Is the juice worth the squeeze?

Ok, well maybe I stole that from chick flick we watched a couple of days ago, but it just kind of stuck with me since then. I think that it was from the Forgetting Sarah Marshall flick, and the main characters buddy was asking him if going through a troubled relationship was worth while, hence the juice, and squeeze were all the trails and tribulations along the way.



As I was re gluing some tubulars in the catacomb like basement here in Belgium, I thought about that. All the money, all the time, travel, training, effort, is it all really worth it. I think it's ok to periodically question what you are doing. Not necessarily stray from what you are doing but just give it a little thought. You might read some of our blog posts and think the same. Like why on earth would you subject yourself to all that.



We probably had a little more time to relax today as both Natasha and I took an unscheduled "day off". If cycling is like religion, we are pretty devote followers of the Gospel according to Ken. We do have a little bit of blind faith in this man who guides most of our "training". Just like an orthodox Christian sits at the pulpit, we sit firmly on the trainer in a habitual lamentation of suffering in front of one another. So for Natasha and I to miss a day of training, is like my Grand Mother missing her Sunday morning mass, it doesn't happen very often.



But once you realize that the training is just like going to church or saying a prayer to the gods of fitness and form, you realize that you are not a sinner for just taking a day off. Your not questioning your faith in what you are doing, you're just little tiered and giving yourself a break.



That was a long analogy to say we were taking a day off, but it's our blog and most of it is rambling on about nothing anyways, so this is no different.



As a full time athlete, it's hard to admit that you are tiered or a little burned. In one way it was easier when I was working, as work was the best excuse in the World and when you work, train and race you are about 60% more productive anyways. Theoretically your "job" is supposed to be racing and training. But as long as you realize that the "r" comes before the "t" and you just have to minimize the S in the stress in between, you're doing your job. After all, as the season is nearing an end it matters not that you did all your training the weak leading into worlds. All the work is done, we just have to listen to our bodies, be rested and sharpen the knives to go into the next two races aiming for the jugular going for the kill.



Success here in Belgium is harder than squeezing juice out of an unripened mango, but I sure do love my mango juice....especially with some Shawrma Palace. mmmmm



DSJ