Full Transcript for Discipline Over Motivation | Lisa Hounslea on Becoming an Ironman

00:04:18.959 Yeah. 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:19.439 Yeah. 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:32.800 You you mentioned that um kind of recovery tent that was serving pizzas and beers and things that walking through there reminds me of like the chill out tent at the end of a two-day rave with some of the sights and smells and sounds you'd see in there. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:39.519 And the war stories where everyone's talking about how it was, how it was your race and uh the debrief zone as well. 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:40.639 And and I loved that. 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:44.319 I loved the fact that they had that because I felt like that was a really important step for us. 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:44.720 Yeah. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:58.560 Because so often when you do um big races or events, the finish line is is the end, and then it kind of Iron Man and Half Own and do dissipate quite quickly, but I felt having that little bit at the end, uh, so it's not just like right, off you go, go home now. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:04:59.759 Yeah, for sure. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:07.120 One thing that I noticed um about that area was that we sto and maybe it was because we had so many from the club there. 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:07.439 Yeah. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:09.920 Um they were all ever all of your pals are still waiting. 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:14.800 Like the ones that were faster were waiting in that area to congratulate you to see you over the line. 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:19.680 Um and knowing that people were gonna be there was also like a big push towards the end. 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:20.959 Yeah, no, I agree. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:21.439 It was great. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:25.759 There was a chap who I'd um actually came out of the swim at the same time as him, a French guy. 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:28.480 And then we were kind of overtaking each other on the bike. 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:35.360 Kind of he would overtake me and I would overtake him, and we both finished at a similar amount of time, and then we had a chat, a guy called Fabrice from France. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:38.480 Actually, we had a hug and a chat in the uh in the chill out tent as well. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:38.959 It was nice. 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:41.439 So uh that that was the when when you first signed up. 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:46.800 So at the beginning of your was it a nine nine-month training journey after that, nine, ten maybe? 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:48.959 Uh it was it was six months. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:56.399 Um I gave myself six months, so I'd set myself a bit of a deadline after training, obviously, for the 70.3, that that takes a bit of time. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:56.720 Yep. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:01.279 Um, I'd also at similar point signed up for my second marathon. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:04.319 So doing um the Jersey marathon for the second time. 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:06.560 Um, so I knew that was also on the cards. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:08.639 And I also had a very fun-packed summer. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:16.319 So I set a date of the 1st of September 2025, would be the first um day of Iron Man New Zealand training. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:19.040 So yeah, that that was kind of the the beginning of it. 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:26.560 I knew that it wasn't just going to be following an online training plan, semi-coached uh training plan like I did for the 70.3. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:27.920 I needed to kind of lock in. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:35.920 So found myself a coach, um, had some meetings with a couple of people and found a coach that fit my style, shall we say? 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:43.680 Somebody who is like-minded, who also has been fantastic in terms of the psychological element to endurance racing. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:50.800 And I think that um that was probably the the best thing that I did at the beginning of the Iron Man journey was securing that coach. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:57.199 So at the start of that training journey, did you view yourself as as an athlete, or do you think the identity morphed over time? 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:01.120 So I had a big problem with the label of athlete. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:09.519 Um, pretty much maybe I think the first week or so into um into the Iron Man training, my coach asked me the very same question. 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:12.399 He says, Do you think of yourself as an athlete? 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:17.040 And I and I was quite aggressively answering no to that question. 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:24.319 In fact, almost a non-athlete was the label that I'd given to myself because I certainly don't look like an athlete. 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:27.680 I have never been particularly athletic in my life. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:32.959 I haven't come from having, you know, competitively swam, cycled, or run in my lifetime. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:35.839 And so I didn't really feel like that label was for me. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:37.199 I'm also, I'm a mum. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:38.480 I'm approaching 40. 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:43.920 It's not, it's not a word that we would associate or I would associate with myself. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:53.680 And I guess that comes from, you know, the imposter syndrome about entering into something which is considered, you know, in the triathlon world, there is no, there is no beyond Iron Man. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:56.480 That is the top uh longest race that you can do. 00:07:56.639 --> 00:08:02.560 And so there is this element of I don't belong necessarily here and I certainly don't feel like I earned that title. 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:03.920 Yeah, that's interesting, isn't it? 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:09.199 Because when with the men uh who I coach, a lot of it comes down to identity and and self-belief. 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:21.920 And if you're not identifying as a person who is, you know, an athlete, a triathlete, or whatever you're trying to do, it's going to be twice as hard to actually achieve it because your

brain is going to be telling you, as you said, you don't belong here. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:24.160 Um and I can certainly identify with that. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:37.360 Turning up um to the to the uh half in tours, looking at everybody's bikes that cost you 10,015,000 aerodynamic fonts and things, it's like, well, I I don't belong here. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:47.200 But then you kind of get over it and you complete it and and and you do, and certainly in most people, when you think 1% of the population will ever complete a marathon, less will complete a full Iron Man. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:49.440 So absolutely 5% or something. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:51.440 I don't know, you see those things on Instagram. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:09:08.320 But actually, I think that I've I kind of lent into the non-athlete label and kind of tried to own that in my own way, that showing or trying to show myself and others that you know if a s a single mum approaching 40 who doesn't fit that label can do it too. 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:16.799 So that was also kind of spurring me on um at the beginning stages, but there was a turning point where the athlete label did kind of readjust. 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:17.360 Yep. 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:22.240 Um, and I I had to rethink what I thought athlete meant. 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:29.279 And that only really happened, I think, towards the tapering period just before I I headed off to New Zealand to do the race. 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:32.639 I I think it's a very good point because it's so what is an athlete? 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:40.320 Define athlete, and to a lot of people an athlete, someone that they see on the Olympics competing at the top level of of sport, and it's not that really at all. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:44.799 It's people like us who who do marathons, Iron Man's, half Iron Man's. 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:50.320 I now see myself as as an athlete and a triathlete and an amateur one, that, but it's an athlete at least. 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:55.360 So taking on the Iron Man uh is no mean feat. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:10:00.240 So was there a deeper reason in actually taking it on beyond the event itself and the finishing line? 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:05.360 I mean, yeah, there there's this thing, isn't there an Iron Man and every um it's find your why. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:21.600 I think it that translates across many different sports and and I think find it uh it was easy to kind of hang my hat on on why I was doing it because I enjoyed or had become to it to enjoy the struggle of challenge. 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:28.799 So putting myself out in in positions of discomfort and finding joy in the process. 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:36.399 And so that there was an element there of thinking, well, this is huge, this is gonna be a challenge, and and how can I do it? 00:10:36.480 --> 00:11:08.159 Yep um but you know, like I've I've mentioned a couple of times, um I am a mum, I have a a a daughter, and and so the biggest why, and you all know yourself as a parent, is to be able to be that positive role model for your children and for them to to see what is possible when you commit to your goals in a really uh and in a really healthy way as well, doing it because you you made the decision to do it, not because anybody's forcing you, there's no one there making you get up at 5 a.m. 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:09.120 to go to the gym. 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:12.240 It's about that discipline and and teaching. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:29.600 And I think, you know, I I well I hope in years to come that she will be able to look back on this journey, for want of a better expression, that I've been through and and hopefully take something back from that for herself and do realize that you know anything is possible and girls can do hard things. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:30.399 Absolutely. 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:31.679 Yeah, that's so so powerful. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:32.639 I totally agree with that. 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:35.679 And you said the very important thing there at the beginning is is the why. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:48.240 And the uh the people in my coaching group, if they want to achieve something uh and they can't articulate why they want to achieve it, they probably won't achieve it, whether it's couch to 5k, you know, whether it's losing weight or whatever goal. 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:49.759 You know, it's the same in the corporate world. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:51.519 If I want a promotion, well, why? 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:52.559 Why do you want a promotion? 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:55.519 If you can't articulate why, you probably won't achieve it. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:56.159 Absolutely. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:01.200 Um and and the other the other point you touched on there as well was it being someone else's goal. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.200 It's another classic reason why goals fail. 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:06.960 I'm gonna run the marathon because my brother thinks I can't. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:10.320 It's you know, it's not your goal unless you can turn it around and make it yours. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:12.559 So that that's fascinating. 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:20.559 Um so as a as a working mum, how did you actually balance that responsibility of being a parent with the actual demands of training at such a high level? 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.000 Such a good question. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.559 Um the answer is sometimes you don't. 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:26.720 You don't balance, you manage. 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:32.480 And so my I guess the label on that element was chief chief plate spinner. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:33.840 The spinner of plates. 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:41.039 So figuring out everything that you've got to do in a week and and working out how you keep all of those plates spinning. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.440 And also which ones you can afford to drop. 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:46.720 So, you know, I have a training plan, it it's stacked.

00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:55.120 I also have parenting, school stuff, the work stuff, the social stuff, everything that are in and around your life. 00:12:55.440 --> 00:13:01.519 And so, in order to kind of manage that, it would be like running a military operation. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:07.759 I would be looking at my calendar in the weeks to come and I would block out every single training session in my calendar. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:18.320 I would also be putting in everything to do with my daughter's schooling and making sure that there's sufficient time, but also checking in and talking to her about what that schedule looks like. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:21.039 Um, she's my priority, she always will be. 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:30.879 And so if there was a time where I couldn't necessarily fit my training in or around giving her the time that she needed, the training's always gonna come second. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:32.080 And we would manage that. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:42.240 So I would talk to my coach and we try and reschedule things so that the progress wasn't gonna dip too much, but also that my priorities were always held at that at at the forefront. 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:44.879 So she was always gonna be number one. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:14:03.759 And I think that also allowed me to keep my head together because if I felt like, oh, I've I've dropped a session or oh no, I I'm I'm failing somehow because I've had to reschedule these things and that are relatively sort of static in the plan, that that would have actually made it harder for me to make the progress in the long run. 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:09.919 So being able to be flexible um and not beating yourself up too much when things don't always go to plan. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:25.120 Um I think that's a that's a lesson of general endurance sports training is things do not always go to plan and how you're going to react and reassess and and replan in a very short time scale is is critical. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:27.600 Not not losing your head during that process too. 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:28.240 Absolutely. 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:43.679 No, that was my my TikTok post yesterday or Monday, actually, was on importance of having a plan, but the importance on having a flexible plan um and and not getting yourself wound up if things don't go to plan, provided your your general trajectory is in the right direction. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:44.639 Absolutely. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:49.279 But with training, I noticed from your Instagram you were often out early in the morning. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:56.080 So Katie, my wife, is is an athlete and a competitive rower and does very well at rowing, trains a lot for rowing. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:57.679 She's also doing try-a-try. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:02.799 So we go out early mornings and we used to alternate Saturday and Sunday, but now the children are a bit older. 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:04.559 We can both go up really early. 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:06.639 So this morning I was in the pool at 6.30. 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:11.120 Katie was rowing at 6.30, we got home at just after 8 o'clock, kids were still asleep. 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:11.440 Yeah. 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:15.840 Because it's school holidays, so makes it a little bit easier to manage, doesn't it? 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:18.559 Um let's have a chat about beliefs now. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:24.240 So what beliefs about yourself supported you through the journey and were there any limiting beliefs that you had to overcome? 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:30.960 I think I mentioned before around this idea of not feeling necessarily like I belong in that world. 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:34.240 And I only really started triathlon what two years ago with with try. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:35.519 You were try-try, weren't you? 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:37.039 Yeah, I think we were the same, right? 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:38.159 No, I didn't do triatri. 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:39.759 I went straight in for a half-hine. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:41.039 Oh well, you know, Michael Bain. 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:44.799 Michael told me to sign up. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:56.240 Um yeah, and and so the triathlon journey for me is has only been a short of one, which also makes you believe that perhaps you're not capable or or ready for something like that. 00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:58.720 So I think there was that to overcome. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:09.279 And having done craft marathons and marathons, I think though my mindset around like what I was capable of had had started to change uh change. 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:16.639 So after try, I tried to do my first marathon, but I didn't train for it really, uh, which is not smart and I do not recommend it. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:18.960 You absolutely must train for a marathon. 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:22.320 I just kind of um thought I'd have a go. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:38.720 Uh and I did get to the finish line, but that kind of pushed me to have uh or develop that confidence that you can do the hard things and how far you want to push it, and the only competition is yourself. 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:48.639 So believing that I could do it or that I'm capable of being able to get to the point of of crossing the finish line was that thing. 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:57.759 And and again, it's not necessarily a self-belief, but being that positive role model was was the thing that really got me through like the real hard bits. 00:16:58.080 --> 00:16:59.120 Yeah, awesome. 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:03.360 And and and the belief is um I I hear it even from people in the tri-club. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:09.440 Um people who say, Oh, I'm useless on the run, so I'm always really slow on the run, I always blow up on the run. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:11.680 Well, if you're telling yourself that, and that's what you believe. 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:15.519 Everyone's got their nemesis, and for me, mine is mine is the swimming.

00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:31.920 Us work so hard at swimming, but I go to bed every night telling myself what an amazing swimmer I am, um, and and imagining myself swimming really, really well, not imagining myself drowning in the middle of the sea because I'm struggling to breathe and stuff, and it's you know, so it's it's very important self-belief. 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:32.640 Definitely. 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:34.559 It's not something you can just switch on and off. 00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:35.920 It happens over time. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:40.319 Um so over such a long training period, there must have been difficult days. 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:43.920 You were quite vocal about some of these on Instagram, and we we love the honesty. 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:49.920 How did you handle moments when actual motivation was low and and perhaps life felt overwhelming at the time? 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:53.759 Um, well, that there's two things I want to pick up on on there. 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:55.440 That you mentioned the Instagram thing. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:18:01.839 So the reason I began that Instagram account was for accountability purposes. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:05.920 Um I only kind of set it up so I had something to look back on. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:16.000 Maybe like, you know, when I'm like a granny Yeah, 80 years old, I I look back and and I look at that Instagram profile and I think, wow, you did that. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:32.640 Um and keeping that going every day and making sure it was part of the routine to make a post and to be brutally honest and what's it all about, it's it's not all just let's go and get PBs, it it's actually like that that process of struggle and build and and teaching. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:41.279 So I think like that really helped me in terms of the accountability element that you need to be able to ignite motivation. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:45.359 But controversially, I I am not a big fan of motivation. 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:50.000 I don't I think discipline and consistency will eat motivation for breakfast. 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:56.480 You know, motivation gets you to to press that button on the registration page to say, yeah, I'm signing up for this race. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.519 But discipline and consistency will always win out. 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:04.079 So for me, when there was low days, I just made it a non-negotiable. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:08.160 It wasn't, oh, I don't want to do it, therefore I'm not going to do it today. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:11.119 It was I don't want to do it, but I have to do it. 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:11.599 Yeah. 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:15.519 Um, and keeping telling myself that I'm not a world-class athlete. 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:19.839 I'm not gonna be, I'm not out there to to go and get on any podiums. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:27.119 And I do have to probably work harder than most to be able to achieve that end goal of finishing that that that race. 00:19:27.279

--> 00:19:34.319 So keeping reminding myself of that every day suddenly helped make it more possible that I was gonna get to the end. 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:42.559 And so everybody I think tries to look at motivation as being that, oh well, I don't have the motivation for it, so it's not gonna happen. 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:49.839 I'm like, well, just don't use your motivation, use that that grit and determination to get you through instead. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:50.960 Yeah, absolutely. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:20:01.839 So so motivation comes and goes, and and as you said, it's it's being consistently disciplined, and that relates back to your why and and the whole reason. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:11.359 So when my alarm goes off at six o'clock in the morning, um, it's dark, it's rainy, uh, motivation's not going to get me out of bed because I don't want to go get out of bed because it's why would I? 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:12.799 Because it's dark, cold, and rainy. 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:19.599 But it's the discipline to actually reach that end goal that gets you out time and time again to go and do it, and making it a non-negotiable, like you've just said. 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:24.559 Yeah, and uh there's waking up in the cold and the wet and it it's not nice. 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:25.119 No. 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:27.839 And it but somehow you fall in love with that. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:29.039 You feel good when you've done it. 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:41.039 Because you've yeah, you think, well, that I've overcome a struggle and it's uh it's not even eight o'clock in the morning, which most people would have probably done quite a sensible thing and and you know, turned the alarm on snooze and had a bit of extra time in bed. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:44.160 We we've been up and uh you'll probably see this. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:48.480 You're at the pool at 6 30 and the your pals are there from the tri club. 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:53.519 You know, there's you're seeing these people who are who are doing this stuff, and it and it's contagious. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:59.359 You you know, you do keep up and you do go um again the next day and feel great about it eventually. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:02.400 But also it's um doing something hard. 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:08.559 So I have an ice bath in the garden and I go in it about three times a week, and I love it when it's midwinter I don't love it. 00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:12.319 I hate it actually, when it's midwinter and it's half past five. 00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:19.200 There's nothing more uncomfortable than leaving a warm bed with heatings on to go outside in the garden when it's dark and go in an ice bath. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:24.480 But then later on in the day, you'll be in a difficult situation at half five and feel really, really good about yourself. 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:27.279 It's the same with training if you go out and do a hard session in the morning. 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:31.759 You know, the hardest sessions, the ones you don't want to do, often turn out to be the best ones. 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:38.799 You know, a l a lovely run along the front in you know, 18, 19, 20 degrees with the tailwind, you know, they're the easy sessions. 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:40.079 Yeah. 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:44.799 And you don't you don't build that endurance from always going out on the easy days. 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:45.119 No. 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:46.880 I kept telling myself that, right? 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:49.119 So I've been training for this Iron Man. 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:54.880 Um, and people said I was mad, which is probably why I've called my you know, my Instagram is based around that. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:22:10.000 They said, Why are you trying why did you choose an Iron Man that is uh that involves you having to train that hard during the dead of winter and I was like, well if I can do the hard that that's the that's the depths of um you know how hard it can be then the race will be easier. 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:12.240 I just kept telling me that it will be easier. 00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:14.720 Do the hard work now and the race day will be easier. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:22.960 So as my mentor Oli Olerton says easy makes life hard and in the special forces they had a a mentality of train hard and fight easy. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:39.200 If you can if you can you know that's why I think I was speaking with someone else from the Tri-Club um Annabelle who you I'm sure you know and when we were both cursing the 40 kilometre an hour headwind we were saying this is good training going into this yeah yes it's fucking irritating good training. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:42.640 Definitely uh right so on to race day now. 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:51.519 So on race day so particularly when things got tough as I'm sure they probably did what was your internal dialogue or self-talk that actually kept you moving forward? 00:22:51.839 --> 00:23:10.559 This was something that I was really concerned about actually going in into the race because anybody that you speak to who has done anything longer than say a half marathon or you know in stuff that requires endurance and fitness is they they'll tell you it's not about how physically strong you are, it's about how how your mind works. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:11.119 Yep. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:27.119 And that was my worry that my as I say I'd done a marathon done a couple of marathons and mile 20 everyone talks about mile 20 because mile 20 is when the wheels fall off and and the dark thoughts start to to come in because your body is tired and your brain says you can't do it. 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:30.799 And you have to pull yourself back at mile 20 and tell yourself that you can. 00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:36.240 And so I was thinking well how am I going to manage that over 140 miles? 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:38.319 That's that's going to be a lot. 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:44.400 So I think like for me

it was trying to feel lots of different experiences from friends. 00:23:44.480 --> 00:24:23.599 So I met with so many amazing people who have done absolutely incredible endurance events over their lifetimes whether that's Iron Man or ultramarathons or running through the jungle um whatever those things were and I asked them how did you deal with that and so many of them gave me tips and tactics of so I did employ some of those of breaking the race down into chunks so it felt like you just do a mile and then your bra you didn't allow your brain to get to that point of saying this is enough because you were it wasn't a marathon it was four times 11k run or something like that. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:31.920 And that mindset shift um does help you through but also I think you know that self-talk for me was I get to do this stuff. 00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:35.599 I I I'm able and and how lucky am I? 00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:51.839 Well not not lucky it's it's you know how fortunate am I that I can do this that I'm able to get on a plane travel halfway around the world having signed up for this race and complete 140.6 miles like that. 00:24:52.079 --> 00:25:03.680 That's and that kept me coming no one's forcing this and some people aren't as fortunate and won't be able to do this so make sure that you get to the end you know make sure that you make the most of the thing I did. 00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:05.039 Yeah absolutely enjoyed it. 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:06.880 What did you find was the hardest part? 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:09.039 So that's a great question. 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:16.079 I thought the swim would be okay I'd get through it but actually that turned out to be the the best of the three for me. 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:31.119 And your time was really good I had the best swim um because people told me so many horror stories about getting kicked in the face and um Ironman New Zealand is the only only Iron Man I believe that um still has a deep water mass start. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:34.240 So that was just extra extra fear. 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:39.039 So I was kind of really nervous about how that swim would go but it went really well. 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:47.279 The thing I thought would go would go the best because I have the most experience in it was the run and that that for me did not go well at all. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:54.480 So um a few surprises along the way also I think with with the run that was a that was just a fueling issue. 00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:57.920 I just needed to make sure I eat more sort of learnt some lessons there. 00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:01.279 And the bike was just scary I'm I'm a slow cyclist. 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:06.160 I am a slow cyclist and I'm alright with that I'll you know I'll work on it and keep keep getting better. 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:10.880 But I was worried I wasn't make the cutoff so there is a cutoff time for each element of Iron Man. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:17.119 And I was concerned that that would be where my race would end is if I couldn't make that that cutoff. 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:32.559 And so I likened it to the that film that's a 90s film is speed where you've got to keep over a certain yeah so I had like this sort of Keanu Reese, Sandra Bullock thing going on in my head that if I just didn't dip below a certain speed I would make the cutoff time. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:42.319 So going through half of the cycle with that in my mind and then I stopped because you you stop halfway, refuel your bike put your things on and someone said to me uh to me, how's your race going? 00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:46.000 I said, yeah fine, I'm just worried I'm not gonna make cutoff and she said are you kidding? 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:49.039 You're gonna you're you're way above you've got so much time. 00:26:49.279 --> 00:27:00.160 And having that in my head for the second half of the cycle was just wonderful because I thought well even if I just keep going as I am which was fine I'm gonna make it to the end and I'm gonna make it to the run. 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:05.200 And that that was enough for me just to get all of that that worry out of my head about not making cutoff. 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:43.759 It's not things like that can really kind of make your race and reminds me a little bit the opposite a good friend of mine we we did our first sort of unofficial ultramarathon years ago it's called the Belvoir or the beaver challenge in Nottingham it was awful muddy boggy and uh we we reached a checkpoint and this this lady from the uh women's voluntary service said oh you're the first of the walkers we're like we're running it thank you very much um thanks for the confidence um let's just have a chat about support so how important was the support around you whether it from the triathlon community friends or family in basically helping you stay on track? 00:27:44.079 --> 00:28:00.960 I've got to say first and foremost my coach coach Chris Chris Stevens is absolutely wonderful and goes beyond just putting a training plan in place like he definitely coached me as an individual not just as uh like somebody that wants to go off and do these crazy events. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:26.880 It's like how are we going to get you physically but mentally prepared for this so I think that having him as my support and you know there were he would get messages after sessions where I'm like oh I did really bad and this happened and you know you'd be sort of kind of venting um and he'd always come back with really thought-provoking questions which helped me sort do the necessary self-reflection so that I could build back for the better for the next day. 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:31.039 The tri club, you know, you know yourself they're amazing. 00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:44.240 Everybody in that tri club has been a cheerleader for me and I never asked for it but it was always just given and that was so special really like appreciated everybody's advice and time.

00:28:44.640 --> 00:29:12.160 And we are very lucky there are so many in in Jersey so many Iron Man finishers both both female and male and I had a lot of experience to draw upon and people were readily offering me their time whether that would be you know I would see that some of the the guys at the swimming pool and they'd be giving me tips and techniques I would say you know um here's what happened on it when I did this race and you know you're absorbing all this stuff all the time you were trying trying to learn from it. 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:21.759 Also people uh some some of the ladies you mentioned Annabelle absolute inspiration to me Annabelle is just just that person that will get up and do. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:29.200 And so what I found her energy around Iron Man really inspiring and I kind of tried to carry that through of just get out there and you know get it done. 00:29:29.359 --> 00:29:30.000 You can do this. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:42.240 And Katie Tangy is another one I'd probably call out so Katie was the fantastic in in just providing me with this really balanced view of what it's like going through these things. 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:43.279 And she was great. 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:44.720 She's like do you want to come for a coffee? 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:52.880 We'll talk about your questions and just that offering of of time um she didn't need to she chose to um and I really appreciated that. 00:29:52.960 --> 00:30:01.440 So I think you know that community uh was so important actually critical I don't think I could have got to that point that I did without them. 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:35.440 And then there's the Instagram community um which I completely did not uh anticipate becoming a such an important part of the journey all of a sudden you're surrounding yourself and you've created this online community of like-minded people who are going through similar things or maybe wanting to get into these things and they are these people who you've largely you've never met and from all around the world and there they are backing you, following asking you questions, just be being there and providing advice again we had the advice is so important. 00:30:35.680 --> 00:30:43.920 So I think and forgive me friends and family but it's more about that chosen community of like minded people. 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:47.200 Your family and your friends might not get this stuff. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:31:08.160 They might look at what you're doing and go, that's a bit mad, which I hear a lot um or I don't know why you would do this and choose to spend your time and and it doesn't make sense to some people and so I think one of the the biggest gifts you can give to yourself um during any kind of endurance training is to surround yourself with like minded people. 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:09.519 Yeah I I would agree. 00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:17.440 So I'm I mean I joined the tri club last year on again when I signed up to this I've I've all historically I've always been a bit of a lone wolf. 00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:19.359 I've enjoyed doing things on my own. 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:21.519 I've not liked relying on people. 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:47.279 But then I found you know getting involved with the tri-club has has been been great and really kind of for all the reasons that that you've just said there with kind of the advice and the support and the cheerleading as well it has been a great club to be part of and and not judge at all because I've thought triathlon club they're all going to be really elite but it's everyone from literally just done try a try never swung before up to people who I look at as being well you know your Olympic standard so absolutely. 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:49.119 Yeah and everyone's so friendly as well. 00:31:49.279 --> 00:32:00.799 Right finish line now which is I mean I I can relate to running down that red carpet and crossing the finishing line of a half tell me what it's like to cross the finishing line of a full and talk me through your emotions. 00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:18.079 I think there's a lot of hype um around the the finish line etiquette um when you get into this world and of Iron Man and you start seeing all the you know content and stuff and people say don't ruin your finish line don't don't ruin it savour it. 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:40.400 Walk the finish line if you must walk it and soak it all up because especially on your first time that is um an experience that maybe your adrenaline's pumping and you might forget huge bits of it so they tell you walk it and you get to ring the bell as the bell when when you you're a first timer there just before you hit that red carpet. 00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:46.480 You ring the bell um I don't remember ringing the bell I know I rang the bell but I don't remember it. 00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:54.960 But I do remember just being quite nervous around crossing that finish line because I didn't know how I would react emotionally. 00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:58.880 So I did it and I I'd also I had in my head like what are you going to do for the photos? 00:32:58.960 --> 00:33:04.240 Because the photos you know another big sort of thing that people talk about don't wear when you race line your finish line photo. 00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:12.640 So I just tried to be calm and just kind of walk it almost and I was fortunate enough to to be able to look back because all you guys had been following me. 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:20.960 I didn't realise but there was a live stream of the race and people had been following me and had recorded me crossing the finish line from the YouTube video which was lovely. 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:25.759 So I actually got to see that bit of footage so I saw myself crossing the finish line. 00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:40.079 But when I did get there and I remember the moment actually it wasn't around emotions uh it was about the people and so I Man New Zealand have a wonderful volunteer community and

the first person that put the medal over over me looked very excited to see me. 00:33:40.240 --> 00:34:01.440 And it took me a couple of seconds and she this lady had turned to another one of the volunteers who was the job it was to put the towel round you know you get you finish this towel and they put that round you and they said Lisa's here she finished we finished and they were so excited to see me and it took me a couple of seconds and I realized that they were the same ladies who I dealt with in uh transition two. 00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:04.319 So getting off the bike into the run. 00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:18.400 They had been there and they again they go grab your bag for you, they give you your things and they sit down talk you through it and they'd remembered who I was because we'd had a bit of a giggle in the transition you know talking about me eating my bagel whilst they were faffing with my shoes or something for me. 00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:34.719 But they remembered me and so my emotion really was was the the sort of gratitude or uh of seeing these people who who seemingly cared that of all of the thousands of people they saw that day they remembered who I was and I was like I felt special at that point. 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:40.320 Because I don't think the race element had really that that didn't sink in until the next day. 00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:40.960 Yep. 00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:54.639 Because you're just tired right you've you've been out there for hours your your energy is just gone um you're dazed you're you're in a weird state of feeling high but also just wanting to sleep. 00:34:54.800 --> 00:34:55.039 Yep. 00:34:55.599 --> 00:35:17.920 I remember you said that on the group when people are congratulating you and you said um off to bed now I'll reply tomorrow even at that point where I wanted to be really excited and and share that moment and just sort of bask in that that finishing moment I just I just needed to rest and reset and then waking up the next day that's when everything started to to come together. 00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:28.719 So the finishing uh carpet says great you got a video of that because I I was lucky enough so my my wife and uh daughters came and watched me at the half tour and they were brilliant cheerleaders. 00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:46.320 They they came and saw me at multiple points on the route uh including filming my um finishing straight when I I managed to overtake someone at the finish I felt sorry a bit sorry for him but sorry whoever you are um and and just and I love watching that back now and if ever my kind of my motivation fades I'll watch that back and yeah that's what you're aiming for. 00:35:46.559 --> 00:35:47.679 Absolutely so that's great. 00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:58.559 Now finally if there's anyone listening who feels interested in this but they feel a bit held back by time, responsibility, self-doubt what would you say to them? 00:35:58.800 --> 00:35:59.360 Just start. 00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:43.039 I think we'd we'd love to put in a a barrier to our own success right it's this weird human nature thing where I'll be okay when and you just sort of future gaze I'll I'll wait until I've got this next event out of the way or this next thing that's happening in my life and I'll start I'll start in I'll start in in June and you just look into the future and and you project and you know June will come around there'll be something else that will get in your way and so there is no better time than now just do it and even if you think that you don't have it you'd be surprised what you're capable of when you just commit to something and you I'm chasing those goals and I didn't want to miss out because we're all going to go to France and do another race together in for the tri club so I don't the FOMO was real for that. 00:36:43.840 --> 00:37:00.400 But you know if it's a goal you need to sign up for a race we're lucky in Jersey for anybody that's based in Jersey where we've got events happening all the time whether that's try-try or um you know any of the cycling events or or running we're always doing stuff. 00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:09.199 So just start exactly just sign up to it and and that's again what I did with my half was I I I couldn't really swim when I signed up for the half. 00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:14.480 I could swim but not front crawl and I thought well I need to learn to swim because I've got half Iron Man coming up in a few months. 00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:31.679 Nothing better than an urgency deadline right and and then the the chap who uh who wrote the book who I had the pleasure of interviewing on the podcast George Mahood he signed up for an Iron Man four months after surgery and he said if I hadn't done that I wouldn't have recovered as quick and unless he signing up made him actually train for it. 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:40.400 I loved listening to that because it just that that for me just helped see what is possible and it's individual circumstances, right? 00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:49.360 That that what he went through was incredibly terrifying but somehow he managed to pull himself back and complete what he did. 00:37:49.679 --> 00:37:59.199 And you think well that that can only come as a result of grit termination that having set that goal you knew that that is that's your deadline. 00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:01.920 Absolutely let's work let's work to it get it done. 00:38:02.320 --> 00:38:02.480 Great. 00:38:02.719 --> 00:38:04.079 Lisa thank you very much for joining me. 00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:05.119 Thank you for having me.