Most Inspirational Speech Ever

What is Mental Toughness?

What is mental toughness?!? It is often said to be the most important attribute an athlete can develop, but it's hard to put into words what exactly classifies as mental toughness since it can mean different things to each person. Most people can attest to the mental toughness that running demands, and for this reason, any brave soul that dares to lace up a pair of running shoes must possess at least minimal amounts of that motivational drive to push themselves beyond their usual comfort zone.

When trying to compare mental toughness among runners, it is often difficult to discern which ones are the most mentally tough since raw talent and training are major factors in determining a runner's performance. The best way to evaluate a runner's toughness is to observe how they respond to adversity. Do they get demoralized after having an injury? Do they find themselves constantly slowing down as the race progresses? Are they able to constantly motivate themselves to stick with their training even when they have no clear motives outside of achieving their own self-fulfillment? Mentally tough runners don't need a reason to push themselves, because they have a certain killer instinct that kicks in at the most stressful and physically-exerting moments. They are the runners that refuse to be dropped in a race and have the intangible ability to conjure up a finishing kick even when it seems like they are barely hanging on!

If you feel as though your performance has been hindered by your lack of focus and mental will power during crucial races, there are many ways to toughen yourself up. First of all, you have to maintain a positive outlook about your running at all times. For me, I need at least 1 solid workout each week to remind myself of how strong and fit I actually am. That may be a really hard long run where I was able to gut it out to the end or it may just be mile repeats that I ran. Either way, you have to fill your mind with positive thoughts. One way to give yourself a good mindset is by simulating racing conditions in your workouts. When you go on a run and reach the point where you are planning to stop, stick it out for 1 more mile even if your muscles are aching and your body is saying that you've had enough. Getting used to pushing yourself beyond the usual limits is important. In races you don't have the luxury of taking it easy when you're tired, so why should your training runs be any different? It is not wise to push every workout, since your body does need adequate time to recover after engaging in strenuous activity, but just remember that pain is not something you should be avoiding. Pain is simply weakness leaving the body. Also, be sure to do some of your runs near race pace, so when you get into a race, you will be more confident in your ability to handle the workload. Bad races and other negative events are bound to happen periodically, which is why I want to stress the importance of turning a negative thought into a positive one. Never put yourself down and try to focus on the things you are doing well. If you have a bad race, break it down into segments so you can analyze which parts you excelled at and which areas still need improvement. Always remember that running is unique in that there is always work to be done. Some people seem to think running gets easier as you get faster, but that is a flawed way of thinking. No matter how good you become, you are constantly challenging yourself to improve. It never gets easier, you just get faster. In baseball, a pitcher may be able to throw a perfect game, but running can never be perfected. It is always a work in progress, which should serve as a great source of motivation. You will set goals for yourself that seem satisfying at the time, but once they are achieved, you will quickly find yourself striving for bigger and better goals.

Another key component to "building brain muscles" is to stay focused. When you're running, don't allow yourself to get distracted by things that will only inhibit your performance. You may have been told before to "live in the moment," and in this case you need to run in the moment. When you're in a race, nothing else matters. It doesn't matter if you start to develop a blister on your big toe. It doesn't matter if sweat is pouring down your face and your hair looks like shit. It doesn't matter if your socks don't match or if you can't remember if you left the coffee pot on in the kitchen. RUNNING COMES FIRST! Most of all, when you're in the middle of a run, focus on the present. Don't worry about how you might feel when you reach the hill at mile 10. Learn to concentrate on what you are doing in the present. Focus on maintaining a nice rhythm, so while other runners are fading in the race, you are blowing by them with a satisfying grin.



And lets not forget one of the most underrated tools you can utilize.....Training conditions! Running in non-ideal conditions is the best piece of advice I can give you. Instead of running at 6am before the sun has the chance to show its ugly face, sleep in, and go for a run at 2pm when it's so hot even your shadow looks for shade. At first it will be terrible. You will only be able to run half of your usual distance, and each run will be more physically draining than the day before. Make sure to stash a water bottle somewhere along your running path just in case you need it. Getting accustomed to running in the heat can be a painstakingly long process. It may take a few months to adjust, but I guarantee that you will get stronger in the end. Soon enough, the heat will feel normal, and when you run under any other conditions, you will absolutely kill it! After this sort of training, you will be ready for anything mother nature throws out at you on race day.

You can train as much as you want, but if you never take the time to develop mental toughness, then your potential is very limited. Running endless miles every week will make your legs powerful, but don't forget about the weakest part of your body - the mind. Running is not about elegance, style, and talent. It is about having the hunger, desire, grit, and mental toughness to perform at your best under the most intense pressure and conditions. To modify Charles Darwin's quote that talks about natural selection and survival of the fittest for all species in an environment with limited resources, I will leave you with this: "It's only survival of the fittest if the strong refuse to quit."

My First Triathlon

Hawaii sometimes feels like a small town. Whenever there is a local race, everyone knows about it, and you see the same individuals at the top of the results page. Names become well known, reputations are formed, and word spreads fast. There are not a lot of people here, but a larger percentage of them are athletes than anywhere else I have ever been. The hills here are insane and the ocean waves are legendary. Athletes here can not be one dimensional since most of the racing events are triathlons. Before moving out to the Islands, I never really thought about competing in triathlons, but I've learned to adapt to my environment. Like a chameleon that blends in with their environment to survive, I have taken bold strides toward becoming a triathlete in order to keep up with my surroundings. I've competed in the hardest bike race in Hawaii (and arguably the world) for 2 years in a row now. I've also competed in 2 road races where I placed 1st in a 5K and 2nd in a 10 miler. I'm trying to become a recognized athlete out here, so if my name comes up in the future, people can bring up mid-conversation, "Yeah, I raced that guy once. He's strong!"

This weekend was my first true test in the world of triathlons. I had several goals for the race. One of my dream goals was to get top 10 in my first triathlon. I picked Lavaman Keauhou as the race where I would attempt to leave my mark. I was encouraged by my friends whom assured me that I had a lot of potential; however, it's one thing to have great potential and an entirely different one to actually live up to the hype. There was much uncertainty going into the race, because as much as I tried to simulate triathlon races in my workouts, nothing compares to the real thing. Hoping I would get top 10 in the race seemed like such a ridiculous goal that I kept it to myself. My main goal was to perform respectably and beat a local up and coming triathlete (Brandon). He's a few years younger than me and is considered one of the better young triathletes in the area. He has a few years of experience, and his training regimen is insane. I thought I exercised more than anyone, but Brandon's training makes mine look like a drop of water in the ocean. He is even competing in the Ironman World Championships in October. It doesn't get any bigger than that! My mentality is so predictable. As soon as I find someone that appears to be faster, stronger, and or just better than me all-together, I focus on them, study them, and think of how I can take them down. Many nights, I find myself browsing through race results while listening to Eminem on blast in my headphones for motivation. I know my behavior sounds over the top, but I swear I was born this way. Upon tedious analysis, I concluded that his swimming was very respectable, his biking was not as impressive but commendable nonetheless, and his running was his major weakness. This realization put a huge devilish grin on my face....Usually this face is accompanied with a maniacal high pitched laugh that can not be translated with a keyboard....Onomatopoeia just isn't possible. After some number crunching, it seemed likely that I could catch him somewhere near the end of the run portion.

As fate would have it, we randomly ran into each other at the gym about 5 days before the actual race. It's strange shaking someone's hand when deep down you have the urge to say, "Nice to meet you. I'm Chris and I'll be the guy that is going to crush your dreams." We ended up swimming laps together and he clearly demonstrated his prowess in the water. I was doing a simulated triathlon workout that day, but for the run, I decided to run outside instead of on the treadmill. As I was leaving the gym to go running, I saw him on the treadmill, and nearly every bone in my body wanted to walk over to the adjacent treadmill to show him how real runners do it. Instead, I told the evil guy on my shoulder to shut up and figured it would be smarter to save the can of whoop ass for the race.

The race was on the other side of the Island, and none of my friends with cars were competing, so I had to take the bus. It was very annoying, but I knew no force could keep me away from the race...Not even class lol. I actually had to skip my classes on Friday in order to go, because the bus schedule is really weird (Sorry Mom and Dad!). I heard the bus was free for students, so I foolishly didn't bring cash with me to the bus stop. When I boarded the bus, they told me the ride was free but that it would cost $1 for my bike. Stupid, ungrateful bike! My bike is so spoiled! I stood there awkwardly for a moment as I shuffled through my wide array of plastic money that was worthless in this instance. I remember staring at my Visa debit card thinking, "I thought Visa was accepted everywhere, Psh!" I turned to the mass of strangers on the bus and asked if anyone could spare a dollar. I made it known that they would be paid back when I could access an ATM. Some woman in the 2nd row gave me a dollar with little hesitation and said, "I'm not going all the way to Kona, but you can have this anyway." I was very thankful and told her I would race in her honor. As those cheesy, quasi-inspirational lines left my tongue, I noticed that she already had her head in a book. She couldn't have been more disinterested, but at least she was generous. It's ironic that I coughed up $400 for the hotel and race entry fees, but this $1 became the deciding factor.

It was intimidating having to set up all of my stuff at both transition sites with no available guidance. I had no friends to talk to and no one to offer up any advice, so I basically just observed others around me and tried to implement their methods. You can actually see my head in this picture. I'm standing behind the old shirtless guy in the top right portion of the picture.

I did not enjoy wearing a swimming cap that much. It made me feel more like a synchronized swimmer than a triathlete. I was glad to take that darn thing off, but let me tell you, "IT WAS NOT EASY!" As you can see, the old guy behind me is walking out of the water, but I'm not wasting any time! I was anxious to get out of the water and onto land where I truly dominate. The swimming went about as well as expected. My 1.5K swim time was 29:02, and considering I got kicked in the face, punched a few people in the head, and had to slow down to get around swimmers occasionally, my time was good for me. The top swimmers were well ahead though. Getting passed by girls is a humbling experience. I guess you could say I got chick'd and grandma'd in the water....(Credit to Brandon for that phrase).

After the swim, I was in 52nd place out of 200 plus. It doesn't sound bad, but when your expectations are to get top 10, it's not music to your ears. The bike was second nature. The first 3 miles of the 40K bike leg were all hills. I blew by so many people on the hills due to my recent Sea to Stars race. These hills were nothing compared to that race. I only drank a half bottle of Gatorade during the ride, and I decided to drink mostly during the first few miles of hills since aerodynamics does not play a crucial role when you're climbing. Once the flats started, I rode more hunched over and rarely drank fluids.

I call this photo the Evolution of Cycling that can be compared to the evolution of humans from apes. The guy on the left rides like an uneducated monkey that rides leisurely and doesn't look like he is too comfortable on the bike. I'm in the middle, and even though I am more aerodynamic than the rider on the left, I still could be a lot better. I guess that makes me the ape that learned how to use basic tools. Part of the problem is that I don't have a triathlon bike like most professionals. Most serious cyclists have training bikes for the road, trainers for trails (mountain bikes), and they have time trial bikes for races. I don't have money in my budget for a garage full of bikes. Instead, I borrowed my friend's attachable aero bars that allowed me to hunch over and reduce my wind resistance, but I should have adjusted my seat by moving it up and forward. The guy on the right has completed the transformation into a cycling animal...Oh wait, he should be human, but this guy is an absolute beast. Maybe my metaphor doesn't fit quite right but you get the point. His triathlon bike has permanent aero bars, a heavy disc rear wheel, probably customized gear ratios that are better for races, and his seat is adjusted properly. One thing I did notice about my gears is that I was topped out on the downhills, so I wasn't able to get the most out of my pedal strokes at times. I still managed to finish with the 11th best bike split (includes transition times) and my average speed was about 24 mph. If you are not an avid cyclist, you probably have no concept of the added benefit one receives from dropping several thousand dollars on a bike, but when you find yourself riding a heavy $700 bike while everyone around you is racing on carbon fiber twigs with wheels that cost $2,000 by themselves, it's a bit of a reality check. I was able to pass 37 people on the bike, so going into the run I was in 15th place.

When I got off the bike, I was out of breath, my legs felt like jello, and my lower back was screaming in agony. I seriously gave it my all on the bike, and if you have ever tried to run after a bike ride, you know how difficult it can be. I zipped down my uniform to combat the scorching heat and I took water from every aid station for the sole purpose of dumping it on my head. The first 2 miles of the 10K run were relentless hills that....Wrong choice of words....Let me rephrase...It was 1 long hill! Running up it felt like the popular magician's trick where they pull colorful handkerchiefs out of their shirt sleeve for what seems like an eternity. That hill felt like a magician's line of handkerchiefs. Every time I would run around a blind turn, I would soon discover that the hill only continued farther up the road. The only comfort I got was at about the 1 mile marker when I noticed Brandon up ahead trotting at a pace that made me feel like a hungry lion chasing down a wounded gazelle. It was only a matter of time. I gave him an encouraging pat on the back as I blew by. The 3rd mile was run all on lava rocks, which became a light bulb moment where I thought, "So that's why the race is called Lavaman." The last 3 miles were all run on the resort golf course which you can see in this picture. There was just one more major hill at mile 5. The field was so spread out that I only managed to pass 3 people on the run in the first 3 miles. That put me in 12th place. I spotted one more guy in the distance that I set my sights on. I closed in on him by mile 4, but for some reason, closing the final 20 meters to make contact with him was the hardest part of the entire run. With a half mile to go, I told myself, "You can't call yourself a runner unless you can chase down this guy and make him your bitch." I closed my eyes and pretended like I was finishing the race. I knew that if I could simply make the pass, it would demoralize him and probably cause him to slow down. All I had to do was pick the pace up, make the pass, and then I would be able to rest again. I pulled up next to him, and as I passed by, he actually said, "Good job." His compliment came so fast that I got the impression that he knew I was coming. My strategy didn't quite pan out how I thought it would. Instead of getting demoralized, he fought to stay with me. His determination actually motivated me to run harder and I found energy inside myself for a brief moment that I didn't know existed. I began to hear bells rattling and the thunderous roar of the crowd. You may think I'm exaggerating, but there were 250 volunteers for this race, so I could hear all of them in addition to the random spectators, race finishers, and family members cheering. Like kids in the pool playing Marco Polo, I just moved toward to the noise. As soon as I was able to gap my opponent by a few seconds, he began to fade making victory imminent.

This is me crossing the finish line in 11th place. The next closest competitor was 2 minutes ahead, so my hopes of getting top 10 were nothing but a pipe dream. My running leg was the 6th fastest out of everyone in the race, so I was pleased with that, and I also won my 5 yr age division. Brandon finished 7 minutes behind me, and even though it felt great to finish ahead of him, I was happy that he was able to set a new personal record for the course. Given that this was my first triathlon, I surpassed my own expectations by leaps and bounds. When my friends, that had encouraged me for weeks leading up to the race, heard about the results, even they were surprised. If I train more specifically for triathlons, focus a lot of my time on swimming, and upgrade my bike, I may be able to do some real damage in this sport. I know that most of the everyday crowd, like the kind lady on the bus that gave me a dollar, are more likely to use the sports section of the newspaper as a coaster for their coffee than to read about my triumphant athletic endeavors, but it doesn't really matter to me in the grand scheme. I don't train for others. I train because there is no thrill in doing things that anyone can do. There is only satisfaction in reaching heights that even I never thought were possible for myself. Races provide athletes with the terrific and rare opportunity to compete against a vast array of other like-minded individuals, but when it's all said and done, the real race is against yourself.

7th Annual Sea to Stars Mauna Kea Hill Climb

It seemed like deja vu when I was standing there listening to the pre-race introduction for the 2nd year in a row. The only bike race I have ever done is this crazy one, which is why all of my memories of the course remain so vivid. (I'm the 2nd rider from the left in the white jersey and black shorts). I look so focused!

This is me riding the 3 mile warm up before the official race starts. It was hot as balls and we were still cruising at 18 - 22 mph the entire time!!! You can see the redness in my face already. I decided to open my jersey in the beginning to avoid overheating. I'm riding with my friends Brett (next to me), Tim (directly behind me), and Dan (diagonally behind me in the green jersey). My main goal for the race was to beat Tim since he has proven to be the strongest climber in the training group that I ride with. My only advantage over him is that I have excellent endurance and I'm a better all-around rider. He is so light that steep hills are easy for him, but he doesn't have enough power to ride hard on the flat sections. He's also a very smart rider, so he will back off if he is riding at a pace that he knows is too fast. I think much less about strategy and just ride my guts out at all times. I decided that I would kill it in the beginning to get him off my back wheel so that he wouldn't be able to draft me and I wouldn't have to worry about him for the rest of the race. There were a few more of my friends in the race, but you can't see them in this photo.

Once the race started, the pace got intense. The strongest riders were in the front trying to drop the rest of the field, while all of the riders in the main field were constantly sprinting and scrambling around each other to stay as close to the leaders as possible. The top 5 leaders in this picture were cut off, but the black rider in 6th is at the head of this group leading the charge. You can see me on the left side near the back with Tim right next to me! In the distance, you can see some of the riders that have already been left. This is only about 2 miles into the actual race lol.

After about mile 4 or 5, the leaders were getting too far ahead, so most of us at this point gave up on chasing them. My friend, Dan, made a crazy attack to catch the leaders but died out before he was successful. He told me after the race that he got within 20 feet of them but then ran out of gas! This is me leading the main field as we attempt to catch up to Dan who shows weaknesses after making an unsuccessful attack. It's nice that the photographer got a shot of me in the center of the frame, but I would have preferred a panoramic view of the mass of riders behind me.

Dan, the rider in black, and myself eventually broke away from the field. We could not see the leaders, but we were riding in 6th, 7th, and 8th.

Right before a downhill section, I switched into my big ring too early and my chain dropped. I had to get off my bike and put my chain back on, so I fell back about 30 seconds. This is me catching back up to Dan and the rider in black after dropping my chain. At this point in the race, Tim is several minutes back and of no threat to me.

The black rider and I continued to ride together and eventually dropped Dan. Here you can see my friends Dan and Rob in the middle. Little did I know, the black rider I was competing with won this race 2 yrs ago. In other words, HE WAS OUT OF MY LEAGUE!!! I was going too hard in the first half of the race trying to stay with him and I should have backed off like these guys did. I was still battling for 6th/7th while this group is 8th - 11th at the moment.

I eventually got dropped by the rider in black and rode miles 20 - 32 pretty much solo. I was hurting really bad and paying for my really fast start at this point. The headwinds were slowing me down a lot and my legs kept spazzing out, which is a common occurrence in a race like this where you are going all out for 4 hours and climbing so many darn hills. From mile 33 - 36, there were 3 guys that were riding in a pace line and passed me on a downhill. I tried to keep up with them, but my legs were too tired to spin that fast and I wasn't able to hang on.

I continued to ride solo until mile 38 when Dan passed me! I remember his wife yelling, "Good job baby!" I thought she was talking to me since I wasn't aware Dan was creeping up, but the true recipient of those cheers became apparent after a few seconds of false empowerment. We rode together for the next 4.5 miles in 10th and 11th place as we approached the brutal 6 mile hill finishing stretch that includes consistent climbs of 17% and higher. 

This is a picture comparison of the winner at the beginning of the race and during the final climb of the race. Notice the difference in his facial expressions?!?! That's what it takes to complete this race. Even the strongest rider is whincing in anguish!!!!

I led Dan for the first 2 miles of the 6 mile hilly finish....basically the first 2 easy miles.

This is Dan dropping me on the final 4 miles of the race when the elevation really spiked. I was just in survival mode at that point.

This was about a mile from the finish. He looked like he was starting to crack, but I was too far behind to make up the distance.

This is me crossing the finish line at 9,300 ft. The race started at sea level, and due to the downhill sections in the race, we climbed at total of 10,000 ft!!! The race directors were yelling at me to slow down since there is nothing but gravel after the finish, but I ignored them because I wanted to get the best possible time that I could lol. After this picture, I slid through 40 ft of gravel! My time last year was 4:21 and my time this year was 4:09. I finished in 11th place overall and 2nd in the Men's Elite Category 4/5. I was only 2 minutes behind a Cat 3 rider. Only the top 5 riders finished in under 4 hours, so I was only a few minutes behind 6th place!!! The race was pretty tight. The final climbs were so steep and long that I could see everyone ahead of me, but you're working so hard just to keep pedaling that you can't really catch up to anyone. The only way to pass someone on a 20% graded hill is if they quit and get off their bike to walk lol. Dan pulled ahead of me in the final 3 miles to finish in 10th at 4:08. I think I'm a little bit stronger than him, but I worked too hard in the beginning while he worked together with others more during the race to conserve energy. Rob finished in 13th place in 4:15. My friend Steve finished in 17th with a 4:24. Tim and Brett dropped out of the race!!! A lot of people fail to finish this race, and with a 6 hour cutoff, some are just not fast enough to make it. I was pleased with my effort but I'm disappointed in my racing tactics.

Goals for next year: My bike is currently very heavy for a road bike (22.5 lbs). Most of the riders have 15lb bikes, which gives them a huge advantage on hills. My goal for next year is to buy new wheels and pedals to make my bike lighter (under 20 lbs). I also plan on doing more long distance hill training and going out at more of a steady pace next year. Last year I beat Dan by 3 minutes, but this year he beat me by 1 minute. I plan on kicking his ass next year (sorry Dan!). I hope to someday break the 4 hour mark assuming the winds are in my favor, and I would like to win the Cat 4/5 race. I may decide not to run the 5K race this weekend, but I am still game for the Olympic distance triathlon August 28th!!!

Spin Class = Usually An Excellent Workout

 I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the spin classes that are available at virtually every gym, but they are something worth checking out. I recently got into the habit of going regularly. My initial motive for going was to meet girls since they make up the majority of most spin classes, but I quickly discovered how beneficial spin can be for serious athletes. It gives you a solid 45 minutes of high intensity cardio while strengthening your leg muscles at the same time. I usually burn 750 - 800 calories in each session. In addition, it's motivating to push yourself when you have a serious spin instructor that works hard to get everyone into it. The usual instructor is fantastic, but unfortunately she will be out of town for the next 2 weeks. I went today to get a taste of what the replacement instructor was like.

O.....M.....F.....G!!!!! That was the worst spin class I have ever had the misfortune of attending. I'd rather get a colonoscopy from Edward Scissorhands than go back! First of all, she was late, which left me utterly dumbfounded when I found myself setting up my bike in a room by myself. I actually began to question whether or not spin class was today.

The class started with just the teacher, my friend ( Mikey), and myself. None of the usual folks showed up most likely due to the fact that the normal instructor was not teaching the class. Mikey and I were having a casual conversation for a while like it was a peaceful Sunday morning ride through the park, because the instructor was so nonchalant about everything. After about 10 minutes, a horde of random people showed up that I've never seen in my entire life. It felt like the twilight zone. Everyone set their bikes up in the left corner of the room instead of forming the usual semi-circle around the teacher, so there was no organization whatsoever. She didn't make us do any standard hill climbs or hill hovers...Doesn't surprise me though. She looked more winded than a 1 legged chicken in a butt kicking contest. She did about 8 total 30 second sprints that were loosely scattered throughout the class with no rhyme or reason. She only mentioned shifting gears about 3 times, so most of the time everyone did their own thing. From what I could tell, most people were just sitting down and spinning at 50 rpms in a low gear. They could have burned more calories eating celery.

And don't get me started on the music!!!! By golly gee whiz! We were subjected to some funky ass tribal music that was a total ripoff of the Lion King minus the raw emotion and inspirational vibes...It was laughably strange more than anything else. I was so confused. Where were the upbeat remixes?? I didn't know whether to pedal or get off my bike and bang bongo drums to celebrate the sacrificing of a wild boar that would feed the entire village. The music was at a good volume, but her mumbling throughout the class was hardly audible. Maybe if I was deaf and could read lips, I would have gotten more out of it. I don't know if she smoked a bowl before class, but she was saying some pretty trippy things. Sometimes she would close her eyes, spread her arms, and say things along the lines of, "Feel the music. We're biking through the jungle. Can you see the trees?" Her behavior was reminiscent of Whoopee Goldberg's character from the movie The Ghost....You know, the crazy fortune teller?

The majority of the people left before the class was over. For the cool down stretching at the end, she didn't tell any of us what to do. She just did her own thing. All in all, I would give her a 1.5/10. She gets a free point for it being her first time teaching the class (I'm assuming), and I give her the extra 0.5 for her winning attitude. But taking into account her cheesy lines like, "Time flies when you're biking fun (whatever that means)," and factoring in everything else that I have already said, she doesn't deserve any brownie points. Originally, when the spin instructor announced she was going out of town, I was offered a chance to teach the class. I turned it down with the fear that I would not be able to teach it as well as the normal instructor, but having spin class turned into a cultural circus was such a mood killer!

A New Direction

For as long as I can remember, running has been my sole passion. It's never easy summoning up the motivation to get back into shape, and for the first month, it can sometimes feel like absolute hell. That's usually the point when most people give up. They never push through the intimidating pain barrier and instead quit when the going gets tough. I'm not sure why, but people seem to be only interested in venturing down the easy path to success. It sounds good in theory, but in reality, there is no easy path. What many fail to realize is the athletes that excel in their particular sport didn't rise to the top overnight. It took years of hitting the gym until the staff kicked them out, sweating through 3 pairs of workout clothes in a single day, and making daily sacrifices to accommodate their workout routine. Case and point - All serious athletes are misunderstood, because they put themselves through things that normal people can never comprehend.

If you have ever followed through with a fitness goal and committed yourself fully to something for the sole purpose of self-improvement, then you are well aware of the many benefits it can bring. Exercise is such an odd activity because it separates people into two distinct categories: Those that love working out and do so habitually and those that hate it. Some of you may think to yourselves, "What about the people that hate it but choose to do it anyway?" I don't believe any such person exists. The human mind is reward-seeking, which causes us to participate in things that bring us the most satisfaction. If someone exercises despite harboring feelings of distaste and resentment toward it, they will not be able to maintain that sort of lifestyle for long, because eventually they will fall back into their lethargic habits. Maybe some of you haven't figured out exactly what it is about exercise that keeps you hooked, but believe me, you have some underlying desire to push on that you may or may not be aware of. I have an extensive running background, and I remained satisfied up until my Senior year of High school. After 3.5 years of running in High school, I opted to skip my final track season because I was so burnt out. For a short period of time, I wanted nothing to do with running. The thing that had once been the center of my universe was diminished to a thing I only spoke of in past tense. I honestly had no interest in ever running again; however, three months later, I found myself lying awake in bed staring at the ceiling with a feeling of nothingness that can only be described as a peeling artwork with little hope of restoration. I'm not sure how I came to this rationalization, but I finally decided to lace up the old running shoes against my better judgment and go for a run. I believe it was about two in the morning. I stepped out onto the track and started moving my legs. There were no people in visible sight and it was so dark that I could hardly see 5 feet in front of me. It was exciting not knowing whether my next step would be one of progress or one of a tragic and untimely demise. After about six miles, I was panting like someone suffering from an asthma attack, and my entire body was covered in a cool sweat that provided me with a refreshing chill during what was an uncharacteristically warm night. It was then that I realized exercise was what kept everything in my life balanced. It improved my mood, gave me limitless feelings of self worth, made me feel like I was living a healthy life, and reminded me that the human body can achieve great things with a little hard work and persistence.

Coming back wasn't all fun and games. Over the next few years, I dealt with a series of injuries that set me back quite a bit. One ankle injury in particular took me out of the game for 8 months, so I pursued other avenues of exercise during that time to fulfill my need for blood pumping ecstacy. That was when I discovered cycling. I started off with virtual stationary bikes that had just been put into my school gym, but after achieving rapid success, I took my talents to the road. Surprisingly, I have found cycling to be a sport that almost gives me levels of satisfaction comparable to running....ALMOST. In a short amount of time, I managed to do a  1,000 mile ride in 14 days, then a 253 mile single day ride, and this summer I completed a 328 mile single day ride across New York.

Being fluid in running and biking usually leads to triathlon aspirations. The only problem was I loathed the thought of strapping on a pair of geeky goggles and swimming in a freezing cold pool. It wasn't until I met a few exercise junkies like myself that I really gave swimming a legitimate chance. The workout partners I had recently found were not only dedicated, but ORGANIZED! They had a facebook group where members would post their daily diets and workouts for everyone else to scrutinize, praise, etc. Given my competitive nature, I saw this as a time to kick my training up a notch. I began to throw swimming into the mix, and more often than not, I was swimming with other people which made it that much more bearable. Before long, I found myself swimming 4 - 5 miles/week in addition to all of the running and biking I was already doing.

Competing it a triathlon began to seem like a realistic goal once I started swimming regularly. My main concern was the thought of doing the swim, bike, and run all in succession with virtually no break in between each. This led to the start of weekly triathlon style workouts where myself and a few others would meet at the gym to do all three forms of exercise in a row to simulate a real triathlon. Our plan was to start out by doing them at the gym in a controlled environment and eventually bringing them outside to the ocean and open road where the conditions would be more grueling and uncontrollable. I remember the first time doing it was the most exciting thing I had done in weeks.

I've gotten to the point now where I actually enjoy incorporating all three sports into my training regimen at once. To do this, I can not fully commit to running, but despite reducing my mileage, I have actually been getting faster! Imagine that! By running less, I reduce the chance of injury as well. With swimming, I get additional cardio that will increase my lung capacity, and I receive a full body workout. With biking, I am able to go on regular 3 - 4 hour rides that help keep my endurance at a high level.

Here was my latest triathlon workout this past weekend: 3/4 mile swim in 20:59, 25.2 mile bike in 61:00 (on a spin bike), 6.2 mile run in 37:47. I have much room for improvement in swimming, but my biking is strong, and I think my running is good enough to pick off opponents in a triathlon. Some may even say I'm quicker than a group of homeless people jumping on a quarter, but that's beside the point. I have set my sights on a triathlon race that takes place at the end of August. I will keep you posted on that.