Why Coach Rita Said REST!

In the midst of my contest training Rita pulled a full stop MANDATORY REST DAY on me.  It was shocking to hear her tell me to "knock it off and kick back."  Everything else about Rita is "tough luck get your A$$ in gear!"  Here's why she advised me to take a day off.

In the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) where I live we are in the middle of record breaking summer temperatures.  Humidity is also high.  We have had temps of upwards of 32 degrees Celsius for weeks.  Many days it feels as hot as 42 degrees out here.  Everything that used to be green is now brown and/or dead.  Even my pool is green.  It's so hot we can't keep up with the algae.  It's so hot I find it hard to train properly.  Our poor dogs are suffering, too.  They don't want to eat or do anything but dig a hole in the dirt and sit there.  These are definitely the DOG DAYS of Summer.

With regard to training, Rita and I have discovered that the Friday evening training session is the most difficult.  I have killed my body so much throughout the week that by Friday I know I have to take a deep breath in order to accept the pain and overcome it to get through the workout.  The additional heat and humidity doesn't make it any easier.  This past weekend I managed my Friday workout, did the active rest thing on Saturday by filling an entire dumpster with junk out of my barn and basement and thought I was good to go with a big workout on Sunday.  By the time Sunday rolled around I felt terrible.  I forced myself to begin my warmup, which by the way is a Rita Warmup - there's nothing warm about it!  It's HOT!  I was in a full sweat by the time I finished and felt there was nothing left in my tank for the rest of the workout.  I had to sit down and recompose myself but knew I couldn't continue with any more training.  I felt like a I had a grand piano tied to my butt!  I felt bad about cutting my workout but decided I would finish the job later in the day when it was cooler.  That is what I did but it was not a pretty workout.

Then I phoned Rita and told her how my training had gone down.  Before I even completed my last sentence she stopped me and said "Take Monday off.  Mandatory Rest Day!"  I am fighting hard to do my best for this contest but I knew she was right.  I took the day off and do feel better.  I paid extra attention to hydrating myself using Cell Food electrolyte drops and lemon juice.  I feel better and am just about to step into the gym for a two-hour training session with Rita.

Bring it!!