Pie

Ah, the pie chart.

I get Dr. Minkoff's newsletter every month. He is an accomplished triathlete and respected proponent of all things health and fitness. His big message is in the arena of protein supplements and branch chain amino-acids. He has some very fast clients. His newsletter this month contained the Triathlon pie-chart graph at left. In it he divides the slices of the pie into six tasty servings:

TRAINING

RECOVERY

NUTRITION

WELLNESS

MENTAL

RACING

All leading to the thrice emphasized outer crusting called performance. My only qualm with this chart is that it assumes that those seeking its sweetness of performance live in areas that are suitable for equal portions of training and racing. I don't have to tell you that for those of us carving out meager livings in the GREAT Pacific Northwest, this is a major challenge. Unless of course you like arctic swimming, dog sledding or running in the frozen rain.

Or, unless you have access to a CompuTrainer Multi-Rider set up and can then race to your hearts delight. Because that is what it is - a delight to your heart. Dialing it up AND KEEPING IT UP. While this not exclusive to racing it is extremely difficult in training. You know this. I see examples of it every day in the House of Mirth®. I ask for 85% and I get 50. I ask for a sprint and I get a 'just-a hint". I plead for a one song TIME TRIAL and we usually get to about the instrumental refrain before the accumulative negative effects of mental fatigue creates cacophonous discord and a sudden loss of focus. From there it pretty much goes straight to you-know-where in a you-know-what. You are then left to the misery of slugging it out. Let me say this please: I KNOW IT'S HARD. THAT IS EXACTLY WHY WE DO IT. Getting through this builds strength (as well as character). It is the input of effort that creates the output of power. You subsist on a steady diet of high-intensity training, you'll race with power as desert.

Isn't that why we race? To test our methodology and dedication? To see what we are capable of doing? To match the joy of motion with the thrill of competition? To mingle with that elusive combination of mind, body and spirit? To experience the input of effort as it manifests the output of speed, or optimum health and fitness?

Make no mistake, I LOVE the heat of battle, running side-by side with someone faster, riding with someone stronger, outlasting someone twenty years younger, but even with a non-competition clause, I would still push to jump higher, reach the next level, experiment with other healthy life style combinations.

Input and Output. Diet and Exercise. Effort and Reward. Training and Racing. Eat what makes you healthy and do what tastes like your favorite pie.

Make mine a la mode, please.