As you all know from my goals page, my fitness goals over the last few years have shifted focus toward endurance sports. I still lift weights and do it with even more intensity than I did as a 20 year old but its just maintenance at this point, I’m at my genetic max. I use lifting weights as a tool to keep me in top shape for the sports I love: beach volleyball, cycling, running, and swimming – in that order. As a lanky teen, I didnt do any sports at all and was always last to be chosen for any team in PE class. It wasnt till I was 21 that I started to find the joy of sports. The joy, self-confidence, and stress relief I got from sports is what lead me to share my enthusiasm for fitness, health and bodybuilding eight years ago thru my free fitness website, free fitness videos, and free fitness and bodybuilding forum.
I have been doing triathlons for 2+ years now and I have another this Olympic length triathlon this Saturday. My last olympic triathlon was 7 months ago, so I am really looking forward to this one. I had been training very hard since last August’s triathlon, especially working hard on my running. Then 5 weeks ago I had a foot injury. A loud pop was the first sign something was wrong. I rested it 5 days but when I tried to run, I had excruciating pain. Nothing broke but according to the doctor I probably have a stress fracture. I wasnt about to let them inject me with radiation to do the bone scan and find out for sure if it was a stress fracture, I had a better idea. I’ll just do the race. If it hurts bad, then its a stress fracture :)
This event is too important for me to cancel because I told people I was going to do it – I do what I say I’m going to do. One of the
fitness motivation technique I use is to broadcast my goals publicly so I cant back down without losing face. I told people I was going to do this event and I dont want to be thought of as a quitter. I’ve been preparing for it for 7 months. I’m not going to avoid it because I
might have a stress fracture. I will give it a try and if it becomes clear that I do indeed have a stress fracture then I will either stop or walk if I feel I can do that without causing damage. I’m not an idiot, the race isnt so important that I will damage my foot to complete it. If it hurts, I stop – simple as that. At least I gave it my best shot. With the foot injury and loss of five critical weeks of training, I have abandoned any hope of bettering my previous personal best time in this event, my only goal is to complete the event.
Ever since 21 when I learned that sports and fitness was actually FUN and not terrifying like 8th grade PE class, my life has revolved around health and fitness. I keep myself in top shape 365 days a year, not because I must but simply as a side effect of my healthy lifestyle. These triathlons are an important part of my fitness life now and I started doing them because they are something that is good for the over 50 crowd. I love beach volleyball but its a bit harder on the body than triathlons. When I’m 70 I might not be able to play beach doubles all day but I will still be able to do triathlons! :) I sometimes marvel at the number of personal trainers on YouTube and elsewhere who are in horrible shape. How can people possible listen the advice of someone who cant even get themselves into shape? I guess its “Do as I say, not as I do.” Sigh, thats a whole topic for another video I will be doing soon,
Why Scooby Does Shirtless Videos.
OK, enough for now – gotta clean, oil, and tune up my bike. I love riding on a clean bike and I love my 15 year old Airborne Zeppelin! Nothing like her, what a beautiful machine!
