Divided Attention

It has always been a problem of mine: divided attention. I try too many things. You know what they say, "Jack of all trades, master of none." And I am only talking about athletics. I want to swim better, run better, lift better, cycle better, triathlon better. That is a bit broad to really do better.

Sometimes I embrace the breadth. It makes me healthier, happier, and a better all-round athlete. But, I leave a lot on the table, or in the gym, or in the pool. My dad told me once that I should take a year and focus on the 10K run. I certainly would perform much better at it if I did. That, however, is not the way I am geared. 

I'm interested in too many things. That is both a problem and a blessing. When we took Trevor to that stongman contest in Arkansas, I was smitten with the event. I enjoyed watching it, was amazed at the camaraderie, and I immediately wanted to do one, to be a part of that group. Hey, I lift a lot of weights.

But I went home and did a little figuring. Unfortunately, I am just not strong enough to enter that world, although I certainly want to. It's not that I would mind finishing dead last. I am an endurance athlete and maximum strength and endurance are on opposite ends of the spectrum. If I could simply do the events I would enter the next one I could find. But of the five events in the one Trevor did, I could have successfully done exactly one event, the country crush dead lift. I could have gotten in on the opening round and made one lift. The next event was the circus dumbbell. For the lightweights, that lift started at 80 pounds. I cannot lift an eighty pound dumbbell of any sort over my head with one hand. In fact, I am a long way from that. I'm working on it, but will I ever make it? Frankly, it's doubtful. 

The next event was carrying a 200 pound keg fifty feet for time. I'm out on that one too. I'm not sure I can even lift a 200 pound keg much less take off running with it. Event three was a 200 pound sandbag over a fifty inch high bar for reps within a minute, I think. That one also is beyond me as is the stone carry, 200 pounds of natural stone for time on a fifty-foot course. I just can't do all of that, but this has impacted my training.

Then there is triathlon. I wrote earlier that I enjoyed this one the most of any I have done. The reason for that is I relaxed and really didn't worry about the people passing me both on the bicycle and on the run. But after the race, I immediately began to think how I could come back in better form next year and perform much better. Will I carry out the necessary steps to do so? If history is any guide, I will for a while but will fall off somewhere along the year because I will focus on something else.

Swimming, of course, gets the lion's share of my attention and energy as it should because it is my best sport. Last April I competed in the Mississippi State Senior Olympics. I won four gold medals. That set me to scheming about future SOs. This upcoming year is a qualifying year for the National Senior Olympics. But, I checked past results and the only event I could possibly be competitive at is the 500 yard freestyle. My time last April would have placed 7th at the last Nationals. I am not travelling for seventh place in my best sport.

Sigh.

I have almost two years to train, and I will age up by the time the next Nationals roll around. But they will be contested a long way away, and I don't know if I would dare make that journey.

Then there is running. I know I would do better in road races if I ran fewer miles and focused more on quality. However, that is the kind of running that always got me injured in the past and the long stuff, the adventure runs and journey runs are what I enjoy the most. When push comes to shove, if you don't enjoy your workouts, you won't be doing them when you get may age, which is 63 years old. I am still out there doing it, not very well, but I am running, swimming, cycling, lifting, and traithloning. If i could just add strongman contests to that list, I would be happy.

And powerlifting, I'd like to add powerlifting.

Did I mention obstacle course racing?

Thank you, Jesus. Life is still interesting in a lot of ways.