Ice Baths

Talk about pain!  I've read about the benefits of ice baths and even took a few years ago when training for a marathon.  Now I remember why I don't like them.  They hurt, but only for the first couple of minutes.  Once the numbness sets in, it's not so bad and the soak only lasts for 10 minutes.  My coach suggested I get back into the ice bath habit because it's one of the best ways to flush out lactic acid buildup. 

My next one will be different though.  Instead of dumping 4 large bags in the water and crawling in, I will get in the water first before adding the ice.  The shock was incredibly painful all at once.  I loved the feeling afterward though; the blood vessels opening up and flushing out the toxins.  Apparently, this speeds up the recovery period after a long 3 hour bike ride and 30 minute brick run.  Anything that helps, I'm game for trying.

Now if I could just have that attitude in life.  We all would rather avoid pain but sometimes the pain of one thing is worth the greater good of another.  It makes enduring momentary affliction more palatable, as noted by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory..."  It's not that I like pain.  It would be so much easier if life added pain "one cube at a time;" but if I know there is a benefit, I don't have to dwell on the temporary. 

Thank You Ronnie!

A couple of Saturday's ago, I joined my training group on a long bike ride.  As a youth minister, my schedule gets really busy during the summer months, so I was commenting to a fellow rider on different strategies to complete my prescribed workouts during hectic times.  He told me not to stress about it because my ministry as a husband, dad, and minister will always be more important than my training.  I needed that reminder.  Thank you Ronnie!

Something else happened on that ride that taught me the importance of working out with partners.  My friend had already completed his training for that day, so he was just going along for the ride with us.  I had several threshold repeats to perform, so he stayed right by my side throughout the workout.  He kept me on the right cadence and heart-rate zone the whole time, which meant telling me when to shift, when to push harder, and when to relax.  I had a computer that told me the same information but it's different when your computer has skin on.  Thank you Ronnie!

Truth be told, when I am by myself, I tend not to push as hard as with others.  There is no encouragement to hang on, keep going, don't let up, good job, way to go, almost there, etc.  The teens I work with always tell me their faith walk would be easier if God had skin on; someone they could actually see in person.  Could it be that God shows Himself through others?  No doubt.  Thank you Ronnie!

Staying Within The Plan

Life and work has gotten in the way of my triathlon journey but I'm hanging in.  I completed a sprint tri (COMBAT) on Saturday, May 28 under strict instructions from my coach to keep my pace well below threshold.  He wanted me fresh for the Olympic race in Austin (CAPTEX) on Monday, May 30.  His plan was flawless and I was ready for Austin, or so I thought. I never could find my form during the swim and by the time I exited the water, my heart-rate was way too high. The hills and wind were horrible on the bike. I kept repeating to myself that it was the same for everybody but I didn't listen to instinct nor my coach. I pushed higher than he wanted me to and by the time I got to the run, I was spent. I re-focused by using my time to encourage others and lift them up; it always helps prevent self-pity.

I am grateful that I crossed the finish line, even if it was 15 minutes slower than my expected time.  As my coach keeps telling me, "It's not about the T-shirt, it's about the transformation."  I also remembered my own words back in January (TRUST post) about sticking to the plan.  The Apostle Paul wrote these words in 1 Corinthians 4:6, “Do not go beyond what is written;” a warning not to exalt man’s plan above God’s. Spiritually speaking, God has prescribed the exact training regimen and race instructions in His word. When our ego gets the better of us and we think we know better than Him, we are going to pay a price.

With God, as with triathlon training, we are always given a second chance.  I will recover and refocus in preparation for the Redman HIM (half ironman) in September.  My coach gave me an off week before that plan starts.  I'm going to use this week to recover and refocus on keeping my walk with the Lord within His bounds.

Setbacks

It was bound to happen.  I got injured!  And it happened while playing softball of all things; definitely not part of my training plan.  I laid off 4 days and wallowed in self-pity.  Then I went to my massage therapist and it felt better; until my run this morning.  I have been instructed to live on the foam roller and stretch; two things I hate. 

Then I received my next training phase from my coach and he’s ramping things up in preparation for an Olympic distance race in 9 weeks.  Both therapist and coach are on the same page, trying to encourage me that the goal is achievable.  I am doing 2 maybe 3 races before the ironman in Arizona (IMAZ) because my coach wants me to get the experience under my belt.  I could care less about the 3 races I’m doing before the big one in November, but they insist that all 4 races are doable.  I wonder…

And there it is…I am my own worst enemy and depression really hits hard when I face setbacks.  I am trying to get myself out of this funk by trusting the advice and forcing myself to do things I would love to avoid.  There’s a sermon in all this somewhere.  “Lord, help thou my unbelief.”

Life Modifications

 Got a new bike seat the other day but still experiencing painful pressure points.  Come to find out, seat adjustments happen in millimeters!  So, I made some modifications and today’s ride was much more comfortable.  Still some minor pressure but it was manageable, so I will keep tweaking.  Through my research, I’ve even discovered that I wasn’t sitting properly on the seat the whole time!  Come on, how can you mess that one up?

 I’m gonna assume that proper sitting posture leads to proper running posture because when I did my brick (a combination workout that includes biking and running back-to-back), my legs didn’t feel like bricks and I actually ran farther, at the same heart rate, than previously.  And maybe that was just a result of 10 weeks of training but that would also border on arrogance, so I’ll go with my first analysis.

 If I ever get to a point in my walk with Christ that I think I have it down pat, someone please slap me with a bike seat.  Then, when I regain consciousness, remind me of 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (especially verse 12).  Just because I’ve done it a certain way before doesn’t make it right.

Stay Humble

In my training, every 4 weeks is a scheduled time trial (TT) week.  Just finished my third TT for this training phase.  The first one set the standard by which my training days would be based.  The second was disappointing because I didn't improve my times at all.  In fact, I regressed some.  My coach asked how meticulously I stuck to the plan.  He wanted to know exactly how many workout sessions I had missed.  After confessing, he showed me the direct link between those days and my times.

During this last month, I don't think I missed more than one key workout per discipline and when I completed my TT's this week, there was significant improvement.  I was ecstatic!  By the way, my coach keeps increasing the dosage, except for the swim, and the level of pain increases right along with it but I have verifiable proof that it's working, so I'm not complaining.  As for the swim, all I have been doing is form drills, which alone has increased my time more than 40 seconds.

Not gonna lie; pride has a sneaky way of creeping into my mindset.  I have to be careful not to get too full of myself, so I keep repeating a simple phrase each day, "Stay humble."  As well, I keep surrounding myself with others who are better than me, which does wonders at solidifying that phrase.  It's a delicate balance to be proud without being prideful.

New Level Of Pain

Today hurt!  The training plan called for something I've never done on the bike.  My coach wanted me to keep my heart rate at close to red-line for 5 minutes, followed by another 5 minutes at about 10-15 beats slower.  Then he graciously gave me 2 minutes of recovery before I had to do it again and then a third time.  I'm afraid to even ask what's in store for future workouts.  Up to now I just thought some of the workouts were hard.  Now I understand why clients sometimes yell at their coaches!

There was a lot of self-doubt during this workout, especially watching how slowly seconds actually tick away.  I did notice that the 5 minute follow-up was easier.  During earlier workouts, I had thought that heart rate was really difficult to maintain.  Now, and after almost passing out, I realize that once you push to a new level, the old levels are manageable.  I am hoping that was my coach's intent, instead of him getting some sort of sick pleasure at my suffering.

I feel good today.  Accomplished.  But I'm not ready to say "Thank you" to my coach just yet.