Scott Ragsdale

Early this week, I was in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and met up with a friend of mine, an American journalist who is based in Riyadh.

We got into a discussion on my blog…

In particular he said he was “inspired” by my English Channel swim challenge, but he felt I was “not properly marketing it.” 

“Your writing style can gain a lot of readership – but you have to align yourself to a charity to be able to better market your English channel swim and all the other adventure challenges you are doing….” 

I tried to explain…. (we have discussed this in the past so our conversation was not a new one)

I am not doing this swim to market myself. 

I don’t give a damn about marketing my blog — marketing my blog would go against everything I stand for in this blog, hence, I do not allow naseba’s communication team to promote, link or market my blog in anyway.

He seemed annoyed by my response….  

Once again, he tried to persuade me that I could expand my readership of this blog and gain more media interest for my various endurance challenges if I aligned myself to “a cause.” 

By now I was annoyed and frustrated so sorted of shouted:  “ I AM aligned to a cause …” 

“My cause” is to remind everyone:  “but, we have to make our lives happen.”  

In my opinion… 

Too many people waste their lives on facebook.

Too many people live vicariously through movie stars and pro-athletes.

Too many people sit around and talk about what they are going to do tomorrow… 

How many people reading this have a goal or a “dream” yet have done nothing to try and go after achieving this dream?

As you go through your day today, notice how many times you are aggressed/assaulted and pushed back by senseless negativity from people in our lives- my reference to ”people” includes all types, including the media.

The world markets are struggling not to fall apart …. unemployment in America is climbing in just about every state….
Oil is gushing nonstop in the gulf of mexico ….without question, 10,000′s of people who relied on tourism, fishing, etc have been hugely affected by this oil spill ….  yet american media focuses our attention on Lindsay Lohan.

Each time I post a blog attempting to battle the negatives in the media, naseba’s marketing director tells me with a smile on his face:  the media is just supplying what is demanded…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I posted this blog 13 months ag0 – but it sets the tone for tomorrow’s post, thus I re-post today.

(repost from May 2009)

Yesterday, I saw on CNN.com a headline, the 4th headline news article (this is no joke) “are some sexual toys harmful to your health?”

Today a few headlines on CNN:

3rd headline: “Hulk Hogan: I totally understand O.J.” a story where he says he understands why OJ killed his ex-wife

5th headline: “unlikely singing sensation eyes date with queen” this story is not worth commenting on

6th headline: “cuddly robot seal impacts the lives of elderly.” I didnt waste my time to read this story

1st headline: North Korea poses real threat to the world (Lets be honest – the reality is that Guam is about as much of a threat to the world as North Korea)

Other headlines: there is a graphic (although entertaining) video of a 911 call where we get to hear a woman screaming on the phone about a drunk man who was trying to break into her home, then we get to hear her husband shoot and kill the drunk man all on the headline video.

There is not one story on the greatness in man.

Yesterday, I saw a small article in the news about Isiah Thomas accepting to become the Head Coach of a tiny, almost non existent college basketball team at FIU in Miami.

Isiah Thomas is a NBA hall of fame player turned coach who had 3 very successful years coaching the Indian Pacers to the playoffs, 3 years in a row during the period he was the head coach.

Then he got hired as the General Manager and Head Coach of the New York Knicks, had a great beginning, but from what I have read, Isiah had a very difficult time managing/coaching mega spoiled baby super star athletes who did not work as hard as he expected them.

He lasted two years before resigning; he was probably forced out.

It is worth noting that when Isaih Thomas was a professional, super star NBA basketball player, he was never in the news for getting into trouble; he is not covered in tatoo’s and never had an asshole haircut.

He just performed.

… many months after he resigned from the Knicks, he recently turns down two other NBA head coaching jobs, but accepts to coach a tiny, almost non existent college basketball team in Miami – FIU.

But it gets better — he announced yesterday, he is donating his 1st years salary back to the University who just hired him.

A great, inspirational story which is not even in the headlines on ESPN.com right now; it is not even mentioned on the first page of the CNN sport site.

HOWEVER….

I guarantee …. IF Isiah had accidently, run over a pit bull puppy with his car while driving, he would be commanding headline news/breaking news coverage for his cruelty to animals.

Furthermore….

Another great story, I never heard about — the Voice of Reason sent me 3 emails telling me to blog about it, but it wasnt until his 3rd email that i finally read the story …

The story of another sports hero, this time in the NFL, James Harrison …

Harrison was drafted in 2003 and made $5,000, but was cut from the Steelers — over his career, he was cut 3 times by the Steelers and once by the Ravens (4 times he was told he was not good enough for the NFL), but he believed in himself and kept fighting.

Last year, Harrison was named the NFL Defensive Player of the year – he also had the longest interception return in super bowl history and starred on the team who won the super bowl.

He recently, signed a new contract worth $51.5 million which guarantees him 20 million dollars.
He earned less than 800,000 dollars a year over the past 4 years – so suddenly, he is extremely, wealthy.

Harrison’s response to his big contract was “I want to make them proud and not let them down ….. this is what is going to drive me.” And the article I read comments that he was back in the weight room training two days after the super bowl victory.

The story I refer to above – it didnt make headline news — in fact, it never came close to being headline news worthy.

Why would we want to hear a story about a man who gets cut 4 times in the NFL, but never quits — ultimately, becoming the best defensive player in the game, wins a super bowl, has the longest interception in the super bowls history – and is back in the gym training two days after the super bowl…he gets rewarded with a $51.5 million contract — and his response is to say how grateful he is the the Steelers – and that he doesnt want to let them down….this story is not interesting …

its much more interesting to read about Madonna trying to adopt a couple of Nigerian babies.

Although Harrison’s greatness did not command headline news last week — the super star Terrel Owens made the headlines for not showing up to practice…

I guarantee, IF Harrison had been pulled over by some white cop in Alabama and discovered to be driving his Ford Explorer with expired registration, it would command headline news.

Seriously …

why don’t we ever hear stories on the greatness in man in the news today?

Who really gives a F…. about “a robot seal helping the elderly?”

How does this news item have any positive impact on anyone?

Although I completely understand Hulk Hogan’s sentiment, in his headline worthy article he discusses that he is not allowed into his 20,000 SQF home (which he paid for) and a 19 year old is driving his $75,000 car (which he paid for) as well as sleeping with his ex-wife whose only claim to fame was marrying the Hulk and riding on his success, thus Hulk mentions in the article he understands why OJ killed his wife.

BUT why does this negativity command the 3rd headline news story on CNN.com today?

What does it say about the world we live in today (or maybe I should say what does it say about America) when what readers are more interested in reading/hearing about are dangerous sex toys; people killing people with guns; teachers having sex with 13 year olds (one story recently was about a 13 year old sleeping with two different teachers in the same school and neither teacher knew about the other); movie star break ups; stories on the failures of man ….. instead of wanting to read/hear about stories on the greatness in man.

Where is John Galt?

I posted this before — hopefully, it gets everyone to reflect.

Wasted talent … a theme that drives many of these entries.

so many exceptionally talented people … who could of and should of, but didn’t….

My freshman year at the University of California at Berkeley, I fell 47 feet from a cliff (about 5 stories) … I broke my arm, my hand, my leg, my tail bone and had multi-skull fractures. I was in a coma for a couple of weeks and nearly died.

Stupidly, a friend and I had gone drinking beer at a place called “the rock” in the Berkeley hills one Friday afternoon.
The rock is a mountain cliff with beautiful views of the S.F. bay and surrounding areas.

Stupidly, I got drunk and fell off the mountain.

After taking a year and a half off school to rehabiliate – I went back to University, but I could no longer swim at the same level as before and “retired.”

One day… the football coach heard about my accident and contacted me to speak to the football team … he wanted me to discuss the consequences of drinking, etc.

As my American readers understand … speaking to your university’s football team is a very big deal …. so I really prepared for it.

My speach was at a hotel, after an alumni dinner … there was the team and their parents..

After the dinner, the coach called me on stage ….

I explained to the team that I had been just a fairly good swimmer…. although I had dreams/goals of becoming great, I never achieved close to my talent …. one of the several reasons why I never achieved my full potential was because I let drinking, partying, and picking up girls (superfiscial pleasures) get in the way of my focus and goals.

I got really into the speech….it all clicked for me because I was speaking from the heart.

I said to them something like:

“some of you guys have the potential to become NFL players and make a career with football and potentially millions of dollars playing the game you love … so do not let something as stupid as drinking/partying get in the way of your focus.”

At the end of my speech, I got a long standing ovasion and invited to have desert and coffee with the Captains of the team.

I remember one of the captains … a “brad pitt” look a like that was built like Zeus…6’6″ (2 meters) and 240 lbs of pure muscle (120 kilos) a stud … definately, he could pick up just about any girl he wanted… but he asked me, “how do you “not” drink….? don’t you feel uncomfortable?” I was shocked …. here is the ultimate male specimen basically telling me that he drinks because he needs to be “buzzed” to have the confidence to speak to women….. unbelievable.

at the same table listening to our conversation was one of the star players …. another guy built like Zeus, but even bigger …. he explained as well that drinking a couple beers made him more “loose” ….. and made several jokes and we all laughed.

I left that evening very proud … and over the season got invited to VIP parties with the team, etc.

Sadly….. around 9 months later, the guy who was bigger than Zeus… the star of the team who was projected to be the 4th overall pick in the NFL draft which was only a week or so away ….

without question this man was soon to be a multi-multi millionare, broke his neck in a drunk driving accident and is paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life.

….this is such a sad story that maybe a few readers will gain something positive from it — don’t let anything get in the way of your focus.

Up until that football players accident … I spoke to several of the the teams including the basketball team where Jason Kidd was the star, I also spoke to high schools… but after this guy’s accident, I lost the drive and I never agreed to speak again.

The world is full of exceptional people …. people who have the talent to be great football players; great salesman; great leaders; etc………….

but how many people fail to achieve their full potential because something gets in the way of their focus?

Last Saturday, I had a 7 hour training ride of the Nice ironman course in my schedule. 

Although I have ridden a part of the Nice bike course before, I have never done the full course and I looked forward to the ride. 

Three days before the ride, I was in Paris to meet a friend and client of mine for lunch.

Over lunch, my friend/client who is Swiss told me how his brother who has completed 6 ironman including Kona, DNF’d Nice because of the bike course … Nice is considered to be one of the most beautiful, but tougher IM bike courses because of long massive climbs. 

I brushed off his comments, which upon reflection I understand to have been a sort of warning, and happily enjoyed the gorgeous restaurant and ambiance. 

On my flight back to Nice later that afternoon, I thought about this 6 time IM finisher … and I tried to consider the possibility of a “DNF”  (did not finish).

No way.  I cannot imagine stopping in the middle of an ironman and not finishing … so once again, I pushed his comment to the back of my mind and did not think about it. 

Soon God would slap me in the face…..  

My coach, Mario Huys came down from Austria (6 hour drive) to stay for the weekend in La Turbie and do the long ride with me. 

I normally go to sleep by 9pm, but Mario did not arrive until 11pm.  I didn’t go to sleep until past mid night.

I like to wake and train very early, but Mario wanted to sleep late and train later.

We were scheduled to leave my house by 8am and drive to  the beginning of the Nice bike course (about a 30 minute drive from my house), but because Mario overslept, we didn’t leave until 9am …

I was annoyed by starting late and in a bad mood … upon reflection, I realize my annoyance was exacerbated by not sleeping enough and probably still jet lagged from Dubai time difference – but there is no excuse for negativity.   

During the car ride to where we start – I tried my best to get my mind into the ride, but I was exceptionally negative.  I didn’t want to small talk with Mario, and kept thinking about “just getting the 7 hour ride over with.”  

I hadn’t prepared for this ride like I normally do for my weekend long rides … I took 2 water bottles and no food.

As we set up our bikes, Mario told me several times that I had to eat on the ride, but I declined the powerbars he gave me because I didnt like the ones he had with him.  I also declined the banana.

I just wanted to ride and get it over with.  (normally, I take my food with me, but arrogantly,  I did not this day)

 Within 30 minutes of the ride, I was already tired and feeling sorry for myself …

The first 70km of the Nice bike course is basically, a long, long, long climb which ultimately becomes a massive climb (at least in my opinion) … by the 28^th Km I had already drunk both my water bottles and needed to stop once for 2 minutes to rest because the route was very steep. 

Mario realized it was not my day, so he rode ahead and waited for me at the top of the longest climb with a big smile he asked … “are you ok?”

I replied, “oh course I’m ok…” and rode past him — once again I turned down his banana.

 He told me to eat, but I was far too tired to eat.  I just wanted to get on with it.   Mario quickly, passed me and  rode ahead… 

The next major climb leads to the top of what seems like a mountain or very large hill … I was absolutely dead tired and I had to stop twice during this portion of the climb, both times I pretended to be fixing my pedal, but in truth I was just trying to get my heart rate down and catch my breath. 

During one of the times I was “fixing my pedal,” a chubby woman on an old 10 speed style of bike (I have a modern cervelo tri-bike) passed me without even responding to my “bonjour” ….  maybe 15 minutes later, as I am struggling to maintain 6km p/h riding up the mountain, two old men, easily in their late 60’s flew past me….once again, not saying anything, nor responding to my angry “bonjour.” 

Throughout the day – I had easily 20 people pass me … I did not pass one person the entire day. 

I looked down at my polar and saw I was at 53 km … and still far from the top of where I was climbing … 

By now, negativity had completely consumed me …. 

I thought to myself:  “why am I doing this???  I am a terrible cyclist; a very very slow runner; and a ‘has-been’ swimmer….I am not good at this triathlon stuff, and surely never will be…I can’t even compete against a chubby girl on a 1980’s style bike …. i already finished an ironman so why am I doing this?  I could be sitting by my pool enjoying my afternoon….” 

I was engulfed by my own negativity … 

Finally.  I arrived to the top of the massive climb, I think it was 68km (35 miles or so)  and I thought to myself…”I am not even half way there” (ironman is 112 miles/180 KM) … and I had completely run out of gas. 

Once again, Mario was waiting for me at the top with his trademark big grin …. And said to me in his german accented voice, “you are really riding well today, but you just need to eat.” 

I looked at him and thought to myself, “fuuuuuuuck off……”   But I didn’t say anything- I just took the powerbar I had initially refused and greedily ate it … then I ate another one.  Within a few minutes I felt much better … but still, I was very dehydrated and had zero energy – just going downhill had become exhausting. 

We were not even half way and I was dead – easily, the worst I have ever felt in training in my entire life, like I had no energy … even at the end of the NZ ironman I didn’t feel this bad. 

At the 80^th km I was very dehydrated and extremely hungry so we stopped at a café in a small village.  I drank 2 cokes and ate a waffle with nuttella.   I am a vegan, thus I do not eat egg or diary, i.e. things in a waffle nuttella, but salad was the last thing on my mind … I probably would have eaten a huge steak if it had been put in front of me. 

During the break, at the outside café, as I sat with my feet up on the chair in front of me, my head tilted up enjoying the warmth of the sun, I seriously considered/wondered how much a taxi would cost to drive me back 100 KM to our car…..I also thought very seriously, trying to hitchhike back…

I even mentally considered staying at the café and waiting for Mario to go get the car and drive back …..

As I sat sulking, feeling sorry for myself, Mario said I was very negative this day and how he has never heard me negative before … “why are you negative today?” 

I was very tired, still feeling sorry for myself, but  realized he was right … I was being a total bitch – exactly the type of person I strive not to be. 

His comment was like a slap in the head … after the snack and 30 minute rest, I felt great and we got back into the ride … I made an instant effort to stop being negative. 

The last 90 kms was miserable.  I was very dehydrated and tired from hunger, but much more positive. 

A little over 8 hours later, we arrived to our finish line … 

The next day we ran ½ marathon in 2 hours and 4 minutes … I am a very slow runner, but my attitude was much better and the run was enjoyable.

On my flight back to Dubai later that day, sunday afternoon … I thought about how negative I had been over the weekend. 

Although I hadn’t voiced my negativity to anyone, my attitude and (surely) demeanor was negative and it played a big role in my having such a poor performance.

Lack of sleep.  Lack of water.  Lack of food.  All played a part in my terrible 8 hour training ride.

But the root of my near failure was my “feel sorry for myself” – negative attitude.