In part 1 of my Training for Nothing post, I talked about why I was taking a break from racing this year. And so far, I haven’t felt like I’ve been missing out. In fact, by the time this season is over, I’ll probably be at just as many start lines as I normally would have in a season with racing, but in a supporting role.
I read an interesting article by Brad Stulberg (of The Growth Equation) where he coins a new term: Zombie Burnout. Stulberg defines zombie burnout as “…not doing enough of what lights you up, from not taking on challenges that align with your values and goals”. That line resonated with me and provided insight as to why I was feeling ambivalent towards racing; it started to feel like I was going through the motions of training and race prep. I was not being thoughtful and purposeful in my days and then everything started to feel the same. Once I started to coast from one race to the next, finishing stopped being meaningful. It isn’t that racing does not align with my values anymore, but the significance was greatly diminished. I needed to find an alternate way to get the spark back.
Part of the coaching experience is encouraging athletes in their training and racing. This year I had the chance to guide two groups of athletes to the finish line of the Philadelphia Women’s Triathlon. Race day was stressful, but in a good and different way. From calming pre-race nerves to finish line celebrations, the day was filled with big and little wins and I left filled with pride and satisfaction that I did everything I could to help. And while it has ALWAYS been rewarding to support athletes, I have more energy for it this year since I was not dividing my energy between my racing and athletes’ racing. My cup is filling back up!
As for my athletic endeavors, I’m slowly falling into an enjoyable rhythm; dividing my time between lifting, swimming, and Pilates. I am not averse to pushing myself, (I have a weekly high-intensity interval class I like) and will absolutely join in a coffee ride, but again, I’m not in for endless miles of swimming, biking, and especially running. I’m not leaving out the fun either! I won’t bore you with details but suffice it to say that it has been lovely to go out on a Friday or Saturday night without worrying about lost sleep or having a sub-optimal training session.
While the final verdict for 2025 will not be in for a time, I can already tell my race break has had a positive effect on both my professional and personal life. If you are in a similar spot, I highly recommend taking a pause; the time off is worth figuring out what excites you.
