8-Week Burnout

I have 4 more weeks to get my body prepared and my game face on for Ohio 70.3, and I am definitely getting burnt out on training. I was telling both Ericka and John recently that I was looking forward to getting the triathlon over with and getting my life back again; it seems my entire schedule is currently built around working, training, watching the weather to see how it will impact my training, and making social plans around my training schedule. For instance, while I’ve been in possession of Brandi Carlile tickets for a number of months now, the only thing I could think about was how tired I was going to be that evening after a 50-mile bike, when I should have been elated at the chance to see this amazing artist perform at The Louisville Palace. I’m sorta over it, to be honest.

Some people have told me that they don’t necessarily like racing, but that they love the training aspect of triathlon. I’m the exact opposite – while I like the racing part, I tend to loathe the training. Now, don’t get me wrong – I love what the training provides for me….. a feeling of strength in my body, the building of stamina, seeing my body in a more positive light and (just as important) regular and multiple daily bowel movements! But there comes a point when I look at the schedule and realize that for the next three weeks my long days consist of a 50+ mile bike, a 2+ hour run, and 1.2 mile swim – and I get exhausted just reading my Training Peaks calendar.

Luckily, I am on a recovery week at the moment (I do a three-week build, one-week recovery training method), and am feeling so thankful for the break. Not only am I looking at no more than a 1.5 hour ride/30 minute run/2200y swim, I am also driving to Nashville this weekend to see my boyfriend who was out of the country for nearly two weeks. I think this fact has also played a part in my mindset, as I haven’t had him to look forward to. When my life consists of little more than working and training, it’s no wonder that I’m burned out.

All of this being said, I need to keep myself in check and remember that at least I have the capability to be as active as I am; that I have the mental and physical fortitude to train and race the way that I do (even as a back-of-the-packer most races). Instead of complaining about how tired I am, I need to remember that this kind of sore is the good kind because it means that I’ve been pushing myself to improve upon my endurance and strength. That, given my family history of heart disease and obesity, I’m making a choice every day to live a different lifestyle and try to at least negate some of what my DNA has cast upon me. So… for one more day I make the decision to lace up my shoes or don the bike helmet or slip on the goggles and muddle through another mile.