Monday, September 24, 2012

Finding my Happy Place?

What is with me?  Last summer I was totally on board.  I did most of the workouts in the "Just a Slice Above a Couch Potato" training plan and finished my first two sprint triathlons.  Then I continued on through the winter with mostly getting in weekly S/B/R workouts (until the cold got the better of me and I tried to build my running up while letting biking mostly go).  With the mild winter, I managed to get back on the bike and get a bit more consistent in the pool by completing CTER's 140.6 between mid-Feb and mid-March.  With the purchase of my new-to-me road bike, I ramped up to doing longer bike rides.  But there were signs.  The wheels were coming off the rails as I approached the race season.

Somewhere along the way, I ran out of training mojo.  I managed to finish my first duathlon in April with only two actual brick workouts.  Then I was kind of hit or miss through the busy times surrounding the end of school and trying to find my way through my first summer of having both kids home.  But I still managed to hang in there with at least a few workouts to prep for two more sprint tri's.  While I had major improvements from my 2011 races, I wasn't feeling the love and could never really make myself to commit to the "what's next" races that I was browsing. 

Part of me wonders if it is because I had started to feel a bit more complacent - the victim of "good enough".  My weight was out of the "morbidly obese" category and was hanging pretty stable in the low 160's without a lot of "effort".  I was a little faster (though still at the back of the pack) and had a little more endurance (never really felt like I couldn't do what I set out to do).  I was still occassionally heading out for a long bike ride or a long run with friends - odd when nearly all my training in 2011 was done solo.  Compare 2011 when my husband lacked faith in my ability to finish my first tri, I set out to prove him wrong - to in 2012 when he lacked faith that I could finish anything longer and I let him convince me it was so.

I still feel so inspired by the bloggers that have conquered the various triathlon race distances.  But I'm not in the frame of mind to know what I want to work towards.  Do I want to someday do an Ironman?  I'm not sure.  It seems so far out of the realm of reality right now.  But maybe I need some kind of super big hairy ass goal to motivate me (though probably not THAT hairy).  Maybe I need something to push me out of that comfort zone.  I don't know what it will take for me to find my "happy place" with regards to my training (or other areas of my life too).  Struggling a bit with it all right now.

But I don't want to be sitting here in a year still wishing I had done more.  I don't want to be sitting in the same 5 lb range of weight (or worse yet - having gone back up any).  I don't want to be still searching for my "happy place".  So I need to come up with a course of action and start down the path.  Even if I take some wrong turns along the way, I want to break out of this mental rut.

I'll probably do a few 5k's this fall, but probably more along the lines of "racing to train" than anything.  Races are fun and most of the 5K's benefit some kind of charity.  But I need to figure out how to recommit myself and get on some kind of plan, working towards some kind of goal.  I seem to need that.  Lots of things to think on.

Side note: I have the disposable camera from the Epic Mud Run and the Prison Break ready to get developed.  I'll do a proper race report and picture dump soon.  SuperKate had the best report on the Prison Break though so if you don't follow her already - go over there and check it out!

Want to give a shout out to my running friend Susan who finished her first half marathon this weekend.  Another source of inspiration right here with me!  I can't wait for our next run to hear all about it. 

5 comments:

  1. It can be really hard to stay motivated for training, unless you are really enjoying the activities. Sometimes you need a break, mentally and physically. It's really common after racing season. Give it a few weeks, and the hit on fitness is made up for by feeling refreshed again, and the fitness comes back quick.

    Lots of people mix it up, they find other things to try, and there are a million of them. The Mud Run and cross fit stuff are really popular right now. Or a boot camp, or yoga, or pilates. Ask Mrs. Google, she knows everything. Have fun with it!

    You don't have to jump to Ironman. Sheesh, that's a HUGE goal. Do a few Olys or work towards a half and see how that feels. Give yourself a bit of time to get comfortable in your new and fitter skin.

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  2. Don't stress about setting the huge goal. Just decide on the next goal for now. Maybe an Oly? Maybe a longer run race? One step at a time. At some point, you may decide you'd like to hang out on the same step for a while too, and that's okay.

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  3. We all need a break, I foolishly raced wayyyyy tooooo much this year and I am really paying for it now, I am mentally and physically burnt out on the sport, its the off season now and I am more then happy about it.

    Sometimes we, including myself, lose sight that this is our hobby, we over think things, we read and hear what other people are doing, instead of keeping sight of what is best for us and our unique situation. We are all different but all have a common interest. Its kinda neat if you think about it.

    I suggest looking into an olympic distance or maybe a destination race, travel somewhere that looks fun and race. It doesnt have to be about a distance, but it should be all about having fun.

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  4. One of the hardest things to do is to take some down time. Everyone needs it, including you. You'll realize what you want to do next with 2 options being trying to go faster or further (or perhaps both).

    Take your time, focus on body comp, and your path will magically appear. I'm sure of it!

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  5. I don't know how it happened, but your blog dropped from my reading list. Bizarre.

    Anyway, I hear ya about training mojo. I go through ups and downs over the course of the year and my mood fluctuates with it. I haven't been swimming since my last race in July. Lost my bike mojo about a month. Luckily, my running mojo is at a high point with the RnR half coming up.

    You should think about coming out and running with Kate, Patrick, me and a few others in November.

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