Using Resources

Training is in full swing and I find myself becoming a creature of habit. During the long winter months, it can be hard to find exciting workouts when you are limited to pool swims, trainer rides, slippery outdoor rides, slow snow runs and weight training. No races are in sight and the goal of training now is to create a stable base to support the efforts I will demand from my body later in the season. During this drudgery, I do my best to remain positive. I’m into block three injury free, training well and I have a good feeling about the direction I’m heading. Yet, it feels as though the structure of each week remains rather unremarkable.

Due to recent events in my life, I am reminded that change is necessary and often out of my control. There are situations I have encountered that I cannot change and am left with no other choice but to adapt. While change can be uncomfortable and take some time to get used to, it is a necessity in order to become a stronger, wiser person. A parallel ideology exists in what I am most familiar with, triathlon training. If we become complacent, we limit our potential to grow as an athlete. In life, if we refuse to take chances, we fail to gain experiences that help us grow.

These changes can often be overwhelming when dealt with on an individual level. It is times like these that my support structures become invaluable to me. In my training, I have a seasonal plan to rely on. I wish to keep things fresh while gaining fitness and I decided to explore new, winter activities. Instead of slogging through miles on the road, I’ll throw on the snowshoes and hit the XC course. This past weekend, I found out that XC skiing is a lot more enjoyable on groomed trails. Once I develop my technique, there is potential to focus on a different sport which complements my long term goals. I am also very interested in learning more about speedskating and have plans to check out the Buffalo Speedskating Club.

In life, my friends and family are my support structures. I am very much an over-thinker and it helps me to share my thoughts with people close to me in order to figure out where I am and where I’d like to go. I have often felt like my incessant inquiries to these people can become a bit of a burden but then I stop and look at the big picture. The people that are closest to me know me for who I am. They have remained by my side through thick and thin and I like to think I have done the same for them. People go through dark lows in their lives, but is with the help of true friends that we turn those times into opportunities to develop and reach highs we never thought were possible.

While times and decisions may not always be easy, it is the difficult times that help us identify the people who are worth having by our side. The tough stretches will yield to much better stretches but in the meantime, it is important to reconnect with the people that really mean something. In whatever respect you wish to apply these ideas, find out what is important, use it to define yourself and hold onto it.

-Live outside your comfort zone.