Getting to the Next Level

In my previous post, I talked about finding the gear to get me to the next level and how you can only get so far by yourself.  Everyone needs competition, whether be friendly or not, to be pushed beyond what that individual thought was possible.  The Iron War, Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird, and Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova are some of the biggest examples in sports where two opponents brought the best out of each other and to a level neither would have done on their own.  A connection so strong that some of them became best friends (Evert and Navratilova) or even close friends (Bird and Magic) because they reached into each other's souls and brought a level either opponent can't comprehend. 

Michael Jordan is the only person in sports history in where he brought the best out of himself and pushed his own limits to where no one has reached or ever will reach, all due to his pathological competitiveness.  I like to think I have a strain of that competitiveness in me (shoot to my girlfriend nodding with a s*** eating grin) but I still need help.  I am was hoping that my two friends (Tom @TomHolowka and Jason @SBRtriathlon) would help but that hasn't happened...until now.

It isn't the level of the aforementioned rivalries but Jason Cosma has arrived as a triathlete.  He has been doing triathlons for five years but he has finally gotten to the next level, pushing me in the process.  His speed and hill training has gotten is run to an elite level and it is much better than my own.  Two weeks ago, he told me he ran a 1:38 half marathon in a training run, which is much faster than me (1:47 is my best training half, 1:32 is my personal record). 

After hearing that, it made me simultaneously proud and bothered.  Proud because I have waiting for him to get to this level for three years and bothered because I hate losing (Michael Jordan nodding while losing a $10,000 hand of blackjack).  I always like competing against my friends for multiple different reasons, some positive, some negative. It matters on the relationship and what we are competing in.  It's hard to explain. 

Anyway, I immediately wanted to push myself in areas where I have felt complacent in the past.  I want to train with others (95% of the time, I train by myself) to help me to get to an elite level.  Coaching, running clubs, strength training our all elements I want to delve into where in the past is something I lightly considered.

Sadly, I cannot do this right now since I have a race this Sunday (Ironman 70.3 Syracuse) and guess who I am competing with and against. 

Your deductive reasoning skills are astounding (You nodding with excitement). 

Anyway, after the race is complete, I have new goals and new ways to reach them.  Thanks Jason, I needed that extra push.

For those that do not know what the Iron War is, read the book "The Iron War" or just watch this:

 

 

 If you are really bored, you can watch the full length version here

Stay tuned as a preview for Ironman 70.3 Syracuse is coming soon.