Moderation is not something I am good at.

I have a head cold again, and it is most likely from racing 5 times in 3 days, and not being completely on top of my fitness. Everyone says that you have to workout to be fit and healthy, but how many people know that you can over do it with working out? And how many people know what over training really looks like, or how to get there?

When I was a gymnast, I don't think our coaches believed there was such a thing as over training. I'm pretty sure we were over trained for most of the season. My last season we had this strength coach how knew how to make you strong. I had never been so strong in my life. I also had never had so much trouble being rested enough for all our competitions. There were meets that I missed strength moves on rings just because I was so tired from lifting extremely heavy weights all week long. That almost cost me my spot on the lineup during the regular season, and finally did at Nationals.

Now I know all about over training. I have a good idea about how to set up my workouts and can see my training scores on my software to see if I have over done it. Well about two weeks ago I over did it. I felt great that week and the training didn't seem like too much. But when the totals were all in front of me I could see I was a little over the threshold. I took the next week very easy except for all the racing, but I had already set in motion things to come. I really put in a lot of extra work that week to try and get some fitness back from a long period off the bike for work. I am not the type of person that can ride twice a week and still kill it in races, I need that work in my legs. But I have always had a problem with moderation. If a little of something is good, more has to be better, right?

I need to learn to be more patient with myself and my training. I do it right with my girls. I never "jump start" a girl's training when they come back from illness or a long period out of the gym. There is always a steady ramp back to fitness. And if that ramp means they are not ready for a competitions then that is how it goes. But in my own case I don't allow myself those things. I don't know why, I don't know what makes me think I am any different than any other athlete. I guess I have always been a smarter coach than an athlete though. I can coach someone to do something in a race or competition, but I rarely ever take my own advice on the same situation. Whatever.

So now I am trying to rest up and get well again. This weekend is a pretty important week for my team and some teammates. I just hope that I am well enough to work for them. Saturday's race is going to be hard and even though I am not trying to win, just being able to hang and do work will be tough. We will have to see, maybe I will finally listen to myself and it will work out.