2019 - 11 February - Check in

This was important to me when I came across it the other day

Checkin' IN!!!

So, I've been sick. Sure I have gotten a few swim in. But i wanted to share about it a bit.

One of the things I have been using with tylenol, advil, and some cough syrups (Robo and Mucinex).

A new treat of Pho broth packets.

I don't have strep thankfully. But this started in my throat and then headed south. along the way, The acute laryngitis turned bronchial. And it sucked my voice. I sound like a sexy version of no one. My sister last night chided me and said make it go away :)

Anyway, I have been trying to no avail to get the requisite rest to get beyond this junk. Further, every time I start to think I am almost there, nope, back to the sick board. I have had stuff like this before. I remember clearly one year walking from our home in Hyrum, that was back in like 2007 - we had bought our first home, and I took the Cache Valley bus from Hyrum to the CVTD. I was trying to get the last bit of bothersome phlegm out and while hacking, it was like watching the little amoeba like thing in the movie Venom, it just came up and I spit it out. Voila, voice returned to normal.

I wish I could make that happen now. I'm not where I want to be with training because I know if I go to far down the road while compromised with sickness, i will not recover enough. My wife got after me the other day and was like quit limiting yourself and just go out there and have a great day. Well first, I need to have a solid and consistent build up, which I am not having while sick.

Last night on Feb 11 I was able to go and get a swim in. Here is my thought I put in Training Peaks:
"Pushing into a different space in the swim coming out of the sickness. That being said, there is purpose here. Man, that was great but tough. Hope I can keep up on it. Need food. At like a homeless wonder today. Can't do that and stay sustainable."

I then followed it up with these thoughts in IG -

"As I finished this swim and looked at my watch, a bit in a well, that's what I have for tonight given that I am fighting the last bit of the 'sickness', I'm grateful for the strength I still have. Curious to see where I will go this time, albeit a bit discouraged that I can't just get beyond this bug. Grateful to be able to still be able to breathe enough to swim, and have some strong mental and physical workouts. One day at a time I suppose. Also, grateful for the family that let's me chase this hobby. Trying to continue to evolve to a better me. Sometimes for them it's one hour at a time when I am not at my best. I'm far from perfect, but trying to establish patterns that allow me to grow. Failures are part of that process,

It's an interesting process, to remember to have the iggy pop 'zest for life' and also be completely accountable to the choices I make through life. Like Johnny says, I have to 'walk the line'. Here's to not getting lost along the way. Our little monster is a teenager. How'd that happen?"

Sometimes, I find that with training and life responsibilities, it's in the moment of training where clarity is achieved. It's probably due to the isolation that it takes and the quelling of 'noise' and disrupters. I don't often train with music, as I try to remove all things from my head. In the swim it is simple, ultimately it is me the strip and my pull buoy. I put in a few hard 25's and 50's last night. I am trying to push a bit more. I feel that I am able to understand my stroke more, from an early vertical catch, a long pull with higher elbows that are wide and square. Here's a link to a video with Dave Scott - who knows a few things about triathlon. And then here's a link to a good podcast that addresses some things about swimming. In fact, Robbie and Mike at Crushing Iron have gone on to do a series called "How to Not Suck at Swimming". You can look up those 5 podcasts here! But ultimately, the real change for me has been in how Robbie Describes things in this video here. So, for me, it's not just the physical but also the mindset and approach that is key, vital and critical to not only the outcomes but to the journey and the process.

I have been thinking a lot about what is required to gain the confidence required to achieve things in triathlon activities. Everything has to have a purpose and a focus. Those elements allow for critical decisions to be mad while in deficits. The deficit manifests itself in the endurance aspect of the sport. Whether it comes from nutrition, or activity, sleep, stress, all those dynamics as a triathlon participant take a toll on me during the actual event.

While listening to Robbie and Mike in the podcast where they are recounting the run camp stuff - not jealous at all - I was reminded of the experience I went through on course during the 2017 70.3 IM St George. I really need to remember how to address my 'little voice' that shows up when I fumble a bit. Like I mention in the blog post I linked is I fumbled my nutrition on the bike. My build up was so great, and I was able to execute my swim and bike, but because I didn't address my nutrition needs because I was listening to the wrong voice about hanging on during the WINDY ride. I have to find a way. But it will be ok. I know the incremental changes I need to address here.

Anyway, I think I can wrap up here. Look, I am grateful to Liz and family, and our bouts with nagging winter sickness just suck and disable us a bit and bring out a little bit of our less than good selves. As I mention from time to time, failure is part of the process, but I really never like me in the moment even as I am quite aware when I show my human monsters.

Here's hoping I can drive and build a better consistent pattern over the next few days!