The Allure of the Extreme in Personal Leadership

The phrase ‘extreme sports’ refers to high risk sporting activities, including those adventure races. Mountaineering and rock-climbing is categorized here, as climbers risk extreme weather and terrain conditions. Surfing in shark-infested waters raises its risk-level higher than if swimming in the public pool. Mountain-biking, off-road, is a dangerous sport if you allow yourself to get careless and accelerate downhill without control. Cycling on public roads is becoming an extreme sport according to the many cyclists I spoke to. Swimming in local waters, polluted by careless dumping and littering can be extreme, too!

Within four hours of its release, Ironman Western Australia 2011 sold out completely. This is akin to Lake Placid and other popular American Ironman distance triathlons. IM New Zealand 2011 sold out for the first time in its two-decade history, way before the middle of this year. IM Lanzarote and IM Canada followed suit. In response to this frenzy of interest for the 226K triathlons, more races are being created including those non M-Dot sanctioned races. Boutique races like Vineman and Norseman still attracts neophytes and seasoned triathletes. Disappointed latecomers are churning the Ironman/Long-Distance Triathlon waters to have a bite of the next opened event, or special slots.

What exactly is the attraction of Ironman/M-Dot races? What makes Ironman triathlon such an exciting proposition? My casual surveys at such races reveal that:

1)    It is one of the toughest physical challenges you can undertake (and succeed with guidance and hard work).

2)    It is a great confidence-booster (check out the heightened postures after a race).

3)    You get to wear cool t-shirts and post-race merchandise.

4)    It shifts one’s personal paradigms, and redefines personal limits.

5)    Stating on your LinkedIn page that you completed an Ironman triathlon may invite curious questions from other members (so, it enhances networking possibilities).

6)    You get more photographs tagged of you even when you raced solo.

7)    When you break down the 226K-race into its components, jaws will drop.

8)    The facial expressions you earn are (after you describe your race is), simply, priceless!

Perhaps, we are searching for the next challenge to accomplish. Challenges create a sense of purpose; intrinsic motivators like our values, beliefs and behaviors support our purpose. Our purpose links to reality when we plan and create objectives for ourselves. We may be seeking the next metaphorical ‘highest mountain’ to climb? After all, taglines and cliches like ‘anything is possible’ or ‘nothing is possible’ becomes the de rigeur personal standards for personal leadership? Or, in a matter of speaking, we get to ‘brag for life’.