Message #18335

[Liam]

I am 28....


And that's why your input isn't of much use in this thread

When I was 28, I worked full time and was a graduate student full time and was a fairly notable local marathon runner and xc bike race and I liked to drink a few nights a week (and no, I didn't have children yet!) and I never thought about recovery, pacing or anything like that because I just didn't need to then.  Hell, I thought stretching was for old geezers.  And truthfully, any moderately fit 28 year old should be able to pursue whatever activity they like, as hard as they like, as often as they like without much fuss or rest (unless they are professional athletes, then I guarantee you that rest and recovery is a religious part of their regimen, but for the rest us, 28 is your prime athletic/ energy years, whoop it up!).

But the distance from 28 to 45, physically, emotionally, spiritually, cognitively is far more vast than 17 years might otherwise suggest to a young man.

Now, well, pacing is very much part of my general approach to just about everything I'm engaged in (from fun, to family, to faith, to friends).  Everything I do, I do pretty hard and extensively and with great gusto and energy, but, I pay close attention to my psycho-biological cues and make ample time for rest, backing-off, and recovery.  And it pays off not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Frankly, I do everything better if I consciously build in down time. 

Best skier I know, even when he was young, held pretty religiously to the 4 hard days on, one day recovery to follow no matter what.