Free Falling

This Saturday marks my last triathlon of the season.  I'm not counting the Real Deal Showdown at Barrelman because all I'm doing is running, even though it's "technically" a triathlon.   After Barrelman I think my season my very well be over.  Mentally I could easily keep going but I think I'm going to have to let my body decide what it wants to do and I'm going to have to make sure I listen to it.  I had hoped to be able to do the Niagara Falls Half with my run club but the jury is still out on that because my knees are still causing me problems.  Not as bad as earlier in the season but they are definitely still an issue.  I have some weeks where I'm totally fine and then I go and either push it a little too much on a run or at the gym and then they hurt again.  Can you say overuse?

I went in to see Peter yesterday for some A.R.T.  I've been working on addressing some issues in my left leg (it doesn't fully extend it's so tight) with stretching and foam rolling and it's gotten somewhat better but I needed a little extra help.  Peter asked me if I had any crazy adventures planned for next year and was genuinely surprised when I said "No".   He asked me how I felt about that and I answered "Weird".  His response was "Just go with it".   He's right, but I'm struggling.  I find having a concrete goal keeps me motivated and focused over the winter.  That's one of the reasons training for Boston was so great.  I'd come off my season, rest for a couple of weeks, do some easy running or whatever I felt like, then roll into Boston training the last week of December.  Not this year.  I'm watching all the Boston 2015 talk on social media and feeling a wee bit sad.  I re-qualified but I've decided not to go back.  I can't put my body through another winter of marathon training.   It needs to rest.  It needs less running mileage.  I never thought I'd say that but after all the aches and pains I've had this year, I have to listen to my body if I want running to be a part of my life for the long term.

I normally love this time of year.  Fall is my absolute favourite season to run in.  Nothing beats heading out on a cool, crisp fall morning with the leaves changing colour and the sun shining.   But this year I will probably spend those days either in the pool or foam rolling in my living room.   Hopefully there will be some time in the saddle as well but we'll see.  Knees are an integral part of cycling too and if I'm going to take time off, it may have to be across both sports.   Cue the tears.  I am going to be a miserable cow.  I apologize to everyone I know in advance for any crankiness that may happen as a result of this self imposed exile from sports.

Needless to say I feel like I'm free falling a bit and I'm not sure how I feel about that.  I always have some kind of a goal.  But, I feel like right now is not the time to be setting goals that I may not be able to meet.  I've pushed this body a lot over the last 3 years and I think I need to slow the eff down.  Despite what my brain thinks, this body is NOT 22 any more.   It's time I start to adjust my expectations a little and learn to be ok with more rest and recovery and maybe, just maybe, slowing down a bit. 

Hmmm.....Perhaps that will be my 2015 goal?