It is the middle of February as I write this entry in the midst of a rather busy period. This is a time of year that I have come to relish and 2015 has certainly lived up to this notion. Whether working as a massage therapist at sporting events or discovering a rare book on philosophy; preparing for an upcoming ultra-marathon or reveling in gardening at dusk; tracking down international athletes to profile or mapping rural South East Asia: these are but a few examples of a lifestyle that I've always dreamed about, which is now a reality.
Such is the pace and randomness of daily life that sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down and enjoy the moment. That’s right: living the dream can become all-consuming at times, whether chasing peak performance in sport or attempting to expand a sideline industry. Sometimes we all just need to pause and take in the view. That said, I must admit my observant and inquisitive nature thrives at this time of year, particularly in a sporting sense. Working in sport has many advantages, among those being able to filter the visible and the verbal and applying it to my personal athletic intentions.
If I think back a year, my sporting aspirations mirrored those of 2015, namely preparing for an ultra-marathon (impending) whilst chasing fast 10km times (work in progress). The first quarter of 2014 was great in pursuing those particular quests amid a busy period, although a nagging recurrence of retro-calcaneal bursitis served as a constant cautionary detail as to not try to do too much. After all, pain is there to warn us! This year’s challenge is not so much physical but mental, where I’m constantly debating how to prepare effectively and holistically given an increased amount of evening and weekend work. Thank goodness I’m not following a rigid training program for if I did, my body, mind and spirit would most likely be toast by now! In light of life's curve-balls and with just over six weeks remaining until my quest for thirty-five-mile glory, I've resolved to prioritise and optimise a few things this time around. Some old, some new, some forgotten and now remembered, but in no particular order:
- Circadian Rhythm
- Hip Flexion
- Comparisons
- Biorhythms
- Intuition
Who says an old dog can’t learn new tricks? The above five pointers may seem obvious to some and should (theoretically) intermingle seamlessly, but only in an ideal world. Such is the flow and unpredictability of daily life that covering these and other bases can prove challenging. Such is beauty of life! I've found that the key is getting as close to such parameters as practically possible and if I can do that, then I can be truly satisfied. It really is all about attitude.
In closing, my intention is to expand on the above list in five separate posts, but only when I get around to it of course.
Carpe Diem!
