Even though I’ve had to stop racing (e.g., marathon, triathlon, cycling, open-water swimming), I am aware that I dig into my racing and training memory banks often to power me though my day.
I’m capturing the essence of a few gems in this post—even if only to serve as a reminder to myself, but I hope you can grab something for yourself, too.
Seven things I learned from endurance training and racing
One: There is always someone who has gone farther than you and who is faster than you.
In Life: There is always someone whose circumstances are much more challenging than yours. Buck up.
Two: If you think you can’t, you’re right. No one can talk you into training twenty+ hours a week or racing for six+ hours at a time. No one is more convincing than your own mind.
In Life: If someone needs to talk you into something for you to pursue it, it’s usually not worth it. If you’re not already convinced you can do it, you can’t. Go for it and have faith in yourself!
Three: Avoid over training and never put off a good night’s sleep.
In Life: Be well rested and take good care of yourself. And just like the airline steward says, “Put on your oxygen mask first, then assist those next to you.”
Four: Pace yourself.
In Life: If you like doing something (blogging, anyone?), see in your mind’s eye what you’ll be able to manage over the long term, be realistic, and make corrections along the way—don’t burn out early on. My high school track coach used to say, “A steady pace wins the race.” Agreed, Coach Greg.
Five: Don’t become too smug or boastful about your accomplishments/awards/ranking. Putting yourself up on a pedestal only makes it easier to be knocked off.
In Life: Do what you’re doing it for the pure love of it. When other emotions get in the mix, your world can easily come crashing down. (Or as my Dad says, “If you want to become a big wheel, remember what dogs do wheels, honey.”)
Six: Visualize successfully overcoming the challenges you may experience before the race or training session.
In Life: You must be able to see in your mind’s eye the thing you want to obtain—and feel it with all five senses. You might not be able to get the results because you may not have a specific expectation (goal) and visceral feeling for the result. You must play it out in your mind’s eye—see what you want to happen with as much detail as possible.
Seven: Savor the hardships, savor the discomfort, because that’s what’s building muscle, power, and endurance. You must cause small “microtears” in muscles for them to heal—which is what triggers them to become stronger. Putting oxygen demands on your cells (aerobic bouts) will trigger your cells produce more mitochondria, which will supply greater energy when the demand arrives next time.
In Life: See the challenges you’re experiencing as adding to your “toolbox”. What you endure and overcome will become a tool for future use.
Now, I’d like your help. Whether you’re an athlete, a chef, or knitting pro, have you noticed “tools” you’ve acquired that now translate to everyday life?
[Photo courtesy cygnus921]
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Lori,
Valuable life lessons from a sport you love. I found myself vigorously nodding my head in agreement to each one. I can’t even use *especially* for any, because all are so important.
I’ve learned the same from sailing. My bonus lesson is one that was hard for me to surrender to–if all else fails, the engine dies, the sails rip, the stearing breaks (didn’t happen, but I’ve simulated it)…the current will guide me. If I let the current carry me, it might take longer, I might not get to the destination I had in mind, but it *will* be a trip full of beauty and adventure…much like life:)
.-= Joy´s last blog ..Monday Blessing…Clarity =-.
Hi Joy,
I’m glad you found resonance to your life in this post. Excellent!
Thanks, too, for discussing what you’ve learned from sailing. Very interesting! I can see from how you’ve painted the picture how valuable the lessons have become in your life.
Me thinks me likes it! That’s very cool, Joy, thanks for the mental imagery today.
I love it! Great wisdom in the everyday translations. Especially like the “put on your own oxygen mask first.” So true, but a hard one to learn for us women.
Also like that you point out that muscles actually have to tear to get stronger. It is such a great analogy for the pains in the every day. Facing the pain/fear/anger in life is truly how we learn and grow and overcome.
In the last three years, I have had to recover from a serious brain injury; have had my kids taken away, have amassed tremendous debt; have been continually harassed legally; blah, blah, blah, etc…., but you know what? I have grown tremendously, gained strength and wisdom I did not even know I had, and actually learned to like myself and be good to myself – flourished even.
We’ll never know what we are even remotely capable of unless we push ourselves.
“Your current safe boundaries were once unknown frontiers.”
Hi Debbie (Soul Sister),
Hey, great to hear you enjoyed some of the “wisdom” of this post. In fact, I think I might have to frame your comment–I’ve been officially noted to have wisdom! (LOL)
Also, thanks for calling out my reference to the requirement to tear muscle to promote strength. To me, this is an amazing correlation to life. Glad you agree.
You have a tremendous story, Debbie, and your story gives me strength every day. I’m so glad you mentioned it here–I hope others will take the time to visit and subscribe to your blog. We have a lot to learn from you. You are a wise soul.
And, I LOVE, LOVE your final quote. Too true, lovely, too true!
Ahhh. All very good lessons, dear one. One of *my* favorite life lessons from sports comes from the late, great Satchel Paige who gave us this little pearl of Wisdom: “Never look back, cause something might be gaining on you.”
Or, if you prefer my more standard method of using music to convey wisdom, then I offer you this from Kenny Rogers: “You got to know when to hold em. Know when to fold em. Know when to walk away, and know when to run.”
Hey Jay-Bird,
Thanks for floating in to the comments today — in your angelic way.
Thanks for the Paige quote — very awesome! And, yes, I totally agree. The times I DID become ‘weak’ and look back, I usually just got frustrated to see the person so close, which often made me loose concentration. It’s best, I agree, to simply keep looking forward and give life our best.
And, from a Kenny Rogers fan (I grew up with him singing on Mom’s stereo!) — thanks for reminding me of that most sweet line. Kenny Rogers said a lifetime of wisdom in that one line!
Take care, sweet.
Hi Lori.
I do love them all as Joy does, I like Debbie’s one about ‘safe boundaries were once unknown’, I love Jay’s one and mine is that how much I might plan or do my bit, there is always a bigger plan that I never see but has a say as well. Therefore I do my bit but never think that I do it all. There is relief and comfort in that. xox Wilma
.-= Wilma Ham´s last blog ..Listening beyond what your ego wants to hear. =-.
Hi Wilma,
I’m blessed to see you today, thanks for popping by!
Yes, Debbie and Jay are wise ones and continue to inspire me (much like you).
I like how you framed your comment in the context of a bigger plan — but taking it in bits. I suppose that’s what life is all about, making today the best we can, laying the tracks in the direction we want to go, and just enjoying the ride.
So lovely!
I can definitely relate — “I’m in it for the long haul” is something I’ve said to myself often in life — most of the goals I’ve accomplished have taken seemingly a long time and a lot of struggle, but this has taught me to genuinely appreciate the moment-to-moment process of what I’m doing.
Hi Master Chris,
Hey, that’s a great expression — to be in it for the long haul. Knowing you as I do over these past many months, I can absolutely see that in you. As an aside, you’d be in my top picks if we ever played dodge ball together. You’ll be there until the bitter end!
I really like what you had to say here — similarly, I often tell my young niece that if the things she’s interested aren’t hard, they’re probably not worth doing. To me, it’s all about surmounting walls and feeling the accomplishment for having done so.
Why do the easy stuff?
Keep up the great work, Chris, I can’t wait to see the places you’ll go.
Thats the beauty of competition, it brings something out inside of you that would have stayed dormant otherwise. It also facilitates focus and grit. Love it! Thanks for the inspirational post.
Hi Ralph,
I checked out your site — very awesome! I very much like the topics there and will sure to be back.
Having read more about you, it means a lot to hear what you said here. I really appreciate it! I felt inspired, myself, when you said, “…it brings something out inside of you that would have stayed dormant otherwise.” That really sums it up, Ralph, the essence of competition. I really do feel it gave me this certain focus and grit. And, who knew I’d need it later in life to deal with a chronic disease?
Life is full of little gifts, don’t you think?
Beautiful summary, Lori. One item I would add: You cannot do it for someone else. Motivation comes from within and the rigors you must face traing for and competing in those premier endurance events can’t be found on a poster, in a slogan, or chasing someone else’s approval. You have to want it for you.
.-= Ted Hessing´s last blog ..Rhineland and Central Germany =-.
Hi Ted,
Hey, thanks for coming back and taking the time to comment. You’re a lovely writer and I am thankful for you.
You know, I formerly had small Ironman posters on my wall (training maps, etc.) in my office. One the one hand, they did inspire me. One the other, they certainly didn’t put me on my bike or help me swim (and run) miles and miles while I was training. The butt’s got to get on the saddle! (LOL)
I think it took me hitting my late 30s to realize that no one’s approval really matter but my own. I think that’s an excellent point, Ted.
You are a wise soul — thanks again for your words of wisdom.
And thanks yourself for both the motivation and support!
.-= Ted Hessing´s last blog ..Kim & Kyle: Lawyers No More! =-.
Hey, no problem! Remember: I’m only a mirror.
Lori:
Great post…I enjoyed how you applied all your lessons learned in your triathlon training to life. You make great points all around. But #7 seems like an important one to me. Savor the discomforts…that’s a great line considering so many of us want things to be easy. It just doesn’t work that way. In one of my job hunting seminars, we talked about using a mantra to get us through tough times and adversity. My mantra, that could be applied to point #7 is “what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” Its a great way to reframe the way I look at the bad stuff that comes up. I also really like your points to pace yourself and get enough sleep. In any case, great information here and thanks for sharing with us.
.-= Tim´s last blog ..Deep Art Appreciation: Roger Dean =-.
Hi Tim,
Well, I think you’ve hit on my favorite, too (#7). Some might say that I just need to give meaning to suffering — and maybe that’s partly true, too. While I’d RATHER be racing and active, I just have to know that trials and tribulations simply build one’s toolbox for things down the road.
Thanks for bringing up your “tool” in discussing the mantra you use. And, I use that one on occasion, too. Because, really, it is literally true! “I’m still on this side of the dirt,” is just another way for me to say that the stuff I’m going through hadn’t killed me yet — so I MUST be getting stronger.
Keep taking care of your body electric, Tim, and I wish you well as you continue your job hunt. You’ll succeed, this I know!
Powerful lessons, both in sport and life. Nice work, Jane.
Follow through – I’ve been training for a powerlifting meet, and one of the big things that I’ve picked up is to keep going until the lift is complete. I’ve talked to many that did the work, thought they had finished, only to be told that it didn’t count because they had not actually finished.
.-= Todd´s last blog ..The great magazine subscription debacle =-.
Hi Todd,
Thanks for taking the time to share one of your “tools” or life experiences. I love this type of story or example!
I can very much relate to the follow through. It reminds me of doing push-ups when I was in the Army. I’ll never forget, during one AFPT test (of course, I always aimed to max out the test!) I thought I was the sh*t because I did ~60 push-ups in the allotted two minutes. But, when the test was over, the person observing/counting my test had only counted 40 “qualifying” push-ups so I missed maxing it by two! (Ugh!)
Hey, thanks for your kind words, too. I’ll use all I can get!
Lori,
I LOVE this post!!! I can relate to so many of these. And it’s something I think about often, too – the life lessons that are there in the sporting events in our life. I think about competing in triathlon – and the transitions (swim to bike and bike to run). And these transitions are a change. Just like the transitions (changes) we experience in our life. And they can somtimes seem difficult at first. If we keep at it though, we DO get beyond that transition, and into more of a flow….
.-= Lance´s last blog ..Unsilence The Violence =-.
Hi Lance,
Hey, I thought you might like this one — being that you’re training for your first marathon! Yee haw!!!
I like the example you posed, about transitions. And, that is so true. The first few minutes after a bike-to-run transition (especially) can seem like hot molten lava flowing through your muscle fibers — then, as if magic, the tension seems to ease and you’re once again flowing like a deer through a meadow. And, it IS so much like life.
Once I relax and ease into the flow, I often wonder why I was so uncomfortable with a particular life transition in the first place! I’m hoping to get to that place very soon.
Great seeing you, Runner Lance!
Lori,
What an awesome, beautiful and motivating post. to be able to choose just the right aspects of something you love and apply them to all of life is a challenging task. This is brilliant.
I am bookmarking this for future reference whenever I need to get a little motivation to help push me through a rough patch.
George
.-= George Angus´s last blog ..Write a Novel in 100 Days? Really? =-.
Hi George!
You, sweet, sweet, sweetie pie man, you. Coming from you, wow, that really means a lot. And, seriously, you’re going to bookmark this? I better read it again to make sure I didn’t make any goofy grammar mistakes.
No, really, your comment means a lot. It was actually quite helpful for me to write this — I realized the other day, when I was writing Lance a coaching-based email for his marathon, how much my racing life has impacted other areas of my life. I’m really glad you enjoyed this, George.
Hi Lori .. what a wonderful succinct way of giving us your 7 tools .. and how absolutely true – and I love the way you’ve set them out .. giving us the reasons and the why .. so we can see the benefits.
Just at the moment life is tricky .. but by paring back, decluttering, realising that life needs to start again .. then I have the resources within me .. I have the years of knowledge and I must accept that this is where I’m at. Acceptance to go forward .. and just be, and live in the now ..
And secondly follow the advice from bloggers like yourself as to the ways to help ourselves as we move on .. we can just add to our growth .. it doesn’t need to wither .. because I am building muscle knowledge power and endurance in the process. Somehow I’ve survived three + years with things definitely not easier now .. but that’s another story .. I’ve just looked after myself within the boundaries of life – knowing that I need to keep going .. I am ..
Have a good week – and thank you for these thoughts .. essential for me just now .. all the best and with thoughts Hilary
.-= Hilary´s last blog ..The Okavango Delta – the perfect place to Safari or holiday? = Yes for me! Part 1/3 =-.
Hi Hilary,
It sounds like you are clearing out the old, and bringing in the new. And, how fitting with springtime and our own planet’s renewal. The energy and spirit is natural to summon this time of year. Good for you! Know that I’m here in spirit as you move through a difficult time, Hilary. Hang in there.
It’s interesting to me that you’d mention, “follow the advice from bloggers like yourself…,” as I often strictly prohibit myself from offering advice. I very much try to only talk about what I’ve done to surmount challenges (what’s worked for me). I think there are many ways to face our days — and probably different for everyone. That said, I’m very happy that anything I’d say would be helpful. I’m glad I could help.
And, absolutely, Hilary, you have absolutely built power and endurance these past years. Treasure the time, as you are doing, and continue to be a beacon of love in this world.
With huge hugs, love, and peace!
~Lori
~xo!
Hi Lori
I’ve always loved watching and playing sport and agree that it teaches so much.
Dedication, discipline and hard work are at the heart of any sporting achievement, perhaps that’s why most are content to just watch.
Perhaps the greatest lesson from sport is how to react and cope with losing. It’s not easy to lose with grace and move on.
And as a sprinter, I remember losing quite a lot. LOL
BTW – great graphic.
.-= Keith Davis´s last blog ..Flying in formation =-.
Hi Keith,
What a great point you raise — about coping with loosing. How true that is! I’ve certainly met my share of loosing, and how that can be such a great teacher. Yeah, I tried sprints and even hurdles at one point. I think that was my best teacher regarding how to deal with loss. {laughing}
Thanks for your mention of the graphic, too. The more I became focused on swimming, the more I fell in love with it. I think, because the swimmer is a part of something much bigger (the ocean) during an event or training, it really puts the effort in perspective.
Great to see you, Keith. Have a great day!
I love the buck up comment. It’s what I learned being one of ten kids. Each one of these were great.
I had a couple of things learned as a runner.
I can always do more than I think I can. Always.
I can usually run twice as far as I’ve trained for example if I train for five I can do ten…it work’s for me. What do you think of that?
Love what Joy says. Love it. And I hear you’re coaching Lance. I may have to hire the next time I run a race;)
Hi Tess,
I’m with you there — I feel that every time I start whining about something, I meet someone else who is going through something that makes my situation seem not so bad at all.
Also, LOVED your comment about always being able to do more than you think you can. When I first started running marathons, met a woman (who I worked with) who had run ~70 marathons and about a 1/2 dozen ironman-distance triathon races — and she was about 5 years older than me at the time. She helped me quite a bit, and I remember her saying that she used a 1/4 rule — she could continue on about 1/4 more than her longest run. So, I’m with you about that. And, hey, if it works for you, more the better!
Yes, Lance is a trooper and a model “student”.
I’m enjoying working with Lance very much — he gives back to me just as much (if not more) and it’s been quite fun thus far.
Thanks for your kind words, Tess. You’re such a lovely person. Enjoy your weekend!
We tend to rush everything, to compare ourselves with others, to think that we can still do everything despite we are already struggling, etc, etc. These are some issues that can really contribute to our stress. Imagine if you keep on thinking of others, if you keep on considering so many factors around you. You’ll just spend most of your time thinking than working.
Mike Ramsey´s last [type] ..Tips On How To Stop Excessive Sweating