Pay attention to the little things

An endurance event is all about economy. Never use muscles you don't need to. Keep a quiet upper body when you're riding. Keep your shoulders and arms loose when you're running. When you're swimming ... well, hell, that's just such a panic, I figure every muscle in my body will be flailing, but still.

It's odd how a very small thing you haven't considered can screw that all up.

I was on an hour-long bike ride and just could not get my shoulders relaxed. Neck muscles clenched the whole time. Even when I focused on relaxing -- which is not necessarily a contradiction in terms -- just couldn't shake it loose.

Then I realized ... I was wearing my glasses. I have old-people lenses -- three prescription progressives -- but hip Gen X low-profile frames. (Is Gen X hip? I don't even know anymore.) Bent over the handlebars, if I looked forward with just my eyes, I was peering *over* the frames, like a sexy librarian. So in order to see the road, I had to crane my neck. Thus the tension, the neck pain, the etc.

Most of my rides have been with contacts in, as I 'd planned to do the race. But it's funny what you can overlook, how such a small thing can have such a profound impact. Attention to detail, is all I'm saying.