Breakfast Paparazzi

A couple of quick observations this beautiful gray September morning.

There are things that I can control and others that I cannot. I can change the way that I observe, react and manage. This is a continually changing dynamic and subject to daily fine tuning based upon detailed analysis of latest data. It is a fascinating personal study in cause and effect. Here are some recent examples:

Am I completely confident that I am doing EVERYTHING to push my training and racing agenda? Is there a key component that I have somehow overlooked that is keeping me from the final rung?

True, I am not putting in the Ironman training hours I have in the past (12-15 per week) but I am doing something everyday, and most days when I am not traveling I am doing something TWICE everyday. That should be enough, eh?

No. It isn't.

If I am going to be my absolute best on the course, I need to be my absolute best off it. And here are three things that I can do immediately to impact this latest round of RCVman R&D:

1) Stretch more. I really feel tightness in hamstrings and hips. Since my trial separation from martial arts and all the stretching, turning and twisting that it demands, my core and performance muscles have seen a noticeable decrease in range of motion and flexibility. Time to get back to the mat, Tak Kwon Do or Yoga.

2) My choice of fuel has long been a debate. I no not eat meat or fish. I try to balance fruit and veggies with carbs and protein. I take protein supplements. I am half Italian and I love bread. Gotta go, ciao pane. Corn and rice are cheap in comparison to organic, locally grown produce, but what is the true cost to my fitness and health? Sometimes I go to Safeway and can't find ANYTHING good to eat, this amazes me. I will not sacrifice health for economy yet at the same time I refuse to pay a dollar per grape. Argggh. All that said, I can still tweak my power to weight ratio by racing lighter and leaner. I can cut processed breads and replace them with even more fruits and veggies. Semi Paleo if you will. More R&D, trial and error. The perfect combo is out there somewhere, waiting.

3) I can cut back on the Guinness and Tempranillo. This despite the latest reports that call it beneficial. I understand that it is a vehicle for stress management, but when it interferes with recovery (and it does) or keeps one away from quality sleep (and it does) or causes water imbalances as a diuretic (and it does) then it has got to go. More so if it causes me to say silly things at parties (and it does).

So there are three things outside the traditional Diet & Exercise box. They aren't that difficult to enact and the up-side could be huge. Cause and Effect.

Put 'em in play grasshopper.

This morning Junior says, no photos with waffles on the plate, dude.