I'm turning into a warm fuzzy pansy.
You heard here first. Although, I'm sure the thought HAD crossed your mind...at least once in the past month.
Day 1 of training for the 2014 tri season.
I'm really excited about it. I guess that's normal. It's the new year. I'm enjoying my Vegas/Thanksgiving/Christmas/Vacation/NewYear eat-a-thon fat. I have more carbohydrates flooding my bloodstream than should even be humanly possible.
I confess. It's an exaggeration. After all the eating, I haven't really gained any significant amount of weight. In a way, that's disappointing because I really tried.
Today, I had my first run of the season and my first "strength" workout. It was not a traditional strength workout. It's one of those workouts that (while you're doing it), you think, "Ok....this isn't too bad......
BUT HOLYMOTHERMARY&JESUS I am going to feel it tomorrow".
Back to why I'm going all warm fuzzy. It was on the run. I guess it just kind of hit me...that "Wow. This is it. This is the new."
I am doing what I didn't think I'd be doing. And I thought back to the past 2 years, and everything that I accomplished because of Coach Mike.
All I can think about is "That's just the tip of the iceberg."
I learned that I'm pretty good at some things. I need some serious work on others. Those "things" are in constant flux.
Every day of training, every race, I figure out something new.
But the one thing I haven't learned or figured out or experienced is "What's my top end? What's my potential?"
I don't think there is an answer to that because it IS constantly changing.
I think back on specifics. When I did Tour of the Moon, and I shocked the hell out of myself. I never thought I couldn't do it.
I thought, "Oh hell, this is going to be really hard." But the thought never occurred to me to quit or walk. (Which would have been stupid. Do you know how hard it is to walk up some stupid +20% incline in cycling shoes?)
Then, I remember a race last year. I stood at the edge of the water and thought, "This is going to be a PR swim."
And it was, but I never expected to pull in a 23 minute 1500m swim....like it was NO BIG THANG.
Then, I had a goal. I wanted to run a sub 28 min 5k by the end of winter.
I never expected to run a 27:56 in my first 5k of the winter.
At every single one of these events, the thought of "failing" never occurs to me because failure doesn't exist.
I'm not saying "bad things" don't happen. Of course they do. They happen at every race. You're going to flat. You're going to get punched. You're going to race on the hottest or coldest day in history.
The only thing you can really control is your reaction. Sometimes (most times), my reaction is a bunch of 4 letter words, and then I'm done. I'm back to work.
Sure get mad.
Feel bad. Curse.
Then, get back to the job at hand.
That's what I'm doing right now. I had my time off. I am heading in a completely new direction in regards to training, doing things I've never done before.
It's the NEXT PHASE. Whereas, I felt a little lost at this time last year. I didn't really know what I wanted to do. There were a lot of "unknowns" last year, for lack of a better word. I never really feel like I committed to anything.
This year is very different. I know EXACTLY what I want. Even more importantly, I know that my potential is limitless.
When you go into a race season like that it's hard to NOT be excited.
Sit back, grab some popcorn. THIS is going to be a fun ride.