5 Lessons learned from Ironman Training
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I recently finished my first Ironman Triathlon at 10:21:59. After four years of training, these five lessons helped me cross the finish line.
I started training for an Ironman in 2017 after stumbling across the Cairns event in Australia. Walking through the airport, I saw signs saying, ‘Welcome athletes.’ I had no idea what was going on, so after I checked into my hostel, I searched events in Cairns, and the Ironman triathlon popped up. So that Sunday, I wandered down to the finish line and running route area to spend all day watching athletes go past and eventually finish.
What struck me the most was the range of people going past as they aim to finish this race by running a marathon, after cycling 180km and swimming 3.8km. People of all shapes, sizes, and ages putting one foot in front of the other continually into the evening.
So I said to myself, this looks cool; I want to give it a go and complete an Ironman by the time I’m 30.
1) No one cares — Which contradicts this write-up, but it’s essential to understand
Posting a screenshot of your run, telling friends about the average speed you achieved on the bike, or during a meeting inform the room how you swam 4km before work may sound impressive, but in reality, it does more harm than good.
Why — Mentality shows you are still focused on the past and not moving forward, looking ahead to the next training set. This concept of closing a training session off once completed — like turning a page in a book comes from the Mindful Meditate App. Following this mindset provides clarity in your day and allows you to prepare for the next session.
Externally, all it shows is you cycled a bike. You haven’t achieved anything yet. Unless that bike ride is your first since a significant medical incident, you’re no different from a billion other people who cycle a bike. So when there’s a temptation to parade a training session, take a step back and think, is this worth celebrating. It’s just a step to achieving something better. Hold off until you complete the primary goal, in this case finishing an Ironman. Then go to town and tell the world because you earnt it.
