I just finished a 10-mile trail race and I feel good. I’m pleased that my Achilles held up. It seems I took the right approach to addressing the pain in that are.
I am grateful and very happy to have had a lot of fun over the past few months in the great Colorado outdoors. This spring and summer were full of activities including the following:
- Wilderness Trekking School through the Colorado Mountain Club
- Colfax Marathon 10-miler road run
- 2-night cabin stay in Golden Gate Canyon; hiking and mountain biking
- the Triple Bypass (bike ride, not the heart procedure)
- 2-day mountain bike skills clinic, (2nd time for me to take this; It’s a superb class.)
- Rode the Monarch Crest Trail near Salida, CO.
- Rode the 401 and the Snodgrass, Lupine and Lower Loop in Crested Butte; (The 401 is famous. I enjoyed the Snodgrass/Lupine/Lower Loop a little more.)
- 2-night, 27-mile backpacking trip through the Maroon Bells
- The Gentleman’s Loop followed by a run/hike of most of the Blue Lake Trail in Telluride, CO
- Fall Evergold Trail 10-miler trail run
Besides these events, I put in the time to train for all of them. I’ve also continued lifting though for most of these past few months it’s been at a minimal level, about twice a week though that has changed recently. It’s been a lot of fun and a lot of hard work, but now it’s definitely time to shift gears.
I’m feeling a bit tired and beat-up. I can say without hesitation that it’s time for some rest. Rest is an interesting concept. Most people probably get a little too much rest. Some of us find it difficult to take time off though. Strangely, it can be a challenge to time away from challenging physical work.
Saying, “It’s so difficult to take a break from all this grueling stuff,” sounds loaded with pretentious fake humility. I don’t say this to sound like some sort of supreme, tough-guy super-athlete. There is a strange type of mental state that many of us have that isn’t entirely rational, healthy or wise. Our love our chosen activity(-ies) can verge into irrational dependence and obsession.
Our running, riding, swimming, climbing, skiing, lifting, — our athletic achievements and work — define us. What are we without the sweat, toil and achievement?
We also start to think crazy thoughts. Take just 48-72 hours off from working out and many an exercise aficionado starts to go insane. We think things like,
“All my muscles have shriveled like prunes and I’ve gained 30 lbs of pure fat!”
“My lung capacity is probably that of an emphysema victim!”
“I am nothing but crippled, human lard!“
That’s just after a few days! Taking several weeks or a whole month away from training can be excruciating!
This is all nonsense crazy-talk. It’s foolish to think we can keep pushing and pushing to no end. Following a serious season of training and/or competition, rest is exactly the activity an athlete needs. It’s easy to accept this fact on an intellectual level. It’s more difficult to accept it emotionally.