Manatee Mentors 2016 - Closed (Page 104)

Originally posted by marysia83 Reality check here…. I love triathlon training, I love the sport, I love seeing how I make progress and how I feel better. But at the same time I think I let myself be absorbed too much. I have kids who need my attention and who need to spend time with me (I work full time Mon-Fri and we are home after 6 pm on those days). I need social life, because I love people. I need hiking, because it clears my mind and I love being in the nature with my kids. I am back to school and I have to focus on that piece as well. I also need some REST at least once in a while. I am stressing so much that I am not achieving the milestones I set up in my “annual training plan”. Will I make it before this race, what will I do after that race, what to do between those two races…. Yes – it is fun, I love this adrenaline, and I like that triathlon is giving me additional goal in life, but I think my current attitude is more like: I gotta complete all of these in this year, THIS YEAR, and not any other. I need to slap my face a little bit with reality and understand that I still have plenty of years coming when I can achieve all those sport goals. I don’t have to do IM in the next 5 years – if I do it in 10 years it will be fine too. My point is… I think I am taking too much on my shoulder, and at the same time I want to be perfect with everything, which is impossible. Then something collapses and I get upset. So – back to the reality: I don’t have to be a master of disaster in triathlon this year. I can be fine triathlete, who also hikes and camps with kids, and who is a fine student and enjoys social life. A little bit of everything, instead of full mouth of everything, to the point I have to puke. Sorry, my Friday reflection… I hope everyone is looking forward to a beautiful weekend!

A lot of people do get caught up in things at times, or even a lot of the time. Glad to see you recognized that happening before you burned out, or worse. With so many things going on in this sport it can happen fairly easily.

And that right there makes you first overall in my book.  Congrats.

Way to go to both of you!!

Winning comes in many forms!!! Congrats Stacey.

BIG kudos to Stacey, nice job being there with your friend from start to finish and not letting her be last.  It sounds like you have a plan to help keep your own future race plans in line with a little help from other friends.  

And wow, our manatee men really represented well this weekend, Sean, Connor and Dave.  Excellent work, fellows!  Speedy bunch.

Originally posted by marysia83 Reality check here…. I love triathlon training, I love the sport, I love seeing how I make progress and how I feel better. But at the same time I think I let myself be absorbed too much. I have kids who need my attention and who need to spend time with me (I work full time Mon-Fri and we are home after 6 pm on those days). I need social life, because I love people. I need hiking, because it clears my mind and I love being in the nature with my kids. I am back to school and I have to focus on that piece as well. I also need some REST at least once in a while. I am stressing so much that I am not achieving the milestones I set up in my “annual training plan”. Will I make it before this race, what will I do after that race, what to do between those two races…. Yes – it is fun, I love this adrenaline, and I like that triathlon is giving me additional goal in life, but I think my current attitude is more like: I gotta complete all of these in this year, THIS YEAR, and not any other. I need to slap my face a little bit with reality and understand that I still have plenty of years coming when I can achieve all those sport goals. I don’t have to do IM in the next 5 years – if I do it in 10 years it will be fine too. My point is… I think I am taking too much on my shoulder, and at the same time I want to be perfect with everything, which is impossible. Then something collapses and I get upset. So – back to the reality: I don’t have to be a master of disaster in triathlon this year. I can be fine triathlete, who also hikes and camps with kids, and who is a fine student and enjoys social life. A little bit of everything, instead of full mouth of everything, to the point I have to puke. Sorry, my Friday reflection… I hope everyone is looking forward to a beautiful weekend!

I had a similar realization last year.  I just couldn't keep up the training I needed to be a cyclist and/or triathlete while still being a father, husband, employee, and friend.  I enjoy weightlifting like you do hiking, and honestly I just don't have the energy to panic about missing a workout in preparation for X race.

I remembered when I just started triathlon training, it being about getting in shape and having fun.  It's taken a while, but I've finally gotten back to that mindset.  I'm not worried about being the world champion at everything I touch.  I just want to be healthy and enjoy what I do.  Glad you are able to find your limits.

Mary G - Balance, we all have to find it.  For each of us, it’s different and for many of us, it’s a moving target and we have to adjust our training and goals/expectations accordingly.  

McMatt - I’m so glad that you are feeling better.  Did I see that you were able to run outside today?  Let us know when you are well enough that we can removed you from the DL.

Robin - Ear infection, ugh!  I hope that you are back in the pool soon!

Ben - April Fools snow, huh?

Connor - Smoking race!  Congrats on your placement!  (big age range there!)

Dave - Congrats on the race! (did not see the race report, is it public?)

Stacey - It’s great the way that you were there to support K!

Sean - Awesome race! Way to find the short course speed with the long course training!

Judi - I know that you’ve struggled with your decision about tri (see Facebook).  It all goes back to what Mary said about balance.  I hope that you’ve found yours.

MR Matt and TJ - I hope that both of you are feeling better.

All - Pay attention, a new thread is coming soon!

Yes to everything Janyne said   Seriously, congratulations to all the racers, you all had great races, so well done!  

Hmm, I guess I'll have to find Judi on Facebook and friend request her to find out what the decision is -although I'm pretty confident I know. 

Re: Judi, it's in her BT log as well. I just saw it first on FB.

Laura,

How is Vivaldi?

To me, nobility is in action more than thought.  I know what you mean though, as I had the same struggles running with my SIL.  Support can come in many forms, and she will need to learn to run on her own two feet at some point.  I know you said that the next two are taken care of, but after that, can you break runs/races in half, with the first half together, and the second half you run your pace and cheer her in at the finish?  Just food for thought.  Either way, good on you for being a good friend, and a good example!

A dumptruck of awesome this weekend!  Congrats to our racers - great results (both in placement and in outcomes - to our lanterne rouge)! 

Been thinking about the balance discussion and comments about getting back to doing this just for enjoyment and not necessarily peak performance or such.  In my observations, many people have peaks and valleys of both interest and the time they allot to certain hobbies.  As a "serial obsessionist," I certainly have followed suit over the decades.

All comes down to maximizing endorphins, for me.  Whether that's from skiing, flying, fishing, boating, running, triathlon, hunting, ukelele or tiddlywinks is no matter.

What's been kind of fun for me is that as my body won't do quiiiiite as much as it used to, having gotten at least decent at some things over the years, I can often go back to those formerly consuming pursuits and have fun with them just as a dilettante.  The only ones that I can't (or won't, more accurately) approach that way and to which I give my full effort are family and work. 

So, all the others come after.  Leaves room, for me, for ONE obsessive pursuit (its own kind of fun, for sure) or having fun with a bunch of things in a less intense way.  Been back and forth there this last year, and it's been both fun and a learning experience.

**ramble mode off (if only briefly)**

Matt

Yes, do that.  I have decided to call the end of triathlon for me.  I no longer trust my legs to cooperate with a build of any sort without having to bail on races.  Time to get back to doing a little of this/ a little of that for my health and finding joy in running again.  (as opposed to the constant fear of injury and the rehab/ injury cycle)

I'm going to Aquabike the Williamsburg Rwv 3 because I simply can't trust them to build the run back.  After the, selling gear.  The Lovely Lola too...sad to sell her--but makes no sense to keep a full carbon try bike if I'm not doing triathlons.

I'm perfectly at peace with this decision.  It'r a realistic assessment of my health and life status that indicates these legs are toast.  Time to find a new path and haven in fitness.

Parting is such sweet sorrow, no? (with triathlon, not the pod, I hope!) 

I'm happy for you that you've figured out what you need and are making a positive decision to continue to pursue happiness in the best way for you.

Closing one door, while in some ways sad, opens others...

I hope (like some other "run only" folks of note) that you'll still pop in when you can and say hey to the pod!  (what kind of sounds do manatees make, anyway?)

My best to you, Judi. 

Matt

Oh!  I had assumed that Judi would stay with the pod!  We have plenty of single sport Manatees!