Story of my life.

Oh man, the other day a friend of mine sent me an article that "reminded her of me" and boy, it remind me of me as well. I have linked the New York times article below

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/health/nutrition/08BEST.html?_r=2&ref=fashion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

But for those of you too lazy to read the article (or if for some reason thelink stops working eventually) the point of the article is this. In order to master running (but you could substitute swimming and biking in the analogy i am sure) you have to stop doing the other 2 disciplines. Now, really, this SEEMS like common sense. We have all heard the old adage " Jack of all trades, master of none" and it seems to me that this article is basically insinuating that this is a perfect descriptiion of triathletes.

Now, i refuse to believe that is all a triathlete is someone who is just mediocre at 3 things instead of just awesome at one. I prefer to think of the sport as people are are awesome at 1 thing, that one thing being triathlong which just HAPPENS to be consistant of 3 things. We are one big group of multi-taskers.

The article however does shed light on some interesting training problems i have been having and makes me feel much better that i am not the only one that feels the same way. It mentions that often triathletes will get in the pool one day and sink like a rock becuase their legs are shot, and then the next day slide effortless through the pool, but get passed on the bike path by a 6 year old child on a pink tricycle with handle-bar tassels. Why, you may ask?

Well,it seems to be that while triathlon virtually works every major muscle group inyour body, building up competeing muscles groups with almost equal intensity doesnt allow for what one would call a "peak" in any one activity. I have definatly noticed this. One day i will have an amazing run, and another day, specifically days following a long ride, i may as well have shackled 20 pound weights to each leg and tried to run that way.

I wont say it is not discouraging. HOWEVER, i do not believe the answer for triathletes is to give up on it a focus on one discipline. there is after all, a reason you started triathlon in the first place.(its probably the variety that is lacking in more one dimensional training, coupled with how much a rockstar you feel like when you come powering out of the open water swim to hundreds/thousands cheering onlookers... but you know, maybe thats just me) now, for the people mentioed in the article, perhaps focusing their attention on running was a good idea, seeing as she ran the boston marathon at a ridiculous pace and came in second. but for those of us who probably wouldnt even come in second in a marathon with only 3 racers in it, we have to just find ways around the daily struggles of training.

i think the bottom line for me is, its ok to have a bad run on a day when you have a good ride and its ok to have a sluggish swim on a day with a long and effortless run. as a triathlete you train your body to keep going no matter what the conditions, and on race day, the adrenaline will probably carry you through whatever sluggishness you may encounter. that said, i will sound like a broken record but you cannot successfully train without 1) propoer nutrition and 2) proper recovery. so if your body is telling you to stop for a day you better do it.

that is all for now.