I do not fit the mould. I get that. Most likely, if you read this blog, you will find that you also don’t fit the mould.

You want more, right? You strive for better, you push what’s possible and you want to know that impossible just requires more effort to become the “been that, got that t-shirt” in your past.
I have been reading The Pirates Dilemma. Loving it. Here is a quick overview:

It has me thinking about the way we limit where we spend our energy. I am not saying you need to spend your days starting new, below the radar, semi-legal ventures. I am talking about doing what we do more efficiently, using the open-source environment to improve the way we do things. In our office, we have various ways to, essentially, create more time. We have a daily “stand up” meeting where we all compare tasks and can ask for help with current issues. We use Support Software to track queries, questions, tasks and problems quickly and efficiently. We are moving to doing training on our products via teleconference, rather than flying around the country.

The smartest minds are sharing tools and tips and tricks that used to be reserved for the inner circle. Now, even at a small cost, you can benefit from thousands of hours of work instantly. It’s an exciting time to be around.

Essentially this creates time to do real work. Work that matters and improves your life. Work that brings you promotion or brings your company success.

When it comes to sport, it’s the same. The libraries and forums out there have all the information you will ever need to be faster. The IP of the smartest minds in the world is out there, for you. If you are willing to trawl, apply, review and reapply, then you`ll be on your way to success.

Alternatively, spend a couple hundred rand a month and buy that knowledge and save yourself the time.

Just never trust it as The Law. You should always be learning from things. Nobody has the perfect answer for you and you`ll only learn to apply things perfectly by doing them wrong a few times and doing them semi-right a few times.

I find that it’s only when I start doing things incorrectly that I know I am around the limits. With work, if I am getting a twitchy eye and I am having sleep problems it’s time to manage expectations but until those things are happening, surely I am not near my work potential?

With my training, it’s the same – unless I am exhausted to the point of breakdown and where I am hating the shortest of sessions, there is more to give. I am not saying go run 3 hours a day until the body gives in.

Instead, I am saying build into building up mileage and hours (work and training) to the point where breakdown starts occurring. Anyone can really **** themselves up by putting in silly hours every day.

That’s easy.

What’s tough is building up over time to the point where breakdown is merely a part of what is going on. Where it’s subtle, not “having Redbull for breakfast” obvious.

Choose where you push the limits wisely. Make sure your back-up systems are there and that those around you understand what you are doing. Be prepared to step out for 36 hours or so to disappear from the world, sleep for most of those 36 hours and eat for the rest when it all comes apart.

Once you have gotten there, re-assess your moments, along the way and how to recognise them in future.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, well, we all know what that is otherwise referred to as…

But, be the pirate along the way. Questions the methods, scream at conforming to what others are sheepishly following and ask as many questions as possible. Measure the progress. I recently discovered the Quantified Self arena as something I have unknowingly been prescribing to for years.

Learn how your body works, feels…

Read.
Write.
Reassess regularly.

Copy the greats and learn from their lessons and apply your own on top.

You don’t fit their mould, or mine, or anyone’s. You are purely yourself and will never behave 100% like anyone else. You will have inconsistencies and moments of total suck in the middle of the awesome vibes, but you will learn and adapt faster if you apply these simple rules.

I am not The Law on this, no. I am a work in progress, an eternal one at that, in this arena. Always searching, always wanting more, always wanting better. I have regrets, remorse and memories of absolutely incredible things.

These things make me just like you, but completely unique.

Continue Reading →

I believe I am going to be talking to my legs many a moment in the next few weeks as I absolutely do my best to obliterate them into being the strongest, leanest most economically endurance sports orientated pins in the world. Well, my world at least. The aim is to build a bit more strength for the purposes of going up the volcano in Maui on the mountain bike, but for me the greatest gain I wish to make is more economy at slightly faster speeds.

In true style, I am even going to tell you how I plan on doing it. Then you will sit back and watch and if it works, follow the rules, but if I crash and burn, laugh and point… right? You with me sunshine?

Swim:

I am going back to squad as of 1 August 2010. 8 weeks with squad should sort me out 1 shot in terms of open water swimming (by open water I mean in the sea with the turtles in Kona) for the Ironman swim. No wetsuits allowed, even if I will have an Orca RS1 Swimskin to help me along.

Last Kona I neglected my swim a little and I missed a key pack early on. 8 weeks of hopefully chasing the White Rabbit in the pool will make me a better man.

Bike:

So apart from having what will be the most tricked out Ceepo Katana in Kona, as well as the most tricked out Morewood Zula for Maui, I actually need to work on the bike, as I will have to do for the next 5-60 years of my life. Work on the bike never stops, contrary to popular belief.

Some of the key components to building a faster bike (Maui):

a. Threshold training (AT)
b. Weight Loss
c. Mental coaching (the pain means its good, right?)
d. Bike skills (learn to bomb down a volcano in the big ring like a Caveman or a Gollywog (when he doesn’t shave for 2 days))
e. More ME work (endurance power)

They key components for the Kona bike are different to the one in PE, by virtue that the course has about triple the climbing in. So here are my focus points:

a. ME work (sustained power) for the rollers, of which there are MANY in Kona.
b. Aero climbing, so staying aero over the rollers by teaching the body to remain aero and get the extra power to be as economical as possible.
c. Pack riding. I will more than likely be in a group of 40 guys in Kona, not on my own like PE, so I have to practise a bit of pace variance as the advantage of the pack is huge.
d. Economy. The run in Kona is freaking brutal. I need to bike as easy as possible, but want to ride under 5 hours again. This means I have to be stronger than in PE, but also that it has to be sustainable for 3 hours after the ride.

Run:

I have enrolled in a testing program at the Sport Science Institute here to learn a little more about my running. I outran best hopes in PE by 5 minutes, and almost outran it by 15minutes if I had just known a little more about my running. I am hoping the lactate testing, VO2max etc will give me a better insight into how I need to be training to achieve what I want to on the run in Kona. I will continue to use all the things which have taken me from 3:52 to 3:15 on the marathon at PE but I wanted to try something new, so according to the smartest people around, we are going to work on my ability to run more economically, not necessarily faster. The speed will come as a byproduct. More than anything, I want to be able to run stronger over the last 10km than I did in PE. Not by much, all I am looking for is a 10% extra at the end of the race. I faltered in PE due to a bloated stomach (too much sugar) and ill preparation (Sani2c and Cape Epic limited running in the last 8 weeks before Ironman) and this time around there are no excuses to NOT have that 10%.

Maui – realistically, I am going to be hanging on for dear life at that point, running a super tough 11km beach/rock/road/mud run 2 weeks after Kona, but I am going to try and remain calm and rip the legs off it.

In the middle, during this big block of training, however, my legs will come and go. Today, for instance, it hurts when I sit still (mean new gym set on Monday being the major culprit). I have hurt them this week already, but now need to manage the recovery process to the weekend where 10 hours of training await the poor pins. There is planned massage and floatation planned, so I should be ok. If I do blow up, you will be first to know, saying “I told you so”.

If I don’t push the limits out, I will never know how good I could possibly be. I am willing to risk the occasional blow out to know how far the rabbit hole goes, if you know what I mean?

Continue Reading →

So you`re milling about your office, not sure what to do. You already had a singing session with yesterdays post, and after you`re 14th cup of coffee you certainly aren’t working. Your F.O.M.O behaviour last night has you left with a seriaas case of L.C and the P.P.S is off the chain today. The aircon is up full and you resemble a Turkish Bath right about now…

What to do? Have to look busy for the boss. Make these 5 clicks and you will have stuff to talk about across a platform of stuff today, in case somebody cares.

1. Deadly Sins are on topic. There is only one when it comes to changing habits.

2. Is there truly a mental edge to professional athletes, or is it all in the numbers? What makes the real difference?

3. We Love Real Beeris a cause close to heart, and the reason for a slightly fuzzy head this morning. Comment, follow, tweet, blog it. Get involved. It’s time for us to stop drinking chemical plastic beer.

4. Jackets are a personal favorite. This one I want in particular. Phew…

5. Creating Ultra Loyal Customers is something you could definitely talk about in the office today. So read this and look smart.

That’s it for today. Sports, Fashion, CRM, Beer, Balance all covered in 5 easy clicks. You will seem smarter to people, even if you have a head full of #realbeer. Have a great day!

Continue Reading →