Rest

Rest is by far possibly more important than hard training. It is when the body repairs itself and builds back up to be stronger than before we punished it with grueling workouts.

I have been resting the past few days. But it was unplanned rest, which can be difficult. I spent the day laying on the couch shivering & sweating at the same time, while semi-watching the Giro and wishing my head would stop pounding. I may have whined a few times.

As most triathletes tend to be are type-A, structured people, setting the training plan aside when sickness takes over can be hard. This week was supposed to be a big build before I race Escape from Alcatraz. Instead I will race more rested. I've been in this sport long enough to know that sometimes this is actually a better scenario for me. Our bodies tend to tell us when enough is enough. And this won't always match the training plan - at least for me it never seems to.

Fun bike poster by Jason Munn.

The only thing I don't mind about getting sick is that it always makes me realize how much I appreciate my health. I am grateful for those days when I can ride my bike and push my body to extremes. I realize there are people that do not have this luxury. So today I am thankful for an immune system that will eventually win the battle with whatever is making me shiver while wearing a sweatshirt. Happy training. And resting!