It's pretty common to feel such doldrums after a long season. Look at Lizzy Yarnold. Professional Skeleton racer, taking a year away because of exhaustion. It was important for my psychological betterment to complete another year of iron distance "racing", but not necessarily my physical one.
The end of the season is nye, with just one more bit of fun left to do - to fly back to my home village and race the local 10k to benefit my local elementary school. However, the season long, yet again more discoveries have been made. Possibly a discovery that iron distance racing is no longer exciting. The key phrase "racing" distinctly lacking. Smashing and having an awful lot of fun racing an Olympic distance triathlon opening my eyes to the fact that perhaps it was racing, true competing, that I truly miss. Flying around a course, truly racing those who come by and wanting to catch back up to them, burying your legs long past when they wanted to give up. Only in the latter parts of a long distance race do I begin to feel the challenge of racing, but if only against myself. Crossing the line and completing the course may no longer be enough. A new re-imagining of why to train long and hard is needed.
A local Olympic race in St Paul, MN is where I first discovered my long lost joy of racing. Flying out the swim in 4th place overall and then riding the bike segment with complete abandonment was a thrilling feeling. As much as my body began to fail me towards the end of the run leg, my achilles screaming at me to stop, to cross that line in contention is a newly rediscovered joy. Glancing down at your watch and wondering whether you may have accidentally stopped it halfway round. A new personal best time splashed across the screen, letting you forget your suffering lower body as you are overcome with adrenaline at the thought of truly racing against others on the course. A latter discovery reinvigorating you and allowing you to glance forward to the favourite half iron man, late season race in Square Lake Minnesota. The question bounding around your thoughts, "could I actually race those around me there?"
Ignoring injuries the whole season, say since April, will not make them go away. Works with bad behaving children, but not hip injuries. Post-Olympic elation and my achilles and hip were greatly displeased. Introduce, stage left, the elliptical for the rest of the season. A few test runs and an arduous cricket match later, it becomes very apparent that running is not on the cards for a while. Good news, they have a relay for the half ironman coming up. A "calling all cars" all points social media bulletin later and a trusty running fellow has been found. The race is back on!
And what a race we had. I managed to bike the fastest I have ever biked for the 54 miles distance and swim myself in to 3rd position out of the water. My initial curiosity as to the low numbers for the race that year, is replaced by the realization that this is what transition looks like when you are ahead of a lot of people. Fascinating!
With a solid run from my cohort, we found ourselves with a second place silver medal hanging around our necks, departing in the car to home with a Cheshire cat grin on my face that Rex would be proud of! What a great feeling.
So, once again, I announce retirement from the full iron distance. My body is quite frankly broken and needs repair. Hello, long distance swimming, with a smattering of shorter distance triathlon thrown in for good measure. The outlook for winter is dominated by the gym and the pool. To repair my damaged hip and continue to the repair of my achilles, both likely linked.
The weather is cooling and so will the racing season. Hopefully, there is a bit left to smash it around the Frieth Hilly 10K in 4 weeks. Such a stunning and picturesque race that deserves my full effort.
Time for some ice and stretching, not in that order.
Good luck to us all!
