Preparing For Your First Ironman Triathlon (IMWA), Part 3

Leadership Lessons From: Teo Hui Koon, Educator and 2-Time Ironman Western Australia Finisher

I think of all of us, I have the least number of finishes. I did IMWA twice in 2009 and 2010; and the inaugural Challenge Cairns in 2011. Had signed up and prepared for Ironman Japan in June 2010, before it got cancelled one week before the race due to the mad cow disease epidemic. This year will be my third attempt at IMWA.

Photo-credit: Richard Leong

I usually train 5-6 months prior to the Ironman triathlon, as I believe in doing my best. The reason being: Ironman is an expensive overseas race, and having spent so much on it, I will want to be as prepared as I can and make sure it counts. After all, I only travel for Ironman races, and nothing else.

Everybody knows that WA is a flat course, but Ironman is, in no way, easy. Regardless of what many say, this is still a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and a 42km run – done, consecutively, with no rest in-between. I have seen how many who are great in any of one sport, but do not do well in an Ironman. One rule of the thumb which I learn from my Coach, Craig ‘Fox’ Holland – it's about knowing how to be patient in the race and not be aggressive in any one of the discipline. I will rather play it safe and end strong with energy left in the tank, then running half the race with an empty one.

This may be my 3rd attempt at the same location, but I learnt to respect the Ironman distance triathlon. There are many things that can change the race for the athlete. I will not go into the race thinking I know the course well enough. There are weather conditions that will change the race, perhaps, like more current and stronger winds on the ride.

Preparation comes in three forms: Physical, mental and mechanical. We all know that we need to train the physical bit. But the mental side is just as crucial. Remind yourself to ignore the little devil telling you to give it up, that you can't do it at the swim start; during the bike when your quads are burning from the 6-7hrs of pushing the crank; and the cramps that will occur at the strangest parts of the body during the run. The mechanical: yes, do service your bike AND bring it out for a ride to test it out. You wouldn't want the bike to have brake-rub, or any mechanical failure during the race. Yes, I have experienced the brake-rub for a good 90km, before – in my first Ironman. And believe me, it's not something you will want to experience: Because, it will totally wreck the confidence during your run.

Photo-credit: Le Giang

And having said all these, soak the atmosphere all in, when you enter the finishing chute. Nobody can experience that for YOU. And enjoy THAT moment. Because YOU deserve it! All the hard work, all the sacrifices, the early-morning training, the huff and puff sessions on the track or on the trail, the sun on your back while riding – and the list continues. Remember: YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!

Indoor Riding: Purely Mental & Keeping Your Focus

I spent the last two days riding on an indoor-trainer - a generous gift from marketing consultant, Reeves Lim Leong. For the relatively uninitiated, I mounted my road-bike on an indoor-trainer (an apparatus that locks your bike in place, and allows for variable resistance). The version I use is the Minoura Rim Drive Trainer, which operates with two wheels over the rim of my road-wheels. The advantage of this type of contraption is that, it spares my expensive race tyres from being worn out. The version I used previously (years ago) was abrasive on my tyres, and left sticky shreds of residue after each riding session.

The roller pressure is kept at an even 365 watts, and larger resistance would cause more rim/roller pressure and wear them out. The initial pedal resistance is not very hard, and gains nice momentum after a few revolutions. I have up to seven levels of difficulty to adjust to. Due to the varying resistance offered from each style and model of trainers, it has often been described that, an hour of indoor riding might be equivalent to 1.5 hours outdoors. It certainly feels that way, since you do not enjoy a variety of surroundings and scenery.

Considerations for doing indoor sessions with your trainer:

1)    Keep you room ventilated. Open all windows.

2)    Use a fan, and ensure that you are adequately cooled especially when the humidity is high. Set your fan to blow at your face-level for most effect.

3)    Ensure that you have adequate fluids. Fill up two bottles of hydration.

4)    If it is a session that is 3-4 hours long, consume nutrition as per your long rides outdoors.

5)    Lay a large towel directly underneath your body, including the pedals. This will assure your family against a wet and slippery floor. Use a smaller towel, draped over your handle-bars/aero-bars set-up.

6)    To ease into the mundane situation of riding-but-not-moving, you can catch up on the news on television.

Deca-Ironman Kua Harn Wei has spent 4-6 hours on his trainer when it rains. Rumour is, he used to do it consecutively, every day, for three weeks as a prelude to his 10 Ironmans done back-to-back for 10 days. Indoor-trainers may be testing on your patience and mental resilience, yet it is as Spartan (and mentally punishing) as it gets. It is certainly safer than riding on the roads these days (unless you mounted your bike poorly). However, you do lose the effort put into balancing, bike handling, and experiencing headwinds/side-winds and other impediments. Nevertheless, you can train and rehearse your entire bike leg in safety, and with strategic relevance. You can mix your program up with power sprints, strength intervals, time trials and tempo training.

Leadership Lessons: How mentally tough are you? Handling your boredom and impatience can be a useful skill. How do you handle senseless, mindless tasks like irrelevant meetings and useless presentations? How do you maintain strict focus over your professional behaviors? How aware are you about displaying appropriate behaviors?

Resolute Resolutions: Keeping Clear Orientations of Outcomes

2 January 2011, Sunday.

Day 2 of this brand-new year; I slept in a little and missed my personal start-off time for my first bike ride of the year. I, eventually, rode easy (with many others who may be working off the post-New Year feasting guilt) for about two hours; head-winds were committed to motivate me to work harder than I intended though. Yesterday morning, I did a swim-run brick session with friends from Triathlon Family and that I enjoyed that. Tomorrow, I take the plunge into an area of weakness and immerse myself in new discovery and adventure.

Mel, finally, worked out the kinks in our home wireless system. We got a new modem-router and configured/reconfigured (took many attempts) before we got lift-off. I am, now, happily uploading applications for my iPad – my new tool for business presentations. It is high time I fully integrated and applied my working knowledge of Social Media 2.0.

2011 will be a year of business expansion, active collaboration, and purposeful charity work. I will spend most of this week meeting existing business associates, new project partners, and interns (a form of mentoring for new entrants to the working world). For my personal development, I will be focused on enhancing my business acumen, active networking, developing my market niche and personal mastery. My three key orientations, that focuses on IQ, EQ and AQ will be:

1)    Head (learn and lead with purpose; develop skills of distinction and signature moves)

2)    Heart (be more people-orientated; fully engage and be engaged with others; really connect on a physical and emotional level)

3)    Hands (develop a stronger sense of charity and altruism; learn new skills using my hands)

What will be your mental orientations? What will you be doing to develop your sense of purpose? How will you connect with your colleagues, business partners, customers and family?