Beware the Testimonial

I've been bothered lately by some lackluster training sessions, particularly on the bike.  I usually feel strong and powerful, able to hold the prescribed power targets.  The sessions are not easy, but doable.  Up until the past few weeks, and now, it's agonizing.  I'm dealing with fatigue or sickness or low self-esteem or who-knows-what?

Okay, so I don't think it's boredom, even though it is indoor trainer season...

I digress.

The point is, when one's performance starts to suffer, one looks for reasons (as proposed above) as well as solutions.  Right now, I'm that one.  Perhaps my diet is to blame?  Right along with indoor trainer sessions, the winter holidays bring an abundance of refined sugar and alcoholic distractions.  It's not a crazy hypothesis.

And then I read a blog by another [wonderful] age-group triathlete who's pursuing a new diet with great results.  The whole blog is a fantastic testimonial for the diet program. Weight loss!  Better sleep!  More energy!  Spouse had great results too!!  Join us!!!

Yes, of course, I want some too!!!

I start researching the dietary paradigm, googling and skimming, considering how to go about it.

But then I stop, recalling my master's degree in, of all things, nutrition.  And not for the obvious coincidence of subject matter, but for what writing and defending a thesis taught me.  All research data has context, created by the experimental conditions used to gather said data.  This context is often designed and presented to allow the data to be meaningful and significant in other, usually very similar, conditions.  A careful and important layering and reinforcement of data spawns, building scientific facts that are the foundation of our world understanding.  I don't know if there's a term that describes this relatively global context that 'good' experimental data has, but it's key to how humans have built credible scientific knowledge for centuries.

Which brings me back to the blog testimony that got me started.  What is the one very thing a testimonial lacks?

Global context.

Now, a testimonial does have context.  It's a very personal and singular context.  In fact, without it, a testimonial sounds like any random marketing slogan.

In this case, I stepped back and considered the testimonial's singular context and started to compare my own.  How similar or different were our bodies, lives, training, our 'experimental conditions'?  To summarize, there were too many differences and unknowns to assume her solution would be as successful for what ails me.

I'm not saying this Blogger's diet is worthless or that her testimonial is just an empty marketing slogan.  In fact, I'm quite sure that the diet has worked well for her and the testimonial is her own important data.  I just can't translate it to my situation.  The diet may have even some merit for me, but I'd prefer to seek out data via Pubmed or some of my old textbooks to get a better idea.

So, beware the testimonial.  Consider it a marketing tool, and let it get your attention.  Just consider its value in the appropriate context.

Prescription: 30 Burpees

30 burpees really can cure what ails you!  Yes, burpees.  Those infernal middle school gym exercises?  Yes, those.  "Squat thrusts" as we called them, through gritted 8-year-old teeth.  And we HATED them.

After a blissful [I-didn't-know-I-even-missed-you] 30-year absence from my life, burpees returned.  Via an email from Coach Max.

"...I want to challenge you outside the usual triathlete box. You two strike me as the adventuresome type and may be up for this. This challenge is not for entertainment. It's real. ... It's simple; 30 burpees for 30 days."

You might imagine the subsequent incredulous snorts and chuckles from me and Burly, as I read this aloud.  We often joke about whether Coach Max might just be trying to kill us.  He's pretty deliberate with our workouts, and this was no laughing matter.

"What say you? Are you in? Here's a charming meat head demo. Form is everything."

Burly ignored the taunt.  Smart guy.  Me?  Not so much; I took the bait.

"That's like... 900 burpees."

Undaunted, Coach Max embraced my skeptical 'enthusiasm' with his reply.

"It is a indeed a big deal. Go for it! Go for it now."

That was two days ago.  Monday was my rest day, so, umm, no starting then.  And Tuesday was a tough run, with planks and push-ups mixed in, so, umm, clearly no starting then.  Anyone else smell a pattern?

Today, however, I actually took the challenge.  I don't know why today.  Work was, let's just say, less than rewarding, and my return commute was filled with a downward spiral of loathesome career reflection.  Once at the house, it took the prompting of a few Facebook 'motivations' to get me into workout clothes.  

My calendar called for four rounds of mountain climbers and air squats.  Did I mention Coach Max steals Cross Fit ideas to 'challenge' me with?  In full disclosure, I did ask for more strength training this off-season.  He doesn't disappoint.

Once the mountain climbing and air squatting was through, I took a few minutes to procrastinate/play with The Yellow Cat.  Then I got started on those first 30 burpees.  

And they were the ugliest, saddest, fattest, formless, heaving burpees ever attempted!  Utterly ridiculous.  It took me over eight minutes to finish.  Really.  Holy crap, that was hard!

But, I did all 30.

And I'll do them again tomorrow.

Yup.  I will.

WTH?  Why?

Because when I finally knocked out #29 and #30, I laid on the floor and started laughing.  I felt beaten and humbled, and it was GREAT!  All that self-defeating nonsense from work that clouded my ride home was gone.  Nowhere to be found!  Every one of those burpees absolutely sucked, and the sum of it was exactly what I needed to set my head straight.

Got my feet up the wall to enjoy my favorite yoga recovery and laughed some more while The Yellow Cat came over to congratulate me and steal more attention!

870 burpees to go.  Let's see if 30 burpees can cure Thursday too!