Balance

       How balanced are our lives? Balance is certainly an important ingredient of being a successful long-distance triathlete. Moreover, balance is a key to having a fulfilling life.

Ranch evening in Coeur d'Alene

       It seems that since Ironman Coeur d’Alene a number of people have asked and talked to me about balance. I’m not sure if they think I have balance and want to learn more; or, think I don’t have balance and need a little instruction. Perhaps a little of both is accurate.

       Let’s look at the concept of balance in reverse. Perhaps one of the foremost goals in life is fulfillment and satisfaction. Typically the goal of being happy usually does not work out on its own. However, if we are fulfilled and satisfied “happy”is the natural result of our choices in life.

      It is interesting in watching people that society labels “successful” but who have uni-directional lives. Almost without fail, those with uni-directional lives have other issues and problems that are truly quite sad despite their tremendous talent.

      Balance in life is one of the most critical elements in fulfillment and satisfaction. I have long been an advocate of “The Four Anchors,” but thought that was a bit of a personal concept. Recently, I read the book The Longevity Factor by Dr. Joseph Maroon. Joe is an Ironman triathlete and the team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Page 204 of Joe’s book he discusses the four-square life with balance as a guaranteed result. Here, Joe shows with peer-reviewed and recent objective evidence how balance physiologically, psychologically, and organically positively influences our brains.

       Of course, I took great relief that there is now support for the “four anchors.” I jokingly contacted Joe to let him know that my “four anchors” pre-date his book! Seriously, Joe’s book is well written, packed with great lessons, and contains an abundant amount of research to help our lives.

       Achieving balance is a continual process. The working toward balance can be a source of fulfillment and satisfaction within itself. However, balance doesn’t just happen – we need to step up and take positive-action steps to progress toward balance in our lives.

       Progress toward balance is a choice. That choice leads to a fulfilling and satisfying life for us, our families, and those around us.

Always working toward balance,

David

You Never Know

        Race volunteers are a special group of people. Ironman volunteers are truly “Iron” – especially in the wind, cold and rain like we had last week in Coeur d’Alene.

Cindy and I with Kate

      In Coeur d’Alene there were 3,100 volunteers on the course. That is more than one volunteer for every competitor. Why do they do it? There are many different stories and backgrounds. For most, you never know. Regardless of the reasons, we appreciate their efforts.

      What do volunteers teach us? We previously discussed volunteers in Have a Happy Heart. The importance of one human being helping another is a timeless lesson. Although most of the volunteers are quite anonymous to us as individuals, they are paradoxically each very special to us. Volunteers affect not only the competitors, but the families too.

      At each event it seems our family strikes up a special relationship with at least one volunteer. In Coeur d’Alene, we met a volunteer in the pre-race and post-race event named Kate. Kate took a special interest in us, and we took a special interest in her. Interestingly, many times you never know the stories behind all of the people we pass at an Ironman event, or in life. With Kate, it was not until after our relationship of mutual affection was fully established that we learned that she and her husband, Paul, had suffered a devastating tragedy earlier this spring. Kate was particularly moved by our Safe Sober Prom Night program during the Everyday Hero (Video) presentation.

       The reciprocal relationship with Kate is just an example that you really never know when we are going to have an impact on another person, so we just have to keep doing the good that we are doing. Like the volunteers on the course on race day we have to keep going because the next person may be the one who needs us the most. At the same time, we too must pass along the good deeds and good work to others, because you never know when someone else really needs us.

     Many thanks to Kate and all of the other volunteers last week – we really needed every one of you! You may never know how much we needed you and appreciate you, and we hope that in some way we helped you too.

Keep going, because “You Never Know,”

David

Ironman #18

       Wow! This has been an amazing Ironman experience in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Just a few short hours ago I finished my 18th Ironman race. It seems that each Ironman is a new journey and adventure with new lessons to be learned.

Ford Ironman Everyday Hero Award

       Just last week I was humbled and surprised to learn that I would be receiving the Ford Ironman Everyday Hero Award at the Ironman welcome dinner. As the reality of the Award sinks in, it is quite moving for me. For me, “everyday hero” is probably about the highest honor I could ever receive, and the enormity of that recognition didn’t really sink in until I was on the racecourse and heard spectators and other competitors repeatedly yell out everyday hero!

      The Everyday Hero Award honors our work with youth through the Safe Sober Prom Night program. Mike Lewis and I founded Safe Sober Prom Night 19 years ago and it has become a passion and part of the culture at our law firm. Many thanks go out to our entire team at Lewis & Daggett – they are all my everyday heroes.

        Of course winning the Award came with extra stress and burdens. There were additional appointments and obligations, including meeting with the producer and film crew with Ironman Productions. Greg and Daryl of Ironman Productions are terrific guys and a pleasure to work with. In addition to pre-race interviews and filming, they actually filmed and interviewed me on the run, literally, during the race. Of course Greg and Daryl were also there at the finish line to film and greet me. As a bit of a side note, they were not 100 percent pleased with the video captured of my finish, so they had me return to the course and come down the last 100 meters or so to finish again. The wonderful crowd was just as enthusiastic the second time around.

        At the welcome dinner they played a video presentation for the Everyday Hero Award, and I was then called up on the stage with my family for the presentation and to give a short talk. An Ironman produced piece on the Everyday Hero Award will air worldwide on ESPN when the race is shown on TV. It will also air on Universal TV in the United States.  Ironman Press Release and Video here.

        A close friend and media consultant for our firm, Cindy Speaker, and her team produced a short video expressing congratulations for receiving the Everyday Hero Award. It is amazing that she and her team could turn out this piece so quickly, and I appreciate her efforts.

 

      Last but not least, my very own everyday hero is my Cindy. Cindy and the kids were real troopers on race day. The weather conditions were cold, blustery, and rainy yet they persevered as diligently as any Ironman on race day. Cindy’s love and support makes me the luckiest hero of them all!

        There are many more stories to tell and share with all my friends in the coming weeks. Further, we are excited to see the final product from the Ironman production team and look forward to seeing the race on TV. Many thanks to all for your love, encouragement, and support!

No. 19 here we come,

David

Milestones

         How important are milestones to you? For most of us milestones for ourselves or others are markers that have significance for all of us. This year, it seems there have been a lot of milestones around us.

150th Triathlon

        For our family, both my parents and my in-laws celebrate their 50th wedding anniversaries this year. Certainly those are impressive milestones which convey much more significance than just the number of years. 

       Last weekend I completed my 150th triathlon and later this week I will complete my 18th ironman competition. Friends and family have attached more significance to these milestones than me, but perhaps there is some meaning there too.

       Milestones that others achieve can often appear quite daunting. Yet, all milestones begin some time way back with baby steps. These steps get bigger and bigger as the accomplishments progress. How many baby steps does it take to reach a milestone? Although we never know that when we are taking the first steps that we might reach a milestone, looking back each step along the way was an essential one in reaching the accomplishment.

         It is fun watching others reach significant milestones. It is interesting to me that those who seem to reach great milestones also tend to be those who continue to look forward. For those achievers, each milestone is a baby step toward the next. So, what is your next step, and when we look back how essential is it to an important achievement or milestone? All great milestones start with a beginning, must keep moving forward like stepping stones, and once achieved continue to progress and move forward.

        Along the way, let’s remember to celebrate and enjoy important milestones for ourselves, our families, our communities, and others who our important to us.

       Speaking of milestones, today is one of my very favorite days — it is my wife’s birthday! They are all milestones to me and a reminder that celebrating the milestones of those you love are the best milestones of all.

Moving toward the next milestone,

David

The Foundation

       What principles do we value? This past week I participated in a small workshop conference that included a discussion on foundational principles for our organizations.

The Foundation

     In athletic training we know that base training is the foundation for the rest of the season. With a proper base, all other training is better, more productive, and produces better results. In life, the foundation principles are our base training.

      During our discussion, we identified quality, loyalty, character, and integrity, and excellence as foundational principles upon which all other or future successes derive. Certainly this list is not exhaustive, and perhaps in some ways may be redundant. However, they are certainly worth our consideration and review.

       Quality is not only doing things well but also doing the right thing. People always respect quality, and a reputation for quality bodes well for long-term success.

     Loyalty is commitment, commitment to people and organizations that are important to us. Loyalty transcends time and is always there. Loyalty is always important to us through tough times, and when times are good. Loyalty is always there and reveals itself most strongly when it is most needed.

     Character is what defines ourselves deep down and what we are made of. Character is revealed in how we act and respond in times of stress or pressure.

        Integrity includes building a reputation for trust and reliability. It slowly builds over time and must always be protected. It is very powerful, yet very fragile.

      Striving for excellence is a combination and the culmination of the other traits we have discussed. It makes us always want to improve, evolve, innovate, and inspire. Excellence may never be reached, but it can always be pursued.

        These foundational principles are the building blocks for success personally and in our organizations. Surrounding ourselves with people that share these principles makes us all be better.

Always working on the foundation,

David

Feel the Beat

       To what beat does your life dance? In music as in life it seems that we all have a beat. The secret may be finding the beat that works for us as individuals.

Feel the Beat!

       We recently attended an interesting performance. Our daughters take dance from an extremely talented ballet teacher. Ms. Shapiro focuses on strict classical ballet, and is a former professional dancer. I might add that now in either her fourth or fifth decade of dancing she is still quite an elite athlete.

        As part of the spring performance, Ms. Shapiro had our 7-year-old daughter’s class perform a dance. Then, as part of a live experiment and exhibition during the performance, she changed the style of music and had the youngsters repeat the same dance. It was fascinating to watch the entire class shift to a different gear, continue to execute their various parts, and remain synchronized and coordinated while obviously changing their movement to fit the beat.

       In the same sort of way life is a dance. We need to “feel the beat” and execute regardless of the music that is playing. Further, as we find our rhythm perhaps we can make our own “music” to make our performances most optimal.

       Our “music” can be our environment, surroundings, choice of lifestyle, and of course our physical fitness. These variables affect our dance, or, in other words, affect our outcomes in life. So, if we positively affect our environment, surroundings, and lifestyle we are in better position for our various avenues of success.

        This fascinating lesson from a 7-year-old ballet class has made me more conscious of the “beat” that surrounds our daily lives. Let’s “feel the beat” and dance for success!

Keep on dancing,

David.

Honor

          Memorial Day is a day to honor our heroes. Please take some time to honor our veterans and service women and men this Memorial Day. The fight for our freedom is the highest level of honor.

Boy Scout Troop 715

         Memorial Day unofficially marks the beginning of summer. The weather takes a turn for the better, the days are longer and the nights more mild. The reason Memorial Day is a national holiday, however, isn’t for America’s leisure – it’s to honor the men and women who died while serving our country.

          Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day was established to honor fallen Union soldiers who fought during the American Civil War. It is said that the holiday was first celebrated in 1865 by a group of freed slaves who returned to Washington Race Course in Charlestown, South Carolina to dig up deceased soldiers and give them the proper burial they deserved. Known today as Hampton Park, the historic site is a former Confederate prison camp and was a mass grave for Union soldiers who died while in captivity. The liberated slaves returned the following year to decorate the new grave sites with flowers picked from the countryside, creating what is considered the very first Decoration Day.

         The official birthplace of Memorial Day is Waterloo, New York, where in 1868 commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, General John A. Logan, proclaimed that Decoration Day be celebrated nationwide. Memorial Day did not become commonplace until nearly eighty years later. After World War I, the holiday was expanded to include American casualties of any military action or war, and in 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday.

         Today, those that celebrate Memorial Day often visit cemeteries and memorials on the last Monday in May and fly American flags at half mast. Many towns hold parades featuring Rotary Clubs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops, high school bands, and local emergency service personnel along with their vehicles. Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia, celebrates the holiday with an annual parade and memorial service, followed by the blowing of Taps in tribute to the men and women who died while serving their country.

         Honoring their fallen comrades, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars collect donations for poppies to place on grave sites nationwide. The flower’s significance came to light during World War I when Canadian Lieutenant John McCrae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields after witnessing the death of his 22 year-old friend and fellow Lieutenant, Alexis Helmer. The poem is considered one of the most renowned war poems today, and is read at days of remembrance in both the United States and Canada.

        While Memorial Day is a time to relax and recharge, and a time to prepare for another great summer, it’s important to take a moment to remember those who fought to give us the freedom and liberties we have today. At Lewis & Daggett, we would like to thank each and every one of them.

         For more information on Memorial Day and its celebrations, please visit: www.usmemorialday.org.

In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) – Canadian Army

Honor our veterans and troops,

David

The Lion Roared

         How do you start your day? Human performance experts, business leaders, and psychologists agree that a positive start to the day is a key ingredient toward success.

Lincon Park Zoo Lion

           Last week I had the opportunity to be in Chicago for a few days on business. Early the first morning I led a group run along the Chicago lakefront, and then circling back through the Lincoln Park Zoo. The Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the only free zoos in the country. Further, it is open very early in the morning with little or no people (obstacles) in the way.

        Leading the run through the zoo the first morning we anticipated seeing many of the animals. However, the animals were not out and it was a bit of a disappointment. So, the next day we reversed our route going through the zoo first, and then circling back along the magnificent lakefront. Again, it appeared that none of the animals were out quite yet. Then, we heard a booming roar. We assumed that the sound was coming through the speaker system in the park. Then, we rounded a corner and posed magnificently on top of a rock was a lion with a beautiful full mane again letting out the booming roar.

          The sight of the magnificent lion was spectacular first thing in the morning. He was a symbol of royalty, power, strength, and leadership. After spending a few moments admiring the lion, we continued on our run through the zoo with all of the animals now out and awake.

        After returning along the Chicago lakefront our group continued to be amazed by the majesty of the lion first thing in the morning. We have continued to relay the story to friends, coworkers, and family in order to relive and share the experience.

         So, how do we start our day? Perhaps we should metaphorically get up, roar, and start off with great optimism and inspiration. Let’s start our day with a smile, program a positive attitude, get the heart moving, and love our families.

        Starting our days positively, inspired, and ready for action is a key to long-term success athletically, professionally, spiritually, and with our families.

Roaring in the morning,

David

Decisions And Choices

       Do we consider the impact of our daily decisions and choices on our long-term success? Part of the goal of our Safe Sober Prom Night program is to encourage our young people to make positive decisions and choices in their daily lives.

Decisons and Choices

          Certainly a large part of the Safe Sober Prom Night program is to make students aware of the dangers of drugs and alcohol, particularly when driving or riding in a motor vehicle. However, the bigger, and many times more impactful, message is that our daily decisions and choices have an impact on our future successes in life.

        As our Lewis & Daggett team visits high schools throughout the Triad we feel we are in position to have an effect in a positive way to make our community better. The founding principles of our program include encouraging an atmosphere of positive peer pressure and community involvement for a better future for all of us. When we visit the schools we see the students energized. We see them engaged. This positive peer pressure to make the right choices can be an enormous boost for their future successes.

        Our students more than ever need and want leadership. They want direction. They want guidance. They want to be successful. They just don’t always know how to get there. Of course, endurance athletes know that you make progress one step at a time, keep moving forward, and be confident that you will get to the finish line.

        An atmosphere of positive peer pressure helps us make wise choices. Ultimately, in life, success is a choice. Success is a conscious decision to make proper choices on an ongoing basis. Making the right decisions and choices doesn’t have to be hard. It does have to be done on a continual basis over an extended period of time in order to reach long-term success in any endeavor, or in life itself.

        We know that if we hang around winners in life we end up becoming winners. When we hang around losers we end up becoming losers. Accordingly, we have to consciously lead, guide, direct, and decide to be winners. Then, we have to make decisions and choices that support that result.

       The fun thing about being with students is that once the positive momentum gets going it is contagious and spreads from student to student. It’s fun seeing their excitement. We are proud of our students and their efforts in looking for ways they can succeed in a positive fashion.

        Likewise, for all of us success in life is about making ongoing positive decisions and choices. These choices add up one by one to produce winning character and commitment. This success is both individually, and for our communities.

       Our  Lewis & Daggett  Team is committed for the long term. We have a passion for the students. We have a passion for the success of our community, and working together our communities are going to be better places.

         Please join us in helping to encourage and support our students. They are our future and we need to lead them toward success.

Inspiration

      What in your life gives you inspiration? By definition, inspiration is having an urge or a feeling created in us. Typically, we think of positive inspiration that makes us better and makes our lives more full. But, do we take advantage or appreciate the different forms of inspiration that surround us in our daily lives?

       Endearing activities and events with children can give us inspiration. Last Friday our second grade daughter had Native American Day. The youngsters had been preparing for a long time learning and participating in activities to prepare for the big day. Little Emmaline could hardly sleep all last week she was so excited. When the big day came, the children performed, learned, and experienced activities that were inspiring. Of course, the parent volunteers, the hard work of the teachers, and all those who made the event happen were inspirational as well.

       Special stories of amazing people inspire us. Of course there are many, many stories of amazing people. This past weekend we crossed paths with longtime triathlete Richard Kelley. Last year, Dick did the race that I attended. This year, he is in a wheelchair unable to move due to the disease ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. However, the lack of physical ability couldn’t dampen Dick’s infectious smile! Wow, what an inspiration!

        Of course, my lovely bride provides us with everyday inspiration. She is a font of inspiration in her daily activities. Her smile and positive attitude keeps us all positive. She gives us moral and spiritual leadership by example. She unselfishly takes care of me and the three children while sacrificing her own pursuits and desires.

       I am certainly fortunate to have sources of inspiration with my family, at work, in community activities, at church, and out in nature during physical activity. Working with students is inspiring. Everywhere we look there are sources of inspiration.

        Inspiration is all around us. We all need the encouragement and the support inspiration can provide, we just need to recognize and appreciate it. Along the way, it will make us better people and our lives more full.

Inspiringly,

David

The Best Of Life Is Yet To Be    

       This past week our Lewis & Daggett team hosted Coach Bob Anastas as part of our Safe Sober Prom Night program. It was a privilege for us to travel with Coach Anastas across the Triad to make 12 presentations to high school students.

Coach Bob Anastas

        Coach Anastas is quite a passionate personality. He is a professional motivational speaker and national founder of S.A.D.D. (Students Against Driving Drunk). In addition, as a hockey player and football player, he was an All-American athlete in two sports in college. He was drafted as a quarterback and a punter by the New England Patriots.

       He has been a teacher, coach and administrator. Coach Anastas has Masters and Doctorate degrees, and has won numerous awards including Massachusetts Teacher of the Year.

       Anastas has addressed more than two million students in thousands of high schools and colleges throughout the country. A television movie dramatizing his life and his work with young people has been broadcast on both CBS and HBO.

       Coach Anastas knows that scaring young people with the physical and psychological effects of drugs and alcohol has not and does not work. Accordingly, Coach Anastas focuses on putting them on the right road to success. His presentations weave in humor, stories, and interaction with the audience.

      Coach Anastas shows students how to be successful by following four simple steps: Run when others walk; sleep when others party; take your weakness and make it your strength; and keep your body under control at all times. 

       The message is very clear – “Your destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice,” Anastas says. “You will choose where you are going.”

       Thanks Coach Anastas for joining us for a week in the Triad! As the Coach says, “Choose wisely, for the best of life is yet to be!”

Be Your Best,

David

The Home Team        

      What team are we on? Do others know we pull for? This past weekend the ACC cycling championships were in town. My 5-year-old son, Riley, and I spent Saturday afternoon watching the action.

Cindy Teaching Sunday School

           There was no doubt who Riley was pulling for! Every time N.C. State (mom’s school) and Wake Forest (dad’s school) came by Riley jumped up and down and led the cheers. Clearly Riley cheered for the home team. When we are sports fans, it is usually quite obvious who we pull for. Although pulling for our favorite team or athlete is fun, in reality it is rather superficial and not all that important.

      In the really important aspects of our life is our home team obvious? Here, we can look back to our anchors to see who and what we should be pulling for – what are “home teams” are.

        We have previously discussed having anchors in life. My anchors include professional, family, physical, and spiritual aspects of my life. I have suggested and continue to believe that these same anchors apply for most people. Recently I have been reading emerging literature that supports these four anchors psychologically, physiologically, medically, and spiritually. I look forward to further discussing and exploring these aspects in the coming weeks.

        The four anchors can and should be our clear home team. People should immediately know who and what we pull for. We should loudly cheer for what is truly important, making our lives richer and fuller.

         Importantly for adults, as shown in the photo above of Cindy teaching Sunday school, is we need to help our young people define and support their “home teams.” If we show them the same sort of support for these aspects of their lives that we show to our favorite basketball and football teams, they will no doubt have a greater chance for victory.

        Always pull for the home team – win or lose, good years and bad – always let them know which side you’re on and pull hard! Just make sure that your “home team” is what is important to making life fuller and more satisfying.

Always on the home team,

David

Time To Get Serious     

      Are you ready? For triathletes the competitive season is coming soon. So, what do we do to get ready, both competitively and for the various aspects of our lives?

The Top of the Mountain!

      Even when we work hard on a regular basis there are times when we need to elevate our efforts to enhance our performance. These elevated levels of performance are what separates winners from the rest of the pack.

       I like to send myself a psychological and physical message to up the intensity. What better way than to visit my in-laws 118.8 miles away up and over the mountains, with plenty of undulations along the way.

     Of course, when you can “get serious” with a friend and colleague it is even better. Doug Nauman is one of the finest young (he is younger than me!) lawyers I know. He joined me at mile 80 and then escorted me to my in-laws, continuing on another ten miles or so to his parents’ house.

      Doug and I unexpectedly set off on a ride of epic proportions. Toward the base of the six-mile or so climb up the final mountain it started to rain. By the time we reached the top the rain was driving, the wind was blowing, and the temperature had dropped. The final long downhill was rather unnerving dealing with the crosswinds, driving rain, and areas of new pavement in progress.

Ride Elevation Profile

      During some of the less frantic portions of the ride, Doug and I took the opportunity to “get serious” about a couple of cases we are working on. We formulated game plans, discussed implementation, and are ready to elevate our efforts to enhance our performance on behalf of our clients. We were able to identify areas professionally where we can be better.

       So, are you ready? If not, is it time to “get serious?” Look for opportunities to elevate your efforts in order to enhance your performance athletically, professionally, spiritually, and with your family.

Getting serious,

David

The Wind At Your Back     

        Doesn’t it feel good to have the wind at your back? Certainly when bicycling, and in life, the wind at your back helps you along the way.

      Last Friday, I planned to bike home from a Safe Sober Prom Night event several counties away. It was an extremely windy day for this one-way 70-mile ride. Pleasantly, I was treated to a tailwind the whole way. Once I got out of the foothills and onto the flats, there were areas where I could cruise at 30 mph. The tailwind was a treat, and helped me along the way.

       The wind at your back can also help us in life. In life, unlike bicycling, we have the opportunity to create our own winds. These winds can be either positive or negative. Creating positive winds in our lives is sure to help us in all important aspects including family, faith, physical, and professional.

        Creating our own positive momentum in life puts the wind at our backs and helps us to be better in all our important pursuits. Positive momentum also makes us more fun to be around and make the best of all situations.

         We create positive momentum by our choices, by our attitudes, and by those we choose to surround us. Positive beliefs and expectations fuel the winds of momentum. What we expect with confidence becomes self-fulfilling prophecy. So we need to train ourselves to develop positive habit patterns with our expectations to maximize the momentum. When we choose wisely life is full and the winds will be at our backs.

         So, please join me and let’s set sail with the winds at our backs. Just like in bicycling, the wind at your back makes the journey more fun and fulfilling. We become more fun to be around, are able to inspire others, and accomplish higher and greater goals.

Riding with the Wind,

David

Enjoy The Moment      

     Does the pace of life sometimes turn into a blur for you? The past several weeks have been extremely busy for me. When there are so many things to do and the pace is fast, time seems to fly by.

Enjoying a “moment” with my bride!     

      Although busy times and a fast pace can be stressful and sometimes frustrating, when we look back there were also a lot of shining moments. One of the things we can do is train ourselves, regardless of the pace, to make sure we enjoy special moments.

      As endurance athletes we train ourselves for the long distance. Endurance athletes are masters at looking forward toward the future, establishing long-term goals, and establishing a plan to get to those goals. At the same time, however, there are always incremental successes along the way that can keep us motivated and moving forward.

      Likewise, life is a long distance event and we need to train ourselves to seize the special moments along the way. So, like an athlete with long term goals we need to enjoy the incremental moments along the way.

      This past weekend when I was out for my long bike ride I reflected on these past couple of busy weeks. In doing so, I smiled at all of the little, bright moments and the people that make life so enjoyable. Things like the co-worker who helped me, the client who thanked us, and the friend who asked for training advice.

     Keeping an eye on the horizon while effectively obtaining progressive achievements along the way is a path toward long-term and future successes while at the same time appreciating the here and now. One of the strategies we implement in business is to have a longer term, five years or so, strategic plan which is our view at and over the horizon. At the same time, in order to be effective in our daily activities we need to concentrate and focus on digestible and comprehendible activities and results.

      So, while we are busy in our daily lives, with our long-term goals and pursuits, take a deep breath or a step back to “enjoy the moment.”

Enjoying the moment,

David.

Ironman Nutrition      

     What do you eat? That seems to be a question I get asked a lot. Eating is certainly important in athletics, but what we sometimes forget is that what you eat and proper nutrition is just as important in everyday life. Since I gave up sweets for Lent I thought it might be a good time for a nutrition review.

       Exercise is only part of the formula in developing an active, healthy lifestyle. Folks often kid themselves that they can eat more if they exercise. That may be partially true, but remember that no matter what amount of exercise you do, you can never keep up with excessive eating and poor nutrition.

       So let’s take a look at the basic components of Ironman Nutrition. The various aspects of nutrition include daily nutrition, post workout nutrition, and race nutrition. In this article we will limit our discussion to daily nutrition.

       There are a multitude of books, articles, and businesses that focus on proper nutrition. Many of these programs are either complicated, or have dangerously unhealthy side effects. It seems that many of these programs are more business oriented than actually being nutrition oriented. Furthermore, statistics show that most people that participate in commercial nutrition programs simply fail to maintain their proper weight and properly continue with a healthy lifestyle.

           Personally, I believe nutrition is much more simple in concept, although it certainly takes diligence in application. Rather than get overly complicated, I have tried to encourage simplifying nutrition and following three simple principles:

1. Avoid simple sugar. This sounds easy, but once you start reading labels this means more than just knocking off desserts and candy. There is a lot of simple sugar added to our everyday packaged foods.
2.  Avoid saturated fats. This means avoiding most fatty and greasy food. It does take a little education to understand “good fats” that are unsaturated.
3. Avoid trans fats. Trans fats generally include all hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. Again, you have to become very good at reading labels. Many packaged and processed foods have these trans fats hidden in the ingredient listing. Trans fats are unhealthy, are metabolic blockers, and generally come in foods that you want to avoid anyway. But, they are many times hidden very well so be careful!

        Following these simple rules may seem easy; however, by default what that leaves you with is lots of lean meat, fish, fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. I have always contended that if you follow these rules you can eat as much as you want and will never have to worry about nutrition as a problem.

       Good nutrition, or Ironman Nutrition, goes well beyond athletic performance. The benefits include you look better, feel better, and perform better in everyday life. This adds up to a more positive self-image, and positive self-image is one of those magic ingredients for success in life.

Eat smart,

David