Oh, the wisdom of a 7 year-old. 

After listening to me sing the ‘poor me’ song one time too many, my 7 year-old, Hanna, looked at me with some frustration and said, “Mom…you get what you get and you don’t pitch a fit.”  Amazing how those little ears hear and retain everything…well, everything that is except when I am loudly exclaiming, “It is bedtime, now go to sleep.  No more talking!” 

Even prior to racing in Lubbock this June, I knew something was wrong.  I had been feeling run down for a long time, I could not retain weight and I was losing muscle mass.  Workouts were hit and miss, and regardless of the amount of sleep I got, I was still tired.  When I raced at Lubbock it reminded me of how I felt in my last High School Cross-Country meet when I raced with mono and was subsequently hospitalized.  It was during the run in Lubbock that I made the decision to step back from racing triathlons for the remainder of the season and focus on getting my health back in order.  Of course, implementing this plan was not a simple process for me…my mind was a battlefield of ‘Train More versus Train Less’ and my family was caught in the middle.      

Yes, there is a time to push things, but as I have learned (the hard way) there is also a time to just…REST.  Rest is a difficult thing to do for us self-proclaimed obsessive-compulsive types, especially during the racing season, and when it does not come on our terms.  I would be lying if I said this is ‘easy.’  Rather, quite the contrary, it takes [me] more discipline to hold back rather than to continue to push myself.  We all start out the racing season with goals and expectations, anticipated race schedules, and when these plans get derailed, due to illness, injury, stress, work, etc. it can be a hard pill to swallow. 

I have been reading Brad Kearns book, “Breakthrough Triathlon Training.”  It is a good book that has at least provided me with some mental relief, especially with the chapter, “The Myth of Suffering.”  Now, not all will agree with what he has to say, but I believe there is merit when he talks about the emphasis we, as athletes, place on suffering.

  
I have come to the realization that there is a distinct difference between persevering and suffering.  According to Wikipedia, perseverance is “human endurance”, while suffering is “a negative basic feeling or emotion, that involves…harm or threat of harm.”  I do not believe persevering involves the potential for harm or damage.  That is not to say one will not suffer at some point in an Ironman or another race, but I think the key is maintaining balance and knowing when to step back.  Persevering through a race is honorable.  Suffering through a race or workout at the cost of permanent damage to your health or serious injury is questionable decision-making. 

I am not writing this to whine or complain…no, the anger and frustration have since subsided.  When your 7 year-old is telling you to ‘get over it’ one cannot help but to move-on, or as I choose to look at it now…move-forward.  I know everybody has their mountain to climb, and most often we come out stronger on the other side.  Besides, there are many other ‘mountains’ I would not even want to attempt to climb.  Temporary setbacks do not mean ‘forever’ and while I did not get to complete my 200 meter butterfly [yet] or compete at the races I set out to do at the beginning of the season, I have found  immense joy in watching others complete their racing goals and have found new interests and goals outside of triathlon. 

I am constantly reminding my girls that life is not fair, and that we cannot always control what comes our way, but we do control our response and attitude to what life throws at us.  Ironically, it took my 7 year-old to remind me of this.

“You must treat your body with kindness and respect and come to the realization that this is your vehicle to move through life and you should not abuse it.”  
-Tim Sheeper, as quoted in “Breakthrough Triathlon Training” by Brad Kearns.