The tantrum started on May 5th and here I am on May 17th sitting on the couch ready to give you a glimpse of training and life. No it didn’t last 12 days if that is what you are thinking! Have you ever experienced an adult temper tantrum? You don’t have to raise your hand, but come on don’t deny it, I bet you have! If you did just raise your hand while staring at a computer screen, I bet your family thinks you are crazy, just sayin.
I’m here to tell you I had a big ole melt down back on the 5th. Yep sure did! You can ask my bosses, aka coach or sherpa if you don’t believe me. I didn’t quite scream and roll around on the ground and arch my back until someone picked me up, but I did chuck my shoes in the car along with my gel and a few other objects. Thought about chucking my bike too, but I was able to think clearly for a moment and decided that would be a an expensive mistake. If I were younger I mostly likely would have been grounded for my use of foul language, ha. A tantrum over what? Oh over a stupid workout. But that stupid workout is my job and I love my job and I want to be awesome at my job. Don’t we all?
So where am I going with this….The infamous questions…How’s training going? When’s the next big race? How are you feeling? So I’m here to be completely honest and shed a little light on life between race blocks. If you don’t want to read ahead b/c it’s not a race report about a podium finish, it’s all good my feelings won’t be hurt. Moral of the story, tantrums happen to the best of us? I’ll let you decide the moral of the story.
No sugar coating about great workouts, beautiful training days, sweet gear, awesome sponsors, killer tapers, delicious meals..yada yada yada…you get the idea. Yes there sure are highlights of working out for a living, but who the heck has a great day at work every day? That’s where I am in the cycle, the ugly days at work when you are making no money.
Back to the tantrum day. I spent a solid hour on my bike trying to get my heart rate up and enjoy the “pain & suffering.” I couldn't find my mojo...it was cold, windy and my grumpiness was getting worse by the pedal stroke. Post ride the running shoes went on (always my favorite part), I decided a gel would solve my worlds problems I mean workout problems…yeah not so much, apparently it’s not that easy. Fifteen minutes later I quite the run, yep I quite. So a 4 hour workout turned into a failed attempt of 1.5hrs. I beat myself up over and over and got even grumpier. “You know this isn’t suppose to be easy Nickie. This is the 1st day of your hard 10 day training block, what the heck is your problem?” I chatted with my coach, sherpa and another pro in the sport and came to the conclusion it happens to the best of us. Was it my brain or my body or both they asked? I don't know was my answer. I needed to analyze the day, learn from the day and move on. I proceeded to have good days and bad days over the next 10 day hard workout cycle, until the bad kept outweighing the good. My hard workouts were getting slower and my easy days were not feeling so easy. Looking back the writing was on the wall, my body was smoked and my brain was shutting down in order to self preserve on the day of the tantrum. Who knew the object between our ears was so smart…if we would just listen to it! I wasn’t smart enough to see the subtle clues that were adding up to some immense fatigue. My little speedster feeling was long gone.
With a bit, not much though, reluctance on my end; the decision to take a few days off was made. The signs of some over training syndrome were starting to become clear. Excessive tiredness, increased soreness & fatigue, mood swings (watch out I’m kinda grumpy still), lack of motivation and the list goes on depending what website you decide to visit and what you decide is normal training stress vs over training syndrome. Whew I wasn’t sick or hurt which are signs as well, boom…wake up Monday morning and caught a cold.
Yes I have taken, 4 days off so far…no that doesn't say 4 hours…4 DAYS! And I’m sure there are more in the future. Stop freaking out, I’m not going to loose all my fitness and sit on the couch and gain 20 lbs, yeah it crosses my mind some days though!
Training = Workout + Recovery , sited from Dr. Phil Maffetone
All new jobs are a learning process and I’m learning this full time workout gig is just like all my other jobs. The bad days make you appreciate the good days and the learning curve is quite high sometimes. So I’m here to tell you, listen to your body….be aware of the subtle signs of fatigue before you end up with an adult temper tantrum like me! BE FLEXIBLE, training plans are plans. Heck every week our plans change, so to can your workout plan. We all can handle different loads of stress whether that be training and or life stress. You have to determine what is best for you, not what works for everyone else. I'm in the figuring it out process as my intensity level has increased over the past season.
I digress…After the tantrum I went and got a “recovery” milk shake from a favorite pit stop here in OH, UDF! I thought it would make me stop crying. Crap, after reading about over training syndome you are suppose to cut sugar out..sigh that is my coping mechanism.
So when your kids are late for soccer, your work computer crashes, you forget to brush your teeth, the dog pukes in your living room, there is no food in the fridge and you feel like you are spinning your wheels through a 16 hour day, just remember it happens to all of us….Go get your kids a milkshake and know that tomorrow the sun will come up and you’ll hopefully have a second chance to own the day!
During one of my most recent runs in the neighborhood; a man descending the hill with his cane in hand looked at me and smiled as I ran past, “I’m doing the best I can today.” I responded, “You are moving forward and that is what matters.”
So here’s to taking my own advice & moving forward; doing the best I can every day….that’s my takeaway.
Listen to your brain…it’s smrt. Nickie