You will be relieved to find that this post, despite the title and the picture above, is not about grass (though the title would apply quite perfectly to the patchy rough I call my lawn)...
One of the downsides of having clearly defined goals is that there are times when you'd like to ignore them and do something that is "short-term smart" but "long-term stupid".
The fall seems full of opportunities that fit into that description. Here are a few of the COOL events that my friends are doing in the next few months (or over the next year) that I would love to file under "completed":
I am not trying to say there is no way to do any of these things now - just that I have wanted to do them all and for one reason or another they conflict with my current goal.
The fall seems full of opportunities that fit into that description. Here are a few of the COOL events that my friends are doing in the next few months (or over the next year) that I would love to file under "completed":
New York Marathon
Las Vegas Marathon
Boston Marathon
Tour de California cycling trip
Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
Ironman Canada
Ironman World Championships
Xterra Racing
Climb Mt. Hood (as per Darren's suggestion a few posts ago in the 'comments')
I am not trying to say there is no way to do any of these things now - just that I have wanted to do them all and for one reason or another they conflict with my current goal.
Now, I know that my own goals are pretty cool too (if I do say so myself) but there is a tendency to peer across the fence and see very green grass on the other side.
There was a time (not long ago, in fact) when I would have tried to do it all (or more anyway) at the expense of doing any of it *well*. And, you know what? ...that isn't wrong. It's just a different approach. It is awesome to experience as many cool events as you can.
Lately my focus has been more on performance (i.e. try to do one or two things well) and less on experiences (i.e. just do great stuff all over the world and enjoy it.)
When my 2010 goal concludes (hopefully by racing in the Callaghan Valley at the Paralympics) you can expect me to switch gears for a while.... There are going to be some cool events and great experiences.
Not that I won't try to do well at them... just that I will accept slightly less performance at MORE things. Maybe....
Or maybe I'll try Rowing and shoot for London in 2012 (which would be 2 more years of 100% performance)...... Who can say....
One way or the other I know the grass might *always* look greener on the other side so I can't chase green grass. I have to find the sport equivalent of C-I-L Golfgreen and make the grass on my side as green as possible.
There was a time (not long ago, in fact) when I would have tried to do it all (or more anyway) at the expense of doing any of it *well*. And, you know what? ...that isn't wrong. It's just a different approach. It is awesome to experience as many cool events as you can.
Lately my focus has been more on performance (i.e. try to do one or two things well) and less on experiences (i.e. just do great stuff all over the world and enjoy it.)
When my 2010 goal concludes (hopefully by racing in the Callaghan Valley at the Paralympics) you can expect me to switch gears for a while.... There are going to be some cool events and great experiences.
Not that I won't try to do well at them... just that I will accept slightly less performance at MORE things. Maybe....
Or maybe I'll try Rowing and shoot for London in 2012 (which would be 2 more years of 100% performance)...... Who can say....
One way or the other I know the grass might *always* look greener on the other side so I can't chase green grass. I have to find the sport equivalent of C-I-L Golfgreen and make the grass on my side as green as possible.
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4 comments:
I really know where you are coming from. The hardest part of setting my racing calendar is choosing which races NOT to do - and I'm only looking at running races. I can imagine that with multiple sports it gets even more complicated. You are right about one thing though, you have an awesome goal. Keep up the great training.
MJ -
The best advice for selecting goals is:
Do what you love doing!
Whether it is doing a 2 hour hike you don't think you can do, or going to the 2012 games, there must always be that tingling sensation of excitment, nervousness and anticipation we have all experienced at one time or another.
I just seem to tingle all the time though.....
If someone told me they were Running with the Bulls in Pamplona I'd start to tingle..... (and that is the very definition of 'stupid' if you ask me....)
Ah well.... so be it. I don't think aspect of the horribly complex MJ psyche will be changing any time soon.
It is human nature to look over the fence. If you can never be happy on one side- a problem. Your problem is that you would be happy on either side of this fence. So, as problems go, this isn't really a bad one to have - what brand of 'happy' to choose.
Love your blog - thanks for sharing so honestly.
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