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January 3,
2007:
"Fuel for the Fire"
The holiday shuffle and resolutions for a new
season in 2007.
After being bumped by Air Canada and sent to the
lounge to await a later return flight to
Vancouver, I had some time to reflect on the
holidays and getting things started for 2007.
It's a crazy time for all of us balancing the
need to visit with family, travel, while
maintaining diet and fitness.
My personal plan was to get in lost of X-c
skiing in the country just outside Montreal
during the 2 weeks away.
Strangely, there was minimal snow so I was only
able to get out for 3 mediocre quality skis. I
was forced to supplement my training with
running, hiking, stacking/chopping wood, and
anything else that would help to battle the
holiday treats. While I was in Quebec, I had
the opportunity to hook up with friends Cliff
English and his girlfriend Samantha McGlone.
Cliff coaches the US national Triathlon team in
Colorado Springs and Sam is the current world
champion at 1/2 Iron (70.3) distance. It struck
me that as Sam and Cliff talked about their own
holiday shuffle their stories was not that
dissimilar to my own. Sam had taken a break
after completing her last race in Phuket
Thailand (which she of course won!) 3 weeks
before. She had enjoyed the break but struggled
to get slowly back into training with the travel
etc. Cliff had taken up a new resolution to
start running and had done seven runs over a
2-week period but was finding it tough. We
talked as we grazed on a table full of holiday
sweets.
Even though Sam was a world champion - she was
still trying to find the balance. One of the
reasons that she had NEVER had a serious injury
is that Cliff gives her proper recovery and gets
her next season of training started GRADUALLY.
With Cliff and I both being full time coaches
we still try to keep fit and the balance can be
even tougher to find with work, holidays, and
exercise. Cliff and Sam both related stories of
being involved with Peter Reid and myself in
Tucson AZ with our Spring Training Camp. Both
of them loved being a part of it and it struck
me that this was indicative to the quality of
the camp and the people that are involved with
it. I made a resolution to get the word out to
more athletes about the upcoming camp in April.
This is a camp that people can really benefit
from.
I finished off the holidays with a new years
party hosted by my friend Andrew Mac Martin.
Andrew goes by the nickname "The Kid" which he
got after winning the Triathlon world
championships ITU circuit when he was just 21.
Andrew ran down to let me into his condo still
dripping from having "snuck" in a quick swim in
the basement pool. Although retired for years
and needing to prepare for a big group dinner -
he still made the time for exercise. Sam and
cliff showed up. It was a mix of couples and
friends including many past and present
triathletes. I suppose the unifying theme for
everyone was that we all feel a bit sloth-like
after taking a holiday break. The great thing
is that we can use this down period to fuel our
motivation not just for a couple of weeks in
January but for a full season. Building up
after a good rest is good for the body and it
enables us to go into a season fresh armed with
mental strength and clarity. Carrying over the
will to improve our fitness into events like a
spring training camp.
We will slowly build volume for a while and most
of us will begin to feel the winter blues his
some time in February/March. If we plan for a
season properly, when the need comes for a new
injection of motivation we "get her done".
What better way to get an early season jump
than 5 days of quality training and seminars in
sunny Arizona. I make sure that I build up my
training slowly In January and February so that
when I hit Tucson each year I can handle the big
week of training volume. By then I am ready to
go - but not before. It is no joke trying to
hang with Peter Reid on the bike. But... This
can be the fuel for the fire that is needed to
kick off a triathlon season in style.
Happy New Year!
Paul Cross
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