Am I doing enough?

The concept of "enough" is a tough one for a lot of people, myself included.  And it is something that has been on my mind a lot lately.  Is the work I am putting in enough?  Is the effort I am putting into workouts enough? Is what I am doing to take changes in my diet enough?  And sometimes, am I enough?

Being "enough" doesn't just pertain to workouts or training for a race.  It is a doubt that can wiggle into our minds, or at least my mind, when it comes to work, dating, volunteering, being a friend, and really any area of our life where we care and put in effort - we can risk being "enough."

There's always very real consequences to not being enough... Will I be able to finish the race with the performance and results that I want?  Will I get fired?  Will I be single forever? Will I ever be thin enough? Will my friends value what I put into the relationship? Are there more people that are suffering that I could help?

When you actually think about it, the effects of "not being enough" in endurance sports is one of the least life-impacting.  Of course, injury is always a threat, but aside from that - it is just a race.  It is just a sport and it is just a hobby.  I know I say that lightly, and for many people, it can feel super critical - myself included.  However, it is an important reminder because...

One of the things that I love about sports and running or now triathlon training is that the things that I learn from these activities extend into those other analogous parts of my life.

I've been wondering a little bit this week if what I am doing is going to be enough for the Half Ironman.  I am sure it is a common fear that many people training for a new distance of a race or a new sport have, it is for sure something I have felt in the past.

However, when training for marathons I have always followed set training guides that were developed by a running expert that countless other runners have followed and seen success with.  That gave me confidence that if I did what was written in the training plan, that I would feel okay.

But this time around I made up a workout plan.  I am pretty much building it as I go week by week knowing how I want to build and what goal workouts I want to have done before the race day.

I stole from plans of others and I did some research and applied some principles that helped me get ready for sprint and Olympic distance races in the past, so it wasn't a total shot in the dark.  But is it enough?

I guess for all things in life, you can only do your best. You can prepare as much as possible.  You can adapt as your life adapts.  You can use the principles that have worked for others, but you have to be true to yourself and TRUST yourself.

I don't have a set answer here.  I honestly don't know if what I am doing is enough.  But I am putting in what I can put in and I am focusing on myself.  I keep hearing about other people's workouts, other people's plans, other people's recommendations.  Sometimes it is more than what I am doing.  Sometimes it is not.  I am not going to get a set answer, so I am just doing my best.

But I throw this out there for everyone to think about... it is something that I am constantly working on reminding myself of and learning for myself... you are enough.  No matter if you get fired.  If you get blown off by your date.  If you don't get the time or reach your goal on a race.  You, as a person, as a being, are enough.  So smile.