Eating the Elephant

The Ironman Triathlon is one of the most daunting athletic challenges on the planet.

It begins with a 2.4 mile swim in the ocean, followed by a 112 mile bike ride, and finishing with a 26.2 mile marathon---all in one day!

I read how many of the professionals that prepare for the big day utilize a training strategy called "mental chunking."  Instead of looking at the race as a threatening 140 mile event, they break the race into smaller events---perhaps into multiple 5 mile events.  This provides the athlete with a much needed MENTAL advantage as a 5 mile race is much easier to wrap one's mind around and far less threatening than a 140 mile race.

Now notice:  using the mental chunking approach doesn't change the race--it is still a whopping 140 mile long day--it simply changes the way the athlete LOOKS at the race.

Which in turn impacts how the athlete PERFORMS in the race.

The mental chunking approach is akin to the cliche question:  how do you eat an elephant?  Answer:  one bite at a time.

I have found this mental strategy to be extremely effective--on the track and in life.

A 16-week semester filled with a teaching overload, department head duties, all coupled with kid's sports and homework and an endless to-do list of other family obligations can at times look overwhelming---even impossible--- when viewed as a whole.

But I have found that taking the giant elephant of obligations called "life" and breaking it into small pieces, pieces that can be managed, one bite at a time, one week at a time, seems to make the impossible---possible.

And not let the big elephant, seem so big.

AMJ