I had a fun swim yesterday. I'm swimming with David's swim team, and the coach creatively designs an individual workout for me. I'm still convinced that my swim coaches, past and present, set up IM and butterfly sets for me just for their amusement. I don't do butterfly... it's more of a bumblebee (if a bumblebee is not supposed to be able to fly due to its aerodynamics...). Anyway, after a 10 x 100 IM set, I had to sprint kick 25's. Now, the term "sprint kick" is an oxymoron in my world. And I was going to ask if I could use fins, but decided against it, since I knew the answer would be laughter and a "No." But I was actually excited that I was able to sprint kick a 25 between 22-25 seconds. Before any of you belittle that time, you have to understand that I was barely able to get forward propulsion when I first started kicking back when I was just starting to swim for triathlons.
So after doing a set of 25's my legs were a bit thrashed. And then the last part? Ashley said, "One last thing before you get out of the pool: swim an 800." Excuse me? I repeated that as a question. And yup, that was the answer. And so back and forth I went. And you know what? It didn't kill me; the lifeguards didn't have to save me; and I got it done. As I was finishing the last few laps, I thought that something like that is really good for me. Considering that a sprint tri is usually a 1/2 mile swim, it made me realize that I SHOULD be swimming faster during a race. After all, if I can swim an 800 at the end of a workout, swimming hard during a triathlon should be reasonable.
The funniest part of this was when I told my family about my workout while we were eating dinner. I guess some of David's teammates were complaining about having to finish their workout with 4 x 100. His response: "Would you rather do this or would you rather do what my Dad is doing? He has to swim an 800." I guess I might have earned a little bit of respect from his team yesterday.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Something about Newtons
Today is a double-header. Actually the entry just before this was written yesterday. I wasn't sure whether I was going to keep it or delete it, and then I figured that this was my blog and I can do whatever I want.
Today's thoughts are less esoteric and more along the lines of what this blog was intended for: running and triathlons. I ran yesterday in my Newtons. It has been a few weeks since I ran in them, since I'm still trying to like the K-Swiss Kwicky's that I got last year. Because of this, I've been running primarily in them; the other admission is that I haven't been running much at all in the past few weeks. Truth be told, I haven't been enjoying running recently. Coincidentally (or maybe not), most if not all of my runs have been with the Kwickys. My feet have hurt a bit more, my legs have not felt as "snappy," and my body has ached a bit more the following day. Since the weather has been wet recently, I decided to use my Newton Momentums, which were more likely to keep my feet drier. The Kwickys have drain holes in the sole, which not only let water out, but also let water in, so not the best choice when there are puddles around.
But... the weather was cool and dry, the roads were dry, and the trails were mostly dry. I ran from the hospital after work because I had a meeting until 5:00. As I started on my run, my legs felt pretty good, better than they've felt in a few weeks. And my entire run felt good and, while not effortless, seemed less of a slog than it has been. It again had me wondering: what is it about Newtons that seems to fit my running style so well? Most of the time that I run in them, I feel better than when running in other shoes. At first, I thought it was a placebo effect, but it has been pretty repeatable. I have switched off shoes since the early 80's when I worked in a running shoe store. And I have always used two different kinds (and usually brands) of shoes. The first reason is that this is supposed to increase shoe life; of course, that's more the case if you are running every day. The second reason (and the reason I use different models/brands) is to keep from developing a repetitive stress injury. Changing the models/brands causes you to run slightly differently, and, theoretically, decreases risk of injury.
Anyway, by doing this, along with justifying the inner Imelda Marcos in me, I do learn which shoes work better for me. What I've found over the past several years is that Newtons work for me. Obviously, they're not for everyone, but I like them. I'll probably keep alternating shoes, but I think the idea that the Newtons make it easier for me to enjoy running is real. And I may retire the Kwickys early.
(I am not sponsored by, nor do I have any affiliation with Newton Running... not yet at least!)
Today's thoughts are less esoteric and more along the lines of what this blog was intended for: running and triathlons. I ran yesterday in my Newtons. It has been a few weeks since I ran in them, since I'm still trying to like the K-Swiss Kwicky's that I got last year. Because of this, I've been running primarily in them; the other admission is that I haven't been running much at all in the past few weeks. Truth be told, I haven't been enjoying running recently. Coincidentally (or maybe not), most if not all of my runs have been with the Kwickys. My feet have hurt a bit more, my legs have not felt as "snappy," and my body has ached a bit more the following day. Since the weather has been wet recently, I decided to use my Newton Momentums, which were more likely to keep my feet drier. The Kwickys have drain holes in the sole, which not only let water out, but also let water in, so not the best choice when there are puddles around.
But... the weather was cool and dry, the roads were dry, and the trails were mostly dry. I ran from the hospital after work because I had a meeting until 5:00. As I started on my run, my legs felt pretty good, better than they've felt in a few weeks. And my entire run felt good and, while not effortless, seemed less of a slog than it has been. It again had me wondering: what is it about Newtons that seems to fit my running style so well? Most of the time that I run in them, I feel better than when running in other shoes. At first, I thought it was a placebo effect, but it has been pretty repeatable. I have switched off shoes since the early 80's when I worked in a running shoe store. And I have always used two different kinds (and usually brands) of shoes. The first reason is that this is supposed to increase shoe life; of course, that's more the case if you are running every day. The second reason (and the reason I use different models/brands) is to keep from developing a repetitive stress injury. Changing the models/brands causes you to run slightly differently, and, theoretically, decreases risk of injury.
Anyway, by doing this, along with justifying the inner Imelda Marcos in me, I do learn which shoes work better for me. What I've found over the past several years is that Newtons work for me. Obviously, they're not for everyone, but I like them. I'll probably keep alternating shoes, but I think the idea that the Newtons make it easier for me to enjoy running is real. And I may retire the Kwickys early.
(I am not sponsored by, nor do I have any affiliation with Newton Running... not yet at least!)
Random thoughts
"Man looks in the abyss, there's nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss." This is the line from "Wall Street" that Hal Holbrook's character says to Charlie Sheen just before Sheen is arrested, and was likely paraphrased from Friedrich Nietzsche. And it seems fitting to apply to Tyler Hamilton, based upon his book that I just read. What does that have to do with me? The choices that professional athletes make are hard ones. They are being paid to perform, and, if they don't perform, they don't get paid. While that doesn't justify the cheating that goes on, it does help to explain it to some extent.
I am an amateur MOP-triathlete. I enjoy my avocation, and can look upon it with a purity that a pro has long since lost. Why? I don't have the talent to be come close to a pro, but, thankfully, my ability to put a roof over my family's head or food on the table is not dependent on my athletic ability. Rather, it is dependent on my intellect, which, I assume since I've been doing my job for 20+ years, IS reasonably good. So, I can enjoy my athletic endeavors, and the only pressure to perform is that which I put on myself. It doesn't mean that I try any less hard. It just means that I can try (tri?) my hardest, and if I get beat by someone, it's because they were better than me on that day, and I can live with that. I can also look myself in the eye and be satisfied that I have not done anything that I would be ashamed of admitting.
Our culture deifies those that have the talent to do things that we cannot ourselves do. That's why we pay our performers (actors, musicians, athletes) enormous amounts of money to entertain us. And yet, I'm much happier being an anonymous member of society who does things, which, while being compensated not nearly as well as a performer, are just as important for the health and well-being of society.
I am an amateur MOP-triathlete. I enjoy my avocation, and can look upon it with a purity that a pro has long since lost. Why? I don't have the talent to be come close to a pro, but, thankfully, my ability to put a roof over my family's head or food on the table is not dependent on my athletic ability. Rather, it is dependent on my intellect, which, I assume since I've been doing my job for 20+ years, IS reasonably good. So, I can enjoy my athletic endeavors, and the only pressure to perform is that which I put on myself. It doesn't mean that I try any less hard. It just means that I can try (tri?) my hardest, and if I get beat by someone, it's because they were better than me on that day, and I can live with that. I can also look myself in the eye and be satisfied that I have not done anything that I would be ashamed of admitting.
Our culture deifies those that have the talent to do things that we cannot ourselves do. That's why we pay our performers (actors, musicians, athletes) enormous amounts of money to entertain us. And yet, I'm much happier being an anonymous member of society who does things, which, while being compensated not nearly as well as a performer, are just as important for the health and well-being of society.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Back to MacGyver units!
I'm watching MacGyver again. Yes, that means I'm back on my trainer, and it's the off-season. I decided to give Trainerroad.com another chance, especially because I'm still in the transition phase of my season. In truth, I'm still in vacation mode after Boards. I have to recertify for Internal Medicine every 10 years, and this was the year. I spent the past couple of months studying fairly hard and took Boards just under 2 weeks ago. Since the last time I took a really meaningful test was 10 years ago, my study habits and ability to concentrate for long periods of time are pretty poor. And the test was harder than I expected. 10 years ago, it seemed like the test was pretty easy. This time, there were a lot of tough questions. Well, hopefully, I passed.
Now that it's over, I seem to have a lot of free time. Maybe it's the combination of extra time, and relief that I no longer have to feel like "I should be studying." I've spent the past week enjoying down time, watching some TV guilt-free. And of course, now that I can golf, ride my bike and run, the rainy season has started. That's why I'm back to MacGyver. Just sitting on my bike pedaling and mindlessly watching MacGyver escape from the brink of danger (usually Cold War oriented) is therapeutic, even if I'm not pushing myself very hard. Last Saturday was a 1.5 MacGyver unit ride, and was pretty low intensity. But MacGyver saved a cruise ship, so the universe is orderly once again.
I'm now reading Tyler Hamilton's book, "The Secret Race." Before all of the doping surfaced, I respected Tyler Hamilton as a rider. He seemed down-to-Earth, humble, and not a megalomaniac. Then, the whole "twin" thing came about after he got busted, and I lost all respect for him. After watching the "60 Minutes" interview, I had a little bit of respect for him again, as he admitted quite a lot. As I read his book, with all of the Lance brouhaha in the background, he is earning my respect again.
I never believed that cyclists were clean, but I never realized the extent of the doping. Today, I took a look at the TdF list of podium finishers, and there isn't a "clean name" from 1996-2005. Everyone on the podium has been implicated in doping. In 1994, I had the opportunity to ride with Graeme Obree, and he mentioned that 70% of the pro peloton was on drugs. At that time, we all kind of nodded and said, "Yeah, right." In retrospect, he was wrong; the number was certainly higher than 70%.
When contemplating which road one is going to take, the biggest decision really "should" be whether your chosen path will allow you to sleep at night with a clear conscience.
Now that it's over, I seem to have a lot of free time. Maybe it's the combination of extra time, and relief that I no longer have to feel like "I should be studying." I've spent the past week enjoying down time, watching some TV guilt-free. And of course, now that I can golf, ride my bike and run, the rainy season has started. That's why I'm back to MacGyver. Just sitting on my bike pedaling and mindlessly watching MacGyver escape from the brink of danger (usually Cold War oriented) is therapeutic, even if I'm not pushing myself very hard. Last Saturday was a 1.5 MacGyver unit ride, and was pretty low intensity. But MacGyver saved a cruise ship, so the universe is orderly once again.
I'm now reading Tyler Hamilton's book, "The Secret Race." Before all of the doping surfaced, I respected Tyler Hamilton as a rider. He seemed down-to-Earth, humble, and not a megalomaniac. Then, the whole "twin" thing came about after he got busted, and I lost all respect for him. After watching the "60 Minutes" interview, I had a little bit of respect for him again, as he admitted quite a lot. As I read his book, with all of the Lance brouhaha in the background, he is earning my respect again.
I never believed that cyclists were clean, but I never realized the extent of the doping. Today, I took a look at the TdF list of podium finishers, and there isn't a "clean name" from 1996-2005. Everyone on the podium has been implicated in doping. In 1994, I had the opportunity to ride with Graeme Obree, and he mentioned that 70% of the pro peloton was on drugs. At that time, we all kind of nodded and said, "Yeah, right." In retrospect, he was wrong; the number was certainly higher than 70%.
When contemplating which road one is going to take, the biggest decision really "should" be whether your chosen path will allow you to sleep at night with a clear conscience.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
The other day... I met a bear
Went out on a bike ride yesterday. It was a beautiful Fall afternoon, and, after studying for too many hours, the unbelievable weather that we've been having called me to enjoy it. I got on my road bike for the first time in who knows how long. It has been 2 weeks since I got on a bike at all, and I've been spending all of my time on my tri-bike. While I enjoy riding my tri-bike, there's something special about how my road bike feels that always brings a smile to my face. In 17 years, I've had 3 different tri-bikes, and the same road bike.
I decided to go for a gentle ride on Fort Lewis. With Train buzzing in my ears, and sunshine on my face, it was hard to not be loving life. Mount Rainier was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. After passing through the gate on my way home, I turned left to head past the pet cemetery. I saw a black object lumbering down the road about 1/4 mile in front of me, and I knew it was a black bear. I slowed down, and thought about pulling out my phone to snap a quick picture, but realized that if it got spooked and decided to chase me, I'd be SOL. And as I got closer, I wondered if Momma Bear was somewhere close and decided that skipping the Kodak (would that be a Kodiak?) moment was a smart decision. I freewheeled to make sure the little bear heard me. When he turned and saw me, he jumped and bolted for the fence line, crashing head first into the fence. I turned right away from the cemetery and bear and rode home. As I looked back one final time, the bear was sitting up, looking directly at me; made me grin even more. On Fort Lewis, I saw one car and one bear. A pretty good ratio, I think.
I decided to go for a gentle ride on Fort Lewis. With Train buzzing in my ears, and sunshine on my face, it was hard to not be loving life. Mount Rainier was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. After passing through the gate on my way home, I turned left to head past the pet cemetery. I saw a black object lumbering down the road about 1/4 mile in front of me, and I knew it was a black bear. I slowed down, and thought about pulling out my phone to snap a quick picture, but realized that if it got spooked and decided to chase me, I'd be SOL. And as I got closer, I wondered if Momma Bear was somewhere close and decided that skipping the Kodak (would that be a Kodiak?) moment was a smart decision. I freewheeled to make sure the little bear heard me. When he turned and saw me, he jumped and bolted for the fence line, crashing head first into the fence. I turned right away from the cemetery and bear and rode home. As I looked back one final time, the bear was sitting up, looking directly at me; made me grin even more. On Fort Lewis, I saw one car and one bear. A pretty good ratio, I think.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
It is not all about you
There have been a couple amusing threads lately on one of the triathlon forums that I like to read. While this forum often has really good technical information, there are occasions when threads are started and propagated which reveal the selfish nature of triathletes (and people for that matter). Most recently, the subject has been about unsupportive spouses or SO's. While most of us have what I believe is a fairly healthy outlook on the importance of our hobbies (and even most pro triathletes seem to have a healthy outlook on their jobs), there are a few misguided souls who believe that the world (triathlon and otherwise) revolves around them. Believe it or not, the real world doesn't really care that you were 15th at the Bob Green Mother's Day Triathlon in 1986. Or even 1st for that matter.
The reality of it is that most (and some say all) should do these sporting things for our health and leave it at that. Now, some of us enjoy testing ourselves, which is why we compete. And there are others who have a "bucket list" (I really dislike that term) and feel that they need to cross things off to feel like they've lived a full life. I'm not speaking about the bucket list people, because I don't share the same philosophy. Awhile back, I posed the question of whether someone had a passion or a bucket list, as I think that each has a distinct personality; I fit into the first group.
Anyway, back to my original thoughts. The idea that your spouse or SO is unsupportive is an unfortunate one but sometimes that's the reality. The concern is that the lack of support may be related to a deeper problem with the relationship and is only exacerbated by the hobby, so improving the relationship is probably what needs to happen. Triathlon is not the scapegoat in this case; it is simply the "canary in the mineshaft." A further problem that also speaks to a problem with the relationship is keeping triathlon to oneself. There are examples of triathletes buying expensive pieces of equipment and never telling their SO or hiding it. Again, this speaks to a problem with the relationship. And, lest you think that "well, it's my money, so I can do with it what I want," um... again, since you are sharing your life with that person, well, I've got news for you: it's not only YOUR money.
What about the idea that one is spending too much time with their hobby and it is all-consuming? I see this more in the newer triathlete, who "gets the bug" and can't get enough of it. All triathletes have some amount of obsessiveness; that is their nature. But, getting too wrapped up in any one thing is never healthy. I preach moderation in all things in life to my patients, and I try to live my life that way. So, balancing things in your life is a key to keeping things on a more level plane, and, usually, after the initial infatuation with the new hobby that is triathlon, things calm down to a more reasonable level. What about the person who never balances it out, to the detriment of spouse and family? First off, it's usually the male. Males, myself included, are a selfish breed. We're used to looking out only for ourselves. From firsthand experience, though, what snapped me out of selfishness (for the most part) was having children. All of a sudden, the universe no longer revolves around the male, but around their kids. And if that doesn't change the perspective on life, I don't know what else will. Second, that again speaks to someone who has other personality issues, and they're likely to find themselves alone.
And finally, there is the thought on how to bring your spouse or SO into the circle of triathlon. I was fortunate in that my spouse knew that triathlon was important to me, and so she embraced it. She even did two triathlons and realized that it was not her thing. However, she didn't belittle it. Rather, she encouraged me, even when I decided to do an Ironman (or two), helping to keep me well-fed and healthy. Tracy's only rules were that 1) I tell her when I was leaving and when I'd be back from a training session, so that she could reliably plan things, and 2) I would be functional after a training session or race and wouldn't be a worthless lump on the couch. So, yes, she accompanies me to most races, even at O-Dark thirty in the morning, although I have gone to races on my own. She is even more likely to go to races now, since David is racing as well. I decided to give up on Ironman races for the present, since I couldn't spend the time necessary to train adequately and get enough rest to keep me healthy. But that was the choice I made, rather than one that was forced on me. And besides, I like to go fast, so going all out for an hour has more appeal to me than going at a moderate (or slower) pace for many hours.
What about getting the kids involved? How did I "manage" that? That's a topic for another day.
The reality of it is that most (and some say all) should do these sporting things for our health and leave it at that. Now, some of us enjoy testing ourselves, which is why we compete. And there are others who have a "bucket list" (I really dislike that term) and feel that they need to cross things off to feel like they've lived a full life. I'm not speaking about the bucket list people, because I don't share the same philosophy. Awhile back, I posed the question of whether someone had a passion or a bucket list, as I think that each has a distinct personality; I fit into the first group.
Anyway, back to my original thoughts. The idea that your spouse or SO is unsupportive is an unfortunate one but sometimes that's the reality. The concern is that the lack of support may be related to a deeper problem with the relationship and is only exacerbated by the hobby, so improving the relationship is probably what needs to happen. Triathlon is not the scapegoat in this case; it is simply the "canary in the mineshaft." A further problem that also speaks to a problem with the relationship is keeping triathlon to oneself. There are examples of triathletes buying expensive pieces of equipment and never telling their SO or hiding it. Again, this speaks to a problem with the relationship. And, lest you think that "well, it's my money, so I can do with it what I want," um... again, since you are sharing your life with that person, well, I've got news for you: it's not only YOUR money.
What about the idea that one is spending too much time with their hobby and it is all-consuming? I see this more in the newer triathlete, who "gets the bug" and can't get enough of it. All triathletes have some amount of obsessiveness; that is their nature. But, getting too wrapped up in any one thing is never healthy. I preach moderation in all things in life to my patients, and I try to live my life that way. So, balancing things in your life is a key to keeping things on a more level plane, and, usually, after the initial infatuation with the new hobby that is triathlon, things calm down to a more reasonable level. What about the person who never balances it out, to the detriment of spouse and family? First off, it's usually the male. Males, myself included, are a selfish breed. We're used to looking out only for ourselves. From firsthand experience, though, what snapped me out of selfishness (for the most part) was having children. All of a sudden, the universe no longer revolves around the male, but around their kids. And if that doesn't change the perspective on life, I don't know what else will. Second, that again speaks to someone who has other personality issues, and they're likely to find themselves alone.
And finally, there is the thought on how to bring your spouse or SO into the circle of triathlon. I was fortunate in that my spouse knew that triathlon was important to me, and so she embraced it. She even did two triathlons and realized that it was not her thing. However, she didn't belittle it. Rather, she encouraged me, even when I decided to do an Ironman (or two), helping to keep me well-fed and healthy. Tracy's only rules were that 1) I tell her when I was leaving and when I'd be back from a training session, so that she could reliably plan things, and 2) I would be functional after a training session or race and wouldn't be a worthless lump on the couch. So, yes, she accompanies me to most races, even at O-Dark thirty in the morning, although I have gone to races on my own. She is even more likely to go to races now, since David is racing as well. I decided to give up on Ironman races for the present, since I couldn't spend the time necessary to train adequately and get enough rest to keep me healthy. But that was the choice I made, rather than one that was forced on me. And besides, I like to go fast, so going all out for an hour has more appeal to me than going at a moderate (or slower) pace for many hours.
What about getting the kids involved? How did I "manage" that? That's a topic for another day.
Monday, September 17, 2012
End of the season, and is it the end of the line?
This year's triathlon season is over for me. I'm happy that I was able to race after being hurt for all of last year. And I'm hopeful that, as I get farther away from last year's crash, my fitness will continue to improve. Yesterday was the Black Diamond Sprint Triathlon. I did this race 6 years ago, which, when I look at the times from then vs. now, was a lifetime ago. Same course, 4 minutes slower. Hard to say whether the slowing is related to age or fitness; I'm hoping it's fitness, because that means that I can actually be faster next year. But... when I look at how fast I ran then vs. now, it's a reality check. Back then, my split was 3rd fastest, and if I had run the same time yesterday, it would have been 2nd fastest. Instead, I had the 8th fastest split. It doesn't sound like a lot, but it was 1:30, which, to me is pretty significant. Couple that with 1:30 slower on the bike, and there it is. I still ended up 8th overall and won my age group, so I'm not terribly disappointed, but the distance between 1st and where I am now continues to expand.
The strangest thing, I think, is that I get absolutely pummeled during the swim. Tracy mentioned to me that, at the green buoy (probably 150 meters out), there was a bunch of yellow caps (my wave) just bobbing in the water. I know that I got hammered in the first 150, and then had clean water for the rest of the swim. Since I came out of the water 14th, my guess was that the same bozos that beat me up in the initial part of the swim then became hypoxic and had to stop swimming. I can't figure out the idiocy of swimming the first 100-200 yards of a swim as hard as you can, and then having to stop and rest, but I guess it's the same idiots who go out and sprint the first 400 yards of a 5K or 10K run and then are toast for the rest of it. Guess I might do some work on my sprint speed in the water this winter.
On the positive side, it took me awhile to catch David on the bike. Even though he was only 30 seconds faster out of the water (which I took to be a good thing for me), I think it was about 3 miles before I caught him. And he definitely was the smallest and youngest one out there on the pointy end of the race for a long time. It would be very demoralizing to people if they knew how little he rides. And that he doesn't run at all. I'm curious to see what happens next season when he finally starts to do some running, and has another year of riding under his belt. Maybe the day that he beats me is not as far into the future as I once thought.
Over the past week, I started wondering if it was time to stop racing. After all, I'm not getting any younger, and it gets harder to stay motivated, knowing that the likelihood I'm going to win a race, or even be competitive for the overall, is pretty low. I've been racing multisport for 17 years, and only have a few friends that are still competing. I still have fun doing the training, and staying fit is something I'll never give up, but the big question to me is how fit do I need to be? My guess is that if David wasn't interested in racing, I'd be done. Well, I have an entire winter to contemplate my racing future.
The strangest thing, I think, is that I get absolutely pummeled during the swim. Tracy mentioned to me that, at the green buoy (probably 150 meters out), there was a bunch of yellow caps (my wave) just bobbing in the water. I know that I got hammered in the first 150, and then had clean water for the rest of the swim. Since I came out of the water 14th, my guess was that the same bozos that beat me up in the initial part of the swim then became hypoxic and had to stop swimming. I can't figure out the idiocy of swimming the first 100-200 yards of a swim as hard as you can, and then having to stop and rest, but I guess it's the same idiots who go out and sprint the first 400 yards of a 5K or 10K run and then are toast for the rest of it. Guess I might do some work on my sprint speed in the water this winter.
On the positive side, it took me awhile to catch David on the bike. Even though he was only 30 seconds faster out of the water (which I took to be a good thing for me), I think it was about 3 miles before I caught him. And he definitely was the smallest and youngest one out there on the pointy end of the race for a long time. It would be very demoralizing to people if they knew how little he rides. And that he doesn't run at all. I'm curious to see what happens next season when he finally starts to do some running, and has another year of riding under his belt. Maybe the day that he beats me is not as far into the future as I once thought.
Over the past week, I started wondering if it was time to stop racing. After all, I'm not getting any younger, and it gets harder to stay motivated, knowing that the likelihood I'm going to win a race, or even be competitive for the overall, is pretty low. I've been racing multisport for 17 years, and only have a few friends that are still competing. I still have fun doing the training, and staying fit is something I'll never give up, but the big question to me is how fit do I need to be? My guess is that if David wasn't interested in racing, I'd be done. Well, I have an entire winter to contemplate my racing future.
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