I ran across this story today and felt compelled to share it. Until I read it I had no idea who Margaret Moth was. She seemed like quite a woman though.
Check out the two videos at the link below. What must it be like to do what you love, live life on your terms, and in the end be able to say I have had a good life, and I absolutely would not change a thing.
One can learn a lot from a person like this.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/21/margaret.moth.obit/index.html?hpt=Sbin
No matter what comes your way, never give up, or give in!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
What's in a Mantra?
Now that my workouts are getting more structured, and more intense, I'm learning new things. The biggest thing I have learned is that sometimes, during those workouts, I have to go someplace else. Not physically, but mentally.
A couple days ago in my spin class it hit me. If I spend time thinking about what I am doing it is a lot of work, and my mind says I want to slow down and back off on my resistance. But then I had one of those "A-ha!" moments. If I get lost in the music, and focus on something other than what I am doing, I get a lot more out of the workout. Some people refer to it as going to their "happy place". Okay, this type of mental replacement is not new to me. Marine Corps boot camp held many a "happy place" moment. But that was (I still find it hard to believe) 26 years ago. Since then I have not put myself through anything that needed such a distraction.
During the class I hear a song I was unfamiliar with. I'm mostly a Rock kind of guy, so Pink is not on any of my playlists. But there was a certain refrain in this particular song that put it into perspective for me, and has become my new mantra for the bike.
Now a mantra, for anyone who is not familiar with the term, is a word or phrase that you use to help you get through certain situations. It can be as short as one I read where a guy was doing his first Ironman. On the palm of his hands his wife wrote, "I can" and "I will". When he was struggling he just looked at his hands and got the motivation he needed. Others I have seen used are:
A couple days ago in my spin class it hit me. If I spend time thinking about what I am doing it is a lot of work, and my mind says I want to slow down and back off on my resistance. But then I had one of those "A-ha!" moments. If I get lost in the music, and focus on something other than what I am doing, I get a lot more out of the workout. Some people refer to it as going to their "happy place". Okay, this type of mental replacement is not new to me. Marine Corps boot camp held many a "happy place" moment. But that was (I still find it hard to believe) 26 years ago. Since then I have not put myself through anything that needed such a distraction.
During the class I hear a song I was unfamiliar with. I'm mostly a Rock kind of guy, so Pink is not on any of my playlists. But there was a certain refrain in this particular song that put it into perspective for me, and has become my new mantra for the bike.
Now a mantra, for anyone who is not familiar with the term, is a word or phrase that you use to help you get through certain situations. It can be as short as one I read where a guy was doing his first Ironman. On the palm of his hands his wife wrote, "I can" and "I will". When he was struggling he just looked at his hands and got the motivation he needed. Others I have seen used are:
- I'm a runner!
- I can do it!
- I'm a hot potato. I AM A HOT STRAIGHT-OFF-THE -FARM POTATO! (No clue what it means, but it meant something to this gal.)
- Remember to breathe!
Cycling for me has always been recreational in nature. Ever since being a kid on Starlight Drive in Saginaw, Michigan I have been on bikes. The most competitive I ever got might have been racing the Dornseifer's around the block. Mostly we rode the fields, or pulled each other on skateboards. So training for triathlons is a much different experience than anything in my history. The effort to accel takes dedication, and the ability to lose yourself in something else.
This is where my cycling mantra comes in. For me it reminds me of the past, the effort it takes to train for something like this now at 45 years old, and the fact that I will not only overcome it, but I will destroy it!
"This used to be a funhouse, but now it's full of evil clowns. It's time to start the countdown, I'm gonna burn it down!"
I am not only READY to continue this challenge, but I am EXCITED about continuing this challenge!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Just another day!
I am currently flying from Illinois to Oklahoma City where I will be attending a conference for the next few days. I have immersed myself in my Triathlete Magazine with my "Caribbean Mix" playing on my iPhone. I would normally be reading, and listening to music while I fly, but this time out of necessity.
Trust me when I say it beats listening to the "Open-mouth-gum-chewing-tuberculosis-coughing-stale-smoke-smelling-hasn't-showered-this-month" guy in the seat next to me. Anyone that knows me knows two things. First, this is just my luck. Second, I am immediately irritated by this guy. Oh, I forgot to mention the "It's all fun and games until the cops show up" t-shirt. I'm guessing this is not uncharted territory for this guy.
As I sit there I am glad I have chosen better habits. Habits that, while sometimes uncomfortable, produce positive results physically and mentally. There are days when I am on a run, or swallowing pool water because of my inability to breathe on my left side, where I wonder why I'm putting myself through it. On days like today I know why.
There is a famous line from Andy Dufrene in the movie Shawshank Redemption (best movie EVER according to my wife) that puts it very succinctly. "Get busy living, or get busy dying". Some people choose one, some.....the other.
Trust me when I say it beats listening to the "Open-mouth-gum-chewing-tuberculosis-coughing-stale-smoke-smelling-hasn't-showered-this-month" guy in the seat next to me. Anyone that knows me knows two things. First, this is just my luck. Second, I am immediately irritated by this guy. Oh, I forgot to mention the "It's all fun and games until the cops show up" t-shirt. I'm guessing this is not uncharted territory for this guy.
As I sit there I am glad I have chosen better habits. Habits that, while sometimes uncomfortable, produce positive results physically and mentally. There are days when I am on a run, or swallowing pool water because of my inability to breathe on my left side, where I wonder why I'm putting myself through it. On days like today I know why.
There is a famous line from Andy Dufrene in the movie Shawshank Redemption (best movie EVER according to my wife) that puts it very succinctly. "Get busy living, or get busy dying". Some people choose one, some.....the other.
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