I Have a Dirty Little Secret

I am a triathlete.  No that's not my secret, that wouldn't be a very good secret now would it?  Let me start again.

Hey Jack, Can you keep a secret?

 

I am a triathlete, but this summer I've been pretty far from one.  As many of you know, I broke my wrist in early May and was unable to bike or swim until just a few weeks ago.  Luckily, I was still able to run and so running has been my focus this summer.  I've been so glad I was able to do something, as I know often when runners get injured they just don't know what to do with themselves.

When I started doing triathlons a few years ago I considered myself a triathlete with a "runner on the side".  This summer I feel more like a runner with a "triathlete on the side" and it's a really, really small side.  Since I was "released" to start biking and swimming again, I'm honestly only biking and swimming about once a week.

And you know what?  Here's my secret.  It's been kind of magical.  No, I haven't lost my love for triathlon, but it has been refreshing not having to juggle three sports.  I know by the end of last summer after training for my 70.3, I was exhausted.  It was 2 workouts a day, everyday, just to get in 3 to 4 workouts in each discipline each week.  By the time race day came around, I was glad to get it over with.  I decided last year, some of the "fun" had been lost and that's why I didn't sign up for anything longer than Olympic this year (thankfully).

Then I broke my wrist, so everything I had signed up for was out the window anyway.  I was really sad at first and disappointed because my triathlon season - well really just wasn't going to be much of a season at all.  But now, in the evenings when I'm able to actually make dinner and sit down with my husband for a meal, well that's kind of nice.  If I want to go for a leisurely walk or go do something with a friend in the evening, I can do that and not stress.

But then again, after doing my one and only triathlon this year, I remembered how much I loved it and how much I missed it.  The next week I found myself online trying to see if there were any late season triathlons I could do.  There were a couple, but they all coincide with my long runs for my marathon training.  I just don't think I'm at the point where I could run 20 miles on Sat and do a triathlon on Sun. Had I been doing more tri training this summer, probably, but not right now.  But I do think the break has been really good for me.  It has reminded me that I do love triathlon, but that I also need some rest here and there.  I'm already thinking about another 70.3 next summer, and while I'll certainly take my training seriously, I think I'll go about it with a bit of a different attitude.  I'm not exactly sure what it will look like, but it won't be as rigid as it was before.  I know I have to put in the work to get to 70.3, but I'm thinking I can scale it back...just a bit.

So there you have it.  My secret. 

Have you ever secretly loved an unexpected break due to injury, life, whatever?  Even though you are "supposed to" lament it? 

Has a rest break made you re-think your training?

Have any other secrets to share?