Tired...

I ended my running streak today at 65 days - what's more I'm going to take the day off, maybe even tomorrow as well.  I just didn't want to run or ride today.  I'm happy I am strong enough to make that decision and not give in to training ego or my Type A - ness.


I might be maturing!

Inspiration...

I was thinking about what inspires me during a run earlier this week.  I came to realise that someone being good at something doesn't inspire me, those that run/bike/swim faster than me don't inspire me at all.

I'm inspired by those that try harder than me.

The overweight person out jogging at 8min/k pace, red faced and self conscious - you inspire me to push as hard as you do

The older guy who can't really run but walks as fast as he can with his two walking sticks past my house every evening in every weather - you inspire me to be consistent.

Watching someone putting in a maximum effort is what inspires me; feeling someone's passion about what they're doing inspires me; positive inspires me.

Passion, there is no substitute!

Multi-Tasking...

Being;

Husband

Father

Employee

Triathlete

Musician

Writer

Historian

Me; who thinks the thoughts.

Sometimes I'd like to be less driven; to drink beer, eat what I want, watch TV, be fat, like hockey.

Settle.

Not me, I'm A type.  And I like that.

Transition...

My biggest client made me an offer I shouldn't refuse; become an employee or we'll have to find someone else who will, and will do what you're doing for us.  They didn't put in so many words, in fact it was in much nicer phrasing than that, but it amounts to the same thing.

Slam! the trap door shuts.

I have a lot of pride in what I've achieved so far with my business.  I love the freedom of having my own business; making my own decisions and doing what I want, when I want, for whom I want, in the way I want, being responsible only to my customers.  I love the freedom!

But it was a really good offer.

I do like the company a lot, though.  I like working with their people.

I asked for a lot contract riders I didn't think they'd go for; false objections in sales speak.


They said yes to them all.

So I have a new job.  I still have virtually the same freedom of action, the same freedom of decision, same commitment to my [their] customers, the same responsibility to deliver, my commute is the same (the walk from my bedroom to my home office).  I have a weekly paycheque.  I have a Boss.

So, why did I say yes?

Because it was the smart decision in this economy? It was.  Because I have kids in University to pay for?  I do.  Because it will make Hayley more comfortable knowing we have steady/stable income?  It will.

Nope.  I said yes because pride wasn't a good enough reason to say no.

Type A...

Junkie.

I was in the training blahs and then along comes a 100 runs in a 100 days challenge and not only do I take it on but I make it harder by going with 115/100 workouts and running every day; 12 days in a row and no thought of breaking the streak - in fact running now as much for the streak as for the training.

Type A junkie.

Complicated...

Or not, that is the question.

Some of my fellow triathletes seem to delight in using all the latest gadgets, training fads, paddles, pull buoys, power meters, this or that running shoe, no shoes, minimal shoes, heat exchangers, training plans, coaches, discussion boards; total strangers.

I'm not immune.

But really, when you you get right down to it, all we do is swim, bike and run.  For example; get someone to show you proper form and then simply swim lots is a much more effective and useful training plan, for the vast majority of triathletes, than this:

Warm Up
200 Free / 200 IM Drill / 100 Free / 100 IM Drill
First Main Set
4 x 50 Kick/Drill IM Order (50 each stroke) @ 1:15
4 x 50 Drill/Swim IM Order (50 each stroke) @ 1:10
4 x 50 Swim IM Order (50 each stroke) @ 1’
100 EZ Free @ 2’
Second Main Set
4 x 100 Free @ 1:45 Heads up flags to wall @ each turn
4 x 50 Free @ 1’ First 12 ½ of each 25 is Tarzan
100 EZ @ 2’
4 x 100 Free @ 1:30
Cool Down
200 Free / 200 IM Drill / 100 Free / 100 IM Drill

Likewise with run training and, I'll grant to a slightly lesser extent, for bike training too.  Bike training is a slight exception as the gains from some drills and specific sets can be so remarkably effective compared to just riding (Tabata intervals, anyone?).  Having said that though; riding lots, and hard, is really all you need to do - the gadgets and drills and FTP and threshold work are all just clever ways of describing work hard!  And I'm going to even get into run training.  Suffice to say the preceding applies in equal or even greater measure.

Effective training is simply getting out there and doing.  That takes a little planning, a lot of consistency, appropriate prioritization, real commitment, true passion and actual hard work.  And genuine fun.

It's all a bit like life, isn't it?

Flying...

This morning I woke up in Ontario and tonight I sleep in Wisconsin.

My work has me travelling a lot; last year I took approximately 60 individual flights. This year it will probably be more.  I'm not complaining though, I like travelling.

It still seems awesome to me that I can go to sleep half way around the planet from where I woke up.  (It seems even more awesome to me that my employer thinks I'm useful enough to be worth flying all over the world.  But that's another blog post, for another day).

By the way, I mean "awesome" in the literal sense, not the teenage exclamation.

The flight home though, that's the flight I look forward too.  Waking up seven time zones away, travelling five and a half thousand kilometres on planes, trains and taxis and then, finally, getting into bed with Hayley, at home, on the same day, is really awesome.

And that I do mean in the teenage sense. :)