Let’s talk about phrases. We constantly say that “the sky is the limit”, that we must “give it our all”, we shout to the stands at the footballers to give “their lives on the pitch for the colours” and, my favourite, we strongly harangue each other with furious “go all out”. This is written to you by someone who has these maxims tattooed on his soul, who says them over and over again, who gives every drop of sweat in every stroke, stride and pedal stroke, but who wants to live many years to continue adding kilometres.

But the question has arisen, what is the line between healthy madness that breaks patterns, overcomes fears and creates good memories like medals and irresponsibility that can lead us, in the least worst of cases, to an injury and that, on occasions, has claimed the lives of those who do not distinguish where to stop.

This question came to me because of the recent news that reported the death of 21 runners in a competition in China due to a storm [i] . One of the main reasons for this tragedy was the imprudence of athletes and organizers who, knowing that the weather forecast predicted a storm, decided to go ahead with the event.

And that sounded familiar to me from the times I sometimes get on my bike on a soaked road, or when I celebrate because I “went overboard” going up a hill or romanticize a fall saying that it is a “learning lesson.”

It is for this reason that I write this as a kind of self-reflection call to moderation, to find a way to always return home after training or a competition, and to understand that those of us who are part of the world of amateur sport have a hug waiting for us at home and, hopefully, many years to continue enjoying these passions.

Let's lower the hatred in that area

We have become accustomed to demonizing the Comfort Zone, we see it as the enemy, we have made it unmentionable, forbidden. But for those in the know, we don't always have to be in zone five, or suffer. It is valid to jog without looking at the numbers, to ride with low watts and active conversation, and to throw water into the pool.

Rely on health professionals

Those of us who practice sport regularly need a support network around us. Even though we are not professionals, we do push our bodies to levels of demand that can lead to injuries. We should trust our trainer, notify us in time about any ailments and have a trusted nutritionist and physiotherapist on our team.

You should have regular check-ups, not just 5k tests or FTP, it is worth taking a look at how your heart numbers are.

Climate

Kissing in the rain is nice, playing in the middle of the downpour takes us back to childhood and running in the cold can make us feel like we're the protagonists of one of Rocky's movies. But let's download a good weather app so that a slip doesn't send us home with a broken bone or some other bad story to tell. The epic is fine, but we can also enjoy training at home when the storm clouds are against us.

Feeding

It is common for me to see friends and see myself going out to train without eating what is required for a training session because that day I “want to punish myself” to burn more calories. Not eating what we need can cost us dearly. For example, with good hydration we avoid heat stroke taking its toll on us on a sunny day and ending up with serum in our veins.

Overtraining

If the teacher says “easy,” let’s take it easy. Many times we feel strong, or we think that because we don’t sweat much “we’re doing nothing.” It is necessary to understand that the body needs these lower intensity sessions to work on other skills such as strength and endurance.

And, although it may sound obvious, when it is a day of rest, you have to take it seriously. It has happened to me and to many of my close friends that we have faced avoidable injuries by not respecting this point.

Recognize the limits

Finally, and without any intention of being intimidating or offending, it is necessary to humbly and sensibly recognize what our ceiling is, what our limits are, what our safe heart rate is, how fast we can go downhill on the bike and how fast our legs can go. After recognizing this, we can enjoy the body we have, reach the places we know it can reach and cross the goals that await it.

Going back to the phrases, Igor Stravinsky said “the more I limit myself, the more I free myself.” Let’s find the magic that exists in knowing what the limit is to go all out and be happy.

[i] https://www.dw.com/es/china-un-pastor-ovejero-le-salv%C3%B3-la-vida-a-seis-competidores-en-la-tr%C3%A1gica-ultramarat%C3%B3n/a-57658571

Cristian Marín - Alternating Current