Simplicity

Sometimes life can see so complicated – work, relationships, nutrition, and training. Then there’s housework, bike maintenance, massages, chiropractor, movies, music, volunteering, and life stuff that just pops up. Right now it all seems so simple to me. There have been times over the past few years when doing this much really did overwhelm me, but right now I’m taking it all in stride. Maybe, just like my running stride, it gets longer with more practice and I have learned to adapt.

For instance, tonight I went running with a running group. I haven’t run with this group for at least a year and it felt really good to be running with people again. Generally I run alone, but I think I am going to incorporate this one into my routine. Wednesdays used to be my day off, but I think I am going to make Fridays or Sundays my day off… or I will switch it up depending on the week. Flexibility is really important in my training plan.

Simplicity has come to me with making things easier to do. For instance, I have one bag for my swimming gear. My gear stays in that bag (except when it is hanging out to dry), along with my gym pass. This means that I never have to worry about forgetting anything and it is brainless for me to throw my gear in my bag and go. Not having to think about this makes my life easier. Also, I have arranged my clothes so that I have one area where my workout clothes are. It is all right there and I never have to go rummaging around in my drawers trying to find my running pants or a wicking t-shirt.

Food is a whole separate issue.  I would like to say I have this one all figured out, but I find that I have to adapt to each changing season and as my job gets busier, my energy to cook declines. This is the case right now. However, I made a pact with myself that I was not going to eat cereal as my supper anymore. So tonight I came home after my run completely starving and scrounging around for food. I threw together some ingredients that I had around and I made a wonderful supper of soba noodles (generally used for soup) with some fried tofu, Spike seasoning, red onion, red peppers, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and Braggs. It was delicious! It really did hit the spot.

Body maintenance is another area that can complicate one’s life. However, with the flexibility of my job, I generally take Friday afternoons off. This makes for an opportune day to get massage or chiropractor sessions done. Not everyone can do this and I am grateful for it, but I think that if a triathlete is in a job and their employer understands that a happy triathlete is a healthy triathlete, they will understand that a little flexibility will go a long way in the work that their A-type triathlete will do. I have committed to myself to have two massage sessions a month while I am training hard and two chiropractor sessions a month. I am going to go to the local massage therapy school and book appointments so that it is more cost-effective (and thus less stressful) and go to my regular RMT every six weeks. I am curious to see if the massage gives the results I’m hoping for.

So just as I am simplifying the complications in my life, I am going to complicate it again in May. I’m getting a puppy! My standard poodle and I are going to train together (not right away, though) and spend a lot of time together. He will likely be my only friend for a while. Again, thanks to my flexible job, I’m taking a week off of work to help the little guy get acquainted with the house and a schedule. We will become great friends while training him to sit, lie down, stay, heel, go to the bathroom in one spot, and many more tricks hopefully. Meanwhile, I will get to train when I need to leave him in his crate for a bit of time a few times a day.

Perhaps having my workouts laid out so nicely by my coach helps me with making my training more simple. All I have to do is figure out when I’m going to do the workouts and then do them. That’s easy, I can do that. And I will.