Confidence and Guts

There is absolutely nothing comfortable about the year ahead.  That is one of the things that excites me the most.  Different courses, various challenges (both the obstacles and the side challenges Daniel, Patrick and I have), several states, and a crazy culminating event all lie ahead.  I think we often stay in our comfort zone without even realizing we are there.  I was reminded of this as I began reading Seth Godin's new book "The Icarus Deception".  I'm a big fan of his work and was even fortunate enough to spend the day with him at his office in New York.  One of my favorite quotations so far in the book is about confidence and guts.  

“It takes confidence and guts to intentionally create tension.” – Seth Godin

This year is all about ratcheting up the tension.  Keep in mind that our reward in the end is a 24 hour race across grueling obstacles in the freezing cold.  Seth may want to add a touch of craziness to go with the confidence and guts.  Tension is often seen as a negative thing when it is typically the thing that moves you forward.  One of the best places to see the positive effects of tension is related to working out.  I recently started a new strategy to create more tension in my own routine.

I began writing down the weight I use, the reps I complete, and the time it takes me to complete my runs as I started my January training plan.  I know what you are thinking.  There are many times that you want absolutely no record of the workout whatsoever.  This is the first week that I am cycling through the same workouts that I did the week before.  I now have a reference point for where I was the previous week.  I write down my personal best (PB) beside each exercise.  My PB used to be a perceived best because I never wrote it down. My new goal is to match or exceed the PB in terms of weight and/or reps.  This fits perfectly with the highly competitive nature that Daniel, Patrick, and I share.  This is the same competitive nature that has forced one of us to regroup, one to have a really cool scar and the other to own multiple sets of crutches.

The Winner of the Cool Scar Award

Today was a test to see if this strategy would pay dividends.  Could it push me out of my comfort zone and establish new goals?  I immediately noticed was that my whole approach to the workout was different.  Using data from my previous workout brought a new focus to my training.  Instead of going through the motions and staying within my comfort zone I was trying to break previous records.  At the end of the workout I had completed 43 more reps than the week prior.

Did I get exponentially stronger from the week before?  

I would like to think so but I would venture to say that isn't the case.  I believe it had more to do with having a goal and a strategy to meet the goal.  This year the three of us have lofty goals.  We also have strategies to achieve these goals.  This blog will undoubtedly serve as one of those strategies.

Can I continue to add 40 more reps to my routine each week?  

Probably not but I will keep you posted.  The streak may not last but I do know that I will continue to push past the comfort zone that we tend to stay in.  Find your comfort zone and then leave it!