Unless it's used as a double negative, remove CAN'T from your vocabulary

When it comes to athletics, I've never really used the word "can't"... or so I thought.. it wasn't until I started training for this triathlon that I realized I actually use this word a lot.  "I can't run... I can't run that far.. I can't pedal that fast... I can't swim THAT FAR or LONG!  can't.. can't.. can't...

This was until yesterday.  

Let's back up a couple days.  On Monday, my coach gave us a pretty difficult swim workout.  I wasn't able to finish it, which was frustrating, but come to find out it was just in prep for Wednesday's workout.  On Tuesday, she emailed the team what our workout on Wednesday was going to be.

swim for 60 min straight-no stopping. no water. nothing but swimming.  She wanted to see our fitness level in the water, and just see how far we could go without stopping.  If we stopped, we had to start counting laps all over again. The very first thing I thought was: "I CAN'T DO THAT!!! DO YOU REALLY KNOW HOW LONG 60 MINUTES IS?!  YOU CRAZY COACH!!!"  

There it is again, that word CAN'T... it's such a hinderance.  Over the next day (leading up to this dreaded swim), I was talking with different people about how I could keep swimming for 60 min... I came up with a plan.. swim freestyle as long as I could, and then instead of stopping, I would start doing backstroke, or breast stroke, or doggypaddle.. anything to keep moving.

So, enter Wednesday morning- My alarm went off at it's normal 4:30am time, and after my normal 30 min "wake up period" (once out of bed)- I was still exhausted and starting to get discouraged.  I started thinking: "man, I can't do this 60 min swim, I can barely keep my eyes open!".

Philippians 4:13 says: "I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  I relied on this  truth a lot that morning.  

I was the first one in the pool (which is always super cold) and off I took.. I swam and swam and swam.  I knew there was no way I could keep track of all my laps in my mind by just counting, so I used a tip that coach gave me.. I used the alphabet.  So it was like: "A-25, A-50, A-75, A-100, B-25, B-50, B-75, B-100, etc."  I found that this was a very helpful way to keep track of my laps.  As I swam, I started to think... I might actually be able to do this!  slow and steady was my pace.

By the time I got to "R" in my counting, I started to feel it some... Started feeling tired, my arms started feeling heavy, but also at this point, I started thinking... I HAVE TO GET TO Z!!  I can't NOT get to Z!  

I got to the end of X (leaving only 200y left until finishing the alphabet) and my coach called time.  I was now determined not to quite so close to the finish of my newly set personal goal, so I asked her if I could finish and she said yes.  

People.. If I had given into can't, I would have missed out on accomplishing something I've never done before.  I would have missed out on swimming 2600y (1.47mi) in about 60 minutes.  I would have missed out on the amazing sense of accomplishment and "I can conquer the world" feeling I feel.  I would have missed out on impressing my coach and making her proud. So many things I would have missed out on, had I given into the can't I was feeling, instead of the "I can't NOT" feeling (remeber, double negative makes a positive).  I couldn't wipe the giant smile I had off my face all day, and even as I think about it now, I still smile.  :) 

So my question to you is this: What are you potentially missing out on by keeping can't in your vocabulary?  Whatever it is you are facing, may I suggest that you change your mindset to "I can't NOT" do ________________________!? Challenge yourself, push yourself, and you won't regret it!

Another day at Endeavor

Just a little training update!

Wow, who didn't finish the year out well with blogging?  US!!!  SOOOO SORRY!!!  
While we have been horrible bloggers, we both (Annie and I ) have been doing and are getting ready to do some really neat things!  Annie just got done with a 10K and half marathon (which she is going to post about soon) and I am training for my next triathlon !!!  This time I'm training with Team In Training:  it's a great organization to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I'm so honored to be a part of this team!  

This weekend was the official launch weekend for the tri team!  It has been GREAT!!!  On Saturday, we had our first group training (GT) and Endeavor Cycling.  This is one cool place!  I've been talking about "cadence training" for a long time- or at least thinking about it- but this past Saturday was the first time I actually did it.  I noticed such a difference in my training effort!  Knowing my cadence is so helpful because I feel like it strengthens my training session.  We rode indoors for about 45 minutes, but I was SWEATING FOR SURE!!!  On Sunday, I went for a swim at our local pool.  My day had not gone the best, and I wasn't in the best of moods, and to be honest, I didn't want to go swim.... But when I was having those thoughts, I immediately started thinking about why I signed up for TNT.  I signed up to be a part of something that is bigger than me.  The thought that got me through the beginning of my swim was: "Strickland, you don't really want to do this, but do you think that cancer patients really want to go through another round of chemo, or really want to go through another spinal tap?  NO!!!!  GET YOUR BUTT IN THAT POOL!  DO SOMETHING YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO!  It's not about you!!!!"  Yes, I pep-talk to myself in the 3rd person... :)  Once I got in the pool and started swimming, all my problems "floated" away.  Everything that had been on my mind vanished, and I just swam... 35 laps... Today I went for my first run since Sept.  I was nervous about it, and although i didn't get to do the entire 30 minutes that was required of me today, I did get a mile in... I ended up running that mile in 12 minutes, which I was soooo surprised at (and pretty impressed with myself since I hadn't run since Sept.).  

Through all this, I realized even more, how excited I am to train with TEAM.  Even though I can barely make it through the workouts right now, I know that in 5 months when it is time for my Tri, I'll be able to do these distances with no problem!