Trip Around the Sun
As I come close to a 43rd trip around the sun, I’ve spent more than a quarter of them doing different races consistently. Mile races, 5Ks, obstacle course events, triathlons, marathons – I’ve loved taking on each race still with a bit of hunger, still pre-race jitters and still always looking to put forth everything I got. I’ve had the privilege of making some great friends along the way, learn a bunch about myself and my limits, seen some extraordinary places local and afar and have some shiny medals to show for it all! Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way that I hope will help out along your own racing journey.
Be mindful of your time – Whether you’re looking to crush or cruise your event, training for it takes time. We all have family and life obligations outside of racing. Be mindful of the time you dedicate to your training and of the time you’re spending away from your family. I’ve been blessed with a mad supportive wife, but I’ve definitely had moments of not keeping that balance.
Quality over quantity – Being mindful of your time is a perfect lead up to this. As you train for your event, ask yourself, “are these quality miles/workouts, or am I just doing it to do it?” Often times those extra “junk miles” or “junk workouts” aren’t contributing to your overall performance for specific distance. Train smart and learn from others. If you need help planning a solid, purposeful training program, invest in a coach to listen to your goals and create that plan around your goals with the time you have.
Listen to your body – I always say that endurance sports is all about pain management; learning how to work through the pain and discomfort of your event. There are definite times where it’s a mind over matter situation. But you also have to know when to take your foot off the gas pedal to rest and let your body heal. I aint’ no spring chicken, so I know the bounce back from putting in multiple hard as hell workouts day after day, probably won’t lead to good results, so I try to space them out more than when I first started racing. Likewise, DO THE RECOVERY EFFORTS! Sports science has really progressed to realize the importance of regular foamrolling/stretching/massage and more to improve performance for longer. If the pros are taking the time to do it, why isn’t your amateur self not? Recover like a pro.
Getting up early sucks, until you’re out there – I’m a natural night owl, always have been. I grunt and groan each morning to get out of bed and get out for a workout. So I try to have all my gear ready to go the night before so that I’m not hating life as I’m scrambling to get out the door. But once I’m out in the elements, I love it! I love the energy I feel, enjoy the quietness of the trails and streets, seeing my endurance sports community out there on the roads, watching the rest of the world wake up to catch up. I find that inner peace that makes the toil of waking up early worth it. So somehow, some way, just get yourself out there and moving! Like the cheesy meme says, “I really regret that workout said no one ever!”
Nutrition – Yes, it’s true! You can’t work out a bad diet. But likewise, it’s never been baked chicken and steamed broccoli for me 24/7 either. And I don’t pop supplement pills like George Jetson or mix supplement powders like Tommy and Ghost either. Real food. Eat it. Enjoy your fruits and veggies. Enjoy quality meals. Learn to cook. Keep the supps to a minimum. And by all means, enjoy a burger and pizza once in a while. Or mom’s molé. Or a carne asada burrito. I could go on for days…. Moderation folks!
Have fun – What it all comes down to at this point is having fun. Since I started this journey, I was well past my prime and already far less talented than elite athletes. And while, I’ve done pretty solid at dropping some dope times over the years, I ain’t winning races! I’m not getting paid to race. I’m pretty much getting a participation medal every time I cross the finish line. But I love getting them, every time because I know I’ve put in many hours, some version of blood, sweat and tears to train for these races that test me challenge me and make me believe in me. And somehow I find all of that stress and torment fun. I know if sounds odd, but if you know, you know. Each medal hanging on my medal racks tell a different story, a different lesson but with the same message, challenge yourself, don’t quit and try your best. Find your fun in racing and stick with it!
I love endurance sports and all that it teaches – discipline, fortitude, self awareness and having fun. My only regret is that I didn’t try my hand at the sports sooner. Who knows, maybe I had some sort of untapped talent in my younger years to have actually done something. A guy can dream. Regardless, I’m glad that I found the sports and even more glad that I’ve been blessed to have been able to keep at it for this long and can’t wait to add another year to the sport. Here’s to another happy, healthy year!
The thumbnail image to this blog is from my very first 5K – The 2010 Carlsbad 5000, and my last actual race (pre-Covid) – the Maui Marathon 10K. In between are most of the medals earned between that time.
