A few years ago, I firmly believed that to finish an Ironman was pretty much humanly impossible. Asking my body to do this was akin to gluing impressive amounts of feathers to my arms and flapping my arms fast enough to fly. And while I did repeatedly try, I can't tell you how much it hurt my body, not to mention my pride, when I came crashing back to earth from the heights of my childhood garage. It's just not meant to be done.
Same with Ironman. Running a marathon is freakin hard enough. How could I do that after this epic swim and bike?
And yet, I've done it thrice.
I artistically used the word thrice there. It made me feel fancy. Athletic and grammatically competent? There are so few of us...
Point is: I am pretty addicted to attempting things that seem impossible. Within reason, of course. And while my attempted flying days are long finished, the feeling I get when I am finally able to achieve that previously decided impossible goal is just about the best feeling ever.
"Chad Woodward, you are an Ironman!" Sure he said my name wrong, but I wasn't hatin'. That was the most incredible sentence I had ever heard, perhaps seconded only by "balding men with beards are totally sexy," but I didn't log on to tell you about that...
What I did log in to say was that it is time for another goal. Nothing ventured, no chance for public embarrassment, right?
This past weekend, as many of us know, was the World Championship Ironman in Kona, Hawaii. Our Super Bowl. Qualifying for this race is damn near impossible. Uh oh. There's that "impossible" word again!
Naturally, I'm obsessed.
And so that, dear reader, is my goal. It's crazy, bordering pathological thinking, but it's where I'm at. It sounds impossible for me to pull in a time fast enough to qualify in my age group. For those of us paying attention, it would be a sub-10 hour Ironman. My current record is 11:59. I've got some work to do!
And yet, that is what this deep thought is all about: set a goal for yourself that sounds absurd. Challenge yourself. Aim high. The only thing in your way is probably you. Nothing more true than that statement in my own goal setting.
If I get out of my own way, I can accomplish anything imagined.
And so, I am doing that. Getting out of my way.
I'm also trying to stop talking to myself. I never enjoy the conversation and it draws attention. I won't be that guy anymore.
So, loyal readers, what goal can you set for yourself? What sounds impossible? What can you surprise yourself with?
Write it down here. Leave a comment. Tell me what you are going to challenge yourself with. If to no one else, be accountable to me!
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