Friday, October 10, 2008

What Is Your Mantra?

I don't cry at chick flicks anymore. In fact the last time I cried before today while watching this clip was out on a race bike course. What makes me cry?? Thinking of the people who will say I CAN this weekend in Kona. The people who have devoted countless hours of their life and even though they try to find balance while training for something as huge as Ironman, I know they sacrificed much to get there.

I think of John from my Strive Team, who while other teammates are chatting on the track after a tough workout his is just getting more intense as he continues pouring his heart and soul on the track.

I think of Doug another Strive teammate who has already heard the words....Doug, you are an Ironman. I never got to see Doug in full fledged Ironman training mode. I do see Paula, his wife and think how much iron is in her to be the super supportive wife on such a journey for him. I train for a quarter of that distance and see the discipline, and commitment it takes from not only the athlete but the loved ones involved.

I think of my Coach K, who finds the strength to say I CAN and has heard the words.... Kimberly, you are an Ironman multiple times.

I think of my always supportive blog buddy, Wes who is on his training journey right now to becoming an Ironman. How he finds barely any downtime between, work, family and countless hours of training. Yet, he still pops up to give me that virtual pat on the back to tell me YOU CAN.


thanks Quadrathon for the video link





I AM INTENSE
I AM RENTLETLESS
I AM OPTIMISTIC
I AM CONFIDENT

I AM DETERMINED
I AM AN ATHLETE
I AM UNYIELDING

I AM IRONMAN 70.3

What do you tell yourself to keep going???

24 comments:

Tammy said...

Thanks for the clip, Viv. To say the Ironman is an amazing accomplishment is an understatament. I am awed by the people who achieve it.

My mantra- Keep on moving.

Running Knitter said...

Amazing video. Love it.

I always tell myself "You CAN do this!"

Mel said...

Love the video. Gave me chills. When I need to push myself.. It is just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It will get better.

JD Active Runner said...

My dream is to do an iron man race before I turn 40. Afterwards I am going tatoo the iron man logo on my leg or arm.

Great job Viv! You are an iron woman in the making!

Nat said...

Is it mental that I watch that and I am thinking "sign me up?"

My mantra: I am. I can. I will.

Wes said...

My mantra? It'll all be over soon (but you can kill me now if you like) hahahahahaha :-)

My balancing act has always consisted of splitting the difference. Ya know? Taking more upon myself while asking the family to support the difference. It's worked beautifully up to the 6+ hour bike rides!! But that WILL all be over soon.

I only say what most people already know. They just refuse to acknowledge it or see it.

P.S. I LOVE the I AM(s) at the end :-)

RooBabs said...

Man, I'll have to watch the video clip at home (YouTube is blocked here at work). And I cry at everything, so I'm sure I'll cry at this, too.

My mantra is "I am strong, I am healthy". In a weird way it keeps me from focusing too much on how my muscles hurt, or how jacked up my breathing is. It helps me to find the flow, and reminds me why I'm running in the first place.

By the way, do you know when/if the Ironman will be televised? I've been trying to find out, and have come up empty so far.

SLB said...

Relentless Forward Motion...but that's the nature of my chosen distance!

But it's applicable for an Ironman too!

teacherwoman said...

What do I tell myself to keep going?!?!

... Shut the F up and push yourself, damnit!

LOL. Just kiddin'.

I think if I keep on pushing myself, I will be able to go further than I ever imagined..

Carly said...

Awesome clip Viv! I got chills!

Kevin said...

Failure is not an option. I will make it through this

And if it gets bad I start to sing to myself the chorus of Every Thing Gonna be alright by Bob Marley. I can thank TEA for that one

Lily on the Road said...

Wow, Viv, thanks!!

Just getting into Tri's, I really needed to see this! For me, the older Irons at the end of the video are my inpsiration....the truth is "you're never too old", that will be MY mantra!!

thanks,

Black Knight said...

Great video!

MizFit said...

amazing amazing video.

Ive got nothing more than a GO GO GO GO GO GO tape playing in my head.

Tiggs said...

awesome clip...I just keep telling myself to take it one step at a time. eventually I'll get there.

N.D. said...

Very nice thanks to everyone! To keep going, I just keep telling myself I can do it. And that I'm a rockstar (pink song). haha

Tiggs said...

FYI

NBC will air the 2008 Ford Ironman World Championship on December 13, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Lisa Slow-n-Steady said...

"Keep moving forward."

I find myself having little conversations with myself, usually in response to some though about how I'm slow and I'm old and I suck at this.

My response to myself is something like this.

"Don't worry about anyone else. Just keep moving forward. It's the only way to get to the finish line. You'll feel like a rockstar when you cross that line. So just keep moving forward and do this thing."

CoachLiz said...

Some things I tell myself:

"The pain is only temporary."

"This is nothing compared to cancer."

"There are lots of people who only dream about doing what I am doing."

"Whoo Hoo, I have only one more lap around Memorial Park before I hit the Finish Line!"

The Young Family said...

Great post!

I tell myself, you are strong you have trained, and you got this! It is just a moment.

Em

Jess said...

I don't really have a mantra. I just curse silently.

MePlusMyThree said...

My cousin lives in Kona and has done Ironman three times. His wife just did it for the first time last year.

My mantra is a bible verse - Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

Yasmin said...

"I'm not done yet. DNF is not an option." and I throw in a few "1-2-1-2"s to keep a rhythm. This went through my head a few times during my Olympic.

I thought why did I ever think I wanted to do a 1/2 Ironman, let alone a full.

Now I want it bad. I keep thinking I should enter the Kona lottery.

Xenia said...

Amazing video.

I didn't think I had a mantra, but I notice during tough runs that I say to myself 'you can do it' a lot. Always good to hear that.