OFF THE BACK

It has taken me a while to get my pen out, so to speak, and write about this.   I think it has been emotionally charged and maybe I wanted to avoid the whole messy thing.

When I write something, there is requirement to get to the truth.

In late August, just after the Barrouse Bales in France, my 'wheels fell off'.   I told my 'event team' before the BB that I was not at my best but that I could still promise to deliver them to the Peyersourde(35 miles from the start) fresh and ready to climb.  I fulfilled the promise but the rest of day was subpar and I would not have been exuberant even if I had avoided the two flats.

In the days that followed, my fatigue grew and my performance fell.  By the time we left France for Spain, it was apparent that I had serious issues.  I was seeing a resting HR that was 20-30 bpm to high and max HR that was 20 bpm too low.   I was 'off the back' on smallest hills and I judged my aerobic capacity to be down 15-18%.

We noodled a few days in Spain…….sure we enjoyed the scenery and roads but I was cooked.  Fatigue set in during the day.   Massive sleep was needed but I could not sleep soundly, night sweats……..oh my!

As soon as we hit the states, I was at a couple of docs offices running cardiovascular tests and blood tests…..nothing.  The usual medical comments, that I was in the upper 1%, were of no solace to me.

By September 11, I had been dialed back for a month without improvement.  It was becoming apparent that I had a condition I had read about……I was overtrained.  Yes overtrained, I had not just overreached, I was facing a serious long term problem.

At the very least, I had made mistakes calculating the stress of 4 or 5 issues outside my daily training.  In doing so, I had massively underestimated my stress load.   At least one of my trusted advisors raised the question that maybe it was personality traits(not positive ones) that got me here and that maybe I needed to dig for answers?  I had little doubt there was some truth in this.

So, here I am today taking a dose of 'medicine'……..a long layoff, some new supplements, lots of rest, meditation, solid nutritional plan and some soul searching.  I am studying Spanish, talking to our kids on the phone, cooking and considering bocce ball or bowling as a new sport!

Nobody knows how long it will take.  I remain faithful that I will return to my former levels but don't look for any race stories soon. If one has to face this, it is a good time as the season is over.  I remain thankful that I have many people supporting, advising and helping me.

One of my trusted advisors reminded me that when there is a pile of crap, sometimes there is pony.  My Dad was optimistic in this way.    I am not yet sure what the lessons are in this case.   I am just going to keep looking for a pony.

I am still getting out just a little so I still hope to…

See ya out there.