The problem with the internet is that too many people are getting involved with things that they shouldn't be. Everyone has the freedom to push their own agenda, much the same way as I am now. That a little knowledge is a dangerous thing is well known and there are just too many people imparting their advice. It is wonderful that the internet can give a voice to everyone yet there is a growing noisy corner of it that seems to be getting a little out of order. As a society we have successfully marginalised the workings of Darwin and we are paying for it. Facebook is the main vehicle of social connectivity at the moment and it seems to be the receptacle of all that is really useless out there. Don't get me wrong, I am on it as much as the next person, but I am now beginning to get an inkling that I am outgrowing it. I don't want to admit it but I think that this means that I am getting old. The perils of microwaved water, rice that ferments quicker because of mean thoughts, the healing power of 'Likes' and KFC's secretly bred four-legged and four-winged chickens are some of the latest inane warnings that are gradually creeping into the realms of social media. The allure is the underlying subtle dichotomy of these premises. That the thinking behind them could make sense is more appealing that the alternative. But what has happened to critical thinking? So far my microwaved porridge with its altered DNA (really now...) hasn't caused anything to go awry. Perhaps it's because I choose to eat bananas with brown flecks on the skin that is counteracting the adverse effects...you never know. Or do you?
It's not that people post them in an ironic way, people believe it. Utterly and completely. Have I just got old? Is my thinking now too rigid? Am I becoming a little bit grumpier? Probably. Just because there is a scientific experiment captured on YouTube doesn't mean it is true. If only it were that easy. Sample sizes are too small and with random variances. A theory needs to be replicable - test it yourself. Don't just YouTube it.
When the going gets tough, the tough work out
Aside from the plethora of irritatingly bad science out there, there is also the range of inspirational workout posters doing the rounds. Again, I love them. It is a little bit like a walk down memory lane with a dab of testosterone applied Floyd Landis style. If you walked through an open plan office floor in the 90s, most likely the walls would be covered with paintings that looked as though they had been churned out by some unfortunate retirement home-cum-sweatshop in Florida. Pastel water colours with no real discernible subject matter. Amongst these instantly forgettable swathes of pink, blue and lime green prints there was always one of these put up by some departmental middle management hack:
That eventually became this...
Inspired yet?
There is no end too of inspirational work out quotes. It appeals to the athlete in all of us and unfortunately is even more irresistible to the unsophisticated of the species. We just can't help it. Again, there is nothing wrong with it . They are motivational red flags to the competitive. Because I am not into Crossfit as it appears so much of the Facebook world is, I don't take them to heart. The challenge was not thrust on me. My masculinity intact, I can let them pass by and my un-Spartany toughness remains threatened.
One though that really caught my attention was the one where there was never anyone that regretted a run. Ever. Really? It kept cropping up with different friends. It jarred something in me.
What was I thinking?
It made me think. There is often nothing that feels as good after you have returned from a run. That exhilarating yet fleeting dose of endorphins makes everything feel right. But there are many times that I have regretted going for a run. It was those runs that lead to injury or illness. I knew it at the time too but I could not stop myself. Years ago when I was on the ironman bandwagon I was on the far side of being over trained for much of it. We used to call it the razor, that fine line of finding form yet with the abyss of fatigue. We used to revel in it. It was fun, too and I was part of a pretty competitive group that were all out there chasing this bone, egging each other on. In one sense we are still pack animals. A simple mob with a cause.
It made me think. There is often nothing that feels as good after you have returned from a run. That exhilarating yet fleeting dose of endorphins makes everything feel right. But there are many times that I have regretted going for a run. It was those runs that lead to injury or illness. I knew it at the time too but I could not stop myself. Years ago when I was on the ironman bandwagon I was on the far side of being over trained for much of it. We used to call it the razor, that fine line of finding form yet with the abyss of fatigue. We used to revel in it. It was fun, too and I was part of a pretty competitive group that were all out there chasing this bone, egging each other on. In one sense we are still pack animals. A simple mob with a cause.
Later too when I started with specific marathon training, following the programme was everything. I never wanted to regret, the feeling that I didn't achieve my weekly training targets. Sadly, all those miles completed whilst over-trained ended up being junk. I didn't get faster, I was just tired for longer. All the while hanging in until the magical taper period so that I could somehow repair myself in time for the big day.
I regret that run when I twisted my ankle after deciding on running a needlessly technical downhill just a few days ahead of a race I had prepared hard for. I missed the race and I still have a slightly dicky ankle. I regret the track session last year when I strained my knee ahead of the marathon. I knew I was tired but I felt I had to tough my way through it because I would be stronger afterwards. It is all fine until it isn't. I regret all those runs when I knew I was getting sick but I went anyway. Why I never listened to my body I don't know...but I also know the next time I get into a training cycle I'll get caught up on driving towards my goal. It is hard, but I have resolved to regret less and listen more. Hopefully it is a sign of maturity.
Listening to your body is just one of the steps along the road of being an athlete. It is also one of the steps that you heed the older you get. Many athletes find it hard to hold back when training with accumulating fatigue. We make little deals with ourselves such as promising to get a little more sleep that night or that by eating a bit better so we can avoid the downward spiral of over training. Letting go of that missed training session seems to be the most difficult to do. Life too seems to get better at adding obstacles in your way. Less time, work responsibilities, family commitments. The less time you have to train the more important it is listen to your body.
Sometimes I know that I am not tough enough and that's okay too. Training at the end of the day is a luxury and I want to be able to enjoy it for as long as possible.
Sometimes I know that I am not tough enough and that's okay too. Training at the end of the day is a luxury and I want to be able to enjoy it for as long as possible.
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