Well not really...but kind of...sort of. I guess! I just read an interesting article regarding Ironman training. It was written 15 years ago by Greg Welch, a few weeks before his win at Ironman Hawaii. You know how in life sometimes things happen for a reason? As in, you knew you were supposed to do something, you finally do it, and something confirms that you in fact did the right thing? Maybe you helped an elderly lady with a door and later you are rewarded for your good deed by someone helping you with a door while you are juggling groceries...something like that? I think it happens to all of us, at least it happens to me somewhat regularly.
This past year, my "coach" kept harping on me about the importance of rest and recovery. I thought I did a decent job taking every Monday off and sometimes backing off a speed workout, etc. Well, ultimately I think I pushed the envelope a little to hard a few weeks out from the big dance in Arizona and got a little sickness as a result. If I would have listened to him, maybe I don't have to go on prednisone and fight through a miserable marathon because my airway is trashed. Maybe I would have gotten sick anyways? Probably some sort of combo, but point being...I should have listened to coach and rested...at least one day!
Just today, I meant to ride after work. I've been getting in minimum 100 miles per week on the bike the past few weeks as I get back into more structured training and so today I wanted to get a quick hour in. Yet I was so tired today that I decided not to ride tonight...even after changing into my clothes...first time I've ever done that. And then I came across Welchy's article. All about how he went about that season and his build up prior to Ironman differently...focused much more on rest. If he felt crappy when he woke up in the am, he went back to bed. Had two serious back to back days of training and woke up feeling crappy? Back to bed. He went into Hawaii more rested than anyone else around him and shocked the world. Does that mean all I do from now until Canada is sleep? I wish!! No, but it does mean I need to continue to work on the part about listening to my body. Tonight my body didn't want to workout and I, FINALLY, actually listened! Yeah me right? Coach has always told me, the hardest part about Ironman racing is resting. I believe him and my New Year's Resolution, and trust me I hate freaking New Year's Resolutions, is to listen to my coach and listen to my body this year.
Happy New Year everyone! I'm trying to get some pics posted from XX skiing, but my computer sucks so you get nothing but font for now instead :) Enjoy. Thanks for reading,
-T
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