It all started with a fun Monday morning run. Only a 10k, but we picked up the pace in the second half, for a strong finish at NCPA. These kinds of runs give me a real high. And it’s only fair to mention here, that I had skipped my Sunday run for no reason. Absolutely no excuse. Which in other words could mean laziness.
The Monday run was redemption. Post run, I headed to the pool, as per my normal plan, for a session of drills. This was followed by a gym session in the evening (needless to say that this was also due to some remnants of guilt!). And on Tuesday morning, for the first time in my life, I attended a yoga class. Runners’ yoga. It was very good, I must say. The session was targeted towards running specific muscles, and post that class, I felt very relaxed. What was I thinking when I went for that trial class, because that pushed the Tuesday bike to the evening slot. (And I was well aware that I don’t have time to fit in anything new in my schedule right now!!)
With my new-found bike fitness I did this Bike turbo session rather well. I had to beat last week’s numbers which I did and watching the first half of Dil Chahta Hai kept it light. So all in all a good start to the week.
I think this triathlon training is rather exhausting. There is always something new to do. In retrospect, running seems much simpler. One run in the morning. 4-5 days a week, a bit of stretching and little gym work and you’re done. This, on the other hand, just never ends! At the end of a workout the question always remains, what will happen in the evening, or tomorrow. The possible permutations are just mind boggling. And this just gets compounded with work. Thank god, that the travel for work has reduced!
So anyways, I slept badly on Tuesday night due to neck and shoulder stiffness and honestly, I have no clue why. After all my nefarious activities over the last 48 hours it could really be anything. The lat pull downs. The one arm drills in swimming. My bad angle (while swimming) for breathing on the left side. The biking. Or even sleeping wrong! I simply couldn’t isolate the reason. But of course, hope was on. So I charged my Garmin, made a plan to meet the others for 1 km repeats on Wednesday at 5.45 am. But of course, post bike stiffness set in and the fatigue from all of the above. (Did I think that I had become Wonder Woman?) After crashing after just 600m into my first repeat I converted the speed workout to an easy 10k. A breezy 10k. A chatty 10k. It was a beautiful world. I came home and went about the daily chores.
Towards the evening, I was feeling exhausted. And I had given up on the idea of my easy 45 minute swim for session 2. Written it off completely.
But then the tussle began: A Tug of War! To go or Not go? That was the question.
If I have to improve my stroke I need to put in the hours. There will always be excuses. But then I should listen to my body. But I have signed up for this and this is how things will be if I am training for a Tri. But I had already done so much for the week!
As luck would have it, I had my swim stuff with me. So the only decision was whether I should go home directly post work or to go to the club.
So I thought, what the hell! A swim will be refreshing. I don’t need to do much. I will splash a bit, eat my eggs, 20 minutes and out of the water. If I don’t feel up to it I can always abandon it like the morning run. With that non-threatening thought, I draaaaaged myself to the pool and jumped in, going right away for four slow laps. A small rest. And another four. Then I met a friend. A little chatting and another four. Without realizing I had already done 800m. I was thrilled with myself. And with new vigour, I completed the remaining 200m to finish my 1km.And I walked out beaming, like a kid who had swam for the first time without a float!
There will always be times when we don’t feel like it. When it all seems difficult. All we need is a small push to just get out and start it. And then if we are not up to it, then by all means listen to your body. But chances are that once you start you will be happy to be out there doing what you were supposed to do!
Don’t decide from the night before that you are too tired to run the next day. Don’t decide when the alarm rings and you haven’t even opened your eyes and write it off! In case of doubt, always head out for run (or swim!)! Slow or fast it doesn’t matter. There will be clarity and joy at the end of it!
It is only Wednesday night. And I have done 6 workouts. 3 days down. 4 days to go in the week. Serve me right for bunking Sunday. I deserve this madness. May the force be with me as I trudge along on my journey towards a Tri… will keep Tri-ing and Tir-ing!
The days when you don’t feel like it, and yet did it – are the ones that will count at the end.
Do it when it feels hard.
Push yourself.
The last 3 km. The last 3 reps. The last 4 laps.
It will be worth it.
PS: Whew, TGIF, I rested all of today!