Usually when my alarm goes off at 5:20 I fight it. I hit snooze and then I fight with myself and my bed …
Although I usually win and get out of bed and hit the road, it’s always been hard. I’m not a morning person but the only time I can make to train is early am. I have to be BACK from training by 7am because that’s when we have family scripture time before the kids eat breakfast and head off to school. Then, I have to get to work and by the time we have dinner and put the kids in bed, it seems like it’s about 9pm … too late to hit the road (and too dangerous to bike ride at night).
We have a tradition at work call BHAGs. Big Hairy Audacious Goals. Last year, I felt like I needed a personal BHAG to help me get up in the AM. So, I decided to attempt a 1/2 ironman triathlon: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run. My race is in Hawaii on the big island in Kona on June 5th. Jess and I are turning it into a vacation for the 2 of us and we’re stoked.
I’m scared. I don’t say that to be cute or humble. I’m scared. That fear (particularly of the open water swim) and then possible bonking on the bike or run has been incredible motivation to get up every morning, make the time (sometimes twice a day) to get the swimming, riding, and running in. I have less than 2 months and I feel like I could really use 3. I love the gentle anxiety that pushes me out of bed in the am as the first thoughts that cross my mind are seeing myself at different stages in the race … running out of gas.
If you need any extra motivation to eat better, run more, whatever … consider setting a BHAG. Fear is an effective motivator. At least for me.
Here’s the race: http://www.ironman703hawaii.com/
Here’s some hype for the FULL ironman:
