Fatigue

The problem with increasing workout frequency and duration is that, well, you get tired.

In my younger days, I could work out like a demon one day and then come back the next day and do it again. But apparently, the resilience I remember from those days is no longer available.

The trick, then, is to find the right mix of effort and rest. The equations are not resident in my head right now; it's been a LONG time since I've been focused on real triathlon training. For the last several years, I've been working out according to when free time happened to show up on my schedule...with no particular consistency or mileage goals. It's time for that to change.

I know I'm not a teenager anymore. But thinking back to those days, I can still remember that even though my body could handle a lot of stress, I swam fatigued throughout most of the season. That's why the taper worked so well at the end of the year. So...I want to embrace the fatigue. Work out 'til I'm whupped, and then just keep cranking.

Of course, I need to balance fatigue with risk of injury. I don't want to hurt myself. I want to have fun. I want to feel good. But I also want to perform well next summer.

Yeah. It's going to be an interesting winter, isn't it?

Daylight saving time is over for the year. (I would vote for completely doing away with this silly practice, but that's a discussion for another time.) My brother wants to have a track workout this week, but it'll be dark after work, so we'll see.

Anyway, there's a LOT going on in the next few weeks. We have swimming events coming up (Postal Brute Squad, 3K/6K Postal), and performance appraisals are due for both my day job and my coaching gig. (Oh, don't worry, I won't waste blog space talking about how stupid the standard performance appraisal process is. But...geez.)

But I will be reporting on my first attempt at rock climbing on North Table Mountain. If you want to place bets on whether I was able to climb more than 5 feet off the ground, how much blood was shed, and whether there was yodeling, now would be the time.

Until then, enjoy the early onset of evening darkness...and have a great day!