When Stepping Away is a Mistake

Triathlon Forum
1

Reflections… (read or don’t, it’s your time)

Fitness and being reasonably competitive and fast has nearly always been a part of my life. And I am starting to realize, an important part. When I look back at the most challenging periods in my life, fitness, training and exercise has always gotten me through to the other side. 2015 I stepped away from triathlon and racing, thinking I would be a better person for it. It has now been nearly 3 seasons since I have done anything close to focused training and competitive racing. (Amateur mind you)

What I have found is that a part of me is missing than cannot be filled with family, work, other activities, socializing or beer (and there are entirely too many excuses to drink beer).

I miss being energized by the goal setting, the training, and how I in all respects feel sharper when I am training for something. When I am chasing a race win or a fitness goal, above and beyond my “normal life”, however challenging it is to fit it all in, I feel better about myself. It’s as if I am bucking the system and getting away with something, when my training is done before most people wake up. Plus I just feel like everything connects faster and I am mentally and physically sharper when I am closer to race fit.

Removing the “racing and training monkey” has helped me gain perspective in some ways, as I have more time to see things as a Dad, husband and in my professional life. But I can say unequivocally, I am not a better Dad, husband or as productive in my profession when I am not racing as I am when I am racing. This is contradictory in so many ways, but there is so much truth in “the less time you have, the more efficient you are.”

The busier I am, the more productive and efficient I am with the use of my time, and I really miss feeling sharp. Not sure I can sign up for anything without embarrassing myself, but signing up for anything may be the best start. Just sounding off on a forum I have been dormant on for a long time.

Thanks for reading this far.

2

Reflections… (read or don’t, it’s your time)

Fitness and being reasonably competitive and fast has nearly always been a part of my life. And I am starting to realize, an important part. When I look back at the most challenging periods in my life, fitness, training and exercise has always gotten me through to the other side. 2015 I stepped away from triathlon and racing, thinking I would be a better person for it. It has now been nearly 3 seasons since I have done anything close to focused training and competitive racing. (Amateur mind you)

What I have found is that a part of me is missing than cannot be filled with family, work, other activities, socializing or beer (and there are entirely too many excuses to drink beer).

I miss being energized by the goal setting, the training, and how I in all respects feel sharper when I am training for something. When I am chasing a race win or a fitness goal, above and beyond my “normal life”, however challenging it is to fit it all in, I feel better about myself. It’s as if I am bucking the system and getting away with something, when my training is done before most people wake up. Plus I just feel like everything connects faster and I am mentally and physically sharper when I am closer to race fit.

Removing the “racing and training monkey” has helped me gain perspective in some ways, as I have more time to see things as a Dad, husband and in my professional life. But I can say unequivocally, I am not a better Dad, husband or as productive in my profession when I am not racing as I am when I am racing. This is contradictory in so many ways, but there is so much truth in “the less time you have, the more efficient you are.”

The busier I am, the more productive and efficient I am with the use of my time, and I really miss feeling sharp. Not sure I can sign up for anything without embarrassing myself, but signing up for anything may be the best start. Just sounding off on a forum I have been dormant on for a long time.

Thanks for reading this far.

If you like to race, do it. If it makes you better a person, don’t quit.

Take the long view. If it takes you a while to get back to where you think you should be, who cares? (the answer is, no one cares…but you). Just sign up and go. Hell, sign up for something in a year, and just start training again.

Figure shit out, fit everything in. Go to bed tired because you tried to do too much.

Who really goes to bed happy when they’ve accomplished very little in a day? Not really that many people, in my opinion.

Greatness, in whatever form or level, in whatever way you measure it, will never be easy.

So just freaking go for it.

Good luck.

3

Reflections… (read or don’t, it’s your time)

Fitness and being reasonably competitive and fast has nearly always been a part of my life. And I am starting to realize, an important part. When I look back at the most challenging periods in my life, fitness, training and exercise has always gotten me through to the other side. 2015 I stepped away from triathlon and racing, thinking I would be a better person for it. It has now been nearly 3 seasons since I have done anything close to focused training and competitive racing. (Amateur mind you)

Do you want to expand on that a bit more? Was training/racing having an adverse effect on life at home/work? Were you not enjoying racing/training?

4

in my experience, you have to take care of yourself. this doesn’t mean ignoring your other responsibilities. it means others have to honor what it is you need, and you need to make it clear what those things are.

for me, i’m not happy fat, overweight, unfit. you really don’t want to be around me if/when i’m in that state. so, i just don’t step away. i never step away. i still make sure everbody else gets what they need. the dogs get 2 long walks a day. the spouse gets what the spouse needs. a lot of people to a greater or lesser degree depend on my work product, so, i try not to let them down.

but i need what i need. sorry, going to swimming! sorry, going for my run! i’m leaving for 2 and a half days next month for my own personal training vacation! but when the spouse leaves for 9 days to visit family in europe, i’m at home taking care of everything so she can do that.

when i was younger i felt a little bit guilty when i trained instead of doing something else i “should” be doing. i got over that.

5

I’m going to race as long as I can make it to the starting line. And there’s zero glory in it for me.

Fact is, racing is the most fun and motivating method I can come up with to maintain year-round workouts and fitness.

The good part is that you don’t have to go hog-wild with 70.3 and IM to get your triathlon kicks in (even though I currently love the 70.3 distance). You can capture 90%+ of your sprint/oly potential on <7hrs per week of training if you have the experience and background to go with it.

Most folks can spare an hour per day on average if they really buckle down and get serious about it.

6

I’m going to race as long as I can make it to the starting line. And there’s zero glory in it for me.

Fact is, racing is the most fun and motivating method I can come up with to maintain year-round workouts and fitness.

The good part is that you don’t have to go hog-wild with 70.3 and IM to get your triathlon kicks in (even though I currently love the 70.3 distance). You can capture 90%+ of your sprint/oly potential on <7hrs per week of training if you have the experience and background to go with it.

Most folks can spare an hour per day on average if they really buckle down and get serious about it.

Yeah exactly. You don’t have to be training to the point you’re exhausted and miserable. If you are, your time in this sport is limited. I think too many people flog themselves to the point that they begin to hate the training and then ultimately the sport.

7

Welcome back -

http://www.active.com/cornwall-ny/triathlon/races/28th-annual-west-point-triathlon-2017?int
.

8

I understand this very much. I started triathlon 11 years ago and the KQ dream always kept me very alert and willing to train and learn. I am still the “training and racing monkey” you describe, KQd finally last year and this october I will enjoy my glittering prize, the race in Hawaii.
What I do afterwards is not sure, but I think it will not be a good idea to stop with this sport. Rather I would retire early from work to be able to work more on my house (which is a hobby I do not have a lot time for right now) while still being able to take the time to train.

So sign up for a race and do not expect you’ll be straight away on the level of three years ago, you are 3 years older and did not do a lot the last years. Just enjoy and don’t set any specific timegoals, just see what you can still do.

9

Interestingly I’ve been feeling the same way for about a year now. I’ve been saying after one more year I’ll be done and step away a bit.

I’ve been racing for 19 years so figured after 20 would be a good stop.

Although, the closer I get the more I realize I don’t know what I’ll do with my time. As slowman said, you have to take care of yourself.

I think I’m more tired of racing “competitively”. I’m no champion by any means. Maybe towards the back of the front of the pack, usually top 10 - 20 overall and mainly raced xterra. Always wanted to win, always chased points and qualifiers, but the podium always eluded me.

I think by “stepping back” I need to focus on the fun again. On doing some local races or maybe even some destination races (any suggestions!?) Stop focusing on the points or qualifiers and have fun with it again.

At least that’s where my head is at. Who knows. Still have a year to figure things out…

10

I went to elite crit nats when I was 23 planning/hoping for a great result, finished like 40th or something, and completely stopped racing. Totally done. Didn’t touch a bike for years after that.

Started backpacking around the world and visited 40+ countries, lived abroad for a few years (and met my wife), had a ton of free time I never had before so tried martial arts, tried running, learned some new things. It was great.

Finally, seven years later I started racing again, faster than ever, better perspective than ever, more enjoyable than ever.

Stepping away was the best decision ever. Way more to life than sport. I knew that when I was younger, of course, I was just too afraid of missing sporting activities. Glad I finally cut the cord. And of course I know I can walk away at any time again if need be, so a certain freedom with that, too.

11

I’m going to race as long as I can make it to the starting line. And there’s zero glory in it for me.

Fact is, racing is the most fun and motivating method I can come up with to maintain year-round workouts and fitness.

The good part is that you don’t have to go hog-wild with 70.3 and IM to get your triathlon kicks in (even though I currently love the 70.3 distance). You can capture 90%+ of your sprint/oly potential on <7hrs per week of training if you have the experience and background to go with it.

Most folks can spare an hour per day on average if they really buckle down and get serious about it.

Yeah exactly. You don’t have to be training to the point you’re exhausted and miserable. If you are, your time in this sport is limited. I think too many people flog themselves to the point that they begin to hate the training and then ultimately the sport.

maybe I just enjoy racing less than others. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy it. But more importantly, to me anyway, is I enjoy the training or just the workouts. Sure, if I don’t have a race to train for my workouts might be a little less structured but that can be absolutely freeing. I can one day decide to do speed work. The next two days I swim. I still stay fit. Maybe not race fit but I’m not out of shape. I’m doing like 10 races this year. 7 triathlons (1 IM, 1 HIM, 1 Olympic, 4 Sprints) and then a swim event and a running event. To some here, that may not seem like a lot but it’s more than I typically do. It’s my 1st IM this year so the entire year is really a buildup to that. After this year, I definitely fall back to maybe 5 events a year.

12

I’ve been reading this book called “willpower, rediscovering humanities greatest strength”

In there, numerous studies of how undertaking things that require endurance (not necessarily fitness) , especially ones with distant goals in the future have great effects on many other areas of life. Self discipline in one area can really translate to self improvement all around

13

I’m going to race as long as I can make it to the starting line. And there’s zero glory in it for me.

Fact is, racing is the most fun and motivating method I can come up with to maintain year-round workouts and fitness.

The good part is that you don’t have to go hog-wild with 70.3 and IM to get your triathlon kicks in (even though I currently love the 70.3 distance). You can capture 90%+ of your sprint/oly potential on <7hrs per week of training if you have the experience and background to go with it.

Most folks can spare an hour per day on average if they really buckle down and get serious about it.

Yeah exactly. You don’t have to be training to the point you’re exhausted and miserable. If you are, your time in this sport is limited. I think too many people flog themselves to the point that they begin to hate the training and then ultimately the sport.

maybe I just enjoy racing less than others. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy it. But more importantly, to me anyway, is I enjoy the training or just the workouts. Sure, if I don’t have a race to train for my workouts might be a little less structured but that can be absolutely freeing. I can one day decide to do speed work. The next two days I swim. I still stay fit. Maybe not race fit but I’m not out of shape. I’m doing like 10 races this year. 7 triathlons (1 IM, 1 HIM, 1 Olympic, 4 Sprints) and then a swim event and a running event. To some here, that may not seem like a lot but it’s more than I typically do. It’s my 1st IM this year so the entire year is really a buildup to that. After this year, I definitely fall back to maybe 5 events a year.

Yeah I don’t do any more than 10 tris a season, season goes nov - april, 2 x 70.3, 3 OD, 5 sprints plus a few OWS. I always felt I raced quite a bit compared to others.

14

I took 2 years off because I was working overseas. I came back this year and did a bunch of 70.3’s. I wasn’t near as fast as I used to be, but I also just turned 40 and we have a young kid at home now, so I didn’t really expect to come back as fast as I used to be. I just now feel like I can make a run at better results next year, but I’ve enjoyed just being back regardless of how well I’m racing.

15

I can relate. I’ve stepped away, and come back a few times.

Each time I come back, I wonder if I can be happy competing at something that isn’t at the very pointy end of things. Can I be happy being a MOP racer? The answer is…the older I get the easier it is to accept. I don’t have to be on the podium for everything. I can just race and have fun with it. I worry that people are going to see my results and think “He’s slid a long way if that’s his results now!” The reality is: no one cares. I can just go and race and have fun, not in that order.

If the competitive drive comes back (and it has, at times) then you can ramp it up. But just enjoy toeing the line again and challenging yourself. It’s worth it, and its’ fun.