Congratulations, Haymaker! You’re halfway there...and you have not quit (some have by this point, you know). You’re probably wishing the fight was next week because you don’t know how you’re going to do this for 7 more weeks. I very clearly, and quite seriously, remember often thinking at this point “if I hit this bag hard enough I may just break my hand and this whole thing could be over”. I tried.
The first half of training you could be sustained by the cool factor. “I am a boxer”. “I am in training”. The event seemed so far away that it didn’t quite feel real. Your friends and family were in shock that you were doing this, and that was entertaining. It was new, fun and exciting. Although it was physically demanding you were on a high because you were embarking on something big. Something most others are not willing to do. You felt special.
You are over that. Now you are halfway through training and you have sparred your future opponent. (Yes, we know you were holding back...so was (s)he and don’t forget that for a minute.) Now it is real. The mood has changed. You are in training for a FIGHT. A fight that everyone in your whole life will see - live! A fight that will be on Youtube and the Haymakers for Hope website for the rest of your life. No, not everyone can win (in fact, half of you must lose even though you have worked and fought just as hard), but you plan to win, and you certainly don’t want to embarrass yourself. You are now feeling the pressure. It is intense. You are also physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted. You have obstacles. You are traveling for work. Your kids are sick of going to the gym with you. You have a minor injury. Whatever it is. You have to overcome it. You must continue. You’re going to have nights that you get beat up so badly that you will cry...or want to. You’ll also have good days that help to keep you going. You hopefully have a trainer that can carefully lead you through both.
I want you to know that all of these feelings are normal, and everyone feels the same way if they are giving this experience 100%. Don’t feel alone. Talk to your teammates if you’re lucky enough to have them, or to current or past Haymaker friends, your trainer and sparring partners. Just knowing that someone understands how you’re feeling helps a lot. Commiserating with someone who is going through the same challenging experience is powerful and bonding. You may find some of your very best lifelong, foxhole friends in the ring.
You have just added fundraising to the long list of your anxiety and responsibilities. Do not stress about this. Seriously, don’t. It starts out slowly and you may feel that you won’t make the minimum but it is like a wave that gains more and more power as it gets closer to the shore. Just keep telling everyone what you’re doing, keep the fundraising link as your email signature, use social media, send letters or emails to your network, ask friends to share your story, blog your experience if you choose, and it will happen. Sharing parts of your journey along the way really helps people to feel connected and invested so share pictures and training stories whenever you can. Remember, ticket sales count toward your fundraising and those really pick up at the end.
A beauty of the fundraising is the timing of it. Just when you are feeling completely overwhelmed by training, the donations and words of encouragement start hitting your inbox. Soak this in. Read every message and gain strength from it. Appreciate every donation no matter how big or small because it means that someone cares. They are supporting you and lifting you up, filling you with their energy and love to help you stay strong. I remember getting a very generous anonymous donation one day while I was waiting for the kids at the bus stop. This donation not only got me to my current goal, but it came with this Arnold Schwarzenegger quote: "Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” It happened to be exactly what I needed to hear at the time because I was struggling. I just started weeping. It felt like a strong, warm hug and it fixed what was feeling broken that day. There were many moments like that. Receiving support from old friends and new, family and even strangers will help you remember that you’re not alone, that you’re doing this crazy thing for a great cause, and that you are loved. It will sustain you the rest of the way.
The days will start to go by faster and training will most likely become more intense (sorry, but it’s true). The countdown is on. As you feel the pressure intensify I hope that you’ll trust your training. You’ll find peace believing that you have done and seen it all in training, and that you can handle whatever happens that night. Also, remember you are doing something incredible. You are not only helping the important fight against cancer, but you’re also transforming yourself.
You will never be the same after this experience. Becoming a fighter, and a member of the Haymakers for Hope family, is joining a small club of very special people who can push themselves beyond their limits, can stare fear in the face day after day and overcome it, can train as athletes, are tough enough to take all the punches, who have a fighting spirit, who never give up even when they want to...all while helping others. It is an elite club and you will forever be a member. After spending 4+ months getting punched in the face every day everything else in your life will be in proper perspective, and you will draw upon your fighting experience to help you through any tough bumps in the road. You will be stronger than you ever were before. This experience will always be in your back pocket.
What helped me immensely the days leading up to the fight was to focus on how FUN the night would be. It’s a celebration of all of your hard work! Haymakers puts on a great event. People from all parts of your life will be there. Your fight is only 6 minutes of this epic night. No matter if you are first or last, enjoy every single second of the evening. The real gift is in the training...the friends you made, the sacrifices and hard work that made you stronger, the discipline you discovered you had, the skills you learned, the support you felt, the money you raised, and the amazing new muscles! The grand event (when else in your life are you ever going to have an entrance video?!?) is icing on the cake!
So, leave it all in the ring. Hold nothing back. It’s only 6 minutes of your life. Make it great. A message our trainer gave us that really fired me up is that fight night is when you get to show the world what you’re really made of, and no one there will ever look at you the same again. (Think about that for a minute.)
Also, just think...the second the final bell rings your life is yours again! You can eat and drink whatever you want, and you never, ever have to be punched in the face again (if you don’t want to)! You’re almost there. Stay strong. As Muhammad Ali said, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
In your corner,
- “JP”
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