Bob Sevene, my Nike coach during the mid 1980's once told me I had more discipline than any athlete he had ever coached. I never missed a workout, I did the workouts as they were prescribed and I followed directions well during races. I trusted my coach. In the same breath he told me that I had less commitment than any athlete he had ever coached and this frustrated him. I was the model athlete at practice, but once I got in my car and went back to my regular day to day activities it was as if I forgot all about running fast. I look back on this with some regret. I may never have missed a practice, but I showed up hungover, or without my inhaler, or on an empty stomach, or on inadequate sleep... the list goes on and on. I wasn't willing to take my athletic behavior off the track and practice it in my day to day life. When I think about my recent irritation over having to think about food I realise that it really isn't about the food at all...it is more about the apsects of training that do not come easily to me. My "I want to eat what I want when I want it" attitude regarding food is really a two year old temper tantrum over anything that requires a level of sacrifice and monitoring that I am not readily willing to take. This humbling reality hit me at the gym this morning mid workout. It wasn't pretty. It really made me mad.
When I approached Jonathan Farwell, my current Crossfit coach regarding my leveling off in workout performance recently he had two directives for me. Stop eating sugar and start working on my mobility. While I have delved somewhat into the mobility training the food piece has not changed... until yesterday. This food challenge ends on October 27th, the day White Mountain Crossfit will hold it's Annual Barbells for Boobs Fundraising event. My goal is to be able to complete the workout "Grace" as it is prescribed. Thirty clean and jerks for time at 85lbs. I can do it with 75 pounds but this doesn't count for the "in the gym" Barb. "In the gym" Barb wants to RX that mother. But what about "day to day" Barb? When I asked my other coach Brad Newbury (and Jon who was standing nearby) how (and if) I could get to 85 pounds by October 27th they laughed and then had two directives for me. Stop running so much and eat steak three times a day! The steak part was somewhat tongue in cheek but there it was again...food...diet....supplemental training...behavior outside the gym that I needed to change to improve inside the gym. Seriously?? My mid workout meltdown this morning had me right back to track practice in 1987 hearing the same message from my other coach. Clearly, I haven't figured this part out.
So day two...I was able to finsh Day One pretty well. I had pumpkin and squash ravioli for dinner with tomato sauce. This was home made ravioli and although the pasta is definitely not "clean" the ravioli's were home made all natural and expensive! I supplemented with 6 jumbo shrimp. The tomato sauce had no sugar or preservatives. My dessert, some frozen grapes. As I type mid way through day two I am developing a pattern. So far today two bananas, a protein shake with all natural applesauce and farm milk, nuts and seeds. (And the coffee...must have the coffee...it is getting darker). Lunch was a big bowl of tunafish with peppers, carrots, cucumbers, cheese and a sprinkling of olive oil. More almonds and walnuts and yogurt covered raisins. I will protein shake it up again before gymnastics and then plan a big yummy omelet for dinner. When Gary offered up the Honey Bun I politely and firmly explained my situation. He promised to keep the honey buns out of my line of sight...
I know it's just food, and for someone with "no apparent issues" around food I have rambled on and on about it, but really...this forthought and application of practice and commitment to gym behavior outside the gym brings up every area of my life that has shown a weakness or a struggle... that's the beauty and the irony of it I guess...
My Dad used to tease me about racing on the track...who can get no where the fastest he would joke as most of my races started and finished on the same line. I would reply that the exactness of it, the precision in the execution of that perfect race was what I loved most about it. A track was a track...your time meant something. But this returning to the same place over and over again is taking on a new meaning...and as I complete day two, I am not sure how I feel about that.
On to Day three...
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