Decision Criteria...
in discussing any joint action, it becomes obligatory that A should argue in favor of B’s supposed wishes and against his own, while B does the opposite. … they end up by doing something that neither wants, while each feels a glow of self-righteousness and harbors a secret claim to preferential treatment for the unselfishness shown and a secret grudges against the other for the ease with which the sacrifice has been accepted. (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
at Tuesday, October 27, 2009 0 comments
Labels: Deep Thoughts
10 Years Anniversary : Ironman Langkawi 2009
with everything in between.
Perhaps i can say much more in days to come, however in this meantime i only have this to share:
- *It really doesn't matter one is slower or faster in the big picture. Its really about the bigger picture, on what you really care for after the event and what you look forward to that really matters. ( Do exclude the pro's, its their bread and butter )
- *Yes, it did sink in, it felt like a dream , perhaps its due to the training too. but IRONMAN journey does change you. Dealing with the "cards" on hand, its only in your mind. however in distance wise it very much doable.Same goes in just about anything that requires this much effort.
- *When you do the "iron". You train , you get there , and you just " go " its ZEN like. you got no room to think or worry. Again, its ZEN like.
- *The sun burns your skin, it will also burn into your memory.
- * Its not like your buying a bike ,tangible where you get to touch and ride it, this feeling is intangible. All the effort, energy and emotion is just pour into one day. Its intense and its gonna be a memory.
- *When you do this , you will know who really cares.( if you tell them.) or those whom are there with ya.
- * There are lies and deceit as you go deeper/higher. you ought to know the difference.
- *There is a time and place for this, that's when you have everything in the right manner, more power to you. Perhaps there is a form of escape in doing this.But that is your mental issue. You don't bring issues to the Ironman and even if you do. You will learn "acceptance".
- *And whatever happens in the event , you will still go on to finish it. Even if it's a few tries.
- *You dont need hi-zoot bike to start your journey. Don't need to spend a ton for this event.
- *You will encounter many "methodology" in triathlon , or in any athletics as you go higher up .You be wise to know the difference and what will suit you.
- Ironman is just a "BRAND" just like McDonalds there is no need to go "i am lovin it". No reason to brand yourself.
- *And being positive matters, Positive people matters. Stay away from the negative energy.
- *Even the best plan can fail on the course, you ought to be agile enough to compensate.Its all about decision making. Preparation includes managing risk. Managing risk means expect the worst but you can still reduce the impact. (Bring pain killers)
- *In doing this ,in your pocket what you got now is a huge reserve in confidence in whatever you may partake.
at Monday, March 02, 2009 2 comments
Labels: Close to Heart., Deep Thoughts, Race
There is no spoon
I believe everything happens for a reason.
No way it is all incidents, life is either guided by an upper force or faith.
Though, some of us has the power to choose the directions of their life, while others are born into a given pattern.
Some of us are in search for the one they love, others search glory, hell, some guys search just to get rich and believe the rest will come with the money.
The only thing I ever searched, and I am still searching is inside peace.
My very own serenity.I first felt serenity after my very ride on the road , I finally felt "whole" with myself, I knew that I was doing something for myself, nobody else is going to gain from this sorrow.
Since that day I get my serenity dosage 5 times a week, but that's just not enough.Every time I'm close to get my serenity piece something screws up, and the whole tower collapses.
I felt I've been through too much, just can't carry it.
Pay for a psychologist, I just found it wrong.My pain, my thoughts, my state of mind is only mine, no one should be knowing what's going on there, hell, people are paying to share their thoughts!
Instead, I pay to clean my head in another place, where the payment comes in sweat.I've seen handicapped singles get to excellence just because they wanted.
I've seen people do the things that other would call impossible.I've heard stories, I read cases and I was told of legends.I am the one to guide my life.
My mind will always be the only thing to keep me back from achieving greatness in any given field.I believe some of you know trying to find a sequence between these paragraphs, save your time for more important things - "there is no spoon".
Mind is your barrier, thoughts are obstacles.Do the impossible, get what they say you couldn't, blow away the walls and crush the barricades.
at Thursday, January 22, 2009 1 comments
Labels: Deep Thoughts
Paying the Dues
I'm not going out of Friday's night to get boozed off my mind, I stay clear and drink few beers just to have some fun if I ever do so.I'm not one of those idiots to start over with every girl they see, endurance taught me respect and I respect anyone 'till they lose it.
I'm not spending thousands for clothing, jewellery or stuff I don't need, money has it's value and is needed for living, not pleasure.
I'm not on the road to talk, look at the girls and try get myself one, not trying to make new friends and not there to fix the world.
I respect anyone who trains his ass off, paying his dues on the road and living the life of a tax payer, just like me, whether if that means not being able to hang on a party on the weekend 'cuz my legs are still wobbly and unstable, or 'cuz I must get the sleep to recover.
I am what I choose to be, and I chose my body to fight to the limits every workout, 5 times a week.
No one is gonna pat you on the back when you get a PR, no one is gonna hold your hand when your doing 5am cardio, no one is gonna pick you up after you fail.
Its all on you and how far you want to go, how bad do u want it? As i sit here, enraged wanting to go back to the road.
at Thursday, January 22, 2009 1 comments
Labels: Deep Thoughts
Continuous Improvement
You dont lower your goals so that your ability can reach it.
You improve your ability so you reach your goals.
Compartmentalize. Make sure everything that you need to attend to before, during and immediately after the race is taken care of. family friends , relationships , work , bills , etc etc.
Manage your worries effectively. Committing to your race plan is the best way to do this. Now is not the time to make any major changes.
Focus on process not outcome goals.
"Outcome goals have their place, but the closer an athlete gets to a big event, the more outcome thoughts can create stress, anxiety, and distractions." Task goals, also known as process goals -- how to win -- are the best object of your attention during the last days before a big event.
Practice staying in "The Present." From here on in it's all about "The Now." Time to practice staying out of the past and not getting lost in the future. There are many techniques to do this, from focusing on your breathing, to setting the timer on your watch or cell phone to beep every so often to remind you to refocus on The Present (just in case you drifted off!). Remember, this is all about practice. No one (well maybe the Dali Lama) does this perfectly. So now is the time to get used to being present.
"Simplify. Simplify. Simplify." By the time you leave for your big event it's too late to to make any major changes in your life -- and probably too late to make many minor ones. So why stress out over something you can't control? Time to start cutting out anything that might be a distraction and keep it simple and focus on one thing at a time -- no multitasking.
While multi-tasking may feel like the right thing to do in today's complicated world, it is a recipe for mediocrity."
at Tuesday, December 16, 2008 0 comments
Labels: Deep Thoughts, Mind Body Soul, Thoughts, Training
Everybody's Free..To
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everybody's_Free_(To_Wear_Sunscreen)
Ride Streamlined.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, streamlining would be it. The aerodynamic benefits of streamlining have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your glutes. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your glutes until they've faded. But trust me, after a 200 km ride, you'll think back to the first hill you sprinted up and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much pain lay before
you and how fabulous you really felt.
You are not as fast as you imagine.
Don't worry about a puncture. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to convince a mtber that a roadies can be faster and more comfortable. The real troubles in your ride are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, like running over a bunch of nails at
4p.m. on some idle Tuesday.
Blow past one roadie every day who dares you.
Spin.
Don't be reckless with other people's ride. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Lube.
Don't wash your tires with gasoline.
Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with the same fellow who kicked your butt last time.
Remember "cool bike" comments you receive. Forget the laughter. If you succeed in doing this, you should get your ears checked.
Keep riding that hill. Throw away your old bike shop bills.
Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what kind of bike you want to build. The most interesting people I know didn't know 20 minutes before they started paying what they wanted to build. Some of the most interesting buyers still don't know.
Get plenty of grain and nut bars.
Be kind to your LBS that doesn't stock much food. You'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll race, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll win, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll do the 200km at 40, maybe you'll win the Carnival at 45 kmh.Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. You'll get beaten by Lance anyway. So will everyone else.
Enjoy your bike. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.
Train, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.
Read the directions, but don't follow them.
Do not read normal bicycling magazines. They will only make you feel superior.
Get some new brake pads. You never know when they'll be gone for good.
Be nice to your chainrings. They're your best link to your power and the part most likely to stick in the door of the next car to cut you off.
Understand that riders come and go, but with a precious few you should draft. Work hard to bridge the gap between you and the pack of roadies up ahead, because the older you get, the more you need people you can wheelsuck.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Shimano will be rumored to have a 11 speed. You, too, will get a 11 speed. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, parts were compatible, potholes were smaller and Campagnolo ruled the planet.
Disinfect your Camelback Bladders.
Don't expect any narrow tires to support you. Maybe you have a tubular. Maybe you'll have a thorn tube. But you never know when either one might run out of air.
Don't mess too much with your seat or by the time you've ridden 40 it will feel like 85.
Be careful whose bikes you buy, but be a pain to those that ship late.
Grabbing an old bike from the dumpster is a form of nostalgia. Dissecting it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, welding it up, painting over the ugly parts and riding it for it's worth.
But trust me on the streamlining.
at Thursday, November 27, 2008 0 comments
Labels: Deep Thoughts, Humour, Thoughts
Window Thoughts...
In any endurance sports, everything you do, is for yourself - are you happy doing everything just FOR yourself?
There seem to two kinds of searchers: those who seek to make their ego something other than it is and those who understand that all such attempts are just gesticulation and play-acting.
at Wednesday, November 19, 2008 0 comments
Labels: Deep Thoughts