Like a Rented Mule...or Donkey...or ....

You may be wondering why I've posted a picture of a sleeping donkey. Per Wikipedia, the donkey is also known as equus asinus or ass. Well, the picture is a reference to me and my "donkey" is exhausted. I'm spent. Instead of haulin' "donkey" on the bike, I seem to be dragging lately. Truth is, it's been getting worse since Sunday evening.

I've been on the bike or doing workouts since last Monday and this past Monday, it started to hit me, a sense of exhaustion. Now, if you're sitting there thinking "man, Boz's coach must be brutal. I'll bet he's got him doing all kinds of super secret East German style workouts!" you're wrong. I'm simply doing what every other person is doing and that's building strength and base miles into my body. If I had to pick a culprit, I'd say it was a general lack of good sleep.

Saturday was a very long day for me and I think that was the tipping point for my body. I only got 3 1/2 - 4 hours of sleep Friday night and then spent the the first part of the day with a couple of good Christian men repairing a house in the city. I spent the better part of 2-3 hours climbing up and down a ladder while doing carpentry work for a leaking window. Then I went home and jumped onto the bike for 2-3 hours which included approximately 1 hour of interval work. Later that night, we attended a trivia night with some friends. I got to bed around midnight and was back up at 7am the next morning to face another very full day.

Sunday evening while pedalling back towards the house after 2 hours on the bike, I began feeling tired. I remember thinking the last little climb which is 3 miles from my house can't come soon enough. However, last night was the final page in the book for me. While trying to do a workout on the trainer where I was supposed to do 4-5 6min intervals with my heart rate in zone 3, I couldn't get my heart rate past zone 2. It's a weird feeling too. Your legs feel fine and nothing hurts on your body, but when my brain calls for more your body doesn't answer. Your willpower is there but your body doesn't want to cooperate.

I decided there was no sense in fighting it and got off the bike after 20 minutes. I got ready for bed and went to sleep sometime before 9pm. I slept until 515am and that's pretty good for me. I guess I need the rest, so I'm going to eat smart, keep the fluids up, and try to stay off my feet for as long as I can. Maybe Aggro's right, I am getting older.

I'll rest up and file this one in the back of my mind as something to draw on when the going really gets tough. Training is not only to get your body in shape, but also your mind. You've got to know when you're simply aching a little vs. when you're body simply won't respond. Now I know a little more and that will become an advantage to me.