It is the start of a New Year; new beginnings for some, more of the same for many.
My own enforced work sabbatical (part 1 and 2) saw me embrace an extended break for the first time in years, and I must admit that it has done me the world of good. The Festive Season can be as busy or as quiet as you make it and for me, the latter certainly held true.
As the years go by, I find myself ever attracted to the quiet life and can easily relate to those city dwellers that choose a lifestyle change to a small town, or the former sales executive who changes career to that of a writer or guest lodge owner. Even those professional athlete who elects to retire earlier than anticipated in order to pursue an alternate career; having known a few of these individuals certainly gives one a great insight into how people adapt to a period of change.
Change can mean many things and, if viewed strictly in athletic sense, can be catalyst or downfall of many a sportsperson. Whilst there are those who see a drastic makeover as key to further sporting success, others prefer to remain with the tried and tested methods honed over many years practice. Whilst doing the same thing year after year certainly has its benefits (read: consistency; stability), mixing things up and making some small adjustments can take an athlete to the next level. I guess that it is more a case of knowing what to add - and why it might be beneficial - that many individuals battle to contend with.
Peak performance in endurance sport is a science that is neither “rocket” or exact, yet so many make out as if it is. Whilst the basic principles are applicable to most, each and every athlete is different and factors such as volume and periods of high intensity vary widely from person to person. To take this notion a step further, the one component of sport that really interests me is the unique preferences, complementary practices and general idiosyncrasies of each individual, that is, what they do on the side in addition to the basic principles of specific training. Be it the pro triathlete who dabbles in boxing or the marathon runner with a love of windsurfing, these all-rounders have always piqued my interest. They reminded me that there is perhaps more to attaining peak sporting performance than pursuing blind specificity, where a little bit of diversion is not a bad thing.
This time of year sees my annual quest for peak running performance. My approach is rather basic, where I chase fast 10km times off of lots daily jogging and weekly long runs, culminating in an ultra-marathon in early April. Whilst the notion of pursuing ultra-marathon glory through ten thousand metres excellence might seem contradictory, I truly feel that the stimulation and excitement of the shorter discipline positively impacts my desire to perform over longer distances. I know that that is not for everyone though.
The same thing holds true with regards to specificity. In order to improve as a runner, a person needs to run more. This might sound obvious but there are many who distract themselves with complementary activities in order to improve their performance on foot. Yoga is not going to make you a better runner but therein lays the problem that many face: doing something for the right reason. There is nothing wrong with a runner doing regular yoga – it is just that the yoga should not be done for the sole purpose of improving running. Rather, such an activity should be viewed as complementary, where the activity itself is pursued to enrich and stimulate personal growth, vitality and versatility.
In my case, there is more to my daily exercise rhythm and athletic aspirations than the sole activity of running. I’ve always been like that and I suspect that my teenage years spent in the sport of triathlon may have something to do with this approach. Just like there are other reasons to run as opposed to exclusively chasing peak performance, other physical activities are part and parcel of a fitness approach across a broader spectrum, if viewed as part of the bigger picture of course.
Take my latest physical diversions for instance, namely barefoot running and swimming. Whilst both activities are increasingly touted by coaches and experts as beneficial for distance running in the spirit of the dreaded term “cross training”, my reasons for indulging in both are far removed from the more conventional reasoning.
Rather, I pursue these two diversions for the love of the activity. The sheer simplicity and “natural-ness” of running barefoot along a beach or on a grass field is joy to behold. Likewise, swimming in a dam or in the ocean is exciting and refreshing all the same. Whilst there is certainly substance to barefoot running aiding in stride turnover and running form, I prefer to pursue it for reasons of tangibility and perceived freedom. The benefits derived from going “sans shoes “are aplenty, but for me, they are purely a bonus. And where swimming can rightly be prescribed as a form of active recovery for athletes, I swim in summer for sheer enjoyment and to be fit enough to stroke effortlessly across a dam or lake or large tidal pool if such an opportunity presents itself on my travels.
In his book Runaway Comrade, Bob de la Motte attests to how the sheer thought of being a fulltime athlete was never an option for him. His personality dictated that his running prowess formed only a part of his daily life and I can certainly relate. Whilst I must admit to thinking of my own competitive aspirations daily, other activities and diversions are ever present in the back of my mind.
A little diversity is a good thing, for the right reasons of course.
