You are going to fail. It’s that simple. You are going to fail. Now it might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but at some point down the line you’re going to mess up. Its how you deal with this failure that really defines you.

The notion about being the first penguin in the water comes from a real life example. In order to get their food penguins must dive into an ocean filled with all sorts of predators, and unfortunately, someone has to jump in first. My mom just finished reading a book about a professor who wanted to pass some life lessons down to his students and children before his terminal cancer took his life. One of the chapters of the book was titled “Be the first penguin in the water.’ He says, “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer”

So go ahead and jump. Be that first penguin in the water. Don’t be afraid to fail. Some of the biggest lessons you will learn in life will come from your past failures.

My training:

Tyrol Basin Ski Trip on Sat

This concludes week #6 of the training program. The week including my new favorite “cross-training” activity, downhill skiing. And I know what some people may say, “you’re just gonna get hurt.” That’s how I felt at first, but then I decided I’m not gonna hold back from doing things just because I am afraid I will get hurt. I got out twice last week, Tuesday night and all day Saturday.

Training went well this week. Got some good spin sessions in. One of the biggest focuses of my training this year is to work on being as efficient as I can on the bike and saving my legs for the run. In the past, I’ve always liked to hammer the hills, but this year I am going to “try” to bike smarter.

Week totals: 12.25  hours

• Swimming: 2.5 hours
• Biking: 6 hours
• Running: 2.25  hours
• Core/Lifting: 1.5
• (Skiing: 7 hours)

Tuesday: 1.75 hour spin: High cadence ride with 8 x :30 race pace intervals. 45 minute run. Went skiing for the first time in 3 years (Tyrol Basin has $12 Tuesday nights)

Wednesday: 45 minute spin and 45 minute swim (focusing on drills) + Lift

Hill repeat workout

Thursday: 1.5 hour spin: Warm up, 30 minutes zone 2 heartrate and 3 x 5:00 min race pace intervals + Core

Friday: 45 minute run before work (including 15 minutes of zone 3) + Lift

Saturday: 2 hour spin: 3 x 10:00 (increase resistance each set), 2 x 4 (15, 30, 45, 60 sec fast/hard). Skiing for 5 hours at Tyrol Basin.

Sunday: 1 hour swim (lots of 100’s and 200 pull). 45 minute hill repeats + Core

Favorite workout of the week: Besides the snow roads, sleet and wind, my favorite workout of the week was my hill repeat today.

Least favorite workout of the week: Tuesday run after work. The roads/trails were covered in snow, need to get some Yak Tracks.

Advice of the week: 

Thing I’m looking forward to next week: Next week is the highest training volume of the year so far. Looking forward to seeing how my legs handle it and recover.