Sunday, December 28, 2008

It's Almost...

TIME!  The official end of the off-season starts at 12:01 a.m. on January 1st.  

Mentally... I don't think I've ever been MORE ready to get to work.  Its taken a LOT of self-discipline, a really messed-up shoulder, and the plague to keep me from training over the last two months.  Having said that... I'm really glad to have had the adversity that has kept me from training.  Honestly... it would have been a total mental and physical disaster had I jumped back into training 2 weeks after Clearwater.

Physically, I'm confident that my body will catch-up in good order after a relative 2 month deficit. Or at least that's what I've been told.  This is where having a coach like Liz REALLY pays off.  I know that I won't jump in and overdo it... simply b/c she won't let me.  Which ultimately means that in the long-run... I'll be faster AND injury free!  All good things. Swimming is being put on an indefinite hold.  Turns out that I probably shouldn't have raced in Clearwater... did a little more damage that was prudent and now my recovery time is quite a bit longer.  I'm doing all the right things... 2 different physical therapists with two different approaches... as well as resting and only doing specific exercises that'll get things ship-shape. Liz feels confident that I should be able to put the kind of swim together that I want at Coeur D'Alene despite getting a late start in the pool this year.  Another "blessing" with not being able to swim immediately is that it will give me an opportunity to really focus and strengthen the two other disciplines!

I read something about fear this morning.  "Anyone that stands at the edge of the unknown, fully in the present, without reference point, experiences groundlessness."  Seriously, read that again.

So here's the connection: I'm standing at the edge of training for a full ironman in June.  I have no personal reference point.  I'm completely scared shitless.  But here's the thing...  I.  Don't. Care.  We usually think that bravery is based on being fearless.  The reality is, those that are brave... are intimate with fear.

Let's be brave this season... shall we?

Breathe...


5 comments:

GZ said...

bwah ha ha - BRING IT BABY.

Anonymous said...

Hey, do you think you could talk to Santa and ask if he can not only fold my laundry but also wash it and put it away? My laundry is never ending!

Steve Stenzel said...

Good luck starting that training!!! Happy New Year!!

Charisa said...

Brave is good!! Good luck jumping into 2009 training!

SingletrackJenny (formerly known as IronJenny) said...

Trust me. It's easy. You will understand that the day after you cross the finishline. It'll be between the 2nd and third shot of tequila, poolside.