Ouch

Ouch indeed. This triathlete did weights this week for the first time in 3 months, and now, two days later, everything hurts. Emphasis on everything. This is where it actually starts to get hard - it's not really hard when you just have to make time to do everything. That's just an issue of motivation. This is actually an issue of pain tolerance - as in, how much of it do I have? Do I have enough to go run an hour's worth of hill repeats when my whole body feels like somebody pounded it with a meat tendurizing mallet like I was a piece of steak? When it hurts to laugh/sit/stretch/stand/bend/walk/breath? I wish I was exaggerating, but there's something about doing weights that gets me more than any other workout. It just destroys me for some reason.

So really at this point I'm wondering if this is discipline, or just plan masochism. I mean, who really thinks to themselves "Yeah, my body is completely battered right now, so I think I'll go run up a hill repeatedly,"? I know as triathletes, we all have to deal with this question at some point, because it always gets to a point where we need to do something downright painful to reach our goals, and any sane person has to question that. (Not that I'm labeling anyone here - I know most of us don't really fall into the "sane" category). I mean, why? Just... why? And why is it that after I finish running tonight (as I inevitably will), and I'm feeling even more beat up, and even more tired, that I will feel so darned pleased with myself?

Is this some weird American thing?

I've asked myself lots of times why I really like doing triathlons - I mean, in the end they almost all become massive pain fests where I push myself to the limit for a little piece of medal on a ribbon that might not even make it to the wall. More likely, it gets lost at the bottom of a transition bag. I even spend money to work with a sports psychologist form the OTC who can make me push through the pain even more. And I'm still not sure why.

Anyways, I don't have any answers for you today. Ha! And you were probably expecting some philosophical explanation about how we use pain metaphorically to overcome emotional insecurities... no. I have no idea why I still think this is so wonderful. If I have any insights, I'll let you know. Until then, it's time to finish up at work, then take my tired body out for an uphill run in the rain.

And then, at least, I get to see Ken. Massage? I'm thinking yes.