Redefine Your Limits (NQM003)
"Everyone's version of difficult or best self is unique to them. My goal was to accomplish 50 IronMans in 50 consecutive days in all 50 states. My mother, who has struggled with obesity in the past, came out and did 5 5Ks with me in 5 days through 5 states. Those 5 5Ks for my mother was her version of hard. With my personal example of the 50-50-50 I want to spread the message that you should go out and push yourself to what your standard of excellence is. What I want people to get from this project is that they are capable of so much more than they are currently producing. Whatever mountain is in front of you, or whatever fear is holding you back, tackle it and go beyond that in your own realm." - James Lawrence
Within a lifetime, there are very few opportunities to see what it means to truly redefine the limit of human endurance. James Lawrence provided one of these rare opportunities 2015. After setting the bar with 22 half IronMan triathlons in one calendar year in 2010, and 30 full IronMan triathlons in 2012, he decided to go even bigger: 50 IronMan triathlons, in 50 consecutive days, in all 50 US states. And oh yes, he is a former real estate investor who got into endurance sports just 10 years prior to this feat, and is a father to 5 kids. He is also the biggest reason why I was inspired to do my very first IronMan earlier this year. This man deserves a big NQM writeup.
For those not familiar with the IronMan triathlon, it consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 Marathon mile run. Totaling 140.6 miles in a day for one IronMan; the Iron Cowboy set out to complete 50 IronMans in 50 consecutive days in 50 states. That’s right, 50-50-50. Once you let that sink in, it should come as no surprise to you find out that the Iron Cowboy has a unique perspective on what it takes to accomplish great things, and he has come to share those valuable insights on many different platforms, from books to documentaries, and from Podcasts to public speaking engagements.
The Team Never Quit podcast guys did an awesome episode with the Iron Cowboy (linked below) and I think Rud described it best. “When I think what it's like to swim 2.4 miles, to bike 112 miles, and to run 26.2 miles, individually they each make we want to puke, collectively they want me to smash my skull in with a baseball bat, but to do it 50 times in 50 states in 50 days, It makes me want to detonate.”
Now it may be easy to attribute this effort to James being a freak of nature, particularly if you see some of his Instagram photos during his races. But that is a product of some of the hardest and most relentless grind you can imagine. Just a decade prior to his 50-50-50, he was barely able to finish a 4 mile fun run. He recalls the story in several different podcasts as him getting passed by mothers pushing strollers, and his wife calling him pathetic and signing him up for his first marathon a few months after the 4-miler, telling him to "figure it out".
The Iron Cowboy undertook the 50-50-50 to raise $1,000,000 to combat child obesity through the Jamie Oliver Foundation. The Jamie Oliver Foundation is committed to “create a strong sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again, and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.” You can find out more about the foundation and how to donate here. Even 3 years removed from his 50-50-50, he continues to support that cause through his many engagements and spin-off products, like his documentary and book.
Both the 50-50-50 book (Redefine Impossible) and the documentary offer a great look at what it really took to pull of what almost everyone (except for Lawrence's closest support circle) deemed impossible. The documentary in particular is really powerful, because you can actually see the dismal state that he is in after "just" a few IronMans. He falls asleep while on the bike (and suffers a nasty crash, of course) and while giving interviews, and most shots show him as stiff and cramped up as a board. He gets close to becoming hypothermic after a few of the swims because he gets down to 4% body fat by the end of this project. After seeing him so tired and push on, I have vowed to never again complain of being tired myself.
The mental breakdown he has on the side of the road during this 30th IronMan in Connecticut is very powerful. The emotions can't be more realistic, and it is as true of an image of a man breaking down as you can find. Yet Connecticut is where he turns it around in his head, in large part because he has to finish the bike in time to meet his oldest daughter for the daily 5K they run together as part of his daily marathon. He gets back on the bike and proceeds to crush the remaining 20 IronMans, getting stronger and faster each day with his fastest overall time coming on his 50th day.
Redefine Impossible is really well written and reveals some of the more intricate details of what it took to achieve this monumental achievement. You get a deep look into what makes this man tick and how he navigated some of the darkest places inside his mind.
Tom Bilyeu and Impact Theory did a great job interviewing James. One of my favorite parts about the interview is when James talks about the 1000 mile journey starting with a single step mindset. "Just start moving, just start engaging. Once you start to move and engage you realize two things: 1) it's not as scary as you thought it was; and 2) you actually start to enjoy it. The moment you realize that first step isn’t going to kill you, and it’s the first step to growing, to evolving, to learning and literally becoming the best version of yourself, that’s the most beautiful thing." You can watch a short compilation of the longer interview from the Daily Motivation YouTube channel below.
As you can imagine, the Iron Cowboy has been one of the most requested podcast guests out there. I have included some of the more powerful highlights below. The TNQ guys dug deep into James mindset on their episode with the Iron Cowboy.
Team Never Quit Podcast:
James Lawrence – 50 Ironman Triathlons in 50 days in 50 states –The Iron Cowboy – World Record Holder – Regular guy, impossible dream
Team Never Quit Podcast Episode With James Lawrence
On isolation and time to think: "What’s great about doing something like a long bike ride or an Ironman, it’s a really good opportunity to have long conversations with yourself; and not enough people take the time to have those honest moments with themselves. It’s a great time to reflect and check the boxes and see what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong."
On creating a habit of facing challenges and embracing the grind: "I intentionally put myself in difficult situations so I can form that habit and shut that demon up. You can’t expect to become a mental giant in one day. Just like your cardiovascular or muscular system, the mental fortitude is a system you develop over time. The better we get at creating the positive habits of grinding and working, the easier it becomes in the future."
On the option to quit, which most of us have every day: "The true never quit situation is when you have the option to quit. But to do what you say you are going to do, even though you still have an out, that’s the never quit. What people do is they quit too early. If you are tired of starting over, quit giving up."
More on habit building: "People that don’t makes themselves uncomfortable in past situations won't be able to climb that biggest mountain because they have no past experiences to rely on. When people set a big goal, it's awesome to set a big goal, but they need to have the proper time-frame associated for that goal. The reason why people fail when they do is often because they haven’t put in the time and effort it takes to do something."
On how he was able to stay focused and motivated for 50 straight days: "In the back of your mind, you know what the big goal is, what the big objective is. Now break it down. You have to get so focused and dialed in to the next 60 seconds. Anyone can be perfect for 60 seconds no matter what is going on around them. It takes practice to string multiple 60 seconds together. People asked me how I did it… I do a lot of little things consistently over a long period of time."
Rich Roll Podcast 166:
THE IRON COWBOY DID IT! HOW JAMES LAWRENCE COMPLETED 50 IRONMANS IN 50 STATES IN 50 DAYS
The Iron Cowboy introduced me to the Rich Roll podcast, and I am glad he did. Rich consistently has great guests on and dives deep into what makes these successful people tick. A couple of interesting discussion points from Rich's podcast with the Iron Cowboy below:
On the stoic mindset: "Our culture tends to get it all wrong. We are supposed to make the easy choices, to avoid failures and live the comfortable life, so that we don't have to face the difficult times. But to truly be the best version of yourself, you must see obstacles as character builders. They are a critical part of growth. You meet them as they come and find your way around them. How you act in the face of those obstacles is who you are. We were expected to fail this project. That was the overwhelming reaction to our announcement."
On being average: "I am still trying to figure out what allowed me to do that, and at the end of the day it's the space between your ears. There is not a test out there that can quantify what that is. I have a hard time articulating what it really took to accomplish that. This whole project was 80% mental, if not more."
Finally Rich leaves us with a famous saying from David Goggins, a legendary Navy SEAL/USAF TACP and ultra endurance athlete: "When you think you are cooked, when you think you are completely done and can't go on.. you have actually only accomplished about 40% of what you are truly capable of."
Unbeatable Mind Podcast:
The Iron Cowboy, James Lawrence, Talks About How He Was Able To Do 50 Triathlons In 50 Days
Last but not least, I'd like to touch on Commander Mark Divine's great episode with James on the Unbeatable Mind Podcast.
On limits: "So many people miss out on this because this is the moment where they quit... It is the moment where your body is so confused and it doesn't know what's going on and your mind is telling your body to hold on for just a little bit longer, and it will take you to that place where your mind and your body become in sync with each other. Most people miss the opportunity to experience that harmony between the mind and body, because right before that moment is when it is at its peak of tough, and that's where a lot of people quit. My last 20 IronMans were my fastest, because that was the moment my mind and body were in sync. I wish that discovery on anyone as it is something truly euphoric and unique."
On realistic goal setting: "People set these 20x goals, but then don't realize the time line that accompanies it. Many are not willing to take the appropriate steps to that moment. Life isn't filled with finish lines but filled with milestones. This project was a decade in the making to get me to that point."
On the power minute: "At any moment in time when it got really dark I reminded myself that I could be perfect for 60seconds. We all have that capability. For me I would say: execute the basics with perfection for the next 60 seconds, and sometimes I would have to do that for an hour straight."
On redefining YOUR limits: "Everyone's version of difficult or best self is unique to them. My physical/mental goals were to accomplish 50 IronMans in 50 consecutive days in all 50 states. My mother, who has struggled with obesity in the past, came out and did 5 5Ks with me in 5 days through 5 states. Those 5 5Ks for my mother was her version of hard. With my personal example of the 50-50-50 I want to spread the message that you should go out and push yourself to what your standard of excellence is. What I want people to get from this project is that they are capable of so much more than they are currently producing. Whatever mountain is in front of you, or whatever fear is holding you back, tackle it and go beyond that in your own realm."
Thank you Iron Cowboy, for leading by example and truly proving that the human mind and body is capable of so much more than it currently thinks it can.
