Relentless IQ → #14 [2026] → But what if I fail? Damn, bro- what if you don’t even try?!
Relentless IQ is your weekly dose of mental + physical performance.
Insight
There are a few things I’m taking on in the next few months that are so challenging there’s a real chance I won’t complete them.
One of them is a 200-mile gravel bike race - Unbound Gravel in Emporia, Kansas. It’s basically the Super Bowl of gravel racing. Last year, about a quarter of the field didn’t finish (eek).
On a good day, I’m looking at 14–16 hours on the bike.
Let’s be honest - a lot can go wrong in 16 hours.
Flat tires. Bad weather. Fueling issues (which lead to stomach issues). And plenty more.
But over the years, I’ve learned you can’t sit there and obsess about everything that could go wrong.
You prepare. And you focus on what you can control.
Training - putting in the miles, doing the strength work, recovering well.
Fueling - knowing exactly what I’m going to eat and practicing it ahead of time.
Equipment - getting the bike set up right, dialing in tires, staying on top of maintenance.
Sure, there’s a lot I can’t control.
But there’s still a lot I can.
And when you know you’ve done everything in your power to prepare, there’s a certain peace that comes with that.
Of course- things can still go wrong. That’s part of it. That’s what happens when you choose to do hard things. When you choose to challenge yourself in new endeavors.
But you can’t let that stop you.
You can’t sit around obsessing about what might go wrong.
And you definitely can’t let that fear stop you from even trying in the first place.
Because that leads to the worst outcome of all - a life spent on the sidelines.
Life is meant to be lived. And there’s a lot to be gained from doing hard things. From stepping outside your comfort zone and seeing what you’re capable of.
You can’t control the outcome.
But you can control your effort. Your mindset. What you put into it.
And when the moment comes, you’ll be ready.
Win or lose. Finish or not - you’ll be better for it. Because of what you gained from doing the work and embracing the journey.
So don’t let the fear of falling short stop you from starting.
Commit to the effort. Lean into the challenge. And go find out what you’re capable of.
Question
What would you go after if you stopped worrying about how it might turn out?
Quote(s)
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Workout
1 Mile Run
100 Single-Arm Devil’s Press (switch arms as needed)
1 Mile Run
Coach’s Notes:
I wrote this workout in 2020 during Covid. It was hard then, but we got through it.
It’s simple on paper, but not easy. A little daunting at first - until you stop looking at the whole thing and just start moving. Step by step. Rep by rep.
Choose a weight on the Devil’s Press that allows you to move steady the whole time- don’t be a hero. The name of the game is steady movement here- stay in control the whole time.
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