It’s been a busy couple of weeks with lots of scheduled work and lots of opportunities to take part in different kinds of work AND I have a training schedule, so flexibility has had to be the call of the day.
I remember back in 2006 when I got my first training plan, I was petrified of missing a session, partly because I thought it would ultimately lead to me not finishing my then, one and only attempt at an Ironman, but also because I felt accountability to my then coach.
At that time in my athletic career it was probably a good work ethic to have but now, nearly 14 years on, accountability is second to flexibility.
Apart from 14 years of accumulative physical and mental growth triathlon has bought with it friendships across the world and those friendships are now equally important, if not, more important than a second off my 100m swim or a faster Park Run time, these friendships will endure when the mind and the body fade over time.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve had lots of visitors, some via the triathlon community others from our journalistic careers, but ALL welcomed with open arms because they matter. But, when there’s a training plan in place flexibility HAD to be deployed.
I admit to feeling anxious Jan had written my week’s training schedule and I felt guilty that I might be wasting her time knowing I wanted to train but also spend time with friends.
In the early days I wouldn’t have admitted to the anxiety I was feeling seeing it as a weakness but not this time, I messaged Jan and we had a conversation about what was achievable and agreed to ‘see what happened’. The anxiety lifted immediately.
It’s been a similar situation at work. The kids are getting tired as the end of the school year approaches. The teachers equally tired and dare I say slightly disinterested, so some flexibility was called for, without letting things get out of hand.
I’ve always been accused of having no patience but as I get older patience has grown or maybe evolved into flexibility. My younger work colleagues stressed about exams and longing for some relief have become more tired and less flexible as the term goes on. As an Ironman athlete I, in my ageist way, just get on with it, the finish line is in sight.
And so this week’s training as been ádapted. I’ve got up at 4.30 am with Allan to walk the 6km return journey to his workplace. I did my strength sessions early, cleaned the car, mowed the lawn and got chores done before our visitor woke up. I walked again in my tour guide role, a couple of days covering over 22km, swam before I started work and ran home from the weekly food shop and most importantly enjoyed the company of a friend for a few short days.
Today I learned of another friend, a few years younger than me who is in hospital after suffering an almost fatal medical episode. She’s a vibrant, happy, healthy and fit woman in her early 50s and good fortune meant she was found early enough to be flown to hospital for urgent medical treatment. In her words, she’s lucky to be alive, she has so much more of life to live.
So flexibility for me is the key to being a happy, healthy age-group athlete, if I miss a session it will always be for a good reason, I too, have a lot more life to live – a swim, bike or run can be done anytime.