Training --- Aunt Louise : More About The Spring Classic Duathlon

Monday, March 31, 2014

More About The Spring Classic Duathlon

I was amazed at the acrazing people at the Spring Classic Duathlon. While I was setting up my bike before the race, some guy was talking to a woman while they were both setting up their bikes. They had been in triathlons and duathlons before and knew each other. I started paying attention when he said, "Yeah, I took a bad fall, went over my handlebars."

She said, "Oh, no, when did you do that?"

He said, "Oh, about twenty minutes ago, warming up, out there on Airport Way. And I had surgery in January, so I couldn't do as much training for awhile."

And I thought *I* had problems with training and not feeling so great.

The people who showed up for that race and finished it were seriously HARD CORE.

I crossed paths with a woman during the second 3-mile run as she was about 1-1/2 miles from the finish, after the turn-around, and I was a couple of hundred yards away from the turn-around. She was crying.

I mean, I did plenty of crying on that day, but not like she was crying. She was seriously sobbing her heart out, tears streaming down her face as she walked and stumbled along.

I called out to her as I passed, "You go, girl! You are my shining example!" She smiled and shook her head but picked up her pace. I watched her the rest of the way. I couldn't catch up with her. She went from walking/jogging to jogging/running, and she made it to the finish a couple of minutes before I did. I never did catch up with her.

Jason said she was crying as she finished, crying as she went to pick up her bike, and crying as she went to her car. But she finished. She really was my shining example, making me feel like I had to keep going, running instead of walking and jogging and stumbling, and finish strong.

2 comments:

LFPMarch 31, 2014 at 9:42 AM
Sometimes those emotions come just from doing something acrazing you've never done, attempted, or sometimes even imagined yourself doing. I'm so proud of you for doing this race! Way to go!!!! YOU are MY shining example!
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EllenApril 1, 2014 at 6:27 AM
Wow. Maybe some day I'll be so dedicated to something that I'll do it even though I'm crying and limping to the end. In fact, I'm sure I will. Some day. In the meantime, though, as Laura said, YOU are MY shining example! Good job, Aunt Louise, on going for it in spite of and because of everything. You rock!
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The Sayings of Derek

Here are just a few of the funny, unique, sometimes maddening, but always motivational sayings of Derek, the trainer who has helped me for more than a year now, from his early-morning spin class, boot camp class, and small group training:

---Your feelings do not matter. Your feelings do not produce success. So focus on what does produce success. Suck it up and drive on. Hammer it out.

---This is nothing but a challenge. This is a test, and I don't think you can do it. But prove me wrong.

---Now we're starting a 19-minute hill. Is that extreme? Yes, it is. Because I'm an extreme person. My philosophy is that if something is only worth doing in moderation, it's not worth doing at all.

---See if you can keep up with me. Trust me. I will smoke you.

---Come on! Come on! Don't waste your time!

---Tempo! Tempo! Tempo!

---There are two groups of people in this class: those who are not trying for a specific fitness goal, and that's fine---and those who have a goal, and they THINK they're working hard for it, but they're not.

---I'm trying to motivate people, and tell them how they can do better, but sometimes I wonder, why don't they get it --- when I'm looking right at them?

---You got up and came here at 5:30 in the morning, and you're not trying your hardest? Then what are you doing here? You're wasting your time.

---Quit your crying and start trying.

---You didn't get less than three hours of sleep because your newborn baby was crying. Nah, that's not your excuse. That's my excuse. You don't have an excuse.

---I'm not telling you to grab a drink. You're adults. You know when you're thirsty, and I shouldn't have to tell you to get a drink.

---I'm working harder than you, and this isn't even my workout.

---Don’t let me be more committed to your fitness goals than you are. That’s pathetic. But here’s a hint: Try to keep up with me. If you’re not sure what to do, watch me. Follow me.

---You need to get rid of that wishbone and replace it with some backbone.

---This is all performance based.

---This is all about effort. You get out what you put in.

---What? Your legs hurt? My legs hurt, and my lower back hurts. The only difference between you and me is I don’t care. I push past the pain.

---You may be saying, Oh, I’m not in shape. But it’s not physical, it’s mental. It’s all mental. Yeah, I’m in your head now.

---Why are you going so slow? This ain’t a walk in the park.

---Trust me. I’m gonna work you hard. I’m just here to help you.

---The only difference between you and me is time and effort.

---You can’t achieve victory without a struggle. You have to really own it. What price are you willing to pay, what pain are you willing to accept, to achieve victory?

---Keep the hammer on. Press it down.