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Patrick Fellows is a 5 time Ironman, TEDx giving, 32 miles swimming, endurance coaching, healthy cooking, entrepreneur and musician.  Born in Dearborn, MI, raised in Mississippi and a Louisianian for 30 years, 

I shaved my toes today...here's why that matters

I shaved my toes today...here's why that matters

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I could hear the doubt all the way from Indochina.  I was talking to my coach for the first time in months and I was saying the things I've said before..."I will do the work, just give me the workouts and I won't question them."  "I'm highly coachable".

I've said it before with limited levels of success.  Fortunately or unfortunately, depending where you are sitting, the past contradicts us, calls bullshit and is  unrelenting.  How then, can we make positive change?

Shaved legs are all a part of the game.  If shaved adult men make you uncomfortable, then you may want to stop reading this now...Still with me?  Good.

I have been shaving my legs since the late 80's.  This began with competitive swimming, where at 14-15, the opportunity to have a female shave your legs in a speedo was a temptation too great to pass up.  I took a break from '89-'00 and then in 2001 came back with a vengeance through cycling and triathlon.  If you have the means, I highly recommend it.  While endurance athletes will give you a ton of different reasons as to why they do so, the reality is that once one is freed from the confines of a furry existence, one realizes that it just feels good and or makes people uncomfortable.  Both are acceptable reasons.

What started with the legs, went to the arms, the chest, etc.  For whatever reason, I never shaved my feet or toes.  Weird, huh?  Then I got superstitious and not shaving my feet and toes became my thing.  I can't explain the logic, it's just how it was.

November has been an opportunity to restart for me.  No big reason other than that more DOING needs to be DONE.  The frequently cited Einstein quote about insanity' s definition being doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results has been coming home to roost and I need to set a couple things right.  First and foremost, Einstein didn't fucking say this so please quit crediting him.  He was hella busy coming up with E=mc2 and such, not creating your meme fodder.  Second.  Einstein was correct.  I've been doing the same training and working and expecting things to change.  That shit won't get me anywhere new.

Back to today's coach's call.  The reason my coach was immediately doubtful of my intent, is because I've said this shit before, had the same results and done nothing different.  I asked for new and or different training focus as I want different results.  My coach, of course, only has my past performances to draw from, and these bring doubt.

This training cycle is going to be different, because my mindset for my life is different.  I have already begun to make some changes.  I am doing what I can to quit the lies/excuses we all make at some level and not repeat the same behaviors and expect different results.  It's my duty to also carry this through in all aspects of my life.  As a husband.  As a parent.  As a business owner and leader.  As a friend.  As an athlete.

Today, I shaved my toes.

hugs+hf

PF

It's all a little much.

It's all a little much.

Why knowing your "why" isn't good enough for world domination.

Why knowing your "why" isn't good enough for world domination.