Back to Work

OK, you have raced, you have tested your methodologies, you have engaged with life, you have competed. You had some fun. You learned some lessons. The puny and the enormous. You rested some.

Welcome to the roller-coaster. Remember that our plan was to:

Build, peak, taper, race, recover.

After the weekends merriment, we are now, officially, in recover mode, so let's do it wisely. Resting heart rates still a bit higher than our average of last week? Any lingering soreness, inflammation or nagging hot-spots? And my arch-nemisis, how about our emotional status? If you do this long enough you will start to notice an emotional joy ride as well. The absolute endorphin driven euphoria of race day, and its counter, the post event blues. Please pay attention to what is happening here.

As our bodies heal from the trauma, let's allow our emotions a soft landing as well. Please be gentle. Give yourself some credit. If you have any range of motion remaining, reach around and give yourself a pat on the back. I don't care what your time was, your average speed, max HR or finish place, the simple doing was enough for an "atta boy" or a "way to go gal". This is respecting the journey. Ignore it, or think yourself above this law, will result in crashing and burning.

Let's take this important time to assess our performance, examine the output, learn the lessons of the day. Was there a little secret revealed to us, a piece of the puzzle (finally) put into place, a lightening bolt of understanding witnessed? Were we inspired by those around us? Were colors richer, sounds cleaner and focus finer? Did we run happy? Did we feel in the flow, with the chi current, in the groove, for even one moment? Did it change us? Makes no difference whether we traveled by foot, by bike, in the gym or in the water. We celebrated a portion of the path by doing.

Was any of this worth the consistent and demanding time we have spent together in training? Yes? Good. We'll take two days off from running, and then…..

Back to work.

Saturday by bike. Sunday's elevation profile of 13.1 miles. Atta boy and way to go gal.