July 30, 2008
Every sport has its champions and winners. I have been involved with the sport of triathlon and triathlons are a great sport. It’s a lot of fun to swim, bike, and run, but it also can be a sport we can learn valuable lessons that help us in life.
I want to share with you two lessons I feel are important to any athlete: “Act like a champion to be a champion” and “The champion isn’t always the individual who’s first!”
One kind of champion is the athlete who crosses the finish line first or has scored the most points at the end of the game. We want to be that kind of champion training to win. Winning involves a tremendous amount of work and commitment. But, there is another kind of champion: a champion of life. And, I feel that in the big picture of our lives, this champion is the real winner. It’s great to win a race or game but being a champion of life is the ultimate reward for sports.
To be a champion we need to start acting like a champion. A champion is someone who is working for mastery of their sport and themselves. Learning how to achieve mastery over ourselves is the difficult part. To be a champion athlete, you don’t need to beat all your opponents! A true champion realizes this type of winner’s fame will expire because sooner or later someone will beat them. A champion of life is concerned with being the best athlete they can be under the circumstances, acting like a champion at all times, being mentally strong, and helping others to achieve success. This athlete realizes that awards and ribbons reflect one small moment in time and means little in defining a true champion!
Being a champion involves four qualities:
- Life and sports aren’t about finding your self, it’s about creating your self and realizing success is defined as mastering your self first.
- Never ever quit learning and helping others. You learn when you teach and happiness is created by helping others achieve success. You must be a student of life and sport.
- Mental toughness is not defined as the toughest, meanest, loudest person in the arena of sport. Mental toughness is being able to summon your emotional strength at the right time and using it with grace and dignity - win or lose. Knowing that we will be defined not by the fight but by how we fought. What we overcame to get to the starting line and to cross the finish line.
- Champions don’t talk – they act.
If you remember these first three qualities and act on them as I stated in the fourth, you will be acting like a champion. You will be a champion in life as well as a champion athlete.
Now, go have a great workout and get in the game of life. Think and act like the champion you are.
Alan Ley— USAT Coach
Posted in Training
July 16, 2008
4.50-5.20 AM Workout: ABS– cable crunches, V-ups? w/ 8lb db, reverse crunches… for the dreaded lower abs:(
5.25-6.00 AM Swim: (wu) 12×25, 8×25(pull), 8×25(kick), main 50×25.
5pm workout (I just love summer)–Tonite is hill repeats— shooting for 5 to the top– the hill is 2 miles of winding road and some irate drivers:(
Date with Tour de France tonite:)
Good Day!
Posted in Training
July 16, 2008
4.50-5.20 AM Workout: ABS– cable crunches, V-ups? w/ 8lb db, reverse crunches… for the dreaded lower abs:(
5.25-6.00 AM Swim: (wu) 12×25, 8×25(pull), 8×25(kick), main 50×25.
5pm workout (I just love summer)–Tonite is hill repeats— shooting for 5 to the top– the hill is 2 miles of winding road and some irate drivers:(
Date with Tour de France tonite:)
Good Day!
Posted in Training
July 15, 2008
I usually make it to the gym at 4.30am— I didn’t get in until 5 ish. Work on chest and tris.
Chest is usually flat bench flyes, presses, incline presses, pullovers— usually throw in pushups after flat bench presses, cables— nothing heavy as I need to train my muscle for endurance? Tris consisted of dips, kickbacks (8lbs) and tri pulldowns(20/30lbs)? I usually use 10/12 lbs to warm up and then I progressed to 15/20 lb (for chest). aaaahhh feel so good! I can see a little bit of horseshoe forming on my tris…. come out already dammit:)
I worked Abs yesterday AM and took the rest of the day off meaning no swim, run or bike— got home from work and watch Tour De France… mesmerizes at how this guys climb this monstrous hills with the same cadence….
Saturday 06/12, swam at the pool at 6-7.30am and 30 mile bike ride after.
Sunday 06/13, ocean swimming 1.3 miles and 30 miles of rolling hills.
Todays tri training calls for running and road bike so that’s done after work. No Tour de France… it is rest day for them!
Posted in Training
July 10, 2008
Well, my July 4th did not consist of any bbq, instead my fellow triathletes and I did ocean swimming about 2.4 mile swim. Our hubbies were on a kayak for support. Wow, that swim use to terrify me;) well that and the sharks…….
July 5th was running 15.2 miles of rugged terrain—my friends are running there first 50k ultra marathon— actually 30.2 miles— we ran the first half of the course— in two weeks we will be running the second part of the course. Ultra marathon is a different kind of event, not one I’m willing to tackle— not yet:)
July 6 was a 50 mile bike ride and bbq after. I’m usually a cool chick just happy to be doing the things I’m doing, but when someone comments on my cycling… well It’s on buddy. I was told by this guy that If I must pass (he didn’t actually say that) "you need to speed up girl" was all he said to me—- I can read between the lines. Wish he never said that– Got down on my aero bars and took off— think he was sucking air when he finally met us at the beach:) I think I gained their respect and if not cest la vie!
I do my weight training— early morning about 4:30am before going to work. Mainly work on core and strengthening my upper body. Not really keeping tabs on the weights but hopefully, this website will help me be on track with weight training.
Posted in Training
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