple. First, list your fears. We all have them, we all are somewhat driven by them. Whether it is a fear of tripping into transition, cramping in the first mile of a 5k, or showing up naked to the start line, all fears are justifiable at the time. We dream about them, we prepare against them, and furthermore we let them consume too much of our precious time. So fact check them. What is your fear? A stuck wetsuit zipper? If so, then practice your swim to bike transition and pay close attention to the zipper. How many times out of 5 does it stick? Read reviews about your brand. Out of 10 reviews...any stuck zippers? Better yet, any reviews at all about zippers? Call 10 triathletes and ask, any of them have stuck zippers before? Then look at it statistically. If it isn't likely, then you shouldn't fear it. Otherwise, there are other things to fear that you are forgetting, like getting hit by an anvil that falls from the sky, or a flesh-eating bacteria infection from the water.

In the end, you cannot eliminate all of your fears. Performance brings that out in the best of the best. But you can eliminate quite a few of the sillier ones by simply going through the exercise of fact checking each one. Sure, it seems simple and trite. But only by stepping the steps will you allay your fears. If it were as easy as talking your way through it, then horror movies wouldn't be so profitable.

Until next post...lux aeterna.

Race smart.

-The Mental-ist