I’m back baby. Excitement for the 2012 season abounds!
Posted by Admin on January 19, 2012 in Training
It’s been a long time since I last posted, and I was reminded of that fact by a co-worker who happened to know that I ran a 10k a couple of weeks ago in Central Park because he checked the race calendar on this website. Part of the reason for staying away is guilt… for having been sloth-like, gluttonous, and generally, the anti-thesis of who I was back in October.
2011 was an incredible year for me in so many ways. Intertwined into all of the life achievements was the continued focus on training, and with two Ironman events on the calendar, I had to apply this focus early on… from December 2010 through the Ironman World Championships in Kona in October. So, after this big race, I was tired! It wasn’t just the race that was tiring; frankly, it was just a hard day, but I recovered fairly quickly. No, I was tired from having to be focused and disciplined for so long. It was a mental fatigue which necessitated a break.
I look at so many of my friends and training partners who seem to not need a break, who find this training culture to be part and parcel of everyday life. I’m not like that. Running, for example, isn’t something I usually look forward to doing, unless I’m feeling really good about past running sessions or unless it’s wrapped around a group run or social event. Sports, like football and softball are things I can do forever and not get sick of it. In any event, I took my time off, ate like the world was going to end, drank like a convict, and made sure that my butt imprint would be remembered on my couch. Boy, did it take a toll.
So many areas are affected by one’s activity level. By now, most people (I think) know that exercise is generally good for you. When you exercise, you feel better about yourself, you have more confidence, you look better, etc. When you stop, you would expect that you’d essentially be on the downswing. What I’ve learned a few times in this “career” is that there exists an even sharper drop when you go from high-intensity training, e.g. Ironman training, to relative lethargy. I once went through a depression lasting three months and directly following the completion of an Ironman. I researched it a bit and found that some reported the condition as being called Post Ironman Depression or PID. I was aggressive with trying to get better, and one solution was to begin exercising again. I did, and it rapidly helped me get back to normal.
For the last three months, I wasn’t depressed per se, but I was definitely not myself. I was more critical of Roya, had to expend far more energy than usual to be lucid and effective at work, and I physically felt the effects with certain emanations and malaise that hadn’t previously existed. The applied solution? Training.
Many people turn over a new leaf at the new year as part of their resolution package, and that’s why you see so many gyms and the like super busy in January and February. Eventually, some percentage of those enthused folks find themselves taking a short break, which then leads to a longer break, which then leads to quitting. C’est la vie, and it’s not my concern. I turned over my new leaf at the same time, but I have a different agenda, since I’ve signed up for a bunch of races and without the proper training, I just won’t be able to achieve the lofty goals that I’ve set for myself.
So it is with this writing that I announce (seriously, like anyone cares?!) that I’m back to training. I’m twenty pounds heavier and it shows, but I’m serious and ready to work hard… and a lot of hard work awaits me. I’m already a little battered with a pulled muscle here, a little abrasion there, etc., but my nutrition plan is in full force and I’ve employed the services of a personal triathlon coach who knows me, who is a top performer himself, and whose advice I implicitly trust and value. I will remain on the Terrier Triathlon team, I am actively working towards procuring sponsors to help pay for this expensive hobby, and I’ve put together an ambitious schedule that includes at least 12 triathlons and as many other events culminating with three big goals: 1) to complete my 100th triathlon, 2) to complete my 200th endurance event, and 3) to complete my 2nd NYC Marathon.
I’m excited and it seems to show as my enthusiasm has been noticed by my coach, wife, and training partners. I love seeing the progress and I really want to work hard. I love the feeling after an intense training session where my legs feel like absolute jelly, and where ascending and descending my brownstone stairs reminds me of the work I put in. It means I’m getting stronger and better. After all, that’s what this is all about for me: finding ways to improve. I happen to be applying this to my triathlon hobby in this discussion, but it’s a recipe for life.
Subscribe
Follow comments by subscribing to the I’m back baby. Excitement for the 2012 season abounds! Comments RSS feed.