Only the Lonely

IMO there are two kinds of workout/training people: those that like to train with others, and those that like to go it alone.

I'm in the latter category and I think that makes me weird.

Most people I talk to or read about like to train with others, or a group. They like the company, the go-team mentality, the push that comes only from knowing someone else is waiting for you to get your lazy rear out of bed for a run. I get all that, and appreciate it. And I can't say I didn't have a kick time riding with my friend Elizabeth at the Collin Classic and belting out 60's songs together.

But primarily, I'm a solo artist when it comes to training. I like the peace and serenity that comes from an early morning run alone through the still streets--like last week when the moon was setting on my right and the sun was rising on my left (one of those "this is why I run" days). I like listening to my tunes (my iPod has fried and died on me, leaving me in agony until I buy another one--I'm so dependant on it that Patient Spouse calls it my iPendage), I like setting my own pace, I like not worrying about whether I am too fast or too slow or too chatty. I like not worrying about crashing into the back of someone's bike or having someone pass me just when I'm thinking about moving over.

Part of the reason I think I like the solo routine is that my career--jaded lawyer--keeps me in constant communication with the world from early in the morning until late (with the advent of today's technology, you and your blackberry never part ways until you go to sleep), and my workout time is my time to regain sanity and harmony, both with myself and the outside world. I'm tired of talking, listening, thinking, strategizing, etc., and I just wanna go for a bike ride and listen to the wind blow for a little while. Perhaps if I were in a job that was less people intensive, I would feel the opposite way and enjoy the group settings.

I pass giant packs of bikers and runners all the time (or more likely, they pass me). I got a case of the giggles last night when a large bike group came toward me and each one hollered back to the others about the small puddle of water on the path ("water....water...water...." echoed down the line, like a bunch of lost hikers in a desert). Of course it's smart and very polite to do this but it just struck me as funny listening to them repeat themselves. I also had the puddle to deal with, but I saw it in plenty of time. Although I am not the only solo rider out there, I am in the minority (there are more solo runners than riders, and of course swimming doesn't lead itself to pack behavior too well unless you are planning to use a kickboard the whole time).

I enjoy biking with my spouse, but he is faster than I am, and I know he gets impatient riding behind me. Where we ride, we can't ride abreast, so we can't even talk except at stoplights, so it's not like it's a shared experience most of the time. I send him ahead of me a lot, and we catch up at certain points, at which time he has rested a bit and I'm panting and out of breath, so our conversation tends to go something like "go (gasp) on" or "that (wheeze) hill killed me" before we are off again. Still, I like having him with me, but it's still sort of a solo ride.

I've not found anyone who runs my pace to run with, and even if I did, my pace changes so much on any given day or workout that I'm not sure how well it would go. I'm not a good enough runner to hit a standard pace and keep it there for several miles. Maybe some day.

And as I mentioned, I enjoy being with myself while working it. It's my own decompression time. I love to join others for dinner or parties or drinks or lunch but my workout time is MY time. I am pretty self motivated, which I think helps, and I'm also good at talking to myself a lot ("you are not gonna crash this turn; take it aggressively" or -- one of my favorites -- "my GRANDMOTHER could run this final 2 miles").

I enjoy the company of others during a race and love the rush I get from being told "good job" and from telling the same to others. Still, in a race, it's me against myself (as a back of the packer, that is how it's gotta be for me). My husband had someone tell him the other day: "you don't have to be better than anyone except you."

Three days to race day! Last night I did a short (1 hour) brick with a 45 min ride on the new wheels--I averaged 15.4 mph and didn't even think I was going fast; I LOVE these new wheels--plus a 15 min run at 10:43 pace (probably too fast). Today a north wind blew in and the temp was 69 degrees this morning and simply awesome! So I'm headed out for an easy 1.5 hour bike tonight and then tomorrow is an easy swim. Sunday I will probably bike 3 miles and run 5 mins easy just to keep my legs awake, and Monday is show time. It's gonna be warm--about 95 for the high--but not horrible (which would be 100 degrees) and a bit breezy, but those are perfect conditions and I'm going to have a lot of fun on this race.