As a Naval Academy Graduate (Class of '93) and former Navy submarine officer, I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for the Navy SEALs. In my mind, they represent the ultimate in endurance fitness as they train for their missions on the SEa, Air and Land (SEAL).
On the navyathletes.com website, which promotes the Navy and especially the Navy's Special Warfare/Operations communities, I found this video with Navy SEAL Commander Keith Davids discussing his training as a SEAL and the parallels with training and racing an Ironman.
In the video, CDR Davids makes a few comments that I find interesting and very relevant to Ironman triathlons in regards to both physical and mental preparation and execution:
"Often times, our greatest limiter is our own imagination."
"When you have multiple hours of competition, ah, I think, what’s really going on in your mind is you’re consistently assessing your body. You’re monitoring how you’re feeling, your heart rate. You’re trying to find that sort of sweet spot — where you get the most speed for the least cost."
"Being able to control your mind, being able to focus on the mission or the end goal, is absolutely essential."
"The Navy has given me many opportunities to push myself beyond what I thought might be possible, and I think each time you do that, you learn something about yourself, and you learn that maybe my limit isn’t where I thought it was. Maybe I can do considerably more. "
I think it's an interesting analogy and perhaps explains why the Navy is targeting endurance athletes with their "strong cardiovascular engine" for the Special Warfare/Operations communities.
To summarize why I like Ironman triathlons (in the words of Joseph Conrad):
“People say that we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive.”
Live life richly and boldly!
David
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David B. Glover
Author of Full Time and Sub-Nine: Fitting Iron Distance Training into Every Day Life
© 2009 David B. Glover
Whether you're training to win a triathlon, training to finish or just need inspiration from my life journey as a cancer survivor, Navy officer and sub-nine hour Ironman triathlete, my book will inspire you to chase your dreams and live life richly and boldly.