My training continues to go well. While the volume has been going down a bit in January and February, the intensity has been going up. I am also starting to slowly feel the progress in my shape and am getting very optimistic about my physical shape this season.
In February some other things happened, for one I moved back to Dortmund with my girlfriend and finally finished my Bachelor studies so that I will be able to continue my Master studies this April. In addition, I was in Spain with the national team for a preseason training camp. The camp went well and I was able to collect some good amount of O-training. However, returning home was a bit strenuous as I had to change my return flight to a different airport and time because of the strikes at the airports in Germany.
This overall led to less sleep before the flight and a way longer journey from the airport to my home, coupled with the strain on the body from the camp I felt a bit sick for 3 days after coming back. Luckily, I am in the comfortable situation that I can really take a full rest if I need to which allowed me to be back training rather soon.
The camp was still a good reminder of what I still need to work on till the season really starts with the WorldCup in Norway in late April. Following that will be 10Mila, Jukola and WOC up to mid-July together with training camps here and there (given of course nominations for the international races). The second half of the season will be all about the switch from forest to sprint with the sprint/forest WC in the Czech Republic and Sprint-EOC in Italia in October.
The closer it all gets, the more motivated and excited I get. During the pre-season my head is often filled with memories from the previous seasons but I am eager to add some good new memories to the collection.
I am quitting long-distances – for now
I don’t think being mediocre at something is bad. The problem for me personally arises though when I want to be good at something. When I have ambitions and strive to improve to become the best or as close as possible. While I don’t see second place as a failing, I don’t see any other long-term goal besides becoming the best as a valid goal. Why should I strive for anything else? Don’t get me wrong, I also do stuff just for the fun of it and I enjoy f.ex. orienteering either way, but once I care about the result of something than this becomes my viewpoint. It is therefore frustrating to me that I am good enough to know how bad I am still.
Time has passed, and I still don’t know if am trying too hard or too less. I am in a really good physical shape right now, my O-technique has gotten quite stable compared to the last years, and even as a training I can run a long-distance. However, in Spain I just added another long-distance race to my list of races with DNF as the result. Whatever the reason, I officially think of myself more as a sprinter from now on for the foreseeable future. I hope it helps my mind and myself overall.
Accepting defeat – maybe just for now.
Still a dreamer
It is a bit of a reoccurring topic on this blog and I might be doing circles here but anyway.. Sometimes I am wondering how my life would look like if I grew up loving a different sport and becoming good at a it, maybe a sport which is more popular or even crazier a world in which orienteering would be highly popular. Would I be able to make a living as an athlete? For example, would I be happy to see myself as a pro-cyclist. Whatever the answer those are the kind of question I like dreaming about.
What I am watching
Talking reoccuoring topics, here´s anoter personal selection.
I hope the All-in movie will get some English subtitles, not sure though. I think MAGMA II is a good starting point but if you like it be sure to check out more from those guys. Same goes for the Faction Collective. I agree that I am late to the party by only watching Lachlan Morton stories recently but maybe I am not the only one.. Or maybe let´s just say that I am suggesting all-time favorites as well.
Title photo: Murcia region, Spain
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