I started this blog to tell my story in order to motivate others by using triathlon as a metaphor, and as such, would like to continue that trend. This post will attempt to recount the 2014 triathlon season, take all of the things I learned and form them into lessons for Jack. Here goes nothing:
The older you get, the more things hurt. I began 2014 with a new hip and groin after having them surgically repaired in Oct 2013. The orthopedic surgeon suggested that years of abuse from playing football, running with poor form and not stretching had torn the group of ligaments that attached my quadricep muscle to my hip joint. My lesson to you: God gave you one set of tools for being active. Take care of them because the repaired version is never as good as the original. Choose your activity level wisely. And stretch.
Major decisions need time. Your mother and I are very good at many things. Making life changing decisions is not one of them (we're trying to get better). I can attribute the majority of the mistakes I've made in my life to being impatient. I've left jobs for what I thought was something better, more distinguished, only to find it was too soon. I've moved, thinking new scenery would provide a new set of opportunities. I've overspent on vehicles and homes. I've taken off too fast on the swim to find later that my heart rate was too high causing my bike and run to suffer. My lesson to you: Try to understand the phrase "Rome wasn't built in a day." Before you write a check and sign a legal document, sleep on it. Take a weekend to reflect on it. Write down the pros and cons. Run the numbers. Repeat.
Adversity is a good thing. My best friend and training partner accepted a new job in June and our time together ended abruptly. My work became increasingly challenging over the summer. Your mother and I struggled to find a balance in our home with the "new normal." When obstacles come your way and negativity surrounds you, there is a part of your brain that is going to tell you to get angry, to quit and to start over. My lesson to you: Adversity is a better fuel than an extinguisher. Take all of your anger, sadness, worry and doubt and turn it into something positive. Change the status quo. Ask anyone who has quit something because it was too hard and they'll tell you about the regret that they have to live with. Ask anyone who has pushed forward (even if they later failed) and they'll tell you about a lesson they learned and how it made them a better person.
Work harder than everyone around you. I have a weekly schedule and routine that I follow to a fault. With time being a constraint, I have to be efficient in all of my activities and everything I do has a purpose with no time being wasted, whether work, training or at home. Success for me takes work. I want to be the best husband, father, employee and triathlete that I can be and I don't ever want to feel like I could have given more. My lesson to you: Never finish a race with gas in your tank. Whether that race is helping out at home, working to close a transaction or a competitive athletic event, make sure you work harder (and smarter) than everyone around you. Not only will it make you better, but others will follow to keep up. As my great-grandmother used to say, "just do your best; that's all a mule can do."
Choose to be humble over prideful. Through racing locally over the past 3 years, writing a blog and being a part of a couple multi-sport teams, people talk to me about training and racing. I field a lot of questions and give out a lot of advice (hope it's all good). My real job is also consultative in nature and I advise management teams on how to improve their processes. My unique position comes with a choice: to build people up or break them down. My lesson to you: Never take your knowledge or success and use it to make someone feel like it is unattainable for them. Pride comes before a fall. Remember where you came from and how hard you worked to get to where you are, and inspire others to do the same.
Lastly and least important, I did a quick recap of my racing since my first race and built the attached table:
Looking back over the last three years, I can see marked improvements in every facet of my life. I am happier and healthier. I feel like I am a better husband now that I am a father. I learned to train smarter vs. training harder. I stopped taking work so personally and just try to show up everyday, work hard and do my best. My last lesson to you would be to find something that makes you happy and do it well. Then use it to inspire others to do well.
Kelly/Dad
Hebrews 12:1
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