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January 7, 2008
One Thing is for Sure...
You've all heard of the "January National (or World) Champion" I'm sure. You know, the person that is having absolutely amazing workouts (no matter the sport) in January and totally killing everyone, but then when the season actually comes around they are burnt out, tired out or injured and everyone in turn is beating THEM! Every coach (including mine) warns against being the January National Champion.
Well as I was driving home from my swim workout this morning I was thinking... "one thing is for sure - there is absolutely no chance of ME taking the January National Champion title this year!"
After this weekend's training and then this morning's long swim intervals I pretty much assured that I won't be accused of being in too good of shape too early in the season. :) Because I am seriously getting my butt kicked lately! First my long ride on Saturday. Then my long run on Sunday. And then this morning's 600 repeats in the pool topped it off and sealed the deal. I'm not in very good shape at all. :)
But that's a good thing. For now.
If anything, I've definitely been the type to try and be that January National Champion in the past. And on more than one occasion it's ended in disaster. I usually have one of two outcomes - being totally tired and depleted by the end of the season OR getting injured right when things are heating up. I'm mostly talking running seasons because I haven't been a triathlete long enough to be a January National Triathlon Champion, but you catch my drift.
One thing I wanted to try and work on this year was what I call "athletic maturity", again, something I've not had much of in the past. The January National Champion mentality is due to athletic IMmaturity - comparing oneself to others and trying to outdo them and outwork them at the WRONG time, and in general just not trusting in themselves, their own training and their own timing. In this day and age when just about everyone and their brother (and mother) has a blog and reading about others training all the time, I think it's easy to get caught up in the "oh, maybe I SHOULD be doing hard intervals on the bike or on the track or running a race or..." And of course maybe that is 100% what that OTHER person should be doing, but not what I should be doing. Because that OTHER person and I don't have the same goals and we aren't going to the same races and they haven't ripped their hamstring in two and aren't worried about keeping it healthy. I need to worry about myself and myself only. And taking that a step further, I don't even need to worry because I have an amazing coach that knows how to have me come around right when I want to come around - for those "A" races, when I'm ready to give "A" type efforts. And my new found athletic maturity is going to help me see that not every race is an "A" race and that's okay.
So I'm off to a good start. Out of shape, slow and getting my butt kicked by 10 mile runs and 3 hour rides and 600 repeats in the pool. No, I definitely won't be the January National Champion but I'll be gunning for some other titles come summer and fall.
Posted by beth at January 7, 2008 9:20 PM
Comments
Thank you Beth! I needed this right now. My new tri tream was like, why aren't coming to our group run on Sunday. And I told them, well, I'm not running that far (90 min) right now. I don't do 90 min long runs in january. They looked at me like I have three eyeballs, but that's what's up with MY training!!!!!!!
Good post!
Posted by: Audrey at January 8, 2008 6:13 AM
You ARE in shape if you are doing 3 hr bike rides, 10 mile runs and 600 meter swim repeats - just not FAST shape yet! You are building a big old base that will surely pay dividends when the season comes around :)
Posted by: Bri at January 8, 2008 8:06 AM
It's so good to be reminded that where I am now is where I'm supposed to be. It's easy to feel behind schedule in the winter when our focus is on the end goal - which is ultimately to be fast.
Posted by: Ness at January 8, 2008 8:17 AM
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME post! I am supposed to be getting ready for a base ride... BUT my body is feeling the base miles and strength training! Mentally I am rested, physically I feel fresh, but like Bri said...phew, we are in shape-just not fast shape!
Posted by: Bree at January 8, 2008 10:20 AM