Key Song: Lose Yourself — Eminem
I’m pretty hard to win over.
I’m a stick-to-what-I-like kind of person, and it takes a lot for something to sway me. So when something actually sticks with me, it sticks.
Over the last day or so, I’ve started putting together a list of things that have truly helped me along my journey — the tools, books, videos, and templates that kept me focused, grounded, and moving forward. Before this 30-day challenge, I never thought twice about compiling these for anyone to read. But here we are.
These are the things that showed up for me when I needed them, and maybe they’ll show up for you too.
Books I Recommend
- This Naked Mind — Annie Grace
- The Four Agreements — Don Miguel Ruiz
- Milk and Honey — Rupi Kaur
Favorite Videos / Documentaries
- Iron Cowboy
- Iron Cowboy: Conquer 100
- Endurance athlete documentaries
- Triathlon motivation videos
- Mental toughness clips
Applications I Use Daily
- Strong App — for tracking lifts and progressive overload
- Trello — for organizing tasks, habits, nutrition, training, and pretty much anything else my brain throws at me.
My Daily Journal Template
- 10-minute “all or nothing” brain dump
- Three positive words to start the day
- Bible verse of the day
- Word of the day
- Quote of the day
- Three thoughts of gratitude
Ironman Getting Started Template
If you’re new to triathlon training or just easing your way into consistency, here’s the weekly structure I use as a foundation. It’s simple, balanced, and sustainable — but still pushes you in all three sports.
- Monday — Off / Active Recovery
- Tuesday — Sprint 8 or VO₂-based run + upper body hypertrophy
- Wednesday — Cycle sprints + swim intervals + core
- Thursday — Tempo run + lower body hypertrophy
- Friday — Endurance swim
- Saturday — Long run
- Sunday — Long ride or long brick (alternating weekends); optional recovery swim kept light and relaxed.
These are just a few of the tools and routines that help keep me grounded in a world that often feels chaotic and unpredictable. It’s taken me a while to build a habit of daily journaling and reflection, but it’s been worth every up and down. The world is always a little prettier when you start the day with a fresh thought.
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