Hi, I found your blog... I'm an amateur triathlete. I've entered Lake Stevens 70.3 and trained every day since mid-March. I've put my life and my soul into one event this year. Everything else was on hold. The plan was to show up this Sunday, kick ass and place top 5 in my age group, and go to Clearwater. Alas, it looks as if a knee injury and another medical condition have other plans for me. The downward spiral of worry, doubt, anger, frustration, pain and much disappointment (your words!) started about 6 weeks ago. Before I couldn't do anything wrong, and now it seems I can't do anything right.
The way out of a rough patch is self-motivation and passion for the sport. I've lost both. You need to want this so badly you can almost picture the race day and the finish line while you are training. Instead, the training these past few weeks has turned from fun to a chore. That inevitably lead to fewer and fewer training hours, which further eroded my motivation. The pain wasn't helping, but I don't think that my physical health alone was entirely responsible. Ironman is as much about the mental toughness as it is about the physical one, as you no doubt know.
The race is just 30 miles from my house. I'm tempted to go and watch, but that I'm afraid might be too bittersweet. Tough-as-nails athlete isn't supposed to cry. :)
I'll be back at Lake Stevens next year.
Thank you for writing today's blog entry. It was truly inspirational. I completely understand and sympathize with most of what you wrote, with the exception of two things: you are NOT a failure, and please stop with the tombstone talk! Things will look up before long and the rough patch will be a distant memory. You know that, right? Keep training and stay injury free, and you'll regain your motivation. That in turn will help you place well in your next race and the path of success will open up before you.
Take care.
-A
The way out of a rough patch is self-motivation and passion for the sport. I've lost both. You need to want this so badly you can almost picture the race day and the finish line while you are training. Instead, the training these past few weeks has turned from fun to a chore. That inevitably lead to fewer and fewer training hours, which further eroded my motivation. The pain wasn't helping, but I don't think that my physical health alone was entirely responsible. Ironman is as much about the mental toughness as it is about the physical one, as you no doubt know.
The race is just 30 miles from my house. I'm tempted to go and watch, but that I'm afraid might be too bittersweet. Tough-as-nails athlete isn't supposed to cry. :)
I'll be back at Lake Stevens next year.
Thank you for writing today's blog entry. It was truly inspirational. I completely understand and sympathize with most of what you wrote, with the exception of two things: you are NOT a failure, and please stop with the tombstone talk! Things will look up before long and the rough patch will be a distant memory. You know that, right? Keep training and stay injury free, and you'll regain your motivation. That in turn will help you place well in your next race and the path of success will open up before you.
Take care.
-A
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