The 70.3 window - Part 2
“Somewhere in between the bottom of the climb and the summit is the answer to the mystery of why we climb.” – Greg Child
This week was more monotonous and showed the ups and downs of this process, hence the quote of the day. The whole process has been and will continue to be one of self-discovery in very different ways. The training starts to feel automatic in the sense that it’s ingrained in the routine and actually determines how my days probably will look like, and at the same time it is a very interesting feeling when it comes to approaching something you know what it looks like and what you have to do but still don’t know how it’s going to feel on that particular day. Sometimes I feel like I’m thriving and getting better, both in numbers and in sensations which comes with a feeling that I’m unstoppable and making good progress. Others, my body feels asleep, and my mind is a battlefield, those days we grind with compassion, we stay present and walk through it with kindness. Both meet in the soreness of my body at the end of it, which then is a reminder that is not the summit, but what I do with the climb.
Support is still there, even when not expressed publicly or loudly, I can feel the embrace and I can feel the push it gives me. Especially from those close to me (shout out to my grandma for texting me that she believes I can make it), and that is the support that most matters at the end, the one from people close to your heart. It’s okay if there’s doubt out there (which I can sense sometimes), I even have it and it shows up big like a monster sometimes, and I’m here and I embrace it and offer to walk together. That’s why it’s me against me, it always has and will be, I know I can be better, and I push myself to that standard in all realms of life. Hence again, this reflection.
I’ve been more conscious about my body this week; it aches sometimes (most of the time) and it talks to me when I’m done. So, I’ve been going back to basics oof good stretching, good nutrition, and good sleep. It’s crazy how a challenge like this can connect me and bring awareness to so many different aspects of me and my life. I’m allowing to be intentional with the day to day and how it all looks like, that to me sounds pretty close to the here and now.
I have not made a huge effort to spread the word about the campaign this week. It was a very introspective one which I appreciate and celebrate as well. I am ready and focused to keep sharing the message and promoting Colombian cycling. Especially with the Tour Colombia right around the corner (starting 02/06). I want to focus a lot on who we’re impacting, less about me, a paradox of this whole journey I guess, but a very important one, nonetheless.
At last, numbers for the week:
Swim: 3600m. Finding a good rhythm and pace. Still got a lot of work to do for the kick.
Run: 38km. Stick to the plan, less is more over time.
Bike: Still a lot of sweat and effort on a peloton. Uping the times of training. Trying to be comfortable and working on being light and smooth on the pedaling.
Stay true, siempre más!
-N