Deadline Day

I don't know if it's been made clear previously, but I'm a big hockey fan. Long before I got into triathlons, I was watching and playing hockey. I still watch, though I haven't played in a year due to the move, the wedding, and financing all of those things.

Anyways, today is the NHL trade deadline. By 3PM ET today, the teams in the league have to get a majority of the maneuvering done for the players they plan to use for the playoffs, or as is the case for my team the Columbus Blue Jackets, the guys who will play out the string.

You're probably asking yourself what this has to do with weight loss or triathlons. I know I would be. (Then again you might be used to me wandering off course and just ignored it).

In sports, just as in life, there are all sorts of deadlines. Some of them are real, like having to complete Timberman in 8 1/2 hours from the start of the last wave (or else you're disqualified). Some are artificial, like my 10 pounds lost per calendar month. Sure the weight loss is important, but at first glance the monthly goals and deadlines seem very artificial considering I lost 4 pounds all last month, but 3 pounds in just the last 3 days (yes, you read that right: 315 today). Missing the deadline last month doesn't seem as bad when you're suddenly very close to the prior goal, just past the deadline.

What that type of view doesn't take into account is that missing that goal last month is what motivated me to work so hard at the beginning of this month. While the deadline is arbitrary and therefore artificial, it means something to me anyways because I know what the big picture looks like. Breaking it into manageable goals makes the big picture seem easier to tackle.

Just like on a day like today, when you want your team to pull off the big move (Get that 1st rounder for Torres, Mr. Howson!), I want my personal deadline days to be successes.

But even when they aren't that doesn't mean that you can't take something from it and apply it to the next "deadline day".