The Bank

So, I played volleyball competitively back in my highschool days and was coached by a very interesting guy with a strong Type A personality. He hadn never played in college, or anywhere else really but for whatever reason took up coaching when he became a highschool teacher, and like most things in his life, completely devoted himself to being the best coach he could and as a result having an even better team to show for it. Since he started coaching my highschool team has been and still is one of the top performers in the state year in and year out. This coach made tall, lanky, uncoordinated teenagers into killing machines, and made it a mission to motivate them not just in volleyball but in life as well. It was amazing to see the progression from a pre-season practice to the final regular season game. Like night and day almost, if you'll pardon the cliche. I even credit him with getting me started into triathlons. Cool.

One of the many things I still keep with me from his many pep talks and motivational comments is related to keeping "a bank". This bank doesn't hold any kind of money. No, this is for hardships, tough times, or obstacles on the path leading up to achieving a goal. Say, for example, a 2 and half hour brick(bike and run) workout in 12 inches of snow...or for the times when you know noone else is this crazy about reaching an accomplishment, or when you know none of your competitors are out training in the current conditions, but you are and you're loving it. Its those times that go into the bank to hang out. You keep filling and filling that bank of tough times. Then come race day when the going gets tough, and you have to dig deep, or when it hurts beyond belief, and you find yourself wanting to give up right there on some unknown mile of a race course you reach into that bank, and pull out those workouts. You remember all those sacrifices to get to where you are, and all those banked workouts. You pull them out, and they push you to keep going, to go even faster than before. Because you know its all about the journey. Just put it in the bank.

Good Song: Arctic Monkeys - When the Sun Goes Down