Focus

Well, the month of August was a slightly better month.  I probably need to be updating this blog thing more often.  Spent some major bucks at Koala Chiropractic after a wakeboarding wipeout.  Before strapping on the board, the $600+ nonrefundable IM entry fee flashed before my eyes and common sense took a back seat.  After 3 weeks of therapy, x-rays, e-stem, massage, and ice, it turns out to be a strained, possibly torn tendon.  

Rest was the prescription but once again, I didn’t listen.  At least I did my runs on a treadmill or track for softer pounding.  Had to get new shoes too because my plantar fasciitis was acting up.  I’m only training around 10 hours a week but that doesn’t account for all the hours of stretching, icing, weight workouts, and foam rolling.  It’s crazy!  My warm-ups and cool-downs seem to take forever!

Add to all of that my learning curve and this is a full-time job.  My nutrition on and off workouts have been defined and redefined again and again; constant practice.  I completed an Olympic distance this past weekend and was 15 minutes slower than my last race.  Normally I would be discouraged about it but I’m focused on Arizona; everything else is practice.  Plus, it was brutally hot!  So, there is my lesson for the month; keep your eyes on the goal and work through all the distractions.  However, as of today, I don’t think I’m gonna sign up for another race anytime soon.

Incentive

The month of July was a particularly rough month.  My resolve and my faith are being tested.  Mechanical failures on the bike.  A two-flat day on a 3 hour ride.  Emotional roller-coaster rides in important relationships.  Injury.  Bad eating.  Missed workouts.  Job stress.  Summer colds.  I could go on and on because I am good at focusing on half empty glasses.  At least I recognize it, which is the first step in overcoming it.  Still, I am desperately searching for some incentive.

As my training load increases, I am constantly creating negative energy with serious doubts that I can accomplish my goal.  I suppose it stems from everything else happening in my life; it all seems connected.  There is so much to “fix” that I get overwhelmed, which doesn’t help the spiral effect.  So, I have a choice; I can quit or press on.  Neither choice appeals to me at the moment, but I have decided the press on.  I will do what I can; stick to the plan; adapt; and overcome.  In effect, I need to create incentive by increasing the good things and eliminating the bad ones; one thing and one day at a time.

If I fail, then so be it.  One thing is for sure.  Failure is an event, not a person.  The only real failure is in giving up.  Who knows where this road will lead.  At least it’s better than sitting on the couch wallowing in self-pity.  Let’s see what the month of August brings…

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.