Monday, June 30, 2014
Paralysis by Analysis
Paralysis by analysis can be defined as the state of over-thinking a situation so that a decision or action is never taken, in effect paralyzing the outcome. This type of behavior is common in all facets of our life. Like so many other things this phenomenon manifests itself all over the Tough Mudder course. Everyone has an obstacle that gets in their head and causes them to pause before completing. One of those obstacles for us used to be "Arctic Enema". You can see the type of reaction that this obstacle still brings out of us in the pictures below.
4 tips for overcoming paralysis of analysis
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| Far From Perfect Form |
1. Reject Perfectionism - I have yet to run a perfect race and WTM14 will be far from perfect. Perfection only comes in the form of the true gazelle somewhere in South Carolina right outside of Emporia. I'm going to fall, fail and flail during this journey. There will be people faster, stronger and more ready to compete. There will also be people slower, weaker and less ready to compete.
2. The Simplest Solution is Probably the Best - The formula for success isn't difficult. Work your butt off and do everything possible to position yourself for success. Don't over-complicate the formula. WTM will be about running, climbing, swimming and a huge helping of mental grit. The mind always gives up before the body does.
3. Focus on Getting Started - The first step is always the toughest one. I typically hate the first couple miles of a race. DC hates at least the first four miles. The start doesn't seem to bother Pat at all. Something magical eventually happens at every course and we begin to enjoy the distance. I always wish I could get to that moment earlier and not dread the start so much. Finishing something others deem impossible or insane is worth the trepidation associated with starting.
4. Establish Milestones - I want to hit 50 miles this year at WTM. That's my milestone. I have no delusions of winning unless everyone else gets sick at the pre-mudder dinner. Now I need to work backwards and figure out the plan moving forward.
What kept me from hitting 50 miles last year?
- Nagging injuries associated with running 5 Tough Mudder laps in the month leading up to WTM
- The world's dimmest headlight
- Lack of upper body strength
- Extensive time spent in the pit
- The wonderful hot chocolate served in the aid tent
All of these are within my control. How will I train to control these variables and add to my 35 mile total of 2013? That becomes part of the plan.
Paralysis by analysis is real but it doesn't have to be fatal. The same approach that we use for Arctic Enema works for any situation. Climb up, jump and keep moving fast. We also do a manhood check immediately following Arctic Enema due to the frigid conditions. This step may of may not also be applicable in every case.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Death Race V. WTM
Ok, so let me start off this post by stating that I've never actually done a Spartan Death Race, so take what I'm about to say with a huge grain of salt: I think I would actually hate doing a Death Race. The idea of a competitive race that has no clear start or stop time, where competitors don't have the slightest clue beforehand what it will entail (aside from long hours and manual labor), and where you can be DQ'd at any time for either missing a cut or more arbitrary reasons doesn't sound all that fun to me. There's something to be said for jumping into the unknown and doing something that you know will test your limits and make you uncomfortable, but I kinda like to know what the parameters are for these kinds of things.Now, having said that, it would be kinda cool to try it once, but I am absolutely positive that I wouldn't finish. I find the idea of being messed with to be a bit tedious. The idea of having to find pennies in the snow, or building an ax, or pushing porcupine quills through logs, or carrying a bucket of water up and down a hill without spilling any, or any of the other crazy things that they're asked to do all seem fun individually, but stacking them on top of each other with no clear sense of purpose or completion time sounds like a test that I don't necessarily need in my life.
I'll stick with WTM. I know what to expect from that - at least in the broadest sense of the word. True, I don't know details about the course, but I know that it's a question of surviving for 24 hours. As with most things in life, understanding the parameters of the challenge makes it much more likely that you'll succeed. Having an unclear understanding of what the process will entail, and constantly having to battle for every little victory, only to have that victory be unappreciated and followed by another random challenge...all of these things are a recipe for failure. Unfortunately, it seems that often we have to deal with this type of structure when we deal with everyday life. I don't think it's because we HAVE to (after all, there's nothing inherent in life that makes it chaotic and frustrating - perhaps that's debatable, but it's not what I believe). I simply think that we sometimes don't know how to do things any other way. We get so caught up in reacting to our situations...putting out fires as they start...and "dealing" with things that happen to us when what we should be doing is creating our own situations...starting our own fires...and making things happen for ourselves. But doing that means that we have to have a vision for what we want to accomplish and have a strong understanding of the process involved to get there. Now, which of the two events (Death Race versus WTM) sounds more like my ideal? Which sounds more like your ideal?
Plus, we get to go to Vegas, baby!
PS. Just to be clear, I completely respect the folks who are willing to undertake the Death Race. There's a special kind of madness involved with it, and anyone who signs up to participate (forget about finishing...) deserves respect.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Trying Something New
As the Oscar Winning actor Matthew McConaughey once said, "Alright, alright, alright..."
It's been a while since I posted anything, and I have been wracking my brain to come up with a new angle to take with my posts. Particularly since I'm starting to feel like a bit of a broken record with my Achilles and "believe in yourself" posts. There's nothing wrong with those posts, but I wanted to have something new to say, and I can honestly say that I do based on my experiences from last weekend.
First, I can truly say that I did something new with the Virginia TM last weekend - I volunteered. Granted, it wasn't as "legitimate" as Daniel's "orange is the new black" volunteering that he did on Sunday, but I spent some time manning the Mudder Legionnaire booth after the races on both Saturday and Sunday. And, I had an absolutely FREAKIN' awesome time (the "FREAKIN'" is for Start-Line Shawn). I'm not really a naturally gregarious person, but I was having a great time handing out headbands to new (and returning) legionnaires, talking up WTM, and hanging out with other volunteers. The booth was crazy slammed on Saturday, and I developed a little bit of a patter with each new headband I handed out. With each new person who stepped up to the booth to get their headband, I was seeing the exhaustion that comes with running one of these events...I was seeing the excitement that comes with conquering one of these events...I was seeing the elation that comes with a free beer and a headband...and, most importantly, I was personally witnessing the victories that these people would hold with them. I asked people who were finishing the second or third TMs about their experiences with their previous courses, and, I was surprised to find that I was able to commiserate with them. A surprising number of people had run Wintergreen as their first TM and waited more than two years to do their second - a sentiment I can completely understand. Anyone who were running their 4th (or higher) TM received a spiel about how it was time to sign up for WTM, and a surprising number didn't simply laugh at the thought. The biggest takeaway from this experience for me was that I didn't have to be a salesman (a role at which I am woefully inadequate). The sense of accomplishment and course-earned camaraderie naturally fed people into the idea that they could push themselves further.
Second, this was the first running of the 'hawk for me. I had tried to do one in Atlanta, but they weren't offering a booth to actually do the shaving on site. That meant that this was the first place where I was able to run with one, and I can legitimately say that I "rock the 'hawk." Now, obviously my 'hawk wasn't as advanced as Daniel's, but "baby steps", right? It was interesting how quickly I got used to it. In fact, after an hour or so, I didn't even remember it. Until I saw pictures of myself, I didn't even think about it. The question is, what type of 'hawk do I go with for my next TM? I'm thinking the reverse, but we'll have to see if they even offer the shaving option in Australia (yeah, you read that right...my next event is in Australia).
Third, this was the first time that one of our children was present to witness us running. I'd had family members come as observers before, but this was the first time any of our children ventured out on the course to brave the wilds of mud and obstacles - not to mention the pure coincidence of actually finding each other. My son seemed to have a good time hanging out with my father during the day, and I got to give him a bit messy hug along the way. All in all, I consider that a good day.
So, all of these firsts (among others) and what's the lesson? I guess the biggest lesson is summed up by a question that Start-Line Shawn asked in VA: "When was the last time you tried something for the first time?". I try to do something new everyday, but life gets monotonous at times. We all need to be shaken out of our sedentary ways because that's the only way to move forward with out lives. Everyday life has a way of creating inertia in our experiences...we go to work the same way, we watch the same TV shows, and we go to bed at the same time. These routines make it easier to get through tasks, but they also create a sense of "sameness" to our days...and that sense of "sameness" can weigh us down. Volunteering during the VA mudder and joining into the community of mudders in a way that I hadn't before really showed me that shaking the dust off my life is absolutely worth doing.
It's been a while since I posted anything, and I have been wracking my brain to come up with a new angle to take with my posts. Particularly since I'm starting to feel like a bit of a broken record with my Achilles and "believe in yourself" posts. There's nothing wrong with those posts, but I wanted to have something new to say, and I can honestly say that I do based on my experiences from last weekend.
Second, this was the first running of the 'hawk for me. I had tried to do one in Atlanta, but they weren't offering a booth to actually do the shaving on site. That meant that this was the first place where I was able to run with one, and I can legitimately say that I "rock the 'hawk." Now, obviously my 'hawk wasn't as advanced as Daniel's, but "baby steps", right? It was interesting how quickly I got used to it. In fact, after an hour or so, I didn't even remember it. Until I saw pictures of myself, I didn't even think about it. The question is, what type of 'hawk do I go with for my next TM? I'm thinking the reverse, but we'll have to see if they even offer the shaving option in Australia (yeah, you read that right...my next event is in Australia).Third, this was the first time that one of our children was present to witness us running. I'd had family members come as observers before, but this was the first time any of our children ventured out on the course to brave the wilds of mud and obstacles - not to mention the pure coincidence of actually finding each other. My son seemed to have a good time hanging out with my father during the day, and I got to give him a bit messy hug along the way. All in all, I consider that a good day.So, all of these firsts (among others) and what's the lesson? I guess the biggest lesson is summed up by a question that Start-Line Shawn asked in VA: "When was the last time you tried something for the first time?". I try to do something new everyday, but life gets monotonous at times. We all need to be shaken out of our sedentary ways because that's the only way to move forward with out lives. Everyday life has a way of creating inertia in our experiences...we go to work the same way, we watch the same TV shows, and we go to bed at the same time. These routines make it easier to get through tasks, but they also create a sense of "sameness" to our days...and that sense of "sameness" can weigh us down. Volunteering during the VA mudder and joining into the community of mudders in a way that I hadn't before really showed me that shaking the dust off my life is absolutely worth doing.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Tough Mudder Virginia Awards
Best New Obstacle: Pyramid Scheme - There was a lot of skepticism around this new obstacle but it proved to be a great addition. It was impossible to conquer alone and it brought out a great deal of camaraderie on the course.
Most Likely Obstacle to Fail On: Hangin' Tougher was introduced in the legionnaire loop. It consisted of 3 rings, a rope and then 3 more rings. The transition from the rings to the rope did a lot of people in including the three of us on multiple attempts. It was a nice addition to the course.
Obstacle I Missed the Most: Everest - Everest is a Tough Mudder staple and it just doesn't feel the same without it. I love the feeling of charging the ramp and I love to see the fails associated with charging the ramp. Bring Everest back soon! Obstacle That Allowed People to Flip On: None of them! Come on Tough Mudder. Bring back the Fleeep! Somewhere...Anywhere.
Best New Addition to the Team: D Dub C's brother Dominic. When he wasn't asking people where the beach was he was crushing obstacles. He actually carried an entire tree on the hold your wood obstacle. He literally uprooted a tree, put it on his back and replanted it when he was finished.
Most Accurate Naming of an Obstacle: Arctic Enema - We have done this obstacle countless times and it always terrible. This time it was packed with more ice than it ever has been before. I felt like I was jumping into a cooler full of ice. To make matters worse there was no official ladder to get out. Parts of me are still recover from this obstacle.
False Advertising Obstacle: Balls To The Wall. Never really even came close. You could if you wanted to but that would just be weird.
Obstacle Most In Need of Renaming: Kiss Of Mud - This obstacle was devoid of mud. It was really like kissing some terrible sand that removed skin like sandpaper.
Biggest Fail on the Course: This goes to the guy that held up the line on walk the plank and then didn't jump. We counted down for the guy more times than Sesame Street does in an entire episode. Jump already!
Best Volunteer on the Course: This award goes to none other than our very own D Dub C. He ran the funky monkey obstacle with a beautiful combination of precision and motivation. Watch out Start Line Sean and Finish Line Fred. You may have some competition when Drink Line Danny gets in the game.
Worst Volunteer on the Course: The lady at one of the mud crossings that sat under the tent and didn't talk to anybody. Come to think of it. Maybe she was lost, dehydrated and not a volunteer at all.
Thank you Tough Mudder Virginia. It was an amazing weekend! I'm sure my teammates can think of more superlatives. Be on the lookout for a post about the most most firsts ever in a mudder. It is sure to be a classic.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Seeing Double: T-Minus 1 Day
This tough mudder is going to be unique for a number of reasons. One of the most unique things about this mudder is the late addition of a sibling to the team. There have been multiple attempts to bring family members into the fold but DC is the first to succeed. His brother will be joining us for his first mudder on Saturday. I'm quite sure the sibling rivalry will heighten the competition that is already out on the course. As always we will put teamwork before our course time. After all it is in the motto. For those math majors that read the blog the addition of D Dub C's brother can be expressed algebraicly as follows:
DCC + DC = D²C³
It sounds like a recipe for success and will be a great deal of fun. Everyone is packed and the cameras are ready. Tough Mudder VA is here! Stay tuned for coverage and an update on the siblings in action.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
No Locks of Love: T-Minus 2 Days
Throughout history there have been many stories of people able to accomplish remarkable feats due to their hair. DC and I believe that our very own Patrick O'shea may be one of those mythical creatures. His well documented locks have proven to be a strength on the course. Recently Patrick shaved off the locks for the St. Baldrick's foundation.
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long, healthy lives. You can find out more about the amazing work they do here.
Did these locks possess mythical powers? Were they the secret to his gazelle-like state on the course? We'll find out in just 2 days?
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
The Flip Challenge: T-Minus 3 Days
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| The Maiden Backflip in Pennsylvania |
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
The Volunteer: T-Minus 4 Days
Tough Mudder Virginia is only four days away and the countdown is getting a late start. In a new twist DC will be volunteering on Sunday. Not one to just do something halfway he has been working on what his volunteer thing will be. We've seen people wear chains, give muddy hugs, shout catchphrases etc. After all, you can't just stand there and hand out bananas and cups. You have to do something to stand out from the crowd of volunteers and become memorable. What will DC's volunteer shtick be? He could pretend to be a pirate or even dress up in a superhero costume. The key is to make an impression on your fellow mudders without getting arrested. Who knows what he will do??? We'll find out in a few days.
