Experiencing Ironman success

Defining Success

As defined dictionary.com

1.

the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals.

In order to judge if we have been successful at something, goals must be set prior. Now this is the tricky bit, but so important. Setting appropriate goals can totally change your mindset, productivity and ultimately the levels of success you achieve. Set the goals too low and you will most likely achieve success, but will you experience the true euphoria that comes with the personal satisfaction of such success? Set the goals too high and you may continually fail and continually deny yourself the opportunity to be happy about your achievements. (Don’t get me wrong we need to fail, and shouldn’t be scared of failure because ultimately that makes us better)

This weekend is Ironman Melbourne and I am so bloody excited about watching my wife, athletes I coach, friends, the pointy end of the field and people I don’t even know execute their Ironman race this Sunday. For most it has been a long build with massive commitment from themselves, families and friends.  How do you set goals to measure success beyond the objective?

I like to look at goals from two perspectives and I think both are important. I believe you should have a number of Objective and Subjective goals leading into an Ironman. Objective goals are things that can be measured or they either happen or they don’t there is no grey. Qualify for Kona, Sub 10, Sub 12, Goal average power on the bike, Goal run time, Too finish. These goals are important and are really why we are on the start line to begin with. But I am a big fan of the old Journey Vs Destination or Process Vs Outcome analogy. If you focus on subjective goals (goals which require you to look deep into yourself, which require you to make an honest assessment as to whether they have been achieved) you are much more likely to achieve the objective ones. Examples of subjective goals: Did I stick to my pacing and not got too hard at the start, Did I maintain mental focus all day (lapses in concentration cost time), Did I ease off when things got a little uncomfortable, Did I walk when I could have run, Did I stick with my tried and tested nutrition plan, Did I maintain an aerodynamic position on the bike when it got a little uncomfortable, Did I truly push when things got hard as I knew it would, etc.

So whether or not you can look back at your last three months prep and say you achieved what you wanted to, it is still worthwhile setting your realistic yet challenging Objective and Subjective goals now (If you haven’t already done so). I like to have a list of at least five or six for an Ironman and judge my success based upon how many of those goals I was able to achieve.  Write them out, and replay them in the head. If you concentrate on the subjective ones race day, requiring you to be completely honest with yourself the objective outcomes will take care of themselves.

Hopefully this will stop you reaching the finish line looking at the clock and judging your whole experience on one number! Sometimes circumstances beyond our control affect the objective outcome but if you can truly look deep into yourself and say you gave it your absolute best you can still experience success. I truly hope you experience the deep joy of hard earned success this weekend, good luck! Time to hurt.

Below is an example of an athlete I coach experiencing deep success beyond achieving a goal time despite not seeing at the time.

 

Last year, Mark experienced the joy of achieving a goal within his reach, a sub-10 time at Ironman Melbourne. Through determination, good planning, perseverance despite setback (injury) etc etc! As a coach I was so happy to see the exhilaration he felt from such success. The next part of our plan was to have a quick turn around and back up for Port Macquarie Ironman six weeks later. Riding on the high experienced in Melbourne, Mark was truly excited by what was possible. Perhaps a Kona qualification was in his grasps if not in Port Macquarie certainly in the future. This all come un-stuck about 15km into the 180km bike ride when he hit a big pothole. He went over the handle bars at 50km/h (downhill section at the bottom of Matthew Flinders dve) taking skin form his face, torso and legs. His bike was a mess also and deemed un-safe by the officials. Rear brake cable snapped, Front Derailleur bent beyond being fixable and only three gears to choose from on the rear cog. Now Mark could have easily walked off the course then and there. Obviously he was pissed off, but the voice in his head could have justified that he had broken 10hrs six weeks ago, the mechanic is telling me he can’t fix my bike and it’s unsafe, call it a day, head back to town get the wounds clean and go get some lunch. 

 Mark told that voice to piss off, he called on his negotiation skills from his day job and convinced the mechanic that his bike was safe with a front brake (utilising some of the laws of physics) and decided he would ride the entire Port Macquarie (bloody hilly) course in the big dog, with three gears and weeping wounds. Needless to say what was to follow was a long day of agony. Mark persevered and got to the finish-line in the dark of the night. Talking to him that evening he was mightily pissed off because he was feeling great and confident he could improve upon to sub-10 mark he had set six weeks earlier. He saw this as failure. To me this was one of the best moments in coaching I had experienced. (Not through any of my doing) Marks in-built reaction was to finish at all costs and an attitude that no obstacle is too great. What an experience for his pre-teen kids to watch their Dad struggle to the line battered and bruised. That lesson is one that I have no-doubt will teach them much more than any Kona ticket, super-fast time or any other audacious goal Mark has. To me this is great success!!