You do WHAT? Why do you do that??

I had lunch today with a friend of mine that is COMPLETELY removed from the world of triathlon. He played high school and college football but has actually falls pretty well within the stereotype you're likely visualizing right now. We got to talking about my upcoming trip out to Colorado Springs to attend the Level 2 Coaching Certification Clinic with USA Cycling at the Olympic Training Center. From there we started chatting about a particular athlete I'm starting to train that has a good chance at doing quite well with the ITU circuit next season. He had quite an interesting question: "Why would someone put that much work into something that doesn't doesn't really get them anything but glory?  I wouldn't do that.  If I'm going to have to work that hard, I want to get PAID for all of that time!"

It got me thinking of that classic question that we all need to ask ourselves.  Why is it exactly that we are doing what we're doing??  Sir Edmund Hillary was asked once "Why did you climb Mt. Everest?" and his answer was supposedly, "because it was there."  Now whether he said that really, I don't know. The reason why this question is so important is the following: You're ALWAYS going to come to a point during a race, a training session, a season or time of your life where you ask yourself - "Why am I doing this?".  We all find those moments when we're really suffering and we crack mentally.

I remember the first ultramarathon I did in New Zealand this past year, there was a point during that run where I was all alone, hungry, tired and having that discussion with myself. I considered whether I should just drop out at the next aid station that was still quite a few miles away. It was a challenge but I persevered. I ate some of the food I still had with me, sipped on some water and just kept going. If I wasn't physically injured, I was going to continue as best I could. I made it to the finish line and reflected back on that time. I was so happy to have finished. All that hard work didn't even factor in to the thought process.

For me, the mental challenge of racing is what draws me to it. I LOVE the challenge of overcoming the mental obstacles.

It's important to know what it is that makes you push through that dark place so that when it shows up, you know what to do and know WHY you do it.

I was once told: "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare". Have the will to prepare your mind! Question why you do this and be sure you know why!