The last three weeks have been very trying for me and I just wanted to sedn my thoght to the forum about what I've learned about this sport and life.
I started in this about 3 years ago. Fortuantly, I've been gifted with somewhat athletic genes and have consistantly placed in my age group (25-29) during the last 2 years. Over the last coouple of years, as part of my obsessive compulsive personality, I found myself engulfed more and more w/ training, racing. I've found myself swirling around the twilight zone of living, breathing and eating triathlon. This season, I hired a coach. I upgraded my Hilo w/ top end components. My girlfriend got me a 2003 Disc to spark the new 2003 race season. I wanted to get a head start and I wanted to win. The idea of placing 3rd was depressing. I was forming tunnel vision more and more. I wanted to see how far I could really take my potential and I wanted to do well this season. I started base training early november with Eagleman being my first A race and then Timberman Half my second. I was plowing through. Fintness was improving tremendously. I was doing 2 a day's no problem. At the rate I was going, I had a good chance to qualify for Kona.
Base Week 13 - I'm running 6:15 min/miles for 6. I am feeling REALLY good. Then I get a viral infection that sets me back for 10 day's. Depression set's in. My mood changes and everyone notices. I recover and have trouble getting my groove back. Now my energy is low and I suspect something is seriously wrong. I had to go the the erergency room last week. My 7th Cranial verve is inflamed. In a flash and all of a sudden things change. wHy DIDN'T i LISTEN TO MY BODY? Now I'm waiting for my diagnosis. I might have Lymes disease. Maybe a worse case viral infection. I could have Bells Pausy. I could just be run down. All of a sudden thigs that seemed so important to me are meaningless. I'm wondering if I have a tumor. Maybe I'm just paranoid.
The thing i'm trying to say is that we are all lucky and so very fortunate and blessed to be able to compete and enjoy this sport. Both physically and financially. As far as I am concerned, EVERYONE IS A WINNER in this individual sport. I thought alot over the last week about what could be wrong with me. Maybe I'm just paranoid b/cause I'm used to living a healthy lifestyle and being strong and fit. Today I don't even care anymore about placing or qualifying for Kona. All I care about is getting better and resuming my active lifestyle. That will come later if it is meant to be. This bump in the road has been a real eye opener for me.
Thanks for listening.
Fran Graz
I started in this about 3 years ago. Fortuantly, I've been gifted with somewhat athletic genes and have consistantly placed in my age group (25-29) during the last 2 years. Over the last coouple of years, as part of my obsessive compulsive personality, I found myself engulfed more and more w/ training, racing. I've found myself swirling around the twilight zone of living, breathing and eating triathlon. This season, I hired a coach. I upgraded my Hilo w/ top end components. My girlfriend got me a 2003 Disc to spark the new 2003 race season. I wanted to get a head start and I wanted to win. The idea of placing 3rd was depressing. I was forming tunnel vision more and more. I wanted to see how far I could really take my potential and I wanted to do well this season. I started base training early november with Eagleman being my first A race and then Timberman Half my second. I was plowing through. Fintness was improving tremendously. I was doing 2 a day's no problem. At the rate I was going, I had a good chance to qualify for Kona.
Base Week 13 - I'm running 6:15 min/miles for 6. I am feeling REALLY good. Then I get a viral infection that sets me back for 10 day's. Depression set's in. My mood changes and everyone notices. I recover and have trouble getting my groove back. Now my energy is low and I suspect something is seriously wrong. I had to go the the erergency room last week. My 7th Cranial verve is inflamed. In a flash and all of a sudden things change. wHy DIDN'T i LISTEN TO MY BODY? Now I'm waiting for my diagnosis. I might have Lymes disease. Maybe a worse case viral infection. I could have Bells Pausy. I could just be run down. All of a sudden thigs that seemed so important to me are meaningless. I'm wondering if I have a tumor. Maybe I'm just paranoid.
The thing i'm trying to say is that we are all lucky and so very fortunate and blessed to be able to compete and enjoy this sport. Both physically and financially. As far as I am concerned, EVERYONE IS A WINNER in this individual sport. I thought alot over the last week about what could be wrong with me. Maybe I'm just paranoid b/cause I'm used to living a healthy lifestyle and being strong and fit. Today I don't even care anymore about placing or qualifying for Kona. All I care about is getting better and resuming my active lifestyle. That will come later if it is meant to be. This bump in the road has been a real eye opener for me.
Thanks for listening.
Fran Graz