In August last year I accomplished a long-time goal to complete my first Ironman Triathlon. John Collins, the founder of Ironman back in the 1970s said: ‘A 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run, brag for the rest of your life!’ Both before and since the race I have talked to many people about what an amazing event an Ironman is and without exception non-Ironman triathletes have an opinion about whether they could complete the race and what would be the biggest challenge.
For most it’s the swim that puts them off. A few have even said that the run would ‘bore them’. Yet most endurance athletes will claim the biggest challenge isn’t how strong your arms or legs are it’s how strong your mind is. Someone once said: ‘Endurance events are 90 per cent psychological and the other 10 per cent is in your head!’
I often think there are many similarities between preparing for an Ironman and running a great business. Invariably the difference between the good and the great in optics is not the quality of equipment, the frame range or this week’s promotion it is the strength of mind of the people in it.
For a start you need a plan. You need to have clear direction on what level you need to be at and by when. The training and performance must be sustainable and consistent. It’s almost impossible to do it all alone. You need a support team and race crew. You must be able to identify the people who will help you through the tough times and the people who will celebrate small victories with you along the way.
Start slowly and build up to the level that you aspire to so that you don’t end up disappointing yourself with unrealistic expectations.
You must prepare and invest in the future. ‘Just because you can doesn’t mean that you should’. Sometimes there are times that the ‘quick win’ is the wrong thing to do and investing in things now that will pay dividends in the long term can take a good deal of mental strength.
Nutrition is vital. What fuels your objective? What do you need to take to keep you going and how often and when do you need to take it? What works for some people doesn’t work for others so you need to experiment with new ideas along the way.
But in the end it is a race and there will be winners and losers so you must always keep one eye on the competition and be able to react quickly. Finally, as the Ironman strapline says you absolutely and unconditionally have to believe that 'Anything Is Possbile!'