EVENTS ARE BACK!

Eventing is back! Big shout out to the fine people of Devil Bend and Forest amongst others for hosting very cool opportunities to get together, to race, to test ourselves. As I was running my first event for over 2 years, I reflected on my lockdown running journey.

Injury riddled before the pandemic, I saw it as an opportunity to train the house down, ready and firing for when we came back, an athlete transformed, ready to tackle some times from a few years prior.

But like a good old fashioned Melbourne lockdown, it was start-stop-start-stop. A hip, a calf, a shoulder (yup, a shoulder). Sitting in an ergonomically inappropriate chair at home wasn't helping, not being able to see the right physio and myotherapists, feeling heavy, anxious, angry - all those negative emotions weren't exactly contributing to a good comeback either. And a shout out to the Olympics, footy finals, Netflix, Yellowstone, Squid Game, all washed down with a nightly supper consisting of chocolate and chips, for their none too insignificant contribution to the state of this coach's body and mind.

So when I saw Devil Bend going ahead, I entered.

I rehabbed properly, I stopped eating the crap, and got fair dinkum again.

At the start line, I reminded myself to go slow, have fun, be grateful for being able to run in an event surrounded by hundreds of like minds again, in a beautiful spot well away from my well worn and very familiar local running spots. My mantra was smile, don't get injured, and finish well for the cameras. Tick Tick Tick.

We have just emerged from the biggest off-season we've had. We will feel fresh and excited, but we are carrying heaviness too (could be physical, mental, both).

We may feel the need to push ourselves to the limit again.

But my question is do you know what your new limit is? If not, you are risking pushing way too hard, and getting into the cycle of injury and disappointment I have experienced over the past couple of years.

The point I am trying to get across is let's now take our time to re-discover our limits by edging there safely, comfortably. Emerge from the enforced off-season by immersing yourself in a fully balanced measured pre-season, that conditions you to push the limits and break new records for yourself once more.

Take your time, breathe, train properly, be patient, and enjoy the events that are back and here to stay.