6 weeks out from Iowa and I've hit a bit of a stressed-out, tired, sore, hungry stretch. I'm finding myself a bit short of temper (the upstairs neighbour's dog isn't helping matters - I can't wait to get out of this shithole) and feeling a bit panicked. Work, train, work, train, work, train, repeat. And whoever said that exercise equates with better sleep is full of shit! It's not true.
There comes a point where training, whether it's running, cycling, doing pads, sparring or hitting the bag, becomes a chore, something that you've committed to and a job to be done, not necessarily for "fun" any longer. Yes, most of the time it IS fun! It's why anyone competes at an amateur level to begin with - fun! Certainly not the money or the prestige. But training for a fight requires a lot of time and effort and a great deal of time management to fit the rest of life into the slots in between training. Like a real job, the job that pays for the training! Although I very much love having a goal - I'm a very goal-oriented person who likes life to be scheduled... except when I'm in SE Asia... - I also become very single-minded, slightly obsessed, and have a problem focusing on something other than the goal. I feel like that right now. My schedule feels a bit all over the place. Focus at work is difficult. And I don't even have mindless, routine work that I can do right now - I'm trying to write a very long, very complicated and complex manuscript which requires creativity, intelligence and a great deal of focus. Let's just say that this isn't working out well right now! I can look at this two ways - put the manuscript down until July 1st and work on my programs and workshops for Students on Ice, or push through the ADHD moments and use this as practice in concentrating. Either way, shit has to get done!
