I have been stressed lately. Really stressed and not so happy. I realize that what is making me most stressed is the upcoming Syracuse 70.3 . After having to take that month off, and the crappy spring we are having, my training has not been where it needs to be in order to do my best. Let’s face it, I know myself. I will want to go hard and my original plan was to try to qualify for Worlds. Given that this race is in less than 2 months, and I have not yet been outside on my bike and I have not run more than 18km in 2 months, I feel like I am rushing things. My foot is not in great shape. It is in okay shape to prepare for 5-10km races, Olympic and sprint tri’s but it is not in good shape to run half marathons or run half marathons after 90 km on the bike. I am having a hard time walking properly at the end of the night and my foot is still swollen. Today I decided that in order to reduce my stress level, find that happiness again and enjoy racing, I need to drop back to short course. 

I also read a great article while on my bike trainer this morning (as I pondered what to do ) by Matt Fitzgerald in this month’s Triathlete magazine . it was about stress and training. He listed a whole bunch of signs that your training is stressful and your potential as an athlete is reduced. More than half of them defined me at this moment. I will admit it I am also burnt out. I trained really hard over the winter, then had the big episode with my foot. The mental and physical stress of this has taken it’s toll. I need to step back, find the love in what I am doing again and recharge the batteries. I sent my withdrawal notice to Ironman70.3 in time to recoup a small bit of my $$ back! I will also drop down to the 5km at the TO Women’s run this month. I still plan to do Sporting Life 10km next weekend. 

I feel a weight lifted off of me. 

This summer and fall will be about having fun again. Choosing short events, that won’t require a ton of training, and if I happen to be busy in the other aspects of my life, which I am between now and end of June (another reason why I withdrew just knowing it would mean missing some key things with family and trying hard to get it all in), then I won’t stress about missing workouts. 

I have been in this sport and running too since 1996 . That’s a lot of miles on the body. A lot of planning, training and racing. Don’t get me wrong, I still love it, but when I stopped long course in 2006, I found that passion got stronger . I need that again. And I also stayed uninjured, and got faster. Long course is not for everyone and I know it’s not for me at least not right now. Mentally and physically I need to take a step back. 

That’s all for now. Looking forward to a renewed sense of passion and having fun. And still racing hard :):)….just getting it over with sooner!