I've been in a mental rut lately and I think I've finally figured out why: the ratio of Type II Fun to Type I Fun has been waaaay too high. Allow me to explain.
One of the seminal moments in my ill-fated infatuation with climbing was getting a poster autographed by Mark Twight, who wrote: It doesn't have to be fun to be "fun." Climbers know this well; skiers less so. As an aspiring skier who used to be an aspiring climber, I'm finely attuned to this distinction.
Fun in quotes -- Type II Fun -- is epitomized by The Wahsatch Steeplechase. I'm glad I did it. It was rewarding. It stressed me out and hurt like hell. It was "fun." Crossfit workouts fall into the same category, if they can be considered "fun" at all.
Fun without the quotes -- Type I Fun -- is epitomized by just about every day I ski Alta, or ski at all. They feel unabashedly good. They're life affirming. There is no need to qualify the experience.
There can be no Type I Fun without Type II Fun, especially for people like me who drive a desk for a living. If you chase having fun without committing to having some “fun,” you limit the scale of your future adventures and you may end up in the orthopedist’s office. Balance is important.
Lately, it's been a lot of "training" and not a lot of playing. It's time to even the scales a bit. Tinker with the ratio, if you will.
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I need to do the same. Tomorrow its Mountain biking The Flying Dog over in PC off of Kimball Junction.
ReplyDeleteAmen! I was just thinking about taking some time away from the races. Feeling this way is a definite warning of imminent burnout for us all.
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