Consistency

• On: 09/20/2009 18:02:24

It was too early this morning and I was on the Computrainer.  I tend to do my hard/intervals on the Computrainer even though we finally have nice weather here in Chicago.  Since I am racing a flat ½ Ironman, the consistency of the trainer serves a good purpose.  Plus, I couldn’t leave the house today because the kids were fast asleep in their beds and Jerome is gone.  So, I wanted to get most of the workout done before the kids got up – say around 7.15am or so.  I am so lucky that the kids are used to us in the basement, so they get up, get themselves breakfast and watch some cartoons until I am done. It is a beautiful thing.  BUT it only took 7 years for this, haha.  All you new moms out there- see how it will be?  They just came down asking me a few things but in general they are content!  YAY!

This is a tough time of the year.  Ironically, the weather here is amazing !  50s-70s everyday!  It is a joy to train in this weather.  However, I feel like I am all alone!  Around here, Ironman Wisconsin ends the ENTIRE Midwest season.  There are very few athletes around here still training for anything other than Cross.  I remember last time I trained for Kona I felt the same way!  NOW I am training for a big race an entire month after Kona!  I don’t mind training by myself but getting people to OW swim with me and do  hard sets with me is GONE.  So, it got me thinking on the bike this morning…and how athletes really just put their heads down and get the work done.  How the mind is PLUGGED into this ONE day….and once this one day is here – the day after they relax and go totally into hibernation mode.  Of course, this is the cycle of the racing season, but when you do a late season race (and mid-November is as late as it could be!) you have to pull out all the Ace cards to get thru the weeks.

When I was riding I kept thinking about CONSISTENCY.  All roads to success start with CONSISTENCY…

Getting yourself out of bed and motivated to swim,bike or run = Consistency

Being inspired by a friend, competitor, your coach, your friends = Consistency

Focusing on good daily nutrition so that you have the PROPER fueling to train & Recover = Consistency

Training smart through cycles throughout  the year and not taking months and months off = Consistency

Focusing on recovery and injury-prevention (stretching, massage) = Consistency

Being flexible – sometimes shit happens…it is OK and just move on, no one is perfect = Consistency

Improvement in Triathlon is a process.  It takes season after season of consistent, smart and planned workouts to see improvement.   Most athletes are not that patient.   And, in the beginning, it comes fast and quick.  Then, as we get faster and more experienced getting better and faster takes more and more work.  It is like squeezing blood out of a turnip.  Some athletes work hard to slow the aging process down.  Some are happy and aligned with their yearly goals.  Some dream big but don’t have the patience to see their dreams through.  And some are too stubborn to see their errors are holding them back.

Last week I spent a lot of time talking to athletes about Kona.   “I want to go to Kona” was the request of the week.  I still have not figured out WHAT the allure is about Kona – except that it is the World Championships competition….what about Nationals USAT?  ITU Worlds?   It is a tricky question I get asked a lot and a very tricky answer.  I am a firm believer in that “everyone can reach their goals/dreams…”  BUT let’s be honest…most will never see Kona or even come close to winning their AG in any major qualifying race, so there has to be a few reasons why. 

I had a conversation with one of my IM WI athletes.  He had a great race – PRd by 40 minutes and went low 10:xx.  He was 11^th in his 35-39 AG and missed qualifying by 2 slots – maybe 3.  That is still a significant miss, but considering he is getting closer he can taste it.  And, he was BUZZING my phone all week.  He wanted to immediately turn around and try to q-fy at IM FL.  UM NOPE!...Then, he wanted to try to go to the earliest q-fying race after IM FL…IM AZ, then Malaysia (ok, we live in Chicago!?)….anyway, he was in a full blown panic.  He tasted his huge goal and he was so close.  Finally, I told him:  NO…stop chasing.  Relax.  Relax.  Relax.  It is a process…next season, if you do it the right way, you will be even closer…and closer…and closer and we will be SMART.

My phone rang at 8.30am on Saturday morning.  I was out running while the kids were in the gym kidcare.  I got my message when I was done.  And, by the way, the 14 miler I did on Saturday almost nearly destroyed me.  I had to run X amount of miles VERY HARD..….well, I never ask how hard “very hard” is because I  know the answer.  It took me awhile but trust me….everyone knows what “very hard” is….Anyway, I digress. …It was an IM WI athlete telling me that at 8.30am on Saturday morning – the first weekend after IM WI that he was COMPLETELY bored and desperately wanted to train.  This is someone who took nearly 2 hours off their last year’s time…so a successful IM.  I am like, “Please do NOT go nuts but find other stuff to do…you need to rest.  I am not going to write any workouts for awhile and you need to rest!!!!!  Eat!!!!  Go out and have some cocktails, stay up too late, take your wife out for a special night or better yet, a weekend!!!!”   And, that is what I said to him when I called him back.  Then, he wanted to talk about 2010.  I said…NOT YET…in due time.  The IM has only been 6 days.  So, this is the time to REST…REST ….REST….if we don’t rest we never ever improve….!!

 There definitely is a magic quality in athlete’s that perform well on a regular basis.  They trust.  They eat well and are not fueled by sugar and caffeine to get thru their workouts or days….they figure out ways to get the workouts in, even when it is tough..they beg for more….they enjoy the small successes (5ks, 10ks, sprint Triathlons, etc) and understand the process of getting to the big day…..and they have fun.  THEY enjoy the workouts – even though sometimes it is overwhelming and sometimes it is all just “too much” they get it.  And, they see the big picture and the light at the end of the tunnel.  I don’t know why some athletes have that characteristic and others do not.   Even though I try hard to work on this, some just get it and some never will.  They are like those dogs you see chasing their tails in circles…they do all the training but don’t eat well – well, duh!  I rode 80 miles today, Jen, but only ate 2 gels and a water bottle even though I knew better.  Well then…what can I say to that?  So, see, the successful athletes just get it and understand all the components that require success.  You can do all the training but it is the little things that make the difference when the gun goes off.