When training for Ironman Florida in 2006, it wasn’t unusual for me to roll into my driveway, transition from my bike to my house like it was T2, change clothes while my wife loaded the kids in the car, and hop in the driver’s seat before she finished buckling them in. That’s how lunch was done in 2006. Salt my food? No thanks, I’ll just shake it off my brow. I laugh now when I think of how many restaurants I had been to for lunch with the salt of dried sweat still on my face.

 

Looking back, it wasn’t exactly the most balanced life. Since then, I’ve taken a more holistic approach to training that places overall health and well-being as primary goals rather than medals or increasingly longer and longer events, which in our crazy lifestyle, seem to be never-ending (did you know there’s actually a “deca Ironman”?). It wasn’t easy dialing down my training and purposefully postponing Ironman attempts in my near future but, the rewards have been great: less stress at work, improved health (I finally got my cholesterol under control by eliminating the monstrous cravings caused by 6-hour bike rides), and more time with my family.

 

So, in this issue, we look at the life of the endurance athlete and how better to optimize fitness for overall health rather than the short-term ability to finish a big event. Chasing medals may be a powerful motivating force for those who can still remember the days of trying to get off the couch, but addressing the emotional and physical aspect of training should always be a key consideration when choosing a goal event.

 

Sage Rountree, in her Getting Started article, will help set you on course for finding balance in training and life, while Mandy Murphy provides the basics (and dispels the misconceptions) about meditation and how it can help you. In his article “Performance Under Pressure,” D.C. Lucchesi provides some examples of how other athletes address the “work-life-training” balance. In “Get the ‘Work’ Out of Your Workout,” Michelle Joshua and Brian Beatty share some ideas for keeping your training fun. Finally, in our feature story, Matt Clancy talks with Bandwidth.com CEO and Race Across America winner David Morken about how redefining the “working lunch” isn’t just good for business, but good for employees as well.

 

Inspire. Perform. Endure.