10 days of rest

June 2, 2014

Day 6 of "10 Days of Rest" Went Haywire

It started innocently enough with coffee on the deck before moving onto one of my favorite joys, mowing the lawn. But there was something buzzing in my brain. I was pulsing at a deep level and my body was about to explode.

I crept into the “pain cave,” pulled out Gary Fisher, and filled his tires to 50 psi. I slowly gathered water bottles and picked the right shoes for my cages. I stewed, stammered and questioned for about an hour, then couldn’t resist. I had to get the blood pumping.

Tarrolly Hills was starting to bustle with activity, but the president was bent on another form of relaxation. Whipping tree branches and mud were calling my name.

I tore off into the Greenway, then darted right on the first trail. The bumpy grass was heaven as it jarred my upper body awake. The peace of the trail lulled me into a zone as I churned at a comfortable pace. “Just keep spinning,” advice from a friend long ago about how to move your mountain bike through the woods, rang in my head as I navigated nature.

The trails in Shelby Bottoms would equal “zero” on technical difficulty, but I was excited to find many single tracks lurking off the main path. There were fallen limbs, sand, and many other little obstacles to nibble. It wasn’t hard, but it was a challenge.

If you take the black top path, it’s just over 4 miles into the Nature Center. On trails, it was right about six. My legs felt a little heavy as I re-filled my water bottles, so I took about 20 minutes to stretch and do push ups.

It was a timeless exercise with no concern for time. None of it mattered as I centered myself in the moment as I peddled toward the formidable Mount Nasty. I climbed the first of what would be six hills, all 1/3 to 1/2 a mile long. My ascents were slow, but consistent and all followed by a downhill recovery.

Up, then down, then across the park to another hill, before going back to the Nature Center for more stretching, yoga, and push ups. My legs were pounding, but alive.

You make a lot of decisions on the trails and my upper body was happy to be involved in the process. I love mountain biking for this reason. Your mind more easily with you on the ride and not drifting off into the mundane problems in your life. You are engaged, and that is how my body felt.

It had rained while I was doing my hill repeats, and on the way back, the trail was wet and muddy. I attacked.

My bike handling was coming back. I leaned into the corners, trusting the tires and momentum. Rather than plotting tracks around the muck, I dove straight into muddy puddles.

The rain and mud washed my face. I was consumed by the moment and plowed through everything in my way. Part of me wanted more trails, but the logical brain reminded me that I was on 10 Days of Rest.

I emerged from the washed out trails onto the black top and spun out of the park. It was raining harder now and the mud trickled down my cheek, a mountain biker’s tear.

For the last year and a half, I have mainly ridden triathlon bike, with mixed emotions. I love the speed and raw power, but the constant position hasn’t been the best thing for my soul. Mountain biking forces you to bring your entire focus. Thousands of split second decisions keep out the chatter, the questions, the doubt. You’re constantly looking for the right path and finding it instinctively.

I felt a tinge of guilt for falling off the rest wagon, but my legs were happy I took the chance. Tired from the 18 mile jaunt, but pulsing with life.

It also reminded me how good this kind of riding can be for your run. Mountain bikes work your hamstrings more and I honestly think it can be a legitimate substitute for beating up your body with long runs. During my biggest stretch of mountain biking, I also played a lot of sports, and that’s when I was running the fastest. I was quick, agile, and resilient.

So, I will resume my 10 Days of Rest with a red mark on Day 6, but cannot wait to repeat that devilishly refreshing journey. Six miles of trails, six testy hills, six miles of trails. I have lovingly dubbed the workout, “6-6-6.”

May 31, 2014

Day 4 – "10 Days of Rest"

Day four was laced with . . . well, actually it was quite pedestrian. I got up, had one cup of coffee. Then went to work and sat most of the day.

It’s Friday night and I’m gonna grab some dinner and maybe chill. So essentially what I’m planning is an “off day” during my rest period. Whoa.

Truth be told, I can really feel some shit bubbling. I’m sorta looking at the weekend and thinking, “What the f*ck am I gonna do if I don’t swim, bike, or run?” I guess that’s where yard work comes in.

On the way home I was thinking about how people work through their “stuff.” You have to go inside and deal with suppressed issues. I’m fairly certain most of the world does that, starts feeling uncomfortable, then goes back to their old habits before any of the good shit can start happening.

Bad habits take years to hone and we expect them to be gone in a couple days? That’s a tough pill to swallow.

And what do I mean by bad habits? Well, for me, it’s depending on too much sugar and other stimulation during the day because I don’t sleep that well. But I can honestly tell in the short time I’ve been meditating again, my sleep is definitely better. I wouldn’t call it a podium sleep, but it’s improving.

I’ve been generally more mellow, but with a hint of rage on the horizon. I suppose this is something similar to what we felt in our taper for Ironman. Or any taper for that matter. Shit’s going a hundred miles an hour, then you’re forced to stop and look around. Damn, you can actually see things when you sit still.

I do know one thing. Sitting at a desk is probably the worst thing in the world for endurance athletes. It cuts off circulation in your legs and I’m serious when I say I limp my way out of the office after a long computer spell. Get up and move around a little, Mike.

Sounds like Mattie may get a long walk tomorrow.

Here’s dinner . . . Salmon in parchment with fennel, oyster mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and lemon burre…

May 30, 2014

3 Observations on "Day 3" of Rest

I want to be clear, these “10 Days of Rest” are far from passive. Recovery comes in many forms other than laying around (though I’ve done a bit of that, too).

While I remain cautious about over-reacting to how I feel during this stretch, I tend to pay attention to the subtle indicators. Here are three things that I’ve noticed since I’ve replaced intense activity with leg stretches, strengthening exercises, and mobility drills. Along with yoga and meditation.

1. I hear the music

I am notorious for falling into the trap of talk radio, especially sports. Yesterday I spent a ton of time driving and eventually noticed that I was listening to music most of the day. During one commercial break I flipped to sports talk . They were in the middle of some concocted argument about something insignificant and it literally made me feel dirty. I really believe music does heal and is fuel for the soul. Maybe next I’ll start noticing trees and flowers . . . nah.

2. A huge impulse to run

As I was leaving work yesterday, it was a beautiful night and I had a bounce in my step. That’s when I made the solid decision that I would run when I got home. I felt reinvigorated by the thought of a nice sweat and some good hills. I was pumped to wave at the neighbors! But then I remembered I’m resting and resisted. It’s been a while since I’ve been so eager to workout. Is youthful exuberance on the horizon?

3. Plantar Fasciitis

My heel has basically been sore since I ran Ironman Wisconsin last September. I’ve had my moments, but getting out of bed or a chair (not to mention running) has been met with consistent pain. It comes and goes, but has more or less been a constant in my life. I’ve screwed around with foot massagers and icing until my foot turned blue, but nothing gave much relief.

On Day 2 of this experiment, I noticed I wasn’t feeling that stab as much, and on Day 3, the pain was virtually gone, even in the morning. I even tested it by forcing my heel into the ground and jumping up and down. There was a very, very slight remnant, but nothing like I would have felt a few days before.

I have been doing a ton of light, prolonged stretching, and while I’m not fully convinced I’m “healed,” I do believe the heel pain was merely a symptom of something else. Losing this pain in my foot will make these 10 days well worth any sacrifice in aerobic fitness.

May 29, 2014

Day 2 of "10 Days of Rest"

The Blessing of Addiction

When you grow up in an alcoholic home, you have a tendency to crave excitement. So, when I don’t start the day running through fires naked, it’s worthy of note.

A subtle, but valuable indicator is when I’m not actively thinking of coffee. It’s a sub-conscious decision that I like to interpret as a symptom of balance.

I have to be careful though, because in some ways I fear that this newly concocted “10 Days of Rest” is the excitement. Do I really feel more relaxed, or am I just more optimistic because I have a fresh stimulant?

This thought process is a blessing and a curse, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a great base for being a triathlete. You crave new challenges and push your ass to the limits. You believe (or want to prove) you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. But, staying committed is the real battle.

Today’s “Workouts”

On “Day Two,” I eased in without anxiety of a missed or pending workout and I swear the calm was real. I didn’t have my first sip of coffee until I got to work. Often, that is time for cup number two.

The stretching and leg exercises from the day before helped, but I had an underlying feeling meditation was having just as much or more impact on my serenity. I’ve also been reading a book called “Flow” which is a pretty intense dive into consciousness and how your state of mind can be controlled and not left to chance. (More on that when I figure out what the hell he’s talking about).

Over lunch, I repeated the pelvis and hip flexor stretches from the day before. After work, things got a little more physical.

I added push ups, pull ups, some dumb bell work, then swim catch and pull simulations with cords. None of it was overly intense. Simply a wake up call to unused muscles. As the 10 Days build, so will the weight and reps. I also did Beso ball step-ups and can feel it a little in my calves.

Race Schedule Options

After walking the dog, I pulled my new USA Triathlon card out of the mail and found some intriguing race teases in the package. Louisville is my ultimate goal, but if I get done with these 10 Days and decide I’m gonna race short courses I have an alternative plan . . . that coincidentally could all take place in Wisconsin.

June 22 – Rev3 Wisconsin Dells (Olympic)
July 20 – IM 70.3 Racine (Half – most doubtful)
August 10 – USAT Olympic Nationals Milwaukee (Olympic)
September 13 – TriRock Series – Lake Geneva (Olympic)

In reality I will probably only do 3 of the 4, but it feels like a good plan considering I would have convenient lodging for most of it and I love being home in the summer.

If, I decide Louisville is my destiny, the schedule will probably look like more this:

August 24 – Ironman Louisville

Either way is a win and I’m just gonna let it play out naturally. Of course, the third option could be spending a summer in meditative recovery, but that might make a blog about triathlon kinda boring.

May 28, 2014

My First Day of 10 Days of Rest

I started my 10 Days of Rest yesterday, but that doesn’t mean I’m being lazy. I think it’s important to restate that this will be intense mind and body work to rebuild my foundation. I will be very active in my relaxation.

Last night I performed a fairly intense cycle of stretching and strengthening exercises. The base of the stretching is from Tim Ferriss’s 4-Hour Body book, and can be seen performed by this young man or look at this picture for a sample.

The first thing I learned (which I already knew) was that I am super tight in my pelvis and hip flexors. This is a major problem, and whether it’s true or not, I think it is basically the root of my plantar facetious (not to mention strain and stress in general). It sounds strange, but my heel is measurably better today after spending about 30 minutes with these exercises last night.

I also did a handful of planks only to realize, not only am I tight, I am weak! Crazy how you can workout so much and feel like a you can’t fight your way out of a paper bag.

Triathlon was the perfect cross train discovery for my running woes, now I realize I need to cross train the cross train. Triathlon makes you very straight-ahead-easy-pace-strong, but doesn’t round out the body as much as I need. It’s those same, repetitive motions that build the same muscles. When I was going good last season, I was doing yoga at least twice a week, along with leg exercises that worked unused muscles. But, time is a rare commodity in triathlon and something as simple as 30 minutes to invest in your long-term success becomes expendable.

So, I have no idea if this experiment will pay off, but my gut is telling me it will. It’s a little risky to drop all endurance training for 10 days at this time of the season, but health is the key to fitness and I’m hoping this slight detour will get me there faster.

I’ll probably repeat this routine a couple times today, then add some Beso ball step-ups and balance stuff, along with a full round of yoga. I’m also looking forward to incorporating a bunch of plank varieties along with push ups and modified pull ups.

Obviously this is far deeper than training. Last year’s Ironman training knocked me off a lazy and directionless foundation, and now I’m working on putting these pieces together in a way that makes sense. The “excitement” WAS Ironman. Now, I feel like I’m looking for that deep and genuine place in training (and life) that fuels me on a more natural and consistent level. Pure excitement for the day ahead, period.