How Can You Not Look Around When You’re Training?

Hi folks,

Beautiful hawk hidden in a tree outside of our window, spotted due to a fluttering of wings, and spring is here.

I never was a great athlete, but I did pretty well as a scientist. I think the latter was a consequence of my interest in nature and a tendency to question the obvious, the importance of which was drummed into my head by some impressive minds. The problem comes when I’m training for races with friends, such as my cyclist buddy and unofficial coach, Rory, who was not impressed when I stopped for a pee-break during a ride and he had to wait a rather long time for me to appear at the top of the hill (see his rather terse comment). It’s true! I was looking around and espied a lichen of interest. My coach, Chris Hauth, became somewhat frustrated when I did this kind of thing during the coast ride in California. But how, HOW, can one stare at someone elses rear wheel when surrounded by storms, and seals, and sea birds, and nature in the raw – I just can’t to that, but Rory can, which is why he is a better cyclist, I suspect.

The author admiring the view during the Coast Ride with AIMP (Rory stopped to take the photo - he was looking around too!)

The trick is to establish your priorities. I would like to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman, and whilst doing my annual Lake Placid race I will attempt to stay focused, but like it or not, if I see a wonder of nature out of the corner of my eye I know that I’ll be a little distracted for a moment. How can a race be more important? Overall, I think that my interest in nature improves my Ironman skills, through the study of biochemistry and biomechanics, so there is a net gain that overwhelms any losses due to a transient enjoyment of nature.

The point of this post is to remind you that training and exercise are all about the joy of living, not the ephemeral high of winning. You try to win if you can, but memories of unusual sights and encounters stay with you long after any thoughts of your race performance.

-k @FitOldDog

Today’s workouts:

Workout PLAN Coach: Chris Hauth

Swim

Distance: 3100.0 yd Duration: 00:45:00

Description: Straight swim:800 wup – 400 fast – 800 long – 200 fast – 800 long – 100 all out.

Run

Duration: 01:20:00

Description: aerobic – relaxed: quality and intensity during the week – aerobic – relaxed on the weekends!