I have a friend who loves to RELAUNCH her training every other week. She'll come into the workout and proclaim that it's time to RELAUNCH! Maybe because she's missed a few or has a newer attitude or a bright new focus. That's definitely what I'm doing with this blog - and it seems to happen every year. The good news is that I have an idea - two themes - that I'm working on this year to guide what I focus on here in GumboLand.
It stems from the questions: what and why. One of the biggest questions I hear in this sport is WHY? Friends, co-workers, family - especially my mother-in-law - they all want to know: why would you do this (again)? In fact, when you get the question from someone as important as your mother-in-law, you start to ask and really want to find the answer.
One of my first blog sites centered around the very concept of Why-I-Tri. I listed reasons like big goals, friends, gear, competition and bling (I love a medal). Those are all true and fun, but as my races got bigger and my training got harder, so did the reasons behind the why.
The other theme stems from a question asked by a fellow coach: what are the qualities of a successful IRONMAN? Which ones do I have and which ones do I need work on? What traits do other athletes have that make them successful -- in triathlon and life in general. And, how can I apply what I learn in training or in a race to my life as a woman, wife, sister, daughter, leader, writer, mover-and-shaker and gumbo maker?
Let's start here, because this ironman, Lisa Hallett, has an amazing story and has a clear reason why she tris. She pushes the boundaries of belief and transfers them to her own life.