{"id":7147,"date":"2019-09-26T05:45:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-26T05:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/2019-september-24-check-in-thoughts-patience-and-more"},"modified":"2026-04-12T18:46:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T18:46:47","slug":"2019-september-24-check-in-thoughts-patience-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/2019\/09\/26\/2019-september-24-check-in-thoughts-patience-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"2019 \u2013 September 24 \u2013 Check in \u2013 Thoughts, patience, and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Checkin\u2019 IN!!!<\/h3>\n

FB Thought and response to a friend about the difficulty in training, life, work balance dynamics.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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My response to a FB post.  The poster and I have met volunteering at an Onhill Events race and is a stellar person.  I am grateful to be able to glimpse good people through social media outlets.<\/p>\n

All the time KG
\nThis went longer than I expected, but I wanted to share. Discard as needed. \u3000
\nI tend to think of it this way. We have to be reasonable and sensible \u2013 managing the \u2018what is needed for me\u2019 and then \u2018the family dynamic\u2019 and this \u2018hobby thing\u2019 \u2013 we pay for- we are not paid. So, having patience with self, allowing space for grace \u2013 mistakes, adaptations, recalibrating expectations and celebrating when we get it all right or even just the small steps. It\u2019s a nightmare at times, but, missing a workout here or there will not disrupt a journey if we are patient and take a common-sense approach. I keep reminding myself, \u201cunreasonable expectations are just future resentments\u201d. It has been the HARDEST thing for me to adapt and re-calibrate to changing and evolving circumstances. Especially recently \u2013 again. lol
\nDon\u2019t get out on a lonely island, remember your greatness, your potential and accept your weaknesses and be as smart and kind to yourself as possible.
\nLast night during my swim at 10:15 PM, b\/c that\u2019s where it landed with work, life, adulting, kiddos etc \u2013 is where I was able to talk myself through the chaos. And I remembered to just breathe, and not drown while swimming \u2013 that\u2019s important, too. I now push a single and a double stroller \u2013 I am adding more walks to get our kiddos to be less FULL of LIMITLESS energy stores and include them where I can \u2013 mainly runs and pool time where possible \u2013 I\u2019m not really good at it and weather is coming, but trying.
\nFor my training, I tend to look at things in the week. I approach it from an a la carte perspective, but my Training Peaks summaries are often more green than yellow or red. It\u2019s sprinkled with a few I just give up weeks too. I multisport but I think it applies to just running, also. First, I have adopted the run slower to run faster approach (but I still find myself in z3\/4 too often, but getting better). I am having to break activities apart (2 a days or oops can\u2019t fit a 6 mile run today but I can do a 5k today and a 5 miler tomorrow to net out the 8 miles I needed over the next 3 days, and I just got a rest day out of it) and I am learning to trust in overall volume, with some specific and purposeful goals for each activity \u2013 so if I need to hit 20 miles running and 3 swims and a bike ride, I have to look at overall stress and fatigue and at times re-calibrate goals from pace driven to volume, and trust that the outcome is ENOUGH. Week to week looks nothing like my training plans in 2014\/2015 \u2013 plus I am older, crankier, face the taper monster and hangry \u2013 but have a wonderful spouse, cool kids, and my human needs are mainly filled.
\nAt my last 70.3 half Ironman in May 2019 \u2013 this approach helped me start and come across the line with a perspective that I think CS can confirm, it was an AWESOME day, not my best, but to come across the line and have my son give me 5 and then meet up with my wife and girls, and my wife said \u2013 \u2018you just don\u2019t look torn up today\u2019 it was like her 2nd or 3rd comment post-event\/race. I find I have to pause at times, breathe, and keep the joy in this hobby, otherwise motivation tanks, and I become the taper monster guy. I don\u2019t like that guy.
\nReading through the thread before I post this LONG post, please, please please don\u2019t feel guilty about missing a group or social run or a training dot \u2013 its a singular point on a large map of effort \u2013 please step back and look at that big picture \u2013 at least for me that\u2019s where I am humbled and reminded and find the gratitude that is needed for me to keep humaning. Please just be honest, and true to yourself \u2013 it\u2019s difficult, but it\u2019s working for me, and I hear many others too. Hope you figure it out for you, you ARE NOT alone \u2013 all best! One foot in front of the other \u3000
\nHope this helped <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yup That\u2019s right!  May 14, 2020<\/p>\n

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So, Liz and I, found out by accident that we may have a little surprise.  So, in my ever so Shane way \u2013 I nonchalantly, was like \u2013 \u201cLiz go get the bloodwork\u201d, then I am verbally \u2018smacked\u2019 with \u201cthat is all!?!?!?\u201d  I am getting more excited but with reservations.  It\u2019s just so early on.  We have told parents and those in our closest to us circles, as it is only about 7 or so weeks along and Liz has been fighting the ills of morning sickness and the pregnancy-flu (not really flu) and dealing with that.  That being said, we are grateful and after a first ultrasound last week, they identified the little nugget and implantation is clear and there is no doubt.  The initial date is May 14.<\/p>\n

So, circling up to the thoughts and discussion from above.  I see so many viewpoints around things.  The issue is often what is the clearest method for the \u2018individual\u2019.  I find often that folks have the toughest time putting themselves \u2018on the balcony\u2019.  Although this is a clever du jour term for clueless mindfulness types, pausing and resetting for a moment or a lot more is often healthy.  It begins with recognizing that it is a need.  Sometimes we get so lost in the tasks that we don\u2019t stop long enough to measure backwards a bit so we can determine our correct forward course.  Sometimes to move forward, we have to remove obstacles or build bridges, but when we are so entrenched without the proper vantage point, we can\u2019t assess the situation.<\/p>\n

Bilbo above Mirkwood \u2013 on the balcony \u2014 \u201cIs there no end to this accursed forest?\u201d said Thorin. \u201cSomebody must climb a tree and see if he can get his head above the roof and have a look round\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

The curious thing I find for me is what triggers me to know or identify that it is time to pause.  Someone said something in a triathlete group a few days ago about unsolicited advice \u2013<\/p>\n

Never offer unsolicited advice, it never is well received and even less often is it absorbed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But like Thorin to the hobbit, the burglar, we often impart free advice to others (Free b\/c you should use what you need and discard the rest) \u2013 but we often forget to take our own free advice we peddle to others and are frustrated when it is not acted upon.  Liz, pointed this out to me once, and it was tough to handle, stomach, receive and eat.  Eating crow at times is a humbling thing.  However, it was part of the growth mindset and very contextual for me.  Sure, I have a long way to go and try to adapt and grow and change as needed, and other times I am just a stubborn cuss yelling at myself and others to:<\/p>\n

Get off my Lawn!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

One of my favorite movie scenes is from 25th hour, a Spike Lee joint film, where Monty Brogan\u2019s (Edward Norton) famous monologue about post 9\/11 America.  It\u2019s rife with language but the monologue is interesting because instead of directly addressing the audience, Monty addresses his singular self and his own reflection. However, the clip is by no means subtle and rife with the most tactile word in the English language. Mental turmoil is presented through a man arguing with his own reflection and it often seems tactless \u2013 but it is self-directed.  The shocking intensity of the conversation stylistically overshadows this bold representation and hammers home his imminent loss and surrender of personal rights, freedoms, and in the end his guilts, griefs, and self mental mutilation from his own personal choices \u2013 now that accountability has caught up with him.  What I find insanely interesting is how this diatribe, rant, and journey into self-introspection lasts as long as it does.  If I can stay in front of things iteratively, that is to say, address the chaos and issues (good\/bad, other) as they appear, then for me these will be micro rants and I can deal with them along the way.  The takeaway, don\u2019t bottle it all up and have an epic rant.<\/p>\n

The main reason I illustrate this example using the Monty Brogan rant is it demonstrates being open and raw with oneself.  Maybe too raw, but it serves as an example.  I know that I must have the courage and the foresight to do this either figuratively or literally from time to time.  In my upbringing, I was brought up in a faith-based structure.  To that end, the meditation style I was taught and learned and have adapted to me is prayer.  Yes, in my circumstance I believe it is a conduit between me personally and deity \u2013 it may be similar or different for you.  However, what I have learned is the following:<\/p>\n

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  1. I can adapt the prayer\/meditation to work in public and private settings<\/li>\n
  2. I can always be in a quasi meditative state<\/li>\n
  3. I subscribe to always carry a prayer in your heart philosophy <\/li>\n
  4. The actual time can vary from 2 \u2013 3 minutes to 10 minutes or more<\/li>\n
  5. I can fit it to the need<\/li>\n
  6. The mindfulness concepts were already a part of me by the time it became top-of-mind for others<\/li>\n
  7. I find myself doing this in the pool, on my bike, or while running<\/li>\n
  8. it\u2019s a great way to cleanse the chaos of stressors that I can\u2019t control, but can acknowledge and move beyond without conversing too long<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I guess what I am getting at, is it is good regardless of how it is done and if it is faith-based or other to stop, pause, breathe and focus on either letting go, dialing in or whatever technique is required.  Having a safe personal space, a sanctuary of sorts is developed and many \u2018leadership\u2019 concepts strive to describe this technique as \u2018getting on the balcony\u2019.  I have heard a person I respect call it giving yourself \u2018space for grace\u2019.  This space, this pause, this opportunity gives me a moment to inventory things.  Often times I have to pare it down to a few specific focus points so that it is not overwhelming.  In endurance sports, especially as a hobbyist, I have to do this from time to time.<\/p>\n

    To survive, create a sanctuary where you can reflect on the previous day\u2019s journey, renew emotional resources, and recalibrate your moral compass.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Great athletes can at once play the game and observe it as a whole\u2014as Walt Whitman described it, \u201cbeing both in and out of the game.\u201d Jesuits call it \u201ccontemplation in action.\u201d Hindus and Buddhists call it \u201ckarma yoga,\u201d or mindfulness. It is also referred to as \u201cgetting off the dance floor and going to the balcony,\u201d an image that captures the mental activity of stepping back in the midst of action and asking, \u201cWhat\u2019s really going on here?\u201d<\/p>\n

    Those \u2018looking in the mirror\u2019 moments are often tough to make time for, but the more consistent I am, I find that they aren\u2019t as difficult because I have not stored up more than needed.  That being said, sometimes life just all hits at once.<\/p>\n

    For example, you misread the excitement of your wife alerting you to a full ironman distance occurring on May 02, 2020 in St George.  Then finally making peace with things, and having to travel to a new customer transition with a high profile and massive amounts of volatility, then to find out that you are getting involved with seemingly endless fires chasing appearing at critical customer sites.  Then dealing with an adolescing teen, that is quite wonderful, but is still a teen.  Two super energetic full of passion for life girls under four.  Then having your wife alert you to a potential pregnancy and having it confirmed (honestly ecstatic but it\u2019s a slow-burning match).  Facing deferral options for May 2 as the preliminary due date for wife is May 14 and she tends to deliver 2-3 weeks early.  Then, being thrown into the fire drills of a very volatile customer.  And another fun one, wife having the worst hormonal disruption and \u2018pregnancy-flu\u2019 and morning sickness all at once.  Yes, the Perfect Storm is raging!  Chaos, much of which I cannot control!<\/p>\n

    So, please pardon myself, while I am processing the change, adapting to its options and holding on to every piece of sanity with my awesome wife and family.  I got a solid 1-mile swim in the other night and it felt good to get it out.  Although I did admittedly walk around the Wal-mart on the edge of hyponatremia after playing with hypoxic situations in the water.  A few best efforts, then 70 percent easy with 30 % all-out efforts, and moderate in between laps.  It was a good swim.  It was great to be next to a swimmer that was taking their time through their workout and ignoring what I was doing but we were swimming similar paces doing different things.  Still, I have one pool tool, and that is a pull buoy \u2014 See \u2013 pull buoy and swim mindset post (Click Here)<\/a>.  I still am in this thing called triathlon, and I am trying to find my rhythm and keep my wife and family happily moving along.<\/p>\n

    So don\u2019t be afraid, to \u201cget on the balcony\u201d \u2013 whatever that means for you, to be introspective and focus on specific things to you so that your library of you is better and more available to those to whom place their trust and confidence in you.  Make the time and do it more often so it\u2019s not a huge hurdle.  It\u2019s the small consistent actions that make the biggest differences.  Sometimes it is not until we pause, break, and even stop!  And that is where we can see the bigger picture, and take an inventory and see growth and opportunity for growth.  Where we can adapt and recalibrate what were once strengths and have faltered, or weaknesses that are becoming closer to their potential strengths.<\/p>\n

    So I repeat what I said to my running community friend \u2013 We have to be reasonable and sensible \u2013 managing the \u2018what is needed for me\u2019 and then \u2018the family dynamic\u2019 and this \u2018hobby thing\u2019 \u2013 we pay for- we are not paid. So, having patience with self, allowing space for grace \u2013 mistakes, adaptations, recalibrating expectations and celebrating when we get it all right or even just the small steps. It\u2019s a nightmare at times, but, missing a workout here or there will not disrupt a journey if we are patient and take a common-sense approach. I keep reminding myself, \u201cunreasonable expectations are just future resentments\u201d. It has been the HARDEST thing for me to adapt and re-calibrate to changing and evolving circumstances. Especially recently \u2013 again. lol<\/p>\n

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    I like this song and thought I\u2019d share.  \u201cSuch Great Heights\u201d  by Iron & Wine.  I tried to find the most official version of this song so copyright isn\u2019t an issue.  Fingers crossed.<\/p>\n

    A worthwhile Crushing Iron podcast that goes along with my thoughts #286 \u2013 Finding Genuine Satisfaction In Training (Click Here)<\/a><\/p>\n

    Activities \u2013 <\/h3>\n

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    I use the following trackers:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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    1. Garmin Connect (which pushes the files to the following services):<\/li>\n
    2. Training Peaks<\/li>\n
    3. Strava<\/li>\n
    4. and the ones I don\u2019t remember (Map my stuff via Under Armour and things like the Great Bicycle ride initiative stuff)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Honestly, I mainly use Training Peaks as I pay for an annual subscription on it now, and it is the most detailed in data and other helpful information to keep me where I want to go. Use the \u2018Links\u2019, then \u2018Track me\u2019 section to find and stalk me if that\u2019s your thing.<\/p>\n

      Relevant Pics<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n

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      #triathlonlifestyle #swimbikerun #trilife #triathlon #Checkin #roadtoimca2021 #2019 #triathlonlife #ironmantraining #familybalancetri #triathlontraining #triathlete #triathlonmotivation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Checkin\u2019 IN!!! FB Thought and response to a friend about the difficulty in training, life, work balance dynamics. My response to a FB post.  The poster and I have met volunteering at an Onhill Events race and is a stellar […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"nf_dc_page":"","_eb_attr":"","pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","rs_blank_template":"","rs_page_bg_color":"","slide_template_v7":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[817,454],"tags":[828,835,836,838],"class_list":["post-7147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prnci","category-2019-check-ins","tag-tag-reflections","tag-tag-triathlon","tag-tag-endurance","tag-tag-tn"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7147"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24427,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7147\/revisions\/24427"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}