the art of positive

you have the power to choose positive, consciously, continuously.

it is amazing the pondering that ensues during training. and for those of you that are not familiar with triathlons, you cannot race with music, so you do not train with music. swimming silently, biking silently, running silently. alone with your thoughts, breathing, and the sounds of your feet on the pavement.  tricky subconscious territory.

during my training session this morning (which happened to be my run, today) i was trying to figure out something that is so difficult to put my finger on, because so many factors come into play.  during another very challenging run, i was contemplating  my training, and why  this past month and a half as proven more difficult for me than any other trainings i have done since i began racing triathlons just a year, and only 9 months since my first race. is this a mental handicap that has come forward, am i depressed, is it all my travel that has ensued for work, not eating and drinking properly, is it the heat, do i have too much on my plate, am i just completely exhausted? it has been only a month and a week since my last race; certainly i could not have lost that much endurance, but pure exhaustion has over come me like i have not experienced before.

everything is such a mental game. my work life has become a huge challenge, in not a 'good challenge' way; but at the same time - i am working on a new venture for myself that i am very excited about.

after thinking some more, i realized that i (and i know there are a few more of you out there) seemingly, and unknowingly start my day procrastinating. i am not a procrastinator, i typically do not let grass grow under my feet. every time i hit the snooze button, i am inadvertently procrastinating not only waking up, but procrastinating starting my day, and my morning training. the training that is supposed to empower me through my day; empower me that i can accomplsh anything, conquer the world, get the day started accomplishing maybe the only thing for myself for the day(corporate world work not included). is it my state of mind that is causing the problems i am having, is it causing the exhaustion? can it be that powerful? if this 'procrastination' is causing me to start my day off on a negative, how can the training be a positive?

after reading some old posts from my newbie traithlon training times (a whole year ago) when i started training, i tapped into some of the energy that maybe needed to keep me going. i read on my huge challenge, and it re-taught me to end my training on a positive, always.  i was also reminded that you DO have the ability to become powerful, and it CAN work through the power of positive thoughts. i had experienced it first hand with my first triathlon.

we all have our trials and tribulations in life, and as an athlete - it is amazing how they not only are with you during training, but also throughout your day. your training completely effects your outlook on your day. if you did not conquer your training with your upmost ability and power, subconsciously it translates in other areas of our life.

my dips have become a crater, a crater i need to work very hard to overcome. athlete or not, mental state plays a gigantic roll in all we do - either it plays as a limitation, as an analyst (and with too much of this causes paralyzation), or as a amazing force that exuberantly can move you forward. you do have the power to choose that path. consciously, every moment - you have that choice. it is an art, and the art is to  choose to stay positive even when it is tough to do so.

my goal is to not hit the snooze, wake up with joy - and end the training with joy. if it takes all i have, i am determined.  next race july 11.  i have a very big goal for this race, and i will not let my mental state waiver one more day. i am taking you back over.

every training day will be a great one. every training day will be a great one. every training day will be a great one.....