Friday, January 23, 2009

When Will The Pain End?

If you read this paragraph you are required to leave a comment. I am trying to figure out who reads this blog beyond just the basic Google Analytics. I don't care who you are and if you want to remain anonymous. Just leave a few words (in any language). Feel free to suggest a band (preferably melodic and pop-y), a cool product or anything to let me know this blog is not an internet black hole.

This a pre-workout posting because I am having a difficult time getting into the pool today. Very sore from yesterday. The muscles around my hips, and quads and everything are killing me. I am beginning to wonder if this is what my training experience will be like forever.

In my younger days when I trained for hockey or boxing, I would have a few weeks of soreness while getting fit for the sport, but then I would reach a plateau of feeling pretty good. That plateau has not come yet. I keep telling myself that I was in horrible shape last year and this base-building period is necessary to acclimate my body for the new level of fitness I am pursuing. If so, I apparently was very very far away from Half-Ironman fitness.

Today I swim. I wish my lifestyle would accommodate midnight workouts because that seems to be the time of day that I am most ready to embrace a workout. When I wake up again, my first thought is usually related to skipping or how I will fit the workout in around family, or whether I can hit the snooze again. It's now 9:30 and I am gradually getting around to embracing the idea of fighting with obnoxious kids in the pool's locker room, the frigid temperature of the pool the first 5 minutes after you jump in, 2 500s with flipturns which sap my oxygen, and the sleepy feeling I have for the rest of the day. And swim days are my easiest days.

I've been trying to get my head into a different space...more of a winner's headspace I guess. To paraphrase Lawrence of Arabia, the key is not so much the pain it's "not minding" the pain. Either that or I could tell myself its just a f*cking movie. I read a cool article by Mark Allen talking about the mental aspects of the race and how to think like a champion. So maybe I just have to spend a little more time on this in my own head.

Song(s) in my head - To change pace a bit I'm choosing a couple songs from 70's Hawaii band Kalapana. If you ever go to Oahu, you will most likely hear some really cheesy Hawaiian easy listening music kinda like Somwhere Over the Rainbow by Iz. A really good band in that genre is Kalapana, whose great songs include The Hurt, Nightbird, and the Hall and Oates cover When the Morning Comes. Check out KINE. At least once an hour is a Kalapana song. Puts you in that relaxed, Hawaiian state of mind. I certainly need it today. Well if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get some Hawaiian Sun Lilikoi and a bowl of Saimin and go swimming.

6 comments:

Team Vazac said...

Keep plugging, Dennis. Training ain't easy, and you're really not ever supposed to feel good until a couple of days before race day.

Apparently I find out about cool bands a year late, but I'm digging Vampire Weekend. First the window, then it's to the wall. Lil Jon, he always tells the truth.

Dennis Joyce said...

Cool band they remind me of French band Phoenix. I used to go to clubs all the time and I have never seen any band before they got big. I seeing shows right around when The Strokes were coming together and would have killed to see them. I am usually 5 years behind the time but it helps me avoid one-hit wonders whose other stuff I don't enjoy, like Silversun Pickups.

EC said...

Let's put your training in perspective Dennis. I was incredibly pleased with myself that I was able to do three miles in under forty minutes on a treadmill a few weeks ago. I actually felt like I was getting in shape until I read what you are doing. Now I might as well go back to eating a full bag of Cheetos every night...

Mhhh...Cheetos....

Dennis Joyce said...

You suggest a band, Chris.

EC said...

Ok, today I hit the treadmill for two miles up an incline (between 4 and 10 degrees) to the sounds of Immaculate Machine. Canadian power pop at its dinest.

Dennis Joyce said...

Canadian power pop? And their name is not Sloan? Gotta check them out.