Winter Training Camp

In 2006 Peter Reid, three-time Ironman World Champion, sequestered himself on a mountain during his preparations.  The past year, I have felt very much so that I am on a Peter Reid path so I too have spent plenty of time training in the mountains this winter.  

*Getting ready for a winter long-run

Have you ever heard someone say "You're only as good as your last (___)"?  I commonly hear it in the context of racing.  "You're only as good as your last race."  This begs the question, is this a universal rule?  Does it pertain to work, "You're only as good as your last sale, case, project etc."  What if you sacrifice yourself for another to succeed? Do you end up a winner or loser in that scenario? What about your possessions, "You're only as good as your last bicycle, clothes, or car, or house."  What about relationships, "You're only as good as your last girlfriend/boyfriend."  If any of the previous; work, possessions, last relationships are your benchmark, you are in trouble.  I don't feel that any of aforementioned things define anything about the future of a person.

I thought about this during my winter training camp because winter camp is where you can determine your future.  Not everyone likes exercise for the same reason, I get that, but for me I feel like I am "only as good as" two simple things, one in the present and one in the past.  The first, and most important, is the present time. "I am only as good as I believe I can be."  Simple enough.  If I don't think I can do something--eventually through hard work--then what's the point of even trying.  If you don't think you can...you're right, you can't.  If you don't believe that you actually are a winner, a role model, a happy person, a success, a champion, a dedicated person etc, how the heck do you expect to act like one?

The second is the past.  "I am only as good as the sacrifices I have made for my goals."  If I only train when it's "fun" then that won't cut it.  The special moments and things in life are made in the preparation, made in the single minded focus to get it done, not in the moment itself.  The preparation for and sacrifice of what you want right now for something you want a month or year from now is what makes the moment special.  All those race I won that have meant "the world to me," wouldn't mean anything if I didn't sacrifice, and risk, and dedicate to them.  The actual crossing of the finish line and winning lasts 10 seconds, and that's if you are really milking the moment.  The victory and satisfaction of doing what it took to win through dedication and sacrifice lasts forever.     

*Corridor to the Epic Run

I thought about the previously mentioned points while on an Epic Run.  The thoughts would come and go and I had to piece together coherent thoughts for this post.  When I am exercising my thoughts are really succinct and short.  They are like little clips of short movies.  The reason behind that is the fact that my thinking mind is competing with my working body for energy and the oxygen delivering blood.  Try this, next time you are exercising, try doing some math.  Even simple math is a challenge when you are exercising due to the competing demands of your body.  It's a trip, try it.

*Big Johnny, one of the residents on the ranch

My winter training camp has been great.  I have been putting in the necessary time for base training.  Some refer to winter training as "slogging."  I find it an accurate description.  During winter, you train consistently, exploit progressive overload, and you always feel a little fatigue.  You are not training "fast" so you never get that muscle shredding intensity, but you definitely feel the fatigue.  For me, that is a good feeling.  

With that said, you do have to exercise caution (pun).  Fatigue's best friend is over-training. When you were growing up did you ever have a friend who as my dad would say, "...brings out the worst in you"?  Fatigue and over-training are those type of friends.  In order to play nice, you must keep those type of friends from playing together.  If you don't play nice, over-training runs home and gets his older, ugly, mean, bully of a brother, injury.  It is a long season if you over-train in the winter.  Conversely, if you don't train hard during the winter, you will not win...period. 

*Ridin' the bike trainer in my amazing basement, sweet outfit!

My training camp was filled with lots of individual medley swimming, weight training, mountain running, and a true test of this champion's winter motivation, the indoor bike trainer.  The bike trainer is a necessity, I prefer to ride it with the TV off and radio blaring. Kelly Clarkson kept me company last session.  According to her song, "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."  I kind of liked hearing that.  Fun stuff.  As much as I think about the bike trainer, I actually enjoy riding it sometimes.  

*When it gets really cold, a thumbs-up-sunglass-ninja appears

So here is my question for you, 

What do you believe you can accomplish, and what are you willing to sacrifice to do so?