The Power of Accountability

So I’ve had a post bouncing around in my head for a couple of weeks now and this one will probably touch on some of the points. The post I have been mulling is a bit of a heavy topic and I haven’t yet found my personal way to vocalize/write on it…you never know…it might be a future post or it might remain one forever in my draft page….ohhh the mystery.

I have been struggling a little [actually a lot] with my motivation and drive following on from the Ironman last December (yup a whole year ago……..). I can almost detail it in conical order…

Dec’15 - Euphoria of the finish line

Jan ’16 - FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) kicks in and I sign up for the sprint series AND May 70.3

Jan ’16 – meet with a nutritionist to tell me what I already know but neglect to follow

Jan & Feb ’16 – riding the wave of IM fitness (and training fatigue) complete and PB several sprints and an Olympic race

Mar ’16 – Nothing – training fatigue and work takes over and willpower wanes

Apr ’16 – under trained for an 80km cycling TT…still complete and stubbornness prevailed and I finished (and was finished…couldn’t even muster a run off the bike!)

May ’16 – 70.3 on minimal training and IM fitness…fluked a 20min PB (giving me a false sense of accomplishment and confidence)

Jun ’16 – best intentions to run and train through winter with the sign up of an August Marathon…injury strikes and am laid up for 6 weeks…and do nothing

Jul – Aug ’16 – haphazard training, petulant behaviour and shocking eating resulting in my slowest running times in 3 years

Nov ’16 – record my first DNF in a Half Iron distance race, pulling out of Rotto due to illness and lack of preparation…special low point

Dec ’16 – inaugural IMWA 70.3 with my slowest (of three completed 70.3) race times to date…30mins slower than previous May!

Also, in this time I managed to gain 12kgs from my race weight last year (nope – not ready to release those numbers yet…).

I seemed to console myself that signing up for Florida was my silver bullet, that somehow I would magically be alright and be able to hit the reset button and go back to the way I was/should be and train my little (ish) bum off towards my goal race.

In conversation with my wife she has “subtly” implied that I had better not go into this race half cooked and be a whimpering wreck (like I ever would) afterwards and spoil the rest of the family holiday (may or may not be actual words)…and horror of all horrors she is right…we have such excitement and eagerness for our holiday that I REALLY do want to race well, recover well and enjoy the trip post race!

The truth is that more than ever I now need my motivation and willpower to be on point and this is where the power of accountability comes in.

I was fortunate to have a friend call me and pull me up on my ramblings in a previous post and together we are working on my weight…through daily check-ins we are working to keep my motivation up and moving forward. Pleasingly last night (first time in a week) I didn’t crave a sugary treat after dinner…I know I have an issue with moderation in general but specifically when it comes to sweet treats and in my case complete abstinence is required over moderation. To date I have managed to drop 2.9kgs. If I can remain on the straight and narrow over the festive period I am hopeful that I will have broken that back of things and can move forward with more confidence.

Occasionally it helps to be reminded where you have come from!

With regards to training, I have taken a bigger step forward in assisting with coaching at the club with the knowledge and intention that having a squad of teammates waiting for me to turn up most certainly ensures that you are on time and on point. I am working in the cycle space specifically at the moment purposefully tying this in with my cycle base build phase.

As a club we have set up a hash tag (#) for over the festive period as a way to encourage all of our members to post their own accountability pics of their training while we spread to the various parts of the country and globe…and we are hoping that it will be a fun way of keep folks motivated and training through this break. I am personally using it as a way of keeping myself honest and out and about during a time that I could quite easily work on my arse shaped dip on the couch!

So all in all I have the realization that I have an amazing support network around me to help…sometimes it can be easy to remain in your own little shell and think that you are alone in your dealings and it takes a simple call or conversation to help you realize that you have a wealth of people around you, even if it is just for a chat! To you all I say thanks!

:))

As a little side note…I will high five any random stranger and quite frequently do (it helps that I am 6’5” and a big guy)…it has an amazing ability to lift the other person and yourself…the other night I did just that to a random stranger when I was out for my run. Later that evening I received a message from him via strava (if you run or ride a course with someone it tags you together hence how he found me) and he just thanked me for the gesture and commented how it lifted him for a portion of his route home! Simple things!

Thanks for reading