I’m a workaholic. I probably always have been. My drive to multitask and keep my mind busy has been great fodder for my workaholism. I’ve always wanted to make a difference in the world. As far back as writing a letter to President Johnson asking him to end the war in Vietnam, to writing a letter to Menachem Begin with suggestions on how to bring peace to the Middle East, to letters to President Reagan and Clinton offering my services, I’ve wanted to make a difference in the world. I saw my most recent job as an opportunity to change the long term care industry. In a certain way, focusing on my work is selfish, when viewed through a lens that says that I gain satisfaction out of helping others. What about gaining satisfaction from helping myself? My ironman training has always been a bit of this, but in my incessant need to keep busy, has always struggled for time and balance with my other priorities. And so, as I find myself 24 weeks from Kona, I think that it’s time for me to get selfish. It’s hard to think of the concept. I have many competing priorities. I have a wife, two daughters, a son (in-law), and a grandson who means the world to me. I have parents who aren’t getting younger. I have a book project, consulting opportunities, writing opportunities, educational opportunities. I have 24 weeks until Kona. I will never have that time again. Most likely, this will be a one time event for me. What’s wrong with being selfish?
For the next 24 weeks, I will wake up every day with one priority. Preparing for Kona. I have other tasks and commitments that I’ve managed to put on my schedule. Being who I am, I will hold myself to them, but will find a way to maintain the Kona focus. Extraneous tasks need to be set aside. Necessary tasks need to be prioritized and scaled down to their most bite sized components. I can start with my calendar. The first order of business for any day on my calendar will be training and recovery. Sleep is my friend. Lack of sleep is my enemy.
I already know what I have to do. Twenty by twenty was my running mantra that prepared to be a better ironman runner. I need to make a similar commitment the bike, and to the swim. My recent injury set me back for Boulder, but I can make a “micro” attempt at the commitment to training volume over the next five weeks. This past week has been a 14 hour training week. Next week, despite travel and meetings will be hopefully be in the 10-11 hour range. The following week will be big: I’m hoping for nearly 24 hours of training. The following week, despite a work related trip will still clock in at close to 23 hours. That will bring me to three weeks prior to Boulder, and my wife and I will be taking a leisurely drive to Denver. If I can manage about 10 hours of training during that week, I’ll be pleased. I’d like to manage another 14-15 hours the following week, much of it being at altitude. This is a very ambitious schedule, with solid swim, bike and run volume planned.
The key to achieving this ambitious training schedule will be selfishness. I have one priority, and that’s my preparation for Kona. I need to pay attention to having down time, rest time. Meditation and sleep need to take the place of trolling social media for opportunities to opine on topics of meaning to me. I do need to put some solid work into my book project preparation and legal cases I’ll be working on. Every minute will matter. This is my journey.
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