2011 - What Are You Going To Make of This Moment?

I have never been one to use quotes or mantras to set the tone for something in my life, but I am going to give it a try this year. I have decided to incorporate the mantra "What are you going to make of this moment?" into not only my training, but into my life as a whole in 2011. If you have known me at all in the past decade you know that I am someone that lives in the moment, never lets an opportunity by, and always says yes. That all changed somewhere in 2008, and now I am hungry to get that back.

With this year I will be experiencing many new adventures. First and foremost I am currently moving across the state to La Crosse and returning to school. I will be going back to obtain my bachelor's degree that I bailed on 4 years ago to earn my associates in Fire Science and Emergency Medical Sciences at the time. I am also moving in with my girlfriend, Kate, whom I have been with since the beginning of 2010. I will be getting a new job, making new friends, and being introduced into a brand new and smaller community. I have left the past 7 years of my life back in Milwaukee, looking for a change in scenery.

If there is one thing that has changed in me since 2008, it would be that I have passed on opportunities, at least some of them. I still have done a lot and been very productive, but I feel as though I was content for awhile just working for tips in restaurants and doing my own thing away from school. Last year I strictly worked and trained and while I was happy at first, I soon realized that I was missing out on a lot as most of my close friends were now starting careers with the same degree that I bailed on a few years back. Like I said the hunger is back again, everyday I am doing as much as I can to finish school, and bring out the potential in me that I have kept quiet for so long.

This now goes back to triathlon in the sense of training and racing. Last year I was careful and showed restraint in my training. Being only my second year in the sport and with an Ironman race looming over the horizon all summer I wanted to nail everything just right. This led me to be very careful in my training for Ironman, not too overtrain was key for me, and to be fully healed from my shoulder/arm injury before I got back into the pool. This ultimately had me to undertrained in both the swim, and run for Ironman. I did the best I could with balancing training and work last year, my job had demanding hours that sometimes prevented training that day or the next morning, having worked until very late the night before. Now with another years experience and knowledge under my belt I better understand how my body adapts to the training, I understand more of what I need to do, and what I need to avoid. I wouldn't say that my hours or volume per say will increase (although I am sure they will over the course of the year, but my daily averages will probably stay the same), just my efficiency and consistency. I want to see where I can take myself, wether it is a top AG'er, a KQ'er, someone who just loves to swim, bike, run, or someone that does all that and promotes the sport as well and helps others along the way. I did this with the sport of Lacrosse in High School and College and loved every minute of it.

So when am I faced with decisions that effect future outcomes this year I will constantly ask myself the question of "What are you going to make of this moment?" It's important to get the bike rolling early in the year and keep the momentum going throughout the year!

See you all in La Crosse!

Ben