Going from Good to Great

We all have different perspectives on this sport. Those perspectives drive us to different opinions of what fast, front of the pack or great might be. If you recall, a few weeks back I blogged about Training With Perspective. I have spent a great deal of time thinking through perspective and how to use it to help define my season. I would also like to thank the numerous people with whom I have discussed this exact topic.

I have struggled with defining exactly what I want to accomplish this season. I thought it was sub-5. I thought it was securing a Clearwater spot. I thought it was simply getting faster. All of those goals still remain with me. However, at the core is a more demanding goal....going from good to great.

We all have different perspectives of what great is. For some it is winning Kona. For others, it is qualifying for Kona. And some it is finishing an Ironman faster. All are drastically different outcomes but they all share the desire to perform at a higher level.

Some time back I wrote a unpublished blog about Craig Alexander, the 2008 Kona Champion. In his 2007 Kona debut, he pulled off an amazing 2nd place finish in 8:19:04. While I have no doubt his excitement lasted, I imagine there is no worse feeling than falling second in a championship race. You are the first loser. He returned in 2008 with one goal and one goal only...to win.

What amazes me is not that Crowie won the race. Instead it is how he approached it. I can't even begin to put into perspective the depths of his training the next year. The hundreds of hours sweating and bleeding. He shows up to Kona, races and puts up a time 80 seconds faster than last year. ALL that work over the season just to shave 80 seconds off your time. But that 80 seconds guided him to victory. He went from good to great (maybe immortal) with just 80 seconds.

I think most of us all agree Crowie is already at that great stage. I am sure he often thinks of himself there too. However, I have no doubt that when he made the leap from 70.3 to 140.6 he asked himself what will it take to go from good to great at this distance?

I find myself in the same boat, albeit a paddle boat to his speed boat. This season I am spending my time and energy trying to reach the next level. I know I have talent. And this is the problem. I know I can go out and race a HIM at a 5:30 level. To some that is great. And I am appreciative to many for their kinds words over the past few weeks. But to me...great only begins with busting my ass for 100% of the race. I understand that I might only improve my time by 80 seconds. I would rather go back to Gulf Coast, give it 100% and race a 5:24 than coast to a 5:25 finish

Going from good to great means changing my mindset completely. It means staying mentally and physically engaged the entire race. I remember how hard I worked in Hawaii to draft off faster swimmers. I recall when I had that ah-ha moment. I remember how I swam when I stayed mentally engaged to the buoy. I also remember looking up and being dropped when I let my mind wander. When the gun goes off I need to enter and stay in that zone.

Mentally I need to strengthen my skill set more. Next time I am passed at mile 40, I need to go with him. I can't settle for the I don't wanna attitude. I must remind myself that I will be on the bike for only 150 minutes. Each one of those matter. Physically, I need to stop relying on my natural talent. A 2:10 needs to be completely unacceptable for ME. That is a training run...not a race. I need to continue to hone and sharpen my skill set with every workout.

I am not exactly sure what great looks like. I don't know if I race a 4:59.59 if I would regard it as great. I don't know if qualifying for Clearwater would give me that feeling. I am not certain standing on the awards stage Saturday would give me that satisfaction. What I do know is that Saturday's effort did not bring great out in me. It was a good race.

I also accept the fact that I may never reach this level. I think it requires a higher level of commitment to training than I may be willing to deliver. The sport will change from a hobby to a true lifestyle. It will take a re-prioritization of a number of things. There won't be a race season, it becomes bigger than one season. It is dedication to a long term plan. It is a trust factor between the coach and the athlete that every workout prescribed is a means to that end. It is a mentality and attitude that I need to carry with in every workout. It is not settling for mediocrity because I am having a bad day.

Maybe I just found what great actually is. Maybe great is a dedication to all of these ideals. While it may appear I am there on the surface, I certainly know the commitment doesn't run that deep. I know I am not there. I guess that is the goal of the season...to strive for great and ask of myself, do you want it enough to make the commitment to these higher ideals.