Despite my recent setback, I have had a very fortunate streak of athletic success. From three trips to the Ironman World Championships to multiple Boston qualifications and lots of solid racing in between, you might have a hard time believing I was the chubby kid picked last for kickball.
Endurance sports, like any other large-scale personal undertaking, have multiple layers of purpose. Athletes train to new levels of personal excellence to build strength, develop fitness and to overcome their fears.
People have always wanted to learn; it’s part of human nature. Despite what you read about video games and adult website usage statistics, people still want to learn. In fact, now probably more than ever, as the web has effectively eliminated any barriers that used to exist in the traditional learning model: money, connections, experience, geography, etc.
One of the biggest challenges of recovering from my bicycle accident has been learning a new set of skills to do the same old things I did every day. Walking. Showering. Typing. Driving. Talking on the phone. As anyone who’s been in a similar situation can attest, this is not fun. Stepping back, however, this situation has shown me that my real challenge isn’t with the accident or its repercussions, but with learning how to learn (again).
Note: This article is part of a series of reflections prompted by the experiences I have had in processing, dealing with, and recuperating from the accident. I am (slowly) emerging a changed person, and hope that sharing helps others process similar challenges. Thanks for reading! As the popular saying goes, to truly know someone else [...]
I recently wrote an article on the benefits of standing at work. I subsequently received quite a few emails and twitter messages about standing at work, and thought another post would be the best way to address the challenges people raised. Please read the original post here and feel free to send me feedback via the comments section or by posting to Twitter with @pmccrann.
Hi, I'm Patrick McCrann.
I'm a 14-time Ironman finisher and the author of Train to Live, Live to Train: How to Build the Ultimate Fitness Lifestyle and Competitive Triathlon in 10 Hours a Week.
Learn more About Me or just Contact Me.
