Being Last Makes You Wise (Or Some Sh*t Like That)

Live every day as if it were your last and then some day you'll be right.  ~H.H. "Breaker" Morant

Have you ever had this experience before?

You are pushing yourself to your limit, making your legs work as hard as they can, and you are still last. DAMMIT!

It is humbling.

And, it is a good reminder that there will always and forever be people faster and more fit than I am (and slower and more out of shape than I am). I can only do my personal best and hope for growth and improvement along the way.

Today I could not hang with my bike group. This is only my third time out with these ladies, and the last two times I’ve held my own and been able to stay with the group.

After our first climb today, I fell behind as I wondered why I wasn’t still in bed or at least sitting at the kitchen counter drinking my coffee with a resting heart rate of 54 bpms. This puke threshold, heavy breathing and inability to speak is for losers!, I thought. Meanwhile as I’m huffing and puffing, these badass girls seem as if they are un-phased – barely breathing hard, a walk in the park. But I did not cry. I tried to HTFU (thanks, Patrick).

Seriously, has that every  happened to you? You are gasping and sweating and spitting and everyone else is barely glistening and shooting the shit about The Bachelorette? (Thank God she told Bentley to f*ck off. About time).

It is humbling.

In the end the ride was only 23.5 miles at 17.5 mph average with 715 feet of elevation gain. But it kicked my butt.

I have to remind myself that there is more to life than training and numbers on a watch and gear and time goals and carb: protein ratios and how to best avoid chafing.

There is real life and mountains to gaze at and birds chirping and children who want to play Trouble or have a lemonade stand. There is life beyond the workouts.

We get so wound up in our goals it can make us self centered. Training can become very self indulgent and give us tunnel vision.

I remind myself: not everyone cares about your training or your goals. In fact, not everyone gives a crap about running and triathlons and racing. In fact, a great part of the population doesn’t know what BQ stands for or that a marathon is 26.2 miles long. Case in point: my dental hygienist asked, “Isn’t Boston one of the longer marathons?”

My point is: let’s keep it all in perspective. Being fit and working out and having goals is amazing and is what keeps us feeling alive and rejuvenated. But it is NOT all there is to life. There is a balance to be found. This morning was a reminder that:

• It’s okay to be last.
• I don’t want to be so focused on the workout and my Garmin that I don’t look up to see how the light looks in the canyon or how blue the sky is against the snow capped mountains.
• Not every workout will be your best or your strongest. You don’t need to judge yourself. Let it go. Tomorrow is another day.
• Pushing yourself means putting yourself in positions when you will feel inferior. Don’t let your ego get the best of you. Always see it as a way to become stronger. Keep your attitude positive.
• There is life beyond training and racing.
• Not being able to keep up makes you insightful and wise!! Or that’s what I’m choosing to think today.

How do you reign yourself in and get perspective?

Ever run/bike/swim with a group and end up last? How do you cope or do you care?

SUAR