Friday, February 4, 2011

Discomfort is your friend

One of my hero’s is Jon at Emergence.  He writes some deep stuff about training, from a recent blog post:

… this endurance training bit we are all into - the real work doesn't begin until you are outside your comfort zone.

It made me think about a self help book I have read.  It talked about discomfort.

The comfortzone is made up of the familiar – the things, thoughts, feelings and behaviors that we are used to.  IT’s comfortable staying with the familiar, and it’s often uncomfortable to change.  But on the other hand change is what we want.  So we have to move into the discomfort zone.  This is the zone of possibilities.  This is where the change is.  So feelings of discomfort as we begin a new change program are good signs that we are moving forward – discomfort really is out friend when we want to make real change.

This is a book about life coaching but I think it applies.

This morning in Masters Swim we had a solid 3000 yard workout.  The set kicked off we a straight 500 yard swim with no workout.  I actually like this kind of workout.  I see it as more of a race simulation.  No real warm-up; just GO!  On these type of sets my lats really light up.  It takes a couple of hundred yards before everything settles down.  Next was 3 x 100, 4 x 50 and then a 100 yard all out time trial.  Repeat twice.

inge_de_bruijn_stretch

discomfort?

The first 500 yard set was in 7:45 (1:33 per 100 yards).  If you remember, my 200 yard time trial time was 2:58 at the beginning of the year – that is 1:29 per 100 yards).  I may not have much speed but I don’t drop off much either.

The first 100 was in 1:19.2.  I did not get a time for the second 500 time – oh well.  We were told to improve on out 100 TT – I finished up with a 1:20.0 100 yard effort.  Close but no cigar.  I was still pleased.

 

Today, I was not far out of my comfortzone – just a little.  But that is all it takes.

5 comments:

Big Daddy Diesel said...

Jon is great

Discomfort is your mind trying to get you to stop, its takes mental fortitude to beat your mind when it wants you to stop

Matty O said...

I don't consider it a "workout" unless I thought I pushed myself. That is why I like running so much.

Very impressive swim times. Actually, very shocked at the improvement.

Do you feel conditioning plays a big part of the drop in time or was it more your attention to technique?

You have convinced me that if I want to be a good swimmer, masters class is the way to go. Very solid results!

Tri-James said...

I would have to think that the improvement is from actually getting in the pool.

Caratunk Girl said...

I love Jon's blog too. I only see improvements when I get into that zone...I find if I fall into the comfortable (say running) 9 min mile...well then I am going to be a 9 min mile runner. But if I push for 8:30...well then I get faster, and my comfort zone kind of changes... Is that right? I think that is how it seems to be working for me anyway.

Tri-James said...

I think that is the way it works. Not every swim / bike / run but you have to push the envelope.

“It never gets easier, you just go faster."
Greg LeMond