It's Got to be FUN

I know I always talk about swim, bike, and run racing and training and how much I love it. And these things really are extremely important to me. But I may have failed to properly convey an important point and I want to be clear on something. I am not one of those guys that is so type A that I obsess about my race times or finishes. Yes, I have goals, as everyone should. But I don’t live and die by my results. I am not one of those guys that get so wrapped up into training for something that real life becomes an obstacle to their goal. Enjoying life IS the goal and the rest of this stuff should only compliment that. It needs to all tie together and none of it should fight for sole possession of you. If your chocolate becomes a stressor, then you need to rethink how you look at your chocolate, or even find a new one. And I have no problem reminding some of my comrades, who may take this stuff a little too seriously, that you can’t really enjoy frozen chocolate.

Sometimes I think many of us have a tendency to get a little too wrapped up in racing and training and we forget that this stuff is supposed to be fun. In a time of advanced training tools and techniques, faster, lighter and better…. everything, it’s easy to get so focused on technology and performance that we forget to make sure the experiences are enjoyable. I know many people who won’t even get in the saddle unless it’s going to be a ride of at least 20 miles. Anything less is “just not worth it”.

Every once in a while make it a point to get back to basics by keeping it simple enough to be able to appreciate what’s going on around you. Ride your bike like you did when you were 12 years old. (With a helmet of course and without a rider on the handlebars) Run a few errands on an old beat up bike. Ride to a lake with a good book (preferable NOT a training guide!) and hang out for a little while. Or, leave the watch and heart rate monitor at home and run to the local convenience store with a backpack to pick up a few essentials. If you have kids, ride or run to their weekend soccer game. Ride the boardwalk of your favorite seashore at 8 miles per hour just so you can enjoy the scenery. Or run barefoot on the beach at sunrise.

These are all ways that although they won’t etch a lot of miles in the training log, they get you outside, they get you moving and they keep you fresh. These are particularly good on days when you are spent, have no training motivation and just can’t seem to get moving. Rather than take a scratch for the day, do something fun and simple. It will also jump-start your motivation.

Have FUN