I'm Here to Win

Today I had an opportunity to finish a book called I'm Here to Win by Chris McCormack.  If you don't know who he is, he was the 2010 Ironman World Champion.  I was sitting in the hospital waiting room as my Dad was having surgery (removing a golf-ball sized kidney stone no less) and figured now was a good time to concentrate on finishing the book.  In the beginning, I was inspired by Macca.  He's done so much in the sport of triathlon.  He's won just about every triathlon out there.  WOW!  As I continued to read, I realized he's pretty full of himself.  A total tool bag. I got sick of reading about how awesome he thinks he is, the trash talking, and how he used trash talking to undermine his opponents.  I'm not sure that I believe him when I read that it was all about tactics...that he's really not that much of an ass, and he's truly a great guy.  Granted, he is an awesome athlete.  He obviously has been gifted with great genetics and and has some amazing insight on training for triathlons and studying his opponents well enough to know how to play the tactical game. However, I wasn't totally psyched by his attitude.  Then I realized maybe I shouldn't judge...

You see...he put the hours in.  He did the training.  He worked hard. He sacrificed.  You have to admire that.  He did make it to Kona and WIN.  My problem with some athletes that he reminds me of sometimes in this book is that they constantly put others down to make themselves look better. A mind game?  Yes, but sometimes I think it has to deal with their own insecurities.  I don't like mind games.  I see what he means, but I'm not one for those type of games.  I worry about myself.  I cannot control what others do or say....but I can control what I do and say.  To me doing an Ironman isn't about being better than others, it's about pushing my own body to its limit and to know that I finished because I did the work.  I put in the time.  I accomplished something that I thought I NEVER would be able to do.  Guess what....it's just a mind thing. My body can do it, I just had to get over telling myself that I couldn't.

I can remember as a child seeing the Ironman on TV.  I can remember seeing cyclists ride by my house on Highway 37 when I was a child.  I NEVER thought I had it in me to do such things.  I just DREAMED about it.  I thought to myself, I wish I could ride a century....and I did.  I wish I could do a marathon....and I did.  I thought...I wish I could do a tri...and I did.  Then came the Ironman....and I did.  Part of the reason why I can do these things is because I surrounded myself with amazing, positive people who did it with me and who also believed in me being able to do all of it.  And I THANK them daily for their positive influences in my life. (More on them in later blogs)

I did learn some things from this book.  One being that "A goal is a dream with a plan."  I love this. I also learned that Macca and I have a lot more in common than I thought.  We both want positive people surrounding us, not negative.  Give us solutions, not negativity!  We are both analytical (or should I say ANAL?). We race better in cooler, less humid weather. (That's why I always raced better in the rain!!!)  We also have a  thing for a good old fashion COKE when things start to get rough in a race.  Just ask Andy Cooper sometime if you don't think a Coke can bring someone back to life.  LOL.

There are so many things I learn from the books that I read.  I take them to heart.  I don't just read them and move on.  I try to apply them.  All in all, I'm glad I took a look at this book.  Macca has some great advice for us mere mortals....and I think I'm going to put it to good use.

As for my Dad, he's recovering at my house today.  (Not a willing participant.)  The surgery went well, but he needs someone with him for the next 24 hours and since he has to be back in Albany for an appointment in the morning, he got stuck with me.  He wants to be at home in his bed (don't blame him) but while he complains, I know that he loves having me do everything for him.  He will never admit it though. He's got to be tough about it.  LOL

Last thing...can you say HELL YEAH to the weather we are having right now?  It is a much needed break from 100 degrees! 

Sorry for the random thoughts, but I think I'm a little tired today.  Love to all!