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I am sat in my hotel room, after the Ironman (IM) event yesterday, and thought I’d reflect on my experience before heading off on my family holiday. So this is from 3 weeks ago…

I signed up for the Copenhagen Ironman event last year with a friend of mine and as this is my fifth one I thought it’d would follow the same plan, to be successful, as the others. I actually did a bit more cycling and ticked off the ‘marker events’ along the way. Unfortunately my friend had to defer his IM due to work and family commitments and, as I didn’t want to waste my training and, to be honest, go through all of that training again, I decided to get on and do the event.

I noticed, in hind sight, that I didn’t really pay attention to detail, prior to getting to Copenhagen, as I normally leave this to someone else to do. I’d booked a hotel that was 6km from the start line, hadn’t really identified any logistical elements and spent the first 2-days walking around figuring it all out. I turned up to register at the wrong place – 7 km from where I needed to be and then didn’t realise, until I got back to my hotel, that the race briefing was there as well and I hadn’t attended it!

Ok so I’ve done a few events before, no problem!

I had registered, checked my bike in and dropped my bags off, it was all coming together. I’d worked out that I could get an early bus to the Metro and catch the train to a station close by the swim start, so less walking in the morning.

Race day – Surprisingly, the travel pIans worked and I arrived in good time and, as I had the luxury of a 07:30 swim start, I was calm and looking forward to getting on my way. The swim went well, and without any drama’s, the bike ride was tougher than I expected with the winds playing a big part, but I did okay. When I started the run I felt strong and my energy levels were good, but, after 4 miles, I started to feel the familiar pain in my feet. I hadn’t really looked at the route and it seemed like a monotonous, repetitive, slog ahead. Not fun…

After 8.5 miles, I stopped, took my number off and walked to the athletes tent – DNF (Did Not Finish) for the first time with IM…

I would love to tell you I had an injury or didn’t have the energy but it was neither of those things. I stopped because I suddenly remembered the pain ahead and thought “Why am I doing this?” and “Who cares if I do another IM or not”

My normal motivation of making my family proud, the challenge of completing this event or the competition with my friend did not exist, so I stopped. (Not DNF more like CBA – Can’t be arsed)

In the athletes tent there were elite athletes who had just finished, in pain and enjoying their moment of success – I must admit I felt a little guilty walking amongst them, having just done 8.5 miles of the run! I got over it quite quickly when I went outside and saw the painful shuffling feet of hundreds of runners, looking haggard but determined and struggling with the inner voices in their heads.

I had no purpose, no motivation and no commitment and the voices latch onto those things and, in my case, offered a more comfortable, pleasant alternative – which, this time, I took.

I live to fight another day, for a new / different challenge and with renewed energy and passion.

Understanding why you are doing something is a powerful motivator and is often forgotten in organisations that go through change. People do their jobs wondering why they are doing what they are doing,  and, when the pressure is turned up the inner voices begin…..

How many people do you know that had a DNF in your business or had a DNF on a project you’ve been involved with?

Have you ever thought “Why am I putting myself through this?”

Life is full of challenges, so understanding why you get involved to do something, building the purpose and ultimate reason for even getting to the start line, can help you get to the finish line.

Enjoy your challenges and learn from your failures – dust yourself off and go again.

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