{"id":1327,"date":"2012-04-30T21:53:00","date_gmt":"2012-04-30T21:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.meredithkessler.com\/blog\/?p=1327"},"modified":"2013-05-24T02:19:27","modified_gmt":"2013-05-24T02:19:27","slug":"getting-comfortable-being-uncomfortable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.meredithkessler.com\/blog\/getting-comfortable-being-uncomfortable\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
People may read the title to this blog and instantly think, ‘why on earth would I ever want to get comfortable being UNCOMFORTABLE?!\u201d This seems like pure insanity. After all, who wants to be in any discomfort! I totally understand this initial thought process!<\/p>\n
With that said…<\/p>\n
Within purplepatch, we dive into the art of GETTING COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE<\/strong><\/span> (\u201cGCBU\u201d going forward). Within specific (BUT certainly not all) workouts\/racing, it is these raw, tender, gentle<\/strong> moments of discomfort where the magic actually happens<\/strong>. I have seen people question this \u201cmagic\u201d if its deemed as ‘uncomfortable’ and while I RESPECT that mentality for some, what I can assure you is that if you’re an Ironman\/endurance athlete especially, it is something to ponder and reconsider.<\/p>\n I can promise you that whether you are a sub-8 hour or 17 hour Ironman athlete, there are going to be several pockets of discomfort in ANY Ironman that you do. This is where GCBU shines.<\/p>\n There are a few ways to OUTLINE the true meaning of GCBU:<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n In Training:<\/strong><\/p>\n Threshold work. You’re on the BRINK. The cusp. Zone 4\/5. Wounded animal like. Barely able to hold on to the power..the effort is extreme..but tolerable<\/strong><\/em>.<\/strong> This is GCBU at its finest. I know in these crucial moments, fitness is being gained even if there is massive discomfort. Once again, this isn’t to say EVERY workout needs to be like this\u2014NOT AT ALL. However, having a handful of sessions of this nature per week are crucial not only for your overall fitness gains..but also for your mental fortitude.<\/strong> You get through it, and it HURTS, but when it’s over\u2014IT IS OVER and you’re able to recover and do it all over again.<\/p>\n You are not only training your fitness for incredible power but you are also training your mind to adapt to the efforts. It’s HERE where we find the most success as athletes.<\/strong><\/p>\n In Racing:<\/strong><\/p>\n Three Quick Examples:<\/p>\n 1. Racing can often be 70% mental (in my opinion).<\/strong> Sure, you have to have the FITNESS but more importantly, your head + your legs need to have a massive amount of camaraderie and<\/strong> teamwork to prevail. <\/strong> Your muscle memory bank from GCBU training parlays into racing as one’s mind remembers the elements of being uncomfortable and mixed with adrenaline, it is all tolerable discomfort! This is why racing becomes FUN and also why the saying \u201cPAIN IS TEMPORARY\u201d evolved.<\/p>\n