Wave of Complacency

Three days after completing Vineman, I was chatting online with Coach K, and I got the following response from him in terms of what I should be doing following the race...

"The next 2 weeks are about doing whatever you feel like. No big runs though. You don't want structure because you are about to have a wave of complacency."

A "wave of complacency"? What was he talking about? I felt AMAZING! In the days immediately following Vineman, I felt like I had energy bubbling out of me. I couldn't wait to swim and bike and run. When is my next workout? I plotted and planned my next year. I signed up for a Chi Running clinic. I registered for a race and started checking event calendars to see what else I could do.

That feeling lasted about a week and then it hit me...

Uh oh!

All of a sudden I was questioning why I was doing what I was doing? Why am I swimming? My next big race is CIM and there's no running in CIM. Why bother running when it's hot outside just so I can complete my workout. CIM is months away...why worry about it? Besides, not doing anything felt pretty darned good.

This feeling had me worried. If I got too comfy here, I might never snap out of it! What if I turned out to be one of those people that finishes that one "big race" and then hangs up their bike helmet and goggles for good? I didn't want to be that person, so I kept working out even when I didn't feel like it. I did take Coach K's advice and I tried not to do anything too structured. Instead, I tried to make stuff interesting and fun:

• I went back to social bike rides instead of 5-1/2 hour sessions on the trainer. Coffee breaks were now mandatory instead of avoided.
• I cut myself some slack on the runs and shortened stuff up a bit. I also started re-reading my Chi Running book to get ready for the workshop.
• I started doing some of my favorite Beachbody workouts like Les Mills, P90X, and P90X3.
• I started doing more yoga and stretching workouts

Trying to mix things up

To be honest, I can't say that I've completely snapped out of this funk. Getting out the door is the hardest part of every workout nowadays. Yesterday at lunch, I came across a Facebook post by Meredith Atwood, the author of "Triathlon for Every Woman". Her post was a link to an article she wrote for Triathlete.com called "Beginner’s Luck: Falling In Love With Triathlon Again". It was basically about that feeling of complacency and how to love triathlons again. It was exactly what I needed to read...

"The next day, I woke up at 5 a.m. I wanted to get on the bike. I wanted to run. What happened? We have to show up and say, “I’m here.” It’s the same way we must show up to the workout and say, “Count me in. Here we go.” It’s a matter of putting on your shoes and just going, all zombie-like, to the treadmill and doing the run, and dragging oneself to the shower afterward. Getting through the workouts is sometimes all you can do. Then eventually, one day, you wake up and say, “Hey! I am back! Look at me!” That’s often how it happens for me. It’s all about getting the momentum going and keeping the good streaks rolling on. Consistency is such a huge part of finding the love again. When I was training for my first half-Ironman, I rarely missed any workout. I was slow and plodding, but I ticked off workouts and was consistent as I could be. That was a wonderful time in my triathlon newbie life. I could measure the progress, see the changes—all because of my consistency. 

With consistency comes a stirring—a sort of summoning of the love—and as your motivational mojo begins to rise, you’ll return to the reasons you took on the sport in the first place. 

Read more at http://triathlon.competitor.com/2015/08/training/beginners-luck-falling-in-love-with-triathlon-again_120924#XkOHVQqGb82kDmCJ.99

Can't wait to feel this way again!!!