Not now....

-By Jaime Willis

"Live this day as if it were your last.  The past is over and gone and the future is not guaranteed."

-Wayne Dyer

This is the third of three daily posts in honor of Triathlon Training Blitz Week. 

One day in June 2007, I laid down to go to bed and was immediately struck by this weird feeling in my chest.  It felt like I'd just run up a flight of stairs - my heart was beating a little too fast and I was taking in an extra breath or two of air, but never feeling like I quite caught my breath.  Being the smart person I was, I doped myself up on allergy meds and tylenol and tried to sleep.  

The next day, my symptoms hadn't abated.  Now in full Dr. Google mode, I hooked up my exercise heart rate monitor and noticed my heart was beating at 90-110 BPM, even when I was sitting or laying down.  Figuring that a trip to my primary care physician at 3:00pm on a Friday afternoon in the summer was a waste of time, I decided to forego the middle man and get to the ER.  

Although my symptoms allowed me expedited triage service in the ER - nothing was really that wrong with me. My heart rate was elevated, but not 'enough' (80-100 BPM), my oxygen saturation was in the 90's - low but 'ok' and my EKG came back normal.  A chest x-ray revealed I had a bit of pneumonia - something that may have explained my difficulty breathing.  

Because I went to a teaching hospital, I got the benefit of some first year resident's full differential on my symptoms.  Maybe it was just pneumonia, maybe I was having a mild panic attack, or maybe it was something else entirely.  To be sure, they ordered a CAT scan. 

One moment, my best friend Jacky and I are joking around in my curtained 'room,' lamenting the fact that there is no patient food service in the ER, and the next, my bedside is abuzz with activity.  Before a doctor can even come in to explain what the CAT scan has shown, nurses are jamming my IV full of drugs.  

Had I left the Emergency Room that night with 'pneumonia,' I would have been dead before morning.  The CAT scan showed that six of the seven large arteries in my lungs were filled with blod clots, known as Pulmonary Emboli or PEs for short.  I was literally supplying my entire body with oxygen from just one small lobe of one lung.  That 'pneumonia' the doctors saw on the chest x-ray was actually my lungs beginning to suffer necrosis from lack of oxygen.  Those mild symptoms I had were the only warning that my lungs would be in seriously poor condition in a matter of hours.  

With medications and a week-long hospital stay, the doctors were able to get my PEs under control and me back on track to full health.  As it turns out, I have a genetic blood protein deficiency that causes my blood to be thicker than normal. Because of this, I have the privilege of being one of very few non-AARP card carrying members of the "On Blood Thinners For Life" club.

I say privilege because I really feel like it is. The reason that there aren't more "young" folks like me out there on blood thinners is because most people my age who get PEs don't live to be diagnosed, much less treated.  I got seriously lucky. 

Denise, Cecilia, Katie, Sarah, and I after our second
time through the zip line course in Costa Rica.

I wish the same outcome were true for my friend Sarah Tilman.  In early 2009, Just a few months after we returned from an amazing trip zip-lining through the rain forests of  Costa Rica, Sarah also fell ill.  She went to work that morning, left early, saw a doctor that afternoon, was sent home, and died that evening.  Sarah was 27 when she passed away from complications of the flu. The flu. 

No one is guaranteed anything in life but the present.  I implore you - do not use the "now is not the right time" excuse to delay reaching for your dream.  Anytime is the right time to be happy and fulfilled.  

Right NOW is the only time, and therefore the best time you have to take the first step.  What can you do  now to make your dream one step closer to reality today?

First, I need ...

-By Jaime Willis

"You can't always get what you want,

But if you try sometimes you just might find

You get what you need."

-Rolling Stones

This is the second of three blog posts today in honor of Triathlon Training Blitz Week!

Today, we are talking about the excuses that people use to avoid taking action on a goal. One excuse we hear a lot is that people don't have the right "stuff" to really start tackling the goal. The "stuff" can be anything, including: not enough money, too out of shape, don't have the right equipment, don't have the right education, etc.

The really awesome thing about goals is that there are so many ways of getting them accomplished. Your lack of "stuff" is likely just a lack of imagination.

As you think about the resources or "stuff" you need for your goal, ask yourself a few questions.

Do you really need that particular "stuff" at all?

Say you want to own your own business giving dance lessons to kids. You may think, "I need to buy a building before I can start my business." But do you? Couldn't you rent a building? Even better, couldn't you rent a room for an hour or a day - the amount of time you need to run your class(es)? Best of all - couldn't you use your networks to find a FREE space to provide dance lessons -- a church basement, a school cafeteria, a friend's building?

Money is usually a big obstacle that isn't nearly as necessary as people think. Think about the budget for the business above. In the original, this person may have needed over $100,000 to put down in order to buy a commercial property. Renting a space on a year-long lease may have meant a $20,000 annual commitment. Renting space on an hourly or as-needed basis may have meant a $5,000 - $10,000 annual commitment. Using free space while she builds up clientele - $0 dollars and instantly, her business is net positive!

If there is a resource you do need, how flexible can you be about it?

In the triathlon example, there is no getting around the fact that you need a bike. One-third of the race is on a bike, and it would be a little odd if you showed up without one. But you don't need the BEST BIKE EVER. You just need something serviceable. Do your research - does a friend have a bike languishing in their basement they can lend you for a few months? Is there a garage sale or swap meet nearby? Can you find something in your price range on Craigslist?

Left: Kestral Airfoil Triathlon Bike: $4,995 MSRV, Right: Schwinn Varsity Road Bike, $199 New, $75 Used

Do you have to have a $5,000 bicycle to complete a triathlon? Absolutely not! I'll be finishing my race with a 30 year old, $75 used bike. Ask yourself, as I do almost every day, What Would MacGyver Do?

Is there another way to think about the goal itself?

Back when I was first losing weight, I thought the ultimate "physical challenge" would be to run a marathon. If I was going to prove to myself that I was fit, not fat, I needed to run a marathon. So, I started training. I ran and ran and ran some more. When I got up to 10 and 11 mile runs, though, my hips and knees mutinied on me. I went to an orthopedic surgeon, who advised me that if I enjoyed ambulating on my own two feet, I should find another sport. From all the years I abused my joints carrying huge amounts of excess weight, my hips and knees were pretty permanently opposed to long-distance runs.

Now, I could have spent a lot of time and money on rehab and surgery and physical therapy and running clinics and figured out how to run a marathon. But when I searched my heart about WHY I chose that goal, I found that it wasn't really the marathon itself that meant anything to me - it was doing something BIG. And AUDACIOUS. and PHYSICALLY CHALLENGING. With that in mind, I embarked on a mission to do lots of shorter-distance runs. To help lessen the impact on my joints, I've written the rules of my challenge to include lower-impact cardio equipment, like the elliptical machines or the cross trainer. When I finish running 50 10ks, I'll have run the equivalent of almost TWELVE marathons. I'm betting I'll feel just as accomplished (or even more so) as I would had I pushed myself and my body to complete the marathon.

Think about your "ideal" resources to accomplish your goal. Now spend some time brainstorming - asking yourself the questions above and see if you aren't a lot closer to being able to complete that goal than you think!

I'm too busy...

-By Jaime Willis

"Focus on being productive instead of busy."

-Tim Ferriss, The Four Hour Workweek

Pre script #1: Matt is out of town this week making things happen in the big state of Texas.  I'll be taking over his blog posting duties for today. 

Pre script #2: This is one of three posts that will be published on our blog today in honor of Triathlon Training Blitz Week.  If you'd like to join us, go here for more information.

Pre script #3: If post script is a thing, pre script is a thing too, right?  

Today, I want to explore three of the biggest reasons excuses that we hear about why a particular goal or dream can't be accomplished.  This morning, let's talk about TIME.

One of the things I hear so often is, "I would do X, but I just don't have time."    

"I'm late! I'm late!"

I don't have time to make it the gym.  

I don't have time to go back to school.

I don't have time to pursue a hobby I'm really passionate about.

I don't have time.

You know what I say to that?  

Malarky! 

Whenever I hear that excuse, I think of the President.  The President of the United States, the Commander in Chief of our entire country, finds time in his week to a) play basketball; b) watch his girls play sports; c) read to his kids at night; and even d) go on vacation.  The President before him found time for exercise, family, and relaxation as well.  

If there is anyone in this country that could say with a straight face that they don't have time, it has to be the President.  The fact that even our Presidents find time for things that are personally important to them means that any of us can do it as well. 

When Matt and I started prioritizing our lives to make our dreams possible, we realized pretty quickly that time management was key.  

For Matt, this means a 5:00am wakeup call every day of the week.  While the rest of us are sleeping, Matt is taking concrete steps towards his dreams.  

For me, this meant cutting out almost all television watching.  TV is so enjoyable - I know.  It is relaxing, it is entertaining, and it gives us something 'easy' to talk to our coworkers about during the work day.  But television watching is rarely a productive use of our time.  

Think about this -- when you think back on your 2011 ten years from now, are you going to proudly brag to your friends that 2011 was the year you watched Season 15 of The Bachelor?  Are you going to pull out your iPad 20 with your grandkids some day and swipe through all the photos you took of yourself watching Glee?

Wouldn't you rather look back on your 2011 and say proudly:

2011 was the year I wrote my first book.

2011 was the year I ran a triathlon with some of my now closest friends.

2011 was the year I finally "found" the time and made my dreams happen.

Take an honest assessment of your schedule and see if you can find even 15 'new' minutes of the day to start working towards a goal of yours.  Try keeping a time log to see what you actually do in a day and see if there are any areas that you could more productively use your time.

But I Can't Even ....

By Jaime Willis

"Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have."

The other day, I was talking to my mom on the phone.  She reads our blog everyday and has been following along as we announced our intention to complete a triathlon.  

In contrast to her daughter, who is never happier than when she is speaking in front of an audience - the larger the better - my mom prides herself on being a professional audience member.  As she says, there can be no performance without an audience.  Although she shuns the spotlight, she has never been anything but supportive as my brother and I have launched ourselves out of the nest and into the world.  

But I know that this support has cost her no small amount of stomach lining and gray hairs in motherly concern.

Mom starts out this conversation cautiously, "So, I read on your blog that you are training for a triathlon?  That's in addition to the 10K's you are running?" 

There - the first touch of nervousness creeps in.  Let me note for the record that this is NOT skepticism on my mother's part, it is genuine concern.  She knows that I generally finish what I set out to do, but worries nonetheless.

"Yes, mom.  We start training in just over a month, but I am already pre-training now" I tell her, waiting for the shoe to drop.

"So a triathlon - that's running, biking, and swimming?" she asks.

"Yes, all of that.  It's a 5 kilometer run -- 3.1 miles," I translate, "a 16.5 mile bike ride, and a 750 meter swim - about a half mile," I finish.

"A half mile of swimming?  In a pool?" she asks, hopefully.

"No, this triathlon is an open-water swim -- we'll do the whole swim in a lake in Virginia," I say.

"Oh," she says, thinking a bit more before continuing, "How deep is the lake?"

"Mom, I don't know - it's a lake - it's lake-depth," I say, knowing that my answer is neither helpful nor consoling.

"Well, Jaime," she says, asserting her motherly instinct, "is it safe?"

Ah, there it is - my mother has chosen a worry for my triathlon - that I will drown trying to complete the swim.  I explain that the race has lots of folks watching the water to help those who find themselves in trouble.  I further explain that we'll be lined up to go into the water by our estimated finish time, so not everyone will enter the water at the exact same time.  Finally, I promise to be safe and not drown on race day.  

Although my mother is somewhat soothed by my answers, I hang up the phone knowing that if there were a way for her to require the race to be swum in a lake under 5" in depth, she would do it.  That's the mom in her.  

To be truthful, I am most concerned about the swim as well, although not because I think I'll drown.  I've run before, I've biked plenty, but I've never swam competitively, or really, otherwise, since I was in grade school.  I can swim, but I can't swim well.

Matt shared an anecdote from his grandmother that fits so well here, I'm stealing it to share with y'all.  "You know what can't means?," his grandmother asks.  "Can't stands for can try." 

Right now, I can't swim competitively.  But I have over four months to learn.  And, I definitely can try! I know that I will be able to finish the swimming portion of the triathlon - maybe not quickly, maybe not with pretty strokes, but finish nonetheless.

I may also be the first one who finishes a triathlon wearing a life vest, if only to assuage my mom's fears. 

Triathlon Training: Origin Story

-By Jaime Willis

No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.

As many good things do, our story begins through the intervention of Sam Horn. In addition to being an incredibly talented writer and successful entrepreneur, Sam is a Connector in the true Malcolm Gladwell sense of the world. She has the gift of bringing people together to accomplish amazing things.

When Sam began thinking about what to do to honor an upcoming "big" birthday, she was inspired to DO something. Something BIG. Something BOLD. An experience that, on reflection, would stick a metaphorical flag into the ground, saying with gusto, "I did that!" She decided to complete a triathlon.

Sam, being the connector that she is, immediately glommed on the idea of having her friends and family join her in her birthday quest. As you can probably guess, shortly thereafter Matt and I got the call to join her.

I'll be honest, when Sam first called and asked Matt and I to join her in completing a mini-triathlon, my answer was no. I was already working on a big physical challenge of my own. I was so busy already adding another weekly item to my schedule was a lot to ask. I didn't own a bike and the last time I'd swam a lap was to cool off in a hotel pool. No one would fault me if I chose to pass on this opportunity, I thought.

So, the problem with being the Chief Inspiration Officer at a company focused on getting people to achieve their goals, no matter how audacious, means I know what a string of excuses sounds like when I hear them. Even when they are coming out of my own mouth.

My "new" bike - a Schwinn Varsity -
the original "Ten Speed" Bike.

What really sold me on this program, though, was Sam's approach. I always thought that completing a triathlon meant competing in a triathlon -- I needed to be the fastest runner, the strongest biker, and the slickest swimmer in order to be a triathlete. As you may know from my running posts, I am the antithesis of 'speedy.'

Sam's focus was not on competing, but on COMPLETING this event. What a great reminder of why we achieve goals. If winning was our only goal, we'd spend much of our life disappointed. But when we open ourselves to being a part of a great new experience, we all win just by participating.

If you just got a little zing by the thought of being a Triathlon Completer, join us! We welcome everyone, regardless of age or experience! We are committed to ensuring that everyone finishes the race and has fun in the process.

Triathlon Training Blitz Week!

By Jaime Willis

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. 

Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent.

Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omni potent. 

The slogan "press on" has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.

-Calvin Coolidge

Less than a month from now, Matt & I, as well as our good friend and mentor, Sam Horn, will begin training for a great new goal - completing our first mini triathlon.

If the previous sentence caused you a bit of hyperventilation, you are not alone! A triathlon, even a 'mini' triathlon seems daunting.  For some of you, it may even feel impossible.  I am here to tell you right now that NOTHING is impossible.  

We think that you, yes YOU, can complete a triathlon.  

Photo by Jenny Ruley

We have so much faith in you, we've invited you, yes YOU, to join us in training for the Luray Mini Triathlon.  If you live in the District, Maryland, and Virginia, you can join us Sunday, May 1 for sixteen weeks of training, support, and most of all, FUN.  If you are a bit further out, we still invite you to join us virtually through our weekly triathlon newsletter -- where you'll get a copy of the official Luray Triathlon Training Program as well as weekly tips and motivation to do your best!

We are so excited about this, we've declared this week "Triathlon Training Blitz Week." This means we will be posting THREE times a day all week!  We hope that you enjoy Blitz Week as much as we will!

If you have any questions about the triathlon training program that are not answered in our Training Program Page, please email us!  We'll do a Frequently Asked Questions post later on this week, so everyone can benefit from the answer to your great questions.

Believe It.  Achieve It!

TGIF: Irene Vatandoost

TGIF:

This Goal Is Finished

Good morning achievers! Hope you've had a wonderful week!

If this is your first time on our website, welcome. Velocity is about helping you find and achieve your passion through personal goal setting. You can find out more about us by clicking on any of these links.

You can sign up for our weekly newsletter by filling in your email address in the toolbar to the right.

If you are inspired by Irene's story below, consider joining Velocity as we begin training for a mini-triathlon.  Training starts May 1 and runs through the Luray Triathlon on August 14. 

Today's This Goal Is Finished achiever is Irene Vatandoost.  I (Jaime) have known Irene for years and was so excited to catch up with her when she came to our workshop last October.  In the past year, Irene has not only made an amazing physical recovery from a serious illness, she's also begun living her dreams.  I am so proud of her and cannot wait to share her story with you!

The Achiever

My name is Irene Vatandoost and I am an art teacher for elementary aged children. I was born and raised in the DC area and this summer I will begin working towards my masters in education in ESL education at the University of Maryland.

The Goal

My goal was to train for and run a half marathon with Team in Training (TNT) by the end of 2011. By training with TNT I had the secondary goal of successfully fundraising $1,500 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

In order to train with TNT all participants must raise a specific amount of donations for LLS, usually ranging from $1,500- $4,000. The donations go towards cancer research as well as programs and services to families affected by leukemia and lymphoma.

Why This Goal?

Back in October of 2010, I attended Velocity’s goal setting workshop. A few months before attending the workshop I experienced a major life crisis where I was hospitalized and bedridden for several weeks and had to recover for several months thereafter. My professional and personal life were negatively affected and as the days passed during my recovery, I found it easier and easier to wallow in my own misfortune and adopt a “why me?!” attitude.

During the Velocity workshop, I realized my core values were physical and mental health, integrity, confidence and service to others. I’ve enjoyed running for many years but because of work and school and illness, I had lost the motivation to run. I recognized that I needed support and guidance on how to train again and I needed to feel accountable to someone other than myself that I was putting in the miles every week. Given what I knew about TNT I saw this goal as an opportunity to pull myself out of thinking about my own situation for a moment and take some time help others and contribute towards a great cause.

The First Step

Research! I tried to gather as much information as possible from a friend of mine and his fiancé who had recently completed a TNT event and were about to sign on for their second. They patiently and honestly answered all of my questions about training and fundraising. By the time I went to an information session, I had most of my questions answered and registered on the spot for my first half marathon and committed to raise $1,500.

Challenges

Irene, in blue, on a training run

Running: My biggest obstacle was my physical health. Before getting sick, I was used to strength training and running 4 or 5 miles at time and I paid less attention to stretching and recovery. I began the TNT training schedule without doing any of the above and I soon began to pay the consequences.

I had knee, hip, and back pains- something I had never experienced before. Although I was feeling better physically since my illness, I hadn’t considered just how much my muscles had been deconditioned. I had to pull back on the amount of miles I was running and add recovery mechanisms and strength training to my plan.

It was very difficult to trust that even though I was running fewer miles than recommended, that I would still be ready. I decided that the important thing here was that I was at least trying and not giving up.

Fundraising: I think many people share the sentiment that asking friends, family, and complete strangers for money feels awkward. For a shy person like myself- it can at times induce mild anxiety! One day I had to spend the afternoon going around Downtown Bethesda on my own asking business to donate raffle items for a fundraising event.

How did I mitigate this obstacle? I told myself “Get over it! The worst they can say is ‘no’! ” To my surprise, what the TNT staff told me was true: “If you ask, people will donate.”

Staying Motivated

Following the advice I received at the Velocity workshop, I tried to tell as many people as possible about my goal to run my first half marathon and to raise $1,500 for LLS. As people donated and my race became a common topic of conversation with friends, I was constantly getting the boost I needed to keep training.

TNT does an amazing job at employing coaches, staff, and mentors (past participants) who run with you on your long runs, check in with you during the week, and remind you of your mission. I also tried to consistently remind myself that this was a journey and I was putting in the work the best I could. If I was supposed to go on an 8 mile run and I only managed 5, I praised myself for getting up at 6 am in 20 degree weather and still trying!

Who Helped?

First, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this goal without all the friends and family who donated towards the cause. Finishing the race wouldn’t have felt as great if I didn’t know that I had also surpassed my fundraising goal.

During the training, I sought out the help of a friend of mine who trains athletes professionally. He takes a lot of pride in his ability to help people achieve their fitness goals and if he wasn’t by my side at the gym helping me strengthen weakened muscles, then he was emailing me recovery routines, support, and guidance.

During the entire time we trained I never ran anything beyond 10 miles and I spent the last few days leading up to the race doubtful that I could run the full 13.1 miles. I was discouraged by the thought that I was going to have to start walking towards the end of the race or worse, would be in too much pain to finish.

I'm still in awe at what a difference it made to have all of the coaches and TNT support staff along the sidelines. I was just so eager to spot the next TNT coach, staff person, team members (old and new) who would give me that extra boost to keep going. Every time we spotted each other we called out the TNT slogan “Go Team!”

I have run in other shorter races before but I can honestly say I don't recall enjoying a single one as much as I did this one- I felt genuinely happy and surprisingly hopeful as I was running.

When I passed the ten mile point, I realized that I had reached uncharted territory for my body and mind and at that same moment I spotted a coach on the side and she ran up next to me. I told her that I had never run this far and she said then that means each step is a milestone from this point on. I  just thought, "yeah, why don't I let this milestone occur and keep running?"! I finished the race the way I dreamed of finishing and I know I could not have done it without the coaches.

TGIF - Celebrate!

I honestly got a little choked up when I saw the finish line and realized I’d ran the entire way. After I crossed, hugged my mom and fellow TNT participants I just kept repeating “You did it! You did it!” in my mind.

I can’t say I did anything special when I finally accomplished this goal, but I can say that I felt different. Maybe it was the famous “runner’s high” but I had a renewed sense of confidence that I hadn’t felt since before I set this goal. The first chance I got I also thanked those who had helped me achieve this goal.


Oh yeah…I also bought myself a necklace I’d been eyeing for about 2 years that I said I couldn’t get myself unless I did something REALLY big!

Advice

Share your goal as a means to educate yourself. I used to keep my goals to myself because I was fearful of feeling like a failure in front of others if I didn’t meet my goal. I took a different approach this time and told everyone I knew about this goal.

Not only did I receive “surprise” donations from people I hadn’t anticipated receiving from but I received tons of support and guidance from friends who I didn’t even know were also runners. I received advice on what to eat, where to run, what gear to wear from people who were speaking from experience.

Without their advice I wouldn’t have known when to listen to my body and know when to pull back or when to push forward. I don’t know many people who can simply get up and run 13.1 miles so this was definitely a goal that required research and educating myself on the sport.

What's Next?

I plan to continue running and sticking with my workout routine and plan to run at least one 5K race and one 10K race this spring/summer. My attitude is much more positive and hopeful going forward and this was my ultimate goal to have as I start graduate school in the coming months!