XTraining

Generally, in the off-season (November, December) I’m good for nothing when it comes to triathlon and I’m pretty pathetic when it comes to training. Much of this is due to having put so many things in my personal life on the back burner I need to address these when it’s a race season ends but the obvious reason is I’m just tired. People ask me all the time how much does Ironman take out of you physically and how long does it take to recover? The easy answer is that it varies based on preparation going into a race and the kind of race I do. Races like Ironman Lake Tahoe or Ironman France have difficult bike courses but the runs are relatively easy (note the word; relative). Some the runs, like the old St.George or the “never to be again” New York City were extremely hard. But regardless the body bounces back in the right time. Which brings me to the point of this whole post… the real recovery isn’t only physical; it’s also emotional. For me, the purpose of recovery is to regain motivation not physical ability! The physical toll of an Ironman is one thing but the emotional toll of the same ol’ is quite another.

Monotony kills Motivation!

Because you spend months doing the same thing over and over again preparing for swimming, biking and running (a total of 140.6 miles for race day but literally thousands of miles training) after you’ve accomplished the task the last thing you’re motivated to do is more swimming, biking and running. It takes clear goals and well spaced races that dangle like the proverbial carrot to keep you churning out more miles in kind. But like sorbet that cleanses the palate, cross-training breaths new life into those tired muscles and restores the joy of training.

For me it doesn’t take much. I love mountain biking and here in the birthplace of “single track” and “hard tails” you can get pretty close to isolation just being minutes from high tech civilization. So for me, getting out for a self induced roller-coaster ride is the closest thing to plugging my body into a power supply and recharging the batteries. Unfortunately, I have to admit I’m not the best mountain biker around. There are some pretty gifted riders out here and I’m intimidated to ride with some of them but its not going to keep me from going out there. Remembering my real fatigue is emotional I then consider what muscle truly needs rejuvenation and let my objectives outweigh my insecurities. On a more practical application, in everyday life, I can connect the dots and make sense of why I’m tired in other areas of life too. The curse of monotony doesn’t exist only in my training; it’s in everything we do.

Fortunately, motivation comes in different sizes and colors. I just need to try them on.

My friends motivate me (size M). Sometimes through encouragement… “You can do it!” and sometimes through competition… “I’m gonna beat you!” uh… no, “I’m gonna win you”… wrong again, “Catch me if you can!” That works (color – green). Disappointment motivates me too (size S). Giving up (color – blush). Elements outside my control (color – nude). But when it comes to the motivation “New” (size XL); creativity (rainbow), fear (yellow), adventure (red), rest (clear) and nature (blue) I am drawn outside myself and connected with the God who gives me the ability to do all these things and I realize whatever physical or emotion endeavors I pursue I am motivated by an understanding that all of this is a gift. In other words, incase I may have been a bit too cloudy in all those word pictures; Before one can feel the urge to run you must learn to appreciate walking. Before you can swim, you should admire the dolphin and before you peddle away on your bike, thank God for imagination… then wheels, brakes and carbon fiber!

So here’s my question to you. “What’s your monotony?”

Cross-training will do you some good. And if you’re still not sure what I mean; get off the couch and walk around your neighborhood and take in the sights and sounds of your neighbors or leave the office in the middle of the afternoon to roll up your pant legs and rest your feet in the town fountain. Perhaps then you’ll find the kind of motivation to help you try on a new size in a different color and pull yourself out of the same old… well, you get the idea.