The hardest pill to swallow

I am trying to get the hang of writing entry's without discussing races, as if I only wrote about racing there would be a large gap in my blogging between the months of September-February. Just last week I discussed a revelation that I believe I have undergone since beginning endurance athletics. Coming into the sport i was extremely focused on being number 1, overly so. This is a common trap many of us fall into. It is easy, when we really want something, to put on the blinders to the world around us. Some might call this a "one-TRACK mind" (ha,ha,ha).

I apologize for the pun, hopefully you are still reading. I guess I have become quite the comedian in my old age, I have to attribute the puns to my mom and her boyfriend Mark, as they dwarf me in their linguistic abilities.

To get back to the point, I would like to believe that I have gotten BETTER at pulling off the blinders and looking at the rest of the world around me. I do believe that being surrounded by so many like minded individuals we can help each other to see the world in a more holistic manner. I do spend a fair amount of time discussing training and racing with my friends but this is what I like to do, there are much worse things that is for sure. One of the biggest parts of training, that I discuss nearly ad nauseum is setbacks. Setbacks are inevitable with endurance sports, and it is these setback that make victory taste so sweet.

Last week I discussed that it is during times when we cannot train because of injuries that we can grow the most. Maybe I should have knocked on some wood because a week later I find myself completely out of commission for running (peroneal tendinitis). I have been fortunate over the past year to undergo very few injuries, which has been phenomenal for my training. I have seen friends around me suffer from numerous setbacks and injuries and I have been quick to reassure these individuals that if they are smart and focus on recovering they will be back in no time. Now that I find myself in their position I find myself antsy as hell to get healthy again just as they were.

If a friend of mine had come to me and told me they were having the pain I was last week I would have told them to make sure NOT to run on it, and ice and stretch well. Why then is it that I feel that I should do anything different? Of course I tried to run through the aching foot for two days before I decided to take a few days off completely before resuming biking and swimming. During my drive to and from Philly Evrett and I discussed for some time the irony in the fact that it is the advice that we are the quickest to give that is the most difficult for us to follow. It is difficult for us as imperfect human beings to look at the situation from an outside point of view. It is our own medicine that is by far the least palatable for ourselves. Fortunately, it is November and there is a long time until next season. This will give me the chance to put some much needed work into my swimming. It is important for us to realize our imperfections and be patient and listen to ourselves. Frequently, the answers for the most distressing issues we deal with are best answered by the one-and-only you.