“You know, if I had an old bike and a pair of worn out running shoes, I’d still be doing this!”
Kenny Souza, winningest professional duathlon of all time.
The opening quote of this essay sums up my own athletic philosophy, meaning that I do what I do for the love of the activity. Having spent many years immersed in a rigid training philosophy, I realized several years back that this sort of approach, whilst possibly admirable in a superficial sense, was not really doing anything for me. Living in a dream world of trying to emulate - and even please - others served its purpose over time, but reality and reason eventually set in. In short, this flat line philosophy was self-limiting in many respects, and would make my current lifestyle and vocations unattainable were it to still be in existence.
Can an old dog learn new tricks?
Most certainly!
Removing the shackles of conventional wisdom and pursuing an alternate path in this regard, whilst difficult to accept initially, has and continues to be the most inspiring and empowering of experiences. This is not to say that I suddenly woke up one day and decided to change things cold turkey. Rather, a gradual shift in mindset over an extended period coupled with some bouts of illness and injury set in motion a move to the brighter side of athletic life.
With this in mind and in light of my recent post examining the why’s of athlete support, I thought it would be an idea to provide an insight into the compatibility of such supporting roles with my own athletic regimen, exploits and aspirations.
Athletic Priorities
The last few years has seen my athletic focus shift back to competitive road and cross-country running. Having pursued a regimen for years consisting of roughly equal amounts of running and cycling (read: a duathlete who doesn't race!), my current status could be described as a competitive runner who jogs daily, rides once-weekly on the weekends whilst smelling the roses, and embraces complementary daily strength work in an ever-evolving, basic and Spartan manner.
Week long stage races provide no real interruption to the above regimen; I cannot imagine a rigid training schedule fitting around the rigours of rubbing legs and carrying bags for eight days! Can you?
Minimum daily regimen (MDR)
Twenty minutes; sometimes a little less and sometimes a lot more. A quarter-of-an-hour jog followed by a few strides and some push-ups is more than adequate in maintaining peak fitness for any well-trained runner. In fact, I truly believe that fitness is actually improved following an extended period of such minimalism. If surfaces allow, going shoe-less is even better.
Cape Epic 2014 saw my pursuit of this MDR with vigourous anticipation. With an ultra-marathon only a few weeks later, most of my fellow participants were no doubt ramping up there mileage whilst I was happily doing the complete opposite. The penultimate Saturday working did see opportunity for an extended sojourn in forests of Grabouw though; gliding through the morning fog with a little time to kill remains a great memory of this year!
Acknowledge limitations/embrace surroundings
If you are in a pancake flat environment, why worry about doing hill repeats? Don’t be like the dude drinking a nationally-available lager instead of sampling the local brew (however potent) or the chick that travels to Istanbul and goes to a cinema showing Hollywood romances.
The beauty about a loosely structured regimen is that it is highly adaptable. Coastal towns could mean increased barefoot beach running whilst inland venues could afford rugged hills. I did three light track sessions in one week whilst working in a Boland town earlier this year, but only because our kitchen door opened onto an athletics stadium. Not sure when I’ll set foot upon a quarter mile oval again – I’m getting nervous just thinking about it!
Embrace work as activity
The natural strength and agility of an artisan or construction worker is testament to the notion of fitness attained through work. Whilst we are not all partial to working outdoors, the field of athlete support is rather physical in nature. Just like a dedicated weight-training routine being counterproductive for a stone mason, long hours spent on the road or trail would not necessarily benefit a soigneur or team manager at a stage race.
Extended periods afoot and hauling heavy bags coupled with providing massage therapy is quite a broad spectrum and demanding set of physical activity. Combined with a daily dose of 15-30mins jogging and you have quite a potent mix where a variety muscles are utilized.
This doesn't apply to all individuals though. Well known for his exploits as a professional rider, Briton Sean Yates assumed an even greater cult status through his early morning three hour spins whilst directing World Tour teams at Grand Tours. All in the name of route reconnaissance apparently, although those that know Yates would argue that the Sussex native’s love of cycling might have something to do with it.
Tomorrow lunchtime sees me leave town for a week of living the dream in Klein Karoo. The Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek is a fantastic event, taking in the quaint towns of the region and affording some magnificent scenery in the process. The weather in Cape Town is looking great and I do hope to ride my bike for an hour or two in the early morning. I probably won’t be able to ride until the following Sunday, but that doesn't matter. My loose regimen will remain intact and embrace the unique surrounds that abound in the South Western Districts. The simplicity of the activity allows me a greater freedom and appreciation of the opportunities afforded in this industry. Furthermore, if twenty minutes a day is what my daily exercise turns out to be then so be it.
Who’s counting anyway?
