Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Spacing It Out

I am not referring to a state of somnambulance, where one sleepwalks in the middle of the night for a night-snack. Being spaced out also has connotations to self-medication, in the deliberately illegal sense. It can refer to a state of confusion when we ingest too much information at one sitting: information-overload!
Spacing things out is about scheduling, and making space and place for activities, challenges, and rest. Eating too much at one go can lead to indigestion, lethargy, and a high potential for being overweight. Too much of a good thing can be harmful, including nutrition and rest. Spacing out your time and activities gives you more room to manage and enjoy your 'moments'. Injury, fatigue and boredom can impair your training and racing efforts. Performance may be compromised when you are less than your best.
This year, I have spaced out my schedule for sporting challenges and races. In the first three months of this year, I have only completed two half-Ironman triathlons. Hopefully, by mid-July I will have completed a full Ironman event. I used to do two such races a year, but have paced myself to train for one a year in the last two years. I decided to focus on running last year, and my results have been promising. This year, I have cut back on my running races, focusing instead on one Ironman race and one international marathon (Berlin). I aim to qualify for the Boston Marathon next year, and do a PB in an Ironman triathlon. I believe that by spacing out my training program, and enjoying more time for quality sleep I would benefit more from my endurance training. 

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