The More Unrealistic Your Expectations Are, The More Fun They Are When You Meet Them

So, right now, my goal is still to go to Hawaii, and I have to compete in triathlons to do that. Even while maintaining a full time job (or two). My priority is therefore to make training a daily activity. Yes, I have work. Yes, I have a life. Some days I'm tired and can’t get it done – everybody’s human. The important thing is that I'm learning from all of this. 

Training is going reasonably well, but travel is making it much more difficult than I anticipated. In Las Vegas, I tend to spend more time in the gym because the weather’s still cold, but I bought a new road bike and am looking forward to biking in the hills in early March. I'm thinking about hiring  a swimming coach because I need more drill training. I continue to make adjustments, but the important message in all of this is to keep on moving your priorities. You set your goal, then you manipulate your priorities.

I mentioned before that motivation comes from a goal, even if it’s small. When you were a kid, you set goals (graduating elementary school, then middle school, then high school, for example). Then you achieved them and moved onto the next one. Adults don’t do that. Children do. It's time we think more like children.

If anyone reading this blog doubts that I'm going to Hawaii, you shouldn’t be reading it. I’m going. It may take me a year, or 2, or even 15. But I am going. I think that Nike ad is really what it’s all about. Stop making excuses and "just do it." Make unrealistic expectations of yourself. The more unrealistic they are, the more fun they are when you achieve them. I have just as much heart now as I did before, and, yes, I'm finding training to be difficult at times. But struggle is good. It’s not always easy, but sometimes it’s more fun if it’s not easy, because then you have to dig deep. My high school football coach, Tony Verducci said, "No many how many hundred-yard sprints I make you do, you’ve always got another one in you, and the next one may be the fastest in your life." That’s true abnout life in general. Use this opportunity to rekindle some of your childhood goals, and achieve them.

This Year, Get in the Game

Let me tell you a story. The first time I ever ran a 6.2-mile race, I came in dead last. That was in 1977. In fact, I was so slow, the truck picking up the cones was beeping its horn at me. I was discouraged because the guys in the truck were jeering at me, and I said to my friend, “Maybe we should step aside and quit.” He said, “Are you kidding me? Do you know how many people can actually run 6.2 miles? You’re an elite athlete, and those guys in the truck are a bunch of deadbeats.” That statement rings true today.

It's a new year, but your resolution shouldn't be to change everything at once or be the best right away. Instead, work on changing one thing permanently. It’s been my experience that change occurs when you do something long enough to make it part of your life. I’ve always lived by motto, “Don’t let work interfere with your training," but, recently, I’ve been thinking “Don’t let work interfere with your play.” That’s the way I’m approaching my training: As a form of play. People shouldn’t consider training for an Ironman 'normal,' or something that everyone should attempt. But those who do should view it as play, and enjoy the challenge of it.

This morning was a perfect example. I saw the sun rise off the ocean around 7:10, and it was 50 degrees out (you have to be prepared for that weather, even in Florida). There was no wind. The sky was crisp and blue. On a bike going 20 mph, though, the wind chill brings you into the 40s. But it was still a playful day, because I had run hard the day before, and cycled hard the day before that. Today was a tempo ride; I never looked at the speedometer for how fast I was going. I just concentrated on keeping my leg speed constant for an hour. It was like begin a kid.

That’s how you should look at physical fitness. That’s why basketball is such a common sport for college grads who used to play a little bit, and why so many gyms have them. Rollerblading is fun, and master swimming can also be fun. The new year is all about transformation. Think, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” My answer is, "I want to be a kid." I want to be able to play again. Why else would I set a goal for wanting to get back to Hawaii? It was one of the most playful times of my life.

I signed up for Ironman 70.3, a half Ironman in Orlando taking place on May 15, because I wanted to have an event before Louisville. It will give me 5 months to train, and I can use the event as a gage for how much hard work I have to do before August. It’ll help me find out what I have to work on. This month, I’m working on running and swimming. I’ll be in Las Vegas this week, where its 34 in the morning. Cycling at that temperature is not fun. So, I'll swim indoors or weight train.

The 70.3 is also a qualifier for Hawaii, so if I win my age group I get use Louisville as a training race. For those who are following my goal of getting back to Kona, I’m also entered in the lottery, which accepts 200 athletes from around the world. Worst case is I don’t win, best case is I get chosen on April 15 and get to go to Hawaii this year.

The more I get back into Ironman training, the more I become convinced that the most successful people are the ones who are in the game. Watching the game isn’t as exciting as playing, even if you’re not the best at what you do.

The Holidays: A Time to Rejuvenate and Connect

I have a couple of holiday rules...

One is to maintain some sort of regimen. Even when you're don't have a strict workout, you should still do something - Go bike outside, go for a run, lift weights at the gym. I haven't been working out as hard lately, because I won’t go into formal training for the Ironman Louisville in August until after Christmas, but I have been having a good time rollerblading. Find an exercise you like to do, so you can fit in play time with fitness.

I also maintain normal nutrition during the holidays. Maybe not the day of, but certainly the day before and day after. I recognize that everyone will have holiday parties to deal with. For example, we just had our Cenegenics Boca Raton holiday party, and even though I had eggplant parmigiana as an appetizer, I didn’t have pasta with my fish. Have your glass of wine, sure, but don’t go overboard. Share desserts. Someone brought a gargantuan piece of chocolate cake, and there was no way a human being could eat all that! (I don’t think...) Often, people lose all of their discipline in December and feel bad the first day of January. Your resolution should be: Don't make resolutions! Don’t let the month of December be the month where you fall apart. We all fall off the wagon, especially during the season, but you pay the price when you try to get back into your routine.

So, again, play a little more, do some fun things. If you have free time, walk on the beach in the morning before the sun rises. Instead of running on the road, go run in the woods. Keep active. Five-year-olds have the best life; They run and play and nap. This is your time to run and play and nap. Enjoy your family and enjoy being around friends. It's a great time for goal-setting. Not as a resolution, but to think of what you really want to achieve in th next few years. Do you want to walk for charity? Spend more time at the beach? Learn how to play the guitar?

Maybe take every Saturday completely off, with no Blackberry or iPad. Just don’t turn it on. Yesterday, I was putting up Christmas lights, and I couldn’t even tell you if it rang. Some days you just shouldn’t care. Most times, it’s not going to be an emergency. My significant other, France, never wears a watch. It’s really interesting how she lives her life unattached to time. Now, when I go on long motorcycle rides, I never wear a watch. It’s the most freeing thing you can imagine. Don’t be connected to time, be connected to people.

I go to church around Christmas, but I tend to follow a more spiritual path, whether it's Kabbalah or shamanic rituals (I studied with a shaman for 10 years). I’m very convinced that people need to connect to rituals, whether it’s with your family, in your community or religious. It’s very important for your human-ness to connect to ritual. Even at our office party, we have a ritual where the staff goes out to dinner and we have a gift exchange and we bid on the items. It turns into a battle royale, where we all laugh and have a good time. This holiday, the battle was for lingerie, even though it's normally over a big bottle of vodka. But, everyone always goes home with one gift. Last year, I took home a Rastafarian hat. This year, I re-gifted it so that it would always be a tradition to include it at our holiday party.

This Christmas, I'm looking forward to my daughters are coming home, so we can walk on the beach in the morning and just enjoy Christmas together. I’ll definitely be on my motorcycle a little bit, and I’ll be outside for a lot of the holidays. My goal is to not even look at my computer for 4 or 5 days. Then, when Christmas is over, I’ll be ready to get into more discipline with my routine.

I wish everyone a peaceful and happy holiday season.

Memories From the Ironman Arizona

The Ironman Arizona was an unforgettable experience. It motivated me to push myself to new heights, inspired me to continue challenging myself even after the race was over, and, most importantly, showed others that anything is possible. Here are some of my memories from that experience...

Registration Day

I ran into Jeff Flocker, a former athlete I trained years ago!

Getting marked for the race.

Drying my numbers.

Taking my bike to the transition zone...

...And getting a flat tire before I even got started.

Pre-Race Meeting

My son, Bob, his wife, Michele, and my grandson Chaze.

France, me and Bob at pre-race meeting.

Pre-Race Load: "Oh, no! He's eating pasta!"

"Oh, no! She's eating pasta too!"

Race Morning

Me and my son, Bob, on race day.

Just before getting into the water...

Bob and I entering the water together.

Here we go!

Swim Start - incredible.

Just before having to quit.

End of day.

The Next Day

My son, bob, his wife, Michele, my grandson, Chaze, and my daughter Michele.

France and Cactus

Now that the Ironman Arizona 2010 is complete, I'm going to keep setting goals, keeping my sights set on the big one - The Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. My next stop? Ironman Louisville in August, 2011.

What about you? I'd love to hear about your goals and stories, anything from the decision to take the stairs at work to attempting a world record. We can all motivate and inspire each other with our successes, large and small.

Ironman Results: First Times Are the Best Times

Taper Time

I can’t believe I’m already 12 days away from Ironman Arizona.

This week and next week, the main focus will be on keeping myself healthy, eating well and tapering my workouts. Instead of going for a 10-mile run, for example, I’ll go for a 5-mile run at a faster pace to increase the intensity. Swimming continues to be a problem because the ocean has been so rough lately, but I’ve managed to go in the ocean with my wetsuit on. In the Ironman, you only use a wetsuit if the water is below 78 degrees, so you really never know if you’re going to use a wetsuit. That’s why I love the Ironman – you never know what to expect!

I’m currently in Las Vegas, which has temperatures similar to Arizona, and even though it’s 54 degrees, it feels like 35 – and windy. The cooler temperatures should actually help my performance, except for in the water. If you come out of the water and are riding your bike wet, your body temperature can go down too much. Your muscles can cramp more and it can slow down your progress. But every temperature extreme comes with its own set of problems.

The whole experience has been a lot of fun, and I realize that triathlons are something I’m going to be doing for a long time. Going in, I had no expectations. I began living by the motto of, “Just do it.” I am very, very excited to be going. My son and I have been talking about what to bring and what to wear, what to carry, different types of fluids we can use to replenish our bodies. That’s the thing: A lot has changed in the last 26 years. The modern technology is wonderful, especially bicycle technology. Being aerodynamic on the bike makes it so much easier. You’re able to ride a bike for 100 miles, then get off and go for a run. Nutrition technology has changed, too. We now use different fuels, not just water, and know more about when to eat and how to combine carbs and proteins.

I’ll be going to Arizona next Monday, because it’s always good to get there 4 or 5 days ahead of time. I didn’t even rent a car because I’m going to take time to go on the course and see what it’s like, and hopefully swim in the lake a bit. I’m really thrilled that I got to this place, and want to continue to remind others to set goals, big or small, throughout your life. It’s a critical factor in the way you feel about life in general. You may even surprise yourself.

Leaner & Stronger, With 3 Weeks To Go Until Ironman Arizona

On the road again... Today, I'm on my way back to Florida from New Jersey after giving a talk to the Young President’s Organization. My training has been going well for the past few weeks - when I'm able to train. My travel schedule is really making it difficult. I’ve missed quite a few workouts in the past two weeks, but when I do work out I feel good. This weekend, I plan on having a long run, a long swim and a long bike to give me a better idea as to where I am in training. My swimming is my weakest area, and the first part of the event. The weather, lately, has prevented me from swimming in the ocean, so I’d like to try more open water swimming to see what it feels like.

Physically, I’m getting strong and dropping weight. I’ve lost over 20 lbs – I haven’t worn 34 jeans in quite a while! My weight is just under 200 lbs, and my fat is about 22% whereas before it was in the high 20s. I’m looking to peak in my training this week, then I’ll taper and take it easy in a rest phase for the last 10 days before the triathlon.

My nutrition is great; I’ve liberalized my diet to include healthy carbs like whole wheat pasta and bread, couscous, brown rice, and sweet potatoes when I need them, because I need the fuel for my recovery. I try to find healthy alternatives rather than skip meals when traveling, and I need more calories than what salad offers. So sometimes I grab a turkey panini or sandwich. I try to eat every 2 or 3 hours, which isn't always possible with job challenges like patients and conference calls.

The lifestyle you lead can really make it tough to stick to training, but the goal is to do the best you can. My girlfriend, France, is really supportive on tough mornings. She says, “Get out of bed, you have a job to do!” In the 80s, there were days I didn’t feel like training and I had no one there to support me. Franz has been there to support me nutritionally, and every other way, when I want to give in to the demons. It’s been fun to have someone make a joke of it while still being supportive.

I’m a little more empathetic to people who can't complete the Ironman, but do the best they can. It’s a lifestyle, not an event. I’ll go to Arizona with an open mind and do the best I can... It’s just the beginning of my journey back to Hawaii. I’ve had dreams about Ironman, Hawaii. I watched the event a few days ago on TV and remembered every turn and every hill. When I watched it, I had tremendous recall for what happened every step of the way, and what my thoughts were.

I’m definitely feeling like a triathlete again.