Finding consistency in the grind, don’t fall off

Weekly Thoughts

The thought below struck me the last little bit as I listened to Ryan Holiday’s Daily Stoic readings. As I heard Ryan ramble this off, I was like, wow, this was before any modern tool. This is simply history repeating. So many get so riled up, disrupted and/or disturbed. I am merely trying to not let the little kiddos I have fathered get under my skin as I try to guide them into becoming self-sufficient and hopefully morally minded humans. Some days are good, some are not. Some weekends in life, are merely about keeping my nose above water (“survival mode”).

Current Mindset (Pi Day)

As I write, today is pi day. It has also been 2 years since I have travelled. The Daily Stoic podcast with Ryan Holiday prompted and reminded me of the last two years. A striking comment was if we haven’t learned much in these last two years, we are at risk of heaping more harm onto a pile of already difficult to navigate space.
The thing I liked about the podcast is that it explores, with reason, the struggle of opportunity and either not engaging or having courage to face the challenges of the last two years. It has looked different for different people, for us and for me:

1. I have not travelled since March 13, 2020
2. I have spent more time with family since 2010
3. I have knocked out many DIY projects – some with added value and others with added frustrations and opportunity to suck at something new and learn along the way
4. I got to take my wife to Germany with our boy that we welcomed into the world in April of 2020
5. I gained about 20 lbs
6. I rode a lot of miles, not enough, but many indoors (and love/hate it)
7. Our family has not gotten COVID
8. 2021 saw each kiddo have a hospital visit
9. Juniper has had a few eye surgeries with mixed results and an opportunity for renewed faith-based interactions
10. Many many many things to be grateful for

The major takeaway is although there has been a lot of questioning, wading through confusion, a renewal of understanding — reality vs perception — and a large focus on how to adapt to an ever changing thing called life. I can only control what I can control, and oft times that is largely my internal mental health, my attitude , my approach and tolerance and intolerance of other humans. More good days than bad, but a lot of opportunity to reflect, improve, recalibrate and a determination of being present, purposeful and pursuing a healthy growth mindset approach at all things.

A glimpse at Some Training (Strava Links)

• Afternoon Mountain Bike Ride
  On October 21, 2024 2:23 pm went 16.81 km during 01:14:24 hours burning 831 calories.
• Afternoon gravel Bike Ride
  On October 20, 2024 3:55 pm went 16.91 km during 01:06:36 hours burning 681 calories.
• Morning GRavel ride. Had a bit of a gap and I took it. more video than pix today tho. Cheers!
  On October 10, 2024 9:30 am went 17.06 km during 01:14:52 hours climbing 18.00 meters burning 680 calories.
• Quick gravel ride before a busy evening of things
  On October 8, 2024 2:57 pm went 16.66 km during 00:59:23 hours burning 760 calories.
• Morning Mountain Bike Ride
  On October 5, 2024 8:45 am went 16.69 km during 01:02:46 hours climbing 2.00 meters burning 594 calories.

The biggest thing is its time to start adding in the runs. I took my border collie with me on a run, and he is a bundle of energy. I am trying to help him become neutral so that he is able to just run and enjoy the energy he needs to release. Along the run I stopped a lot to help him sit and build recall. He is about 1 year old now and has a lot of “squirrel” in him. He is a lot of extra work on runs, but it is part of his needs in our bigger circle of family needs.

The other thing is that I finally took the time to remove some stripped bolts out of my cockpit. On my bike, the bolts that my arm lengths and elbow cups are on were over tightened or stripped. In 2018 I was really playing with my fit, and it failed. I had an enduring and not comfortable ride in the 70.3 IM St. George. Then, just last year in September when I rode Salt to Saint, I don’t think I spent any time in aero as it was just not comfortable. I logged about 116 miles that relay and boy did I feel that. More on bike fitting approach below.

The curious thing about last week’s push. It led to a bit of a need to skip Monday and Tuesday riding. I felt really good on Wednesday. So, I am monitoring volume as I increase things, and see if my body composition changes, too. The nice part is the leg speed is coming along nicely. Those will all be value adds when I go back outside.

Change up – Bike fitting

I was going to go to a shop in SLC – under recommendation from my Team Zoot teammates. Peak State Fit, the problem is I had to cancel due to losing my voice and covid related restrictions. Also, I didn’t think it humanly prudent to carry my germs into an environment like that and potentially compromise others. Nope. Not going to do it. The big set back was a stripped set of cockpit bolts, i found out 4 really on my cockpit.

The process and finding the correct set of tools was a bit frustrating, so I decided to turn to a great resource. My TeamZoot teammates, I asked them a question in our closed Facebook groups and a few responded back with the set of tools I finally used. The first bolt I removed was a lesson in frustration, humility, patiences and questioning why i am using the tools. After taking pause, thinking things through how each of the 4 bits I had purchased my work, the other 3 were simple. I used a large one to bore though the strippings of the flanged Alan bolt, then used the smallest one to bore in and complete the required extraction. Overall there were 4 bolts on both elbow cups and aero arm extensions. The end result, is 3 rides since where I am able to comfortably ride in aero during training. Now to adapt tot he ever changing body I have. I would like to shed at least 20 lbs and even more would be welcome if it lands me in a fit and durable state.

I will say, the value add of taking time to adjust my fit is immense. My last ride I felt comfortable in pushing to the 90 minutes and not looking at it from – “when will it be over?” to, I am hoping that I can stay this comfortable through the session and into the event. With the broken or stripped bolts, it was a stress I couldn’t control and working around it was a problem, but I just kept going as I could. Now, I can continue and focus on getting my legs, my endurance, my mind and nutrition all back into sync.

On-going thoughts and iterating through the intersections of life

Some weeks are just tough managing and taking in all the various stresses. I have learned over time that there is absolutely no way a body can compartmentalize stress. Compound that with this notion – it currently seems human bodies only have so much energy to offer between ‘rests’. I don’t think any of the ‘hacks’ offered by folks endure time. SO, I’m still trying to find what works most effectively for me.

Life jumped up on Liz and as parents recently. I don’t know about others but I sometimes find myself describing that I am not lazy or putting things off, rather I am physically or mentally exhausted. And that is the simple truth. Also, I often find more rest is needed. But, my wife and I simply do our best to help each other. It gets even more exciting with a 9 year age gap between our oldest and the other 3. Often it is a tight rope of sanity or pure ridiculousness. Further complicated by my choice to sprinkle in my training while preparing for an Ironman. Yes, I signed up for this and love my hobby. I also love my wife and kids. So, sometimes it is mental, mind and stress gymnastics. Everyone has a plan until the contact of that first punch to the face. How real this is, how much more I understand this notion on the daily as a parent of 4 great kiddos (many of them are neuro divergent too). A friend of mine and Liz’s sent a TIKTOK where the content owner explained the blessings of her non-neuro typical kids and those that don’t have that. It was so raw and real and we just laughed. So much so it made me think of Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory (gif).

I lean into a few podcasts to help me parse and process and address the challenges associated to the stresses I interact, absorb and discard. I like them for similar but very different reasons. I will share the links here:
Crushing Iron podcast

Daily Stoic Podcast (Author Ryan Holiday)

The two podcasts above intersect well with triathlon and life, lots. For me and my approach to things is through a growth mindset. I use my faith-based choices and pair it with stoicism principles and thoughts. It gives me a wide and deep library to rely on. I am finding lately, that my go to things for coping mechanisms and more need re-tooling, recalibration and more new tools. I find it curious when I see folks that like Goggins, or Jacko, or even Tony Robbins, and how many of their guru thoughts run back to stoic or other ancient philosophies. I appreciate that about Tim Ferriss and Ryan Holiday as they tend to be more transparent of their sources of ideas and add commentary and combination of thought practice or experiments. Tim and mainly Ryan rely on quotes or writings of the likes of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus to name a few.

Here’s a resource to some good thoughts on motivation by Ryan Holiday. and here’s one more for good measure: Life is Up to You (Ryan Holiday).

As I continue to grow up or sideways or in my waistline, I have come to appreciate more and more what it takes to be grounded. It first starts with me being in a good, healthy and sane place. Then I add in my wife – I mean she is crazy and we are crazier together. Then sprinkle in my offspring, the real Circus shenanigans begin here. Then I toss in the salad and condiments of life.

Anyway, in a decent space, my triathlon training is taking better shape. I was able to finish my DIY desk space mostly and my shared work and work out spaces are providing me what I was hoping for at a minimum. I will tune that space up to fit both needs as time and effort allows. Here we go. Here’s a fun plug for a Race Director friend: