Advice on dealing with high heart rate in a given workout

As your structured training load increases due to an increase in intensity, duration, frequency , or all three, your body learns to adapt and become more fit.  Muscles become stronger, the heart pumps more blood per stroke, blood chemistry changes, and a general adaptive process attempts to accommodate the new stresses placed upon it.


During the course of a season of training, we may push our bodies too far and essentially "paint ourselves into a corner" with regard to recovery.  Usually, we notice that we are reaching too far with regard to our new workload and ironically, this is known as "overreaching".  It usually takes the athlete 2-3 weeks to recover from the fatigue and poor performance that is usually associated with overreaching.


Overtraining can best be defined as "chronic overreaching".  Very few athletes actually become overtrained since most will back off their training load when they notice a decrease in their performance.  An actual episode of overtraining can take 2-3 months to fully recover.


One of the symptoms of overreaching is an elevated heart rate at a given effort (i.e. pace or power output).  If the athlete notices these symptoms during training, it is usually best to cut the workout short and begin a period of reduced training stress.  


Joel Friel (author of Cyclists and Triathletes Training Bible) had a recent discussion with John Post M.D., and they published his recommendations on his blog.  Here is an excerpt from a recent post:

"However, if the high exercising heart rate is unusual for you then you may indeed have a problem. But let’s further define “high” here. There are going to be days when your heart rate rises above what you normally see by perhaps 10 bpm or slightly more just because of fatigue, overreaching, overtraining, too much caffeine or similar product, or a hot day. This is not unusual at all. You may need to back off and slow down or even abandon the workout that day. This happens to everyone from time to time.

But if your heart rate is well above 10bpm over what you normally see at a given power, pace or perceived exertion (which may not work in this case) then you could have a health problem. But first check to make sure your heart rate monitor is working correctly and there are no errant signals.

Such an unusually high heart rate happened to me in 1994 while running a half marathon. Of course, as the dummy I am, I finished the race, albeit at a slower pace. After weeks of testing my doctor finally determined it was a case of viral myocarditis. That cost me seven months of training.

Another condition to be aware of is atrial fibrillation (“a-fib”). I won’t go into detail on this as you can read more about this here on Dr. Post’s blog. 

So if you mean a “high” heart rate as one high relative to what you normally see at an otherwise common intensity and you’ve ruled out the heart rate monitor as the source of the “problem,” then see your doctor."

We need to look at a trend when viewing heart rate, so an isolated incident with elevated measurements may not indicate a problem.  Heart rate can slowly drift upwards at a given pace or power as an athlete becomes dehydrated or fatigued.  This phenomena is called "CV Drift" or "Cardiovascular Drift".

As the athlete warms up and begins to sweat, blood is brought very close to the surface of the skin in order to increase cooling and the volume of the blood being pumped to muscles and organs decreases.  This decrease in blood plasma volume causes a reduction in arterial blood pressure and heart stroke rate volume.  In order to combat this drop in blood pressure, the heart rate must elevate in order to pump the "thinner" blood to the body.  

CV drift is largely controlled through proper hydration and heat acclimation, and an elevated heart rate for a given pace or power can best be controlled through proper rest and recovery.  If the condition becomes chronic, it is recommended that the athlete seek medical advice.

The build phase of endurance training is marked by increases in steady-state aerobic exercise, and provide an excellent opportunity to monitor changes in heart rate during prolonged exercise.  For example, after monitoring your heart rate at Zone 2 or Marathon pace for several weeks, you will become familiar with a normal range.  If the numbers fall out of this range, your coach can help you find out why this might be happening.

Per the recommendations by John Post M.D., we suggest that if your heart rate is well above 10 BPM for a given pace or power zone, that you consider factors such as your hydration level, potential for overreaching, etc. and contact your coach to find a solution.

Accomplishments...

Measuring success.....


Racing is actually a very small part of the multisport experience.  In fact, for an age-group athlete, racing is usually less than 5% of the athlete's time spent swimming, cycling, and running during the year.  However, none of us like to do poorly in a race or on a fitness test.  Measuring progress is an absolutely essential part of structuring a training program that works well.


Many of us continue to train and wonder if we've made any real accomplishments.  We judge our pace on various courses under various conditions, compare our race placing against those around us, and end up confused and mystified by the world of structured endurance training.


"Gee, Mark.  Last year I finished 346th and this year I was 311th, so I must be improving," uttered Ivan as he looked over his race results.  "I got my speed average up to 18.3 mph over last year's 18.1, so the plan must be working," he gleefully exclaimed.


Does this conversation sound familiar?  These external measurements are not a fixed point by which we should measure, yet it's uttered frequently on message boards, blogs, and frustrated athletes trying to define their progress.


Thanks to the age of GPS watches, heart rate monitors, power meters, and other data collection devices, it has become easier than ever to figure out if the training plan is working well.


It has also become easier than ever to get lost in a sea of misinformation.


The Team's Successes...


The athletes at Nice Tri Multisport Coaching have just completed a 20 week training period known as the "Breakthrough Season".  Breakthrough training is usually conducted during what most people refer to as the "off" season.  Typically, offseason training consists of long, slow, aerobic miles done in an attempt to build an aerobic "base" with a much lower volume than peak season training.  The goal is to build an aerobic base, but what actually happens is that the athlete detrains, loses conditioning, and starts the season with quite a bit of work to do in order to try to get faster.


Not at Nice Tri Multisport Coaching.


Our "off" season is actually spent concentrating on improving pace and power at lactate threshold - the hallmark of an endurance athlete.  The athlete will enter a long course build season with very high levels of fitness, and they can then begin to add endurance to their newfound speed.


Our team has been extremely diligent on completing their workouts.  You could almost count on one hand the number of missed workouts per athlete over the last 20 weeks.  Their consistency has been a key ingredient to their success, and we have the PR's and new Vdots to prove it.


Statistically speaking...


Enthralling listeners with tales of newfound speed is one thing, but it is largely anecdotal.  Unless you've been tracking your progress to the "nth" degree, your improvements may go by unnoticed.  It may also slip by you that the plan is not working.  We track progress because we care!


Our run performances increased in speed an average of 9%.  The average athlete increased their Vdot score by 11%.  The average athlete took only 13 weeks to experience these gains (some athletes started the season later than others).


The largest time savings over a 5k run was 2 minutes and 47 seconds after 11 weeks of training.


What does all of this mean in the real world?


These figures mean that the average athlete at Nice Tri Multisport Coaching reduced their 5k run time by 2 minutes and 4 seconds in 13 weeks of training.


Taking credit...


I am very grateful to have such a hard-working team that is dedicated to their training and nutrition.  If they had not put in the work, they certainly would not have experienced the success that they did.  They should all be extremely proud.


I've also had a lot of feedback throughout the period about how the training was progressing and when a rest day might be due.  Communication is one of the most important parts of a successfully-coached training program, and the team was outstanding with this as well.  


I've also received suggestions and advice from team members about the plan, and for that I am grateful.  If the plan worked well, it is largely because of the help of others as we've gone through the program.


Athena Visel is Nice Tri's Registered Dietician and Sports Nutritionist.  She has been an extremely important element in the program, and has helped athletes modify their daily nutrition in order to meet their weight loss and performance goals.  She has also put a large amount of work into research and blog posts, which have proven very insightful.  She also deserves a hearty "thank you" for a job well done.


Looking forward...


We all know that long course training does not consist entirely of Vdot tests, FTP numbers, equations, derivatives, and algorithms.  The world of long course does not exist in a vacuum, but exists in the very real world of hills, winds, bonks, dog chases, chirping birds and everything else that goes along with training outside.  We couldn't be happier about it.


And we're ready.


Train Hard.  Race Easy.

Learning pacing...

Gadgets and Gizmos Aplenty...


Technology is everywhere.  Power meters, heart rate monitors, and GPS watches have invaded the world of endurance sport and have given athletes and coaches insight that has been previously reserved for Olympic training centers and top secret testing laboratories.  We can measure pace, heart rate, power, temperature, hub torque, and dozens of other variables that are indicators of an athlete's fitness level.


After downloading a pace or power file, a coach can almost literally re-experience the ride with the athlete and provide them insight into what happened and why.  


When training and racing with technology, we can answer questions such as:


"Would I be better off with a higher cadence"?


"Why do I keep cracking at mile 80 on the bike"?


"What would my pace have been if I were on level ground"?


Some people think that merely purchasing a GPS watch or power meter will immediately make them faster, but that's like expecting to be a master cabinet maker simply by purchasing new woodworking equipment.

Screenshot from a power file

You have to be able to interpret the data and incorporate the data into a training plan.  Technology helps coaches do that more effectively and with less trial and error.



Figuring out our limiters...

So here we are.  We've just completed the first Run-Bike-Run of the year and did fairly well, and now we're settling down to take a look at our power file.  Exciting stuff to be sure!


"I trained hard all winter and I can't wait to see how I did...", you gleefully proclaim as you pull up your file on WKO+.


What would you imagine is the very first thing that this athlete looks at when viewing their data?


Average power?


Average speed?


Average cadence?


Did anyone say "Pacing"?


No one?


That's what I thought.


Most people think it's their Vo2 Max or Lactate Threshold that's holding them back, and to some extent, that may be true.  However, if "Vo2 this" or "lactate that" were the only measure of ability to go fast while swimming, cycling or running, then the people with the highest numbers would win every race.


And that's clearly not the case.


Could there be more to multisport than just swimming, cycling and running?


Pacing is of primary importance, but most athletes pay lip service to the correct way to do it or fail to understand it entirely.  How important is it?  Let me tell you a little story...


The Seven Sports of Triathlon


"Swim.  Bike.  Run".  "It says right here on the entry form that it's a triathlon," uttered Ironman Ivan as he signed up for the Annual M-Dot 140.6 Bonkout held near his hometown of Tendonitisville, so he began to assemble a training plan that would make Craig Alexander run for cover. 


Go to the pool four times weekly and swim 3000 yards each day.  Check.


Get on the bike and ride for 5 hours every Saturday from November until August.  Check.


Run 80 miles each week on my easy weeks.  Check.


Fast forward 11 months and Ivan is nearing the end of his marathon at the M-Dot Bonkout.


Walking.


Vomiting.


And covered in a film that makes him a biohazard in 43 states.


What could have possibly gone wrong here?  Ivan had completed training in all 3 sports the likes of which our sport has never seen.  Obviously, there's more to it than swim, bike and run.


There are SEVEN sports in triathlon.


If you're not training the other four, you may end up like Ironman Ivan at your next event, and nobody enjoys being called a "biohazard".


"So what are the Seven Sports of Triathlon?  You're killing me here!"


There are indeed FOUR other skills in addition to swimming, biking and running that you need to master to be successful at long course events.


Stay tuned for our next blog post where we will talk about each of them!

Substituting workouts, switching things around, and contingency planning in general.

We all miss workouts.  Life presents us with issues that often derail our well-laid plans for swimming, cycling, and running.  Sickness, travel, work and injury are just some of the "hiccups" that we need to be prepared to face during the course of a training season.


I often get the question:  "What do I do if I can't do my ride this Wednesday? Do you want me to substitute it for a run?"


The answer is simple.  Or is it?


As we all know, running is more jarring than cycling and is more likely to sideline an athlete with injuries from overuse or overtraining.  Due to its stress placed on the body, it is unwise to increase the Running Training Stress Score (rTSS) more than 10% each week.  We can sometimes replace a cycling activity with running (or vice versa), but there is more to it than "just throwing an equivalent amount of training stress" at the athlete and hoping for the best.

rTSS Graph from WKO+

In the graph above, we have a representation of our chronic run training stress load (CTL - blue line) and the acute training stress load (ATL - magenta line).  CTL looks back 42 days to at our average TSS/day, but averages in the last 7 days of stress more heavily.  To put it another way - the workout you did 42 days ago is still affecting your fitness today, but the workout you did 2 days ago affects your fitness today even more heavily.  

The acute run training stress load (ATL - magenta line) averages our training stress over the last 7 days, divides by 7, and shows us an average of our current "short term" training stress.  You will notice that the yellow line (Training Stress Balance, or TSB) always acts in opposition to the magenta line.  TSB is a representation of how well-rested we are (or how "fresh" we are).  If our ATL goes up due to increased workouts, our TSB will go down.  In other words, a high ATL and low TSB tells us we're tired.  Conversely, if we're extremely well-rested due to a high TSB and low ATL, we will most likely have de-conditioned.

My grandmother is in her 80's, does not work out, and therefore has a very high TSB.  However, due to her low ATL from never working out, it is unlikely that she will win any time trials anytime soon.

This is exactly what the yellow line represents:

Our freshness.

Therefore, we must find a balance between how well rested we are, and how much training stress we're accumulating if we want to perform well at a given event.  By using this chart, we can keep an eye out for things like overtraining, plateauing, and under-training.  It is also a great way to help avoid injury by adding in too much stress too quickly.

8 Month Illustration of Fitness, Freshness, and Form via the PMC on WKO+

So what on earth does all of this have to do with swapping workouts around?


This introduction to acute training load, chronic training load, and training stress balance are to provide you with some insight about the stress your body receives from a given workout.  Before we consider adding in a bike or run workout to the schedule, we have to look at the following issues:


1.  Are we well rested? - If we have a test or race coming up for which we'd like to perform well, adding in extra training stress during a taper week will compromise our freshness for that test and will inhibit our performance.  If we've missed sleep lately and are feeling tired, it might be best to take the day off.


2.  Do we have any lingering soreness that could lead to injury? - A lingering pain that doesn't seem to go away or a tender area in a muscle or tendon is often a cry from our bodies for rest.  If we are considering adding in extra running to maintain fitness but are likely to injure ourselves by doing so, it would be best to just get in some extra rest.


3.  Where am I with regard to TSS, ATL, and TSB? - If we blindly throw in additional running or cycling without considering its effect on our TSS, we are likely to dig ourselves a hole that could compromise the next several workouts or injure us.  The Nice Tri training program is not just a manipulation of total training time, it is a modification of all training variables (frequency, intensity and duration).  In other words, if we add duration and maintain frequency, we must keep a close eye on intensity to avoid adding too much ATL too soon.  If we add intensity to the training plan, we may shorten duration or adjust frequency for the same reason.  We will never add duration, intensity and frequency all at once.


4.  Is this an anomaly or is this a chronic issue? - If we are routinely missing a workout due to travel, it would be best to adjust the schedule to prevent this.  If traveling for your job is rare and missed workouts are seldom an issue, it is often best to just miss that workout and "Charlie Mike" (if you don't know, Google it).  It is rare that anyone in the Nice Tri program need more training.  In fact, an extra rest day might be exactly what your body needed.


5.  Am I adding in a run workout or a bike workout? - It is very unlikely to be injured by riding your bike for an extra hour for the week if you've been professionally fit.  Injuries on the bike are extremely rare.  However, run injuries are common when we ignore the 10% rule.  Does 10% mean TSS?  Mileage?  Vdot?


Yes! 


We must keep an eye on the TSS and TSB before adding in any running stress.  When we do add in additional running, it is best if we do not add more than 10% TSS or 10% mileage to the total load.  We must also consider what type of training follows the run workout, its intensity and duration, and then plan accordingly.


If we substitute a workout occasionally, it is unlikely that we will experience problems.  However, it is always best to consult with your coach for guidance on what to do, when to do it, and the appropriate intensity.  Try to notify your coach well in advance as this may affect subsequent training sessions.


If you're considering adding in "extra" workouts to your schedule or making them faster in order to get in better shape, this is highly discouraged.  Make sure to have a discussion with your coach about your concerns and goals before moving forward on your own.


Remember - the number one rule in increased physical performance is consistency, and the best way to ensure consistency is to remain injury-free.  If you're missing a workout or two per month, the added rest will not affect your conditioning and it may even be a welcome treat.


However, if you find that you're consistently missing a workout due to a change in schedule, advise your coach for an amended training plan.


That's what one-on-one coaching is all about!


Train Hard.  Race Easy.

Are you headed down the path to overtraining?

We all have the best of intentions when it comes to training.  I have yet to meet a client admitted that they'd like to train so hard that they had to take some time off for rehabilitation of injuries, or wanted to train themselves sick (literally).  No one actually says that, but oftentimes we think that if we're not broken down that we must be doing something wrong.  After all, Ironman is a grueling event, so shouldn't I be physically and emotionally wiped out during my entire training cycle?


Judging by some of the ultra-high volume training plans out there, one would think so.


I have been blessed with a great team of athletes who are not lacking in the motivation department.  They have fought their way through Vdot and power tests when they'd much rather be relaxing on the couch, and have battled the elements on long runs because that's part of the sacrifice you make for Ironman.  

If you constantly feel like this,
you might be overtrained.

I have yet to tell someone that they need to be more diligent with their workouts.  I have, however, had to "encourage" others to remain within the parameters of their workout.  


The question always comes up about training load during an Ironman or half Iron build.  Iron Joe compares his training load with Iron Sally and the question is always the same:  "How many hours are you working out this week"?


The tenet of the average multisport coach is more duration = better results.  How much more? Nobody's really certain (neither the coach or the athlete).  


We just know that we need more!


Nice Tri Multisport Coaching does not just look at the duration of your workouts.  We also look at the frequency and intensity before deciding how much "more" to add to your schedule.  

Sadly, this is often the first sign of
overtraining for many athletes.

If your question about Ironman training is "how many hours per week will I be training?", we can provide a general idea of a time commitment, but much of that depends upon your body's ability to handle an increased workload.  If this concept sounds revolutionary (it shouldn't) or contrary to science, here is some research that proves that it's not all about duration:
"Overtraining is defined as "Training/competition to recovery imbalance." It primarily is caused by too little time for regeneration. Additional non-training stress sources, such as social, educational, occupational, nutritional, and travel factors and the monotony of training increase the risk of overtraining. Symptoms of overtraining are persistent performance incompetence, persistent high fatigue rating, altered mood state, increased rate of infections, and suppressed reproductive function."

This is the good part:

"This review considered three studies that evaluated effects on participants.

• ITV (Increase in Training Volume) consisted of daily monotonous long-distance runs with a volume increase of 100% (from 85.9 km/week to 174.6 km/week).

This is the path of least resistance for most coaches [above].  Just keep adding duration to the workouts....more, more, more!

• ITI (Increase in Training Intensity) consisted of tempo-pace and interval runs increasing by 150% along with a volume increase of 37%. However, this included a much lower training load than that of the ITV condition, one rest day per week of no training, and alternation of hard and easy training days to minimize training monotony.

• ITE (Intensive Ergometer Training Study) exposed less adapted individuals to an unaccustomed intensified training load and monotonous programming.

The ITV condition produced consistently depressed performances that persisted for a three-month period. On the other hand, the ITI study increased performances and did not produce an overtrained state. Its added rest period, greater variety of stimulation, and alternating hard and easy sessions better accommodated regeneration and the avoidance of monotony. [An opinion was offered by the authors that monotony might be just as critical in suppressing regeneration of an overtrained state as is training load.]

This is where many Ironman athletes end up:  severely overtrained and effectively "painted" into a corner or depressed performance for several months.

The ITE study confirmed what the authors had suspected, "that it seems easier to cause a performance decrease in athletes dependent on prolonged monotonous extensive training at a high training load than on intensified training of 1-2 hours per day." (pp. 9-10) In the ITE study, performances improved over the first three weeks but by week 6 performances and motivation were depressed despite the inclusion of extra regeneration weeks (microcycles).

Proposed Principle 1. An increased risk of staleness is likely after three weeks of intensified or prolonged monotonous endurance training.

Proposed Principle 2. If alternating hard and easy days is considered and at least two rest days (one per week) are included, there is only a risk of transient performance depression (overreaching) over periods of less than three weeks with an intensified high total training load" 

- Lehmann, M. J., Lormes, W., Opitz-Gress, A., Steinacker, J. M., Netzer, N., Foster, C., & Gastmann, U. (1997). Training and overtraining: An overview and experimental results in endurance sports. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 37, 7-17.

To summarize:  we need to manipulate both duration and intensity if we want to get the best performance out of our bodies.  If all we do is ride our bike at 16 mph 5 hours per day 4 times per week, we'll get VERY good at one thing:  

Riding around at 16 mph.

If we have aspirations of riding faster than that, we need to spend a considerable amount of time training at 18, 19 or 20 mph.  

So there you have it.  Nice Tri's training hours (especially in the offseason) are typically lower than most coached athletes at this time of year, but the training stress and physiological adaptations that are occurring through shorter, more intense sessions are actually greater.

We look at cumulative training stress, performance markers from testing, and other indications as signals to alter a training load.  You're no good if you're injured or overtrained, so we need to be very cautious about blindly adding training stress to your weekly and monthly load.

Remember:  Quality over quantity.

Train Hard.  Race Easy.

Lessons from Watts (and other triathlon analogies)

Watts (pronounced /ˈwɒts/; symbol: W) is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units (SI), named after the Scottish engineerJames Watt (1736–1819). The unit measures the rate of energy conversion. It is defined as one joule per second.


Watts (pronounced "OFF!", or "NO BITE", or occasionally "Good Boy") is a name of a Black English Labrador puppy who was named due to his owner's affinity for all things cycling related.


As a general rule, the gold standard for comparing a cyclist's strength is to look at their power output in watts over the course of their workout.  If the cyclist were trying to hit a power average of 300 watts for 20 minutes but only managed to put out 260 watts, the Coach would notice that something was amiss.  Was the rider not feeling well? Did he forget to eat correctly?  Did he not get enough sleep?


If a Coach is looking at a power file (or power produced in watts) that is downloaded after a hard workout, it is fairly easy to point out the portion of the workout where the athlete fell short.  The Coach can see if it was the muscles failed, or if the athlete lost a battle with their own willpower or inner strength.  Although enhancing a person's athletic prowess can be difficult, it is much easier than fixing someone's inner doubts and fears.  That can sometimes lead down a path that is more of a psychoanalysis than a coaching session, but either way - I absolutely love it!


It gives me great joy to watch people push through their inner demons and become stronger and faster as a result.  Through the miracle of modern technology, we have more insight into an athlete's potential than ever before.  By looking at your watts, there is no subjectivity.  The watts do not lie.  The watts are not influenced by a good "spin" on the workout (for example: "Honest Coach...I really was doing my best!").  The watts are black and white.


Honest.  
Transparent.  
Utterly revealing.


Needless to say -  You can learn a lot from Watts.


This is precisely why I wanted to name my puppy "Watts".  The name implies power.  It implies honesty and transparency.  It also implies that I really like cycling!

An innocent looking picture of Watts

We got Watts just before Ironman Louisville this summer at eight weeks of age.  Along the way, I have developed the closest of friendships with my very first dog.  I have always been more of a cat person.  Our cats Nutty and Monster are both great kitties.  Nutty will "sit" and "roll over" on command, and Monster can eat and sleep like nobody's business!

Nutty and Monster looking innocent

Whilst doing my very best to try to train Watts do be a good puppy, it seems that I am learning from him as well.  Although I swore that I would be the one to do all of the training, I am also learning lessons from Watts.

Some of these lessons can be applied to real life, and some lessons are a bit of a stretch.  Some lessons are downright GROSS and shall not be repeated, and can in no way be applied to real life.  These lessons shall be omitted unless they are really funny.

Lesson #1:  I don't always know what's best for me.  Watts will occasionally bite and chew on things.  Correction:  Watts is constantly biting and chewing on everything!  Most of the time, I will intercept his attempt to eat something that may harm his body before he swallows it, but some of the time, he manages to ingest some bark, some nylon bed padding, or some other gross material that he thinks is really yummy and fun to eat.

He usually regrets it the next day when it's time for his "Morning Glory".

I can be this way too.  I strive to get stuff.  I occasionally rush over to something, "gobble it down", bitterly swallow it, and regret it several days, weeks, months or years later.  This analogy is not necessarily referring to food.  It refers to trying to manipulate our lives without regard for our Master's will.  

Sometimes we make good choices and our Master is happy with it.  Other times, he lets us swallow it down and tough it out to teach us a lesson over the course of time.  But it can always be said:

He knows best.

Lesson #2:  Protect your Pack.  Watts is a very protective puppy.  He emits a gentle "woof" if something is amiss.  Thus far, we have been protected from several dozen blowing leaves, two deer, and even a rabid lady bug.

I do recall one instance where a foul-mouthed rabbit evaded Watts' defenses.  Needless to say, he was quite embarrassed and asked that I not bring this up again.  Forgive me Watts, I'm trying to make a point here.

Mark Twain said: "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you.  This is the principle difference between dog and man".

There are many people that we interact with over the course of our lives.  Some are a real blessing.  Others are forgotten about.  

And others were put here to help us improve our patience and character.

This past year is one that was filled with people that were long on talk, but short on integrity.  I learned much about my fellow man and his inclinations, and have remembered that not one of us is perfect.  I am in need of as much forgiveness any of them.  I do pray that God will help me remember that!

Herein lies the beauty of "The Gentle Woof":  If a member of your pack tells you that there might be trouble, it may not be a rabid lady bug that they're barking about.

It may actually be a legitimate concern!  Watch out for those that speak one way and act another.  

It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season.  Matthew 12:34-35

So there you have it!  That's only two lessons for today, but the point is clear:  Watts has a lot to teach us.

You'll have to excuse me for now.  It appears that the foul-mouthed rabbit is doing a drive-by taunting again...

...but Watts has gotten quite a bit faster since their last encounter.

Life is short.  Train Hard.

Showing character in our daily lives

We are currently in week 3 of our Breakthrough Training Program.  It seems as if the Team is hungry to prove themselves and show the results of their hard work, but we are still 4 weeks away from our next fitness test.  I really am excited to see how everyone is progressing - including me!

We spend between 8-10 hours per week building and training our bodies to be able to physically bear more stress; to tolerate more suffering; to become -

Stronger.

Faster.

Ready for the next test to prove ourselves.

At the risk of hyper-introspection, this course of training has also allowed me to evaluate my spiritual conditioning and training as well.

Throughout life's journey, we undergo different trials, tests, and training of a different variety - tests of our character and integrity.  While we are in the midst of these trials, it doesn't seem fun at all.  However, when we look back on these tough times, we can usually see how we've grown as a result.  In fact, that principle is echoed in this statement:

"No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way". - Hebrews 12:11


To put it another way:


"There's no growth in a comfort zone, and no comfort in a growth zone".


The trials in our daily lives strengthen our character and spiritual walk the same way our physical training forces our bodies to get stronger.  


It's easy to lead when everything is going your way, but it's a true test of your character and integrity to stand by your principles and values when you're in the midst of difficulty.


I would encourage my readers to reflect on the fact that they're not alone.  NICE TRI! has entered the multisport arena not only to improve your swim, bike and run splits, but to support you in your daily living.  We're going to show God's love while we train and compete.


So what about the trials and testing?


Remember - the trial doesn't last forever.  The pain of the workout is short-lived compared to the growth that will follow it.


You'll be stronger as a result.  Both in your body...


...and in your character.


Life is short.  Train Hard.