Recharging
This year it’s been really hard to get back into training. I’m an all or nothing type of person, and lately the nothing option has been very very tempting. Last weekend I felt like I was getting back in a good grove, but had some sort of cold thing going on during the week so only swam Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Not surprisingly, I got back out of the groove and back into wondering why am I doing this? Sports have been a huge part of my life since I started playing soccer when I was 5…maybe it’s time for a change. Pick up a new hobby, something to keep me busy, and experience life from another perspective. No pressure to get workouts in, no traveling all over to races, ….I could sell my bikes and buy a really sweet camera and get into photography, just for fun. Or maybe become a hardcore backcountry skier and take some avalanche courses.
Friday night I got to thinking that even though all that stuff sounds awesome and fun…it’s not me right now. I pictured myself, 20 years from now, telling my kids that yea, one summer I had this crazy idea to become a pro triathlete. So I did it, raced three times, and in my first nationals I got lapped out by the narrowest of margins and got a nice DNF next to my name. Then I quit because I figured the whole thing wasn’t for me. Not exactly a good role model, huh? Wouldn’t it be much better to say, I got lapped out in my first go at ITU, but I buckled down and worked like crazy to get my swim together, and the next year I went back to nationals and finished in the top-10? So with that nice revelation on Friday and watching Kona all day on Saturday, I think I’m officially ready for the winter.
This morning I met up with the Vista Trail group, and suffered through 94 minutes of running. Sonja came and another girl, Bre, and we hammered away together to keep up with the guys. It was exactly what I need right now, in perfect company, and on the most beautiful trail I have EVER seen. If you’re somewhere around Denver/Golden/Boulder, come run with us every Sunday at 9am. =)
Now I’m off to the gym for some core work, and then the POOL — dreaming of my next go in the Black Warrior River all the way….
PS- We got snow here yesterday and it’s absolutely beautiful here right now…unfortunately no pics from today’s run, but I got some yesterday:
Pedestrian bridge near home.
Favorite run close to home.
The mountain tops are still covered by the clouds today. Can't even see the School of Mines' "M".
Gully's favorite spot on a snowy day: under the covers.
October 11th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Love the pictures! Sounds like you won’t have any regrets at giving it another go next year. I know you can do it!! You have to cut yourself some slack about nationals too, you went out there as a brand-new pro and gave it your best. That’s pretty awesome. The things you learn as you work your way up a tough crowd are much more intense and stick with you more than what you learn at the front of the pack (from my very limited experience).