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It might seem ironic that on National Quitter's Day, we are asking you to commit to quit quitting in the new year. Today is the second Friday in January which is "celebrated" as the day that folks quit there New Year's resolutions. This year, this means that most folks made it 10 days - TEN DAYS?!
If you're familiar with the Endurance Triology by 906 Adventure Team, you know that it's customary if you cannot make it to the finish line that you text #QUITTER along with your bib number and last name. To some folks, this may seem harsh but those that are familiar with these events are used to it. Oxford Languages defines a quitter as:
"a person who gives up easily or does not have the courage or determination to finish a task."
Oof. Quitting sure says a lot about the quitter. So what can we do? I propose that we commit to quit quitting. Yup, you read that right. But you might wonder, how can I commit to quit quitting? I have some ideas.
The commit to quit quitting is 110% a mental game (that's Todd math for you). Not giving yourself the option to quit is a decision to #dohardthings and #finishwhatyoustart. It's no surprise that there aren't hashtags like #giveupeasily or #lackscourage because what would be the lesson in that?
If you've read a race report from an event participant that did text #quitter, the description of the thoughts & emotions afterward have a common thread. There is almost always some thread of wonder - what if I didn't quit? That thread of wonder has been so strong that some folks in the Polar Roll Ultra 2023 became un-quitters. Which means they quit and then decided to un-quit. If that's not inspiration to quit quitting, I don't know what is.
Consider the zoom in-zoom out strategy to commit to quit quitting. When we zoom in, we commit to not quitting in the event. In a simplified sense, you need to commit to four rules:
Don't quit eating. As a sports dietitian, I am totally biased with this rule but in order to #dohardthings, you're going to need energy. In order to have energy, you need to eat food. We could get into the weeds about what kind of energy is best but let's keep it simple. Just keep eating.
Don't quit drinking. In order for your body to move, it'll sweat. When you're sweating, you need to replace that fluid so you'll need to drink. Let's not get picky about what you're drinking but commit to staying hydrated. Just keep drinking.
Don't quit moving. In order to cross the finish line, you need to keep moving. It doesn't matter if you're walking, running, pushing your bike, riding your bike or crawling, keep moving forward. Don't waste time wondering if you should walk or ride a section, make a decision and commit to it. Can you find a way to ride and drink water? Can you find a way to run and eat? Just keep moving.
Don't quit believing. You have to believe that you have the courage and determination to finish. You can't decide to be someone who easily gives up. Envision yourself crossing the finish line, think about how you will feel, and feel all the feels. Just keep believing.
When you zoom out, you commit to quit quitting in your daily life. When your day doesn't go as planned, you prioritize and get your training done. When you have to take an unexpected trip, you #adapt and focus on doing what you can. When you didn't sleep well, you #doittired and when there is a ramp test on your training plan you #doitscared. The best way to assure yourself that you won't text #quitter during the event is to practice not quitting every opportunity that you can.
If you need support to not quit eating or drinking, we can help with that. Self-Support Nutrition is a nutrition group coaching program designed specifically to help you build a #quitter proof nutrition plan. If you're registered for Crusher, we've still got room for you if you could use the support. And in honor of National Quitter's Day, if you sign up over the weekend, we'll extend your support until Marji for the same price.
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