Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Merry Christmas and I need to whine!!!!!!


Confucius say~
The place to look for a helping hand is at the end of your own arm.


The Holliday’s have been long for me this year. I am not trying to rub it in. When I say long, I mean the ongoing type of long, never ending type of long, or the, stuck at you in-laws too late after Christmas Day dinner, TOO LONG.

I have been pushing my body hard the last few weeks. I have received wonderful new toys to help me in my training. My Garmin, Forerunner 301 (Thanks Amanda my wonderful wife), a new pair of running shoes (Thanks Mom Donna), “The Stick” to roll out the knots in my calves, and so much more. However, I think I have tried to put too much into TO big of a body.

In the last 4 weeks I have logged, thanks to http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/default.asp , 140 miles on the Cyfac (my awesome bike), 47 miles on the pavement running, over 9 hours on spinervals, and a little swimming here and there. It has been tough to get in a pool up in Cincinnati where I have been for the Holliday’s.

I have been highly motivated. I have logged two 6 mile runs; I have put in several days that encompassed a 45 minute Spinerval set then a 3 mile run. I have braved 15 degree weather here to run, I have two large blisters on my feet, but through all of this I was highly motivated.

Since Sunday, Christmas, I have been highly un-motivated.

My wife is concerned about a Multi-Sports Training Camp I am attending in February. I look forward to learning the correct way to train, how handle my nutrition better, and many other things. Amanda is concerned that I may no be able to really take advantage of the camp because I may not be able to keep up. I hear her concerns. But I have been working really hard and my bike is really coming along and my swim has always been, well, acceptable.

I had pre-planned this week to be an off week as I prepare for the return to a heavy work load and just simply a little break from training so hard. I set this schedule back in November. So I am not really slacking, but mentally I feel bushwhacked!!

I know I must work hard and consistently since I have extremely lofty goals for the 2006 race year.

http://tri-ingfatman.blogspot.com/2005/11/revised-2006-race-schedue.html

Three Oly/Triathalon races, many sprints in between and a Half IM at the end of the season.

I am . . . scared to death. I think that is my motivation right now, fear. I am afraid to fail. I may, but I am afraid of it. Memphis in May is my first big race and I am feeling a bit flustered as I write just thinking about it.

My legs hurt, specifically my calves and shins. My lower back hurts, my feet hurt, is this how it’s supposed to be?? If so then I am fine with it. But I think I may be pushing it a bit too hard.

I know my logged numbers pale in comparison to many of you who read my diatribes, but think about this, in November and December, I have logged half of my 2005 training times/distances. Now I didn’t get started in Triathlons until May of 2005 with my training, but I was excited to see my accomplishments over the past two months. But, then I begin reflecting on my pains right now.

I had the greatest lower body massage on Christmas Day. My Mother in Law, Donna is a massage Therapist. She is trained in a plethora of styles of massage and teaches many as well. She got into my legs and did miracles. I wish she would move down to Baton Rouge from Cincinnati. She is a wonderful German woman, as is my beautiful wife. For those of you who know my wife, you can agree, for those who don’t, she is a gorgeous, 5’10”, blonde, blonde hair, blue eyed goddess!!!!! Ok, enough of that.

Why am I posting such an ongoing, complain ridden, whinny, post?

I want feed back. I want to know that what I am doing is normal and that the pains I am having are par for the course or, I want to find out differently.

I have not been on a scale the entire Holliday Season since I haven’t seen a scale that can measure over
350 lbs. Since I left at 365 lbs. I am hoping I am less, but I will admit I have indulged in the Cornbread Dressing a bit too much!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukah, Shalom, and the many more faiths I am missing, may your New Year be bright and prosperous, and may you find a peace about yourself that leads to eternal happiness.

With much love,

Christopher

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

yo!
You are feeling it. I am sore much of the time. This is normal (not to those who don't do what we do. You are also carrying around a bit more than me so you are probably working a bit harder. I would keep it up. In many of our conversations we have talked about your needing to do a little more time wise aerobically. Think of it this way. How do you think you will lose more weight, by just eating 500-1000 calories less per day or by buring more calories. BURN BABY BURN!
see you in a week,
rocketboy

Anonymous said...

Hey Chris,
That sounds awesome man. You say you haven't been on the scale, but I can promise you that if you are working hard, the weight is going to drop. I wouldn't be so concerned about the weight as I would be just finding a good routine that you can enjoy. The pain will not go away as long as you are in this sport. You are always going to hurt when you have a good workout or good week of workouts. Anytime the pain is there it usually means one of two things, 1)Your muscles are tired and are going to grow so they can keep up the next time you do something that intense or 2) you pulled something, and beleive me, you will know if you pulled something. This part of the season is really tough just because you are not racing and noone is real excited. In fact, this is the time when I just establish a base for everything in preparation for working my butt of come february-mayish. Carrying around the extra weight is going to slow you down and hurt a little more, but it's all about how bad you want it. I think you could take the easy way out and just do a little tiny bit every day and eventuall meet your goal, or you can do like you re and meet your goals sooner nd be able to race competitively sooner. Either way, your my hero and always will be. I hope this helps, but either way we all still love ya man. Keep tri-ing.

Andy e