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 MoreThe Fred Factor and Choosing to Be Exceptional
Every single time I finish a conversation with my client and friend, Peter, he always asks me, “Is there anything that I can do for you?” A simple question, yet a powerful message that says to me that this person really cares and wants to help me. Peter has always gone above and beyond to help me and others. If a same day delivery needs to be made from his company (he’s the owner) in Baltimore to Richmond, Peter will drive down himself and make the delivery. When Krista and I moved to Boulder over the summer, we woefully underestimated how much stuff we had to move....
Read MoreOvertraining: There Is a Silver Lining in This Cloud After All!
“You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” - Walt Disney After three weeks of feeling sorry for myself and high anxiety, I am now in a different place. I have have transformed my HATE relationship with overtraining into a LOVE / HATE relationship. I still HATE overtraining because of the uncertainty it has created for my future as an athlete. On the other hand I LOVE the fact that I became overtrained, because I now am being forced to rest. The past few weeks have been a challenge for me. Suddenly, I’ve...
Read MoreOvertraining: What I HATE the Most About It
I HATE overtraining. It’s too vague, too subjective, too nebulous. It’s a waiting game with an uncertain amount of waiting time. I should have raced in Ironman Arizona alongside the cacti on Sunday, but instead I’m sitting on the sideline. What I struggle with – and what I imagine many other athletes struggle with as well – is that overtraining is not a tangible, physical body part that is broken, cut or bruised. A broken bone or a wound will heal in a doctor prescribed amount of time, but how do you know when you are “healed” of...
Read MoreTo Race Or Not to Race: When to Pull the Plug? (Part 1 of 2)
Have you ever asked yourself these questions in the days or weeks leading up to a big race? “Do I pull the plug?” “Am I just having an off day?” “Do I need to some extra rest?” I’m struggling with all of these questions right now. Today is Monday and I’m signed up to race Ironman Arizona this coming Sunday. I want to do this race – I invested hundreds of hours training for it and it’s a stepping stone for me to set another PR at the Quelle Challenge in Roth, Germany this summer. My training had been solid and consistent up until...
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