They didn't told me this...

In highschool, I ran on and off. I never had a structure training and no diet. Wait, I did had a diet. The Burger King Diet.

Two years ago, I bought a road bike from my friend. That's what got me back into cycling.

Last year, I started training for triathlon. Swimming was my weakest and so I spent a lot of time in the pool. Every Sat, I would rehearse all three sports at once. I never read a book and only went on Beginnertriathlete.com for info.

The night before my first tri, I was checking out the distance for Ironman. Having done the bike distance, I knew if I run the marathon distance, learn how to swim and put them all together, I can do it. Simple right?

At that point, I visualize that somehow I can do the distance.

So last year, I did my first marathon as well. I spent 13 weeks after my first tri and focused solely on running.

This year, training is more serious and committed. I was just thinking about my last post where I put down setting social life in minimum. How true. I begin to understand the concept of sacrifice.

No one told me about this when training for Ironman.

I could train and still have an active social life. I have done that. I have learnt when I try to either shoehorn a social activity into training or vice versa, there is only one result. A burnt out Cliff.

For this next three weeks, I have remove excess of social activities. I kept a couple. Family gathering (aunt came from Hong Kong), Church picnic (great way to go after my long brick). On one hand, there were a lot of criticisms. On the other, I enjoy this simplier lifestyle.

Take today for example. I took a day off.

Got up at 9. Did a long run (brutal hot). Eat. Nap. Do dishes. Picked up mom. Prepare tomorrow's meals and bag. Work on resume. Dinner. Church. Prayer night. Go home. Blog. Sleep.

On the way to Church, I felt a presence of peace which I haven't felt for a long time. I read about the sense of tranquielity when doing what seemed to be a mundane chore. Now I understand what it meant. (I don't love cleaning.I still don't :D But it is getting easier.)

Before I use to have a busy life.

Any free time I will squeeze in a social outing. The goal is to fill all my free time up. That's the game. Things will move so fast, I don't even know what happen. Let alone trying to appreciate it.

Training forces me to pick my priorities and stick with them. Violate them and I will see the consquences easily. Putting too much into my schedule. It explodes in my face.

Now I am busy living life. The pleasure of doing simple tasks. The important things. Dang..I love this sport.

I just wonder...can I do this day in and day out for weeks, months and years?? From season to season? Basically...is this the beginning of my endurance sport lifestyle? Or was it already with me the day when my parents got me my first bike back in grade 5?

I don't know. What I do know is that I can't live my life without taking a break away from life and go for a run in the trail, a bike ride or a swim in the pool.

Side note: Today's long run was horrible. Never run in the sun, in humid, in 100*F without bringing lots of water. I had to keep changing course, cutting the distance, walking and stopping just so I can hop onto the next mall, library, store for water.