Time to take a break from structured triathlon training?
I hazard to guess that burnout is common in the sport of triathlon (and likely other sports as well), especially if you’ve been in them for a while and have made them a priority in your life. Sports psychologist Radecke defines burnout as a “withdrawal…noted by a reduced sense of accomplishment, devaluation/resentment of sport, and physical/psychological exhaustion.” So there’s both a physical and psychological component to burnout to differentiate it from over training, which is more physical. Although the symptoms of burnout are unique to each athlete, a good way to tell...
Read MoreA Taste of Bittersweet after Ironman Coeur d’Alene
To me, the Ironman-distance is an ever changing puzzle waiting to be solved – 1,000 pieces scattered across the table that must be carefully and meticulously assembled over months and months of preparation for a single day of 140.6 miles of racing applied across different temperatures, terrains, wind conditions and scenery. Even after completing Ironman Coeur d’Alene as my 27th race at the distance, “I am still learning” (as Michelangelo once said). Sunday’s race leaves a bittersweet taste in my gut when I consider the time commitment, focus and expenses that I’ve invested in this...
Read MoreOn Trust and the Paradox of Performance
I have prepared my whole life for Ironman Coeur d'Alene on Sunday – a 140.6-mile odyssey of swimming, biking and running against the clock. I demand of myself nothing less than excellence, as I draw on 39 years of experience, learning and self-analysis. Paradoxically, what happens on race day means both everything and nothing. It means everything because a fast race as an age grouper opens up more doors of possibility such as another pro card, more sponsorships and more visibility as a coach. It means nothing because it’s the journey that I took to get here and how I finish...
Read MoreMy Triple-T Race Report
What is Triple-T? Well, according to the race jerseys we wore all weekend, TTT is: 3 days 4 triathlons 140+ miles 1 epic event Essentially, it’s an Ironman-distance race broken down into four smaller races completed over a weekend. For me, Triple-T was a solid training event, a stepping-stone to my first big race of the season – Ironman Coeur d’Alene at the end of June. My goal was to race hard, race fast and see where I am in terms of fitness and determine what I need to focus on for last 5 weeks leading up to Coeur d’Alene. TTT was also an opportunity to hang out with...
Read MoreKinetic Sprint Triathlon Race Report
Race: Kinetic Sprint Triathlon at Lake Anna, VA Distance: 750 meter swim / 18 mile bike / 5 Km run Finish time: 1:18:38 (5th overall) Swim: 00:11:44 (10th) T1: 00:01:39 (22nd) Bike: 00:45:25 (4th) T2: 00:00:28 (19th) Run: 00:19:23 (6th) Summary: I had fun and my fitness is where it needs to be for today. That sums up my race. Race Report: First, congratulations to everyone who raced at Kinetic this past weekend! I had quite a few clients pull off some impressive finishes. My goals with this race were to “get my feet wet” with my first race of the year, benchmark my...
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