What My Tarot Cards Told Me About My HYROX Readiness
(And Why Rest Might Be the Real Training)
In my best sarcastic tone, it was peak week last week... and I got sick as fuck. Getting sick is not something that happens to me. Talk about frustrating! Today is suppose to be the start of a two week taper. And here I am STILL dealing with a head cold that will NOT go away which has slowed my training down.
My process for my tarot card drawing for today. I thank my deck for it's answers and for understanding me. Then I think about my questions. Most often I try to think about one at a time. I shuffle the deck multiple ways when I feel I have done enough Vegas casino style shuffling, I start to use one hand and I wait until I get jumpers, or rocket launchers out at me. The most I will take at one time is two cards, or potentially three cards. Often, I will get one or two cards at a time which I read together. I am very new to tarot cards so I have to look up in a few places for the meanings and understanding.
My questions of the day:
- Am I ready for Hyrox?
- Did I prepare enough for Hyrox?
- When/will this sickness go away so I can perform (at Hyrox)?
The Tarot Pull (Jumpers and Poppers)
The Interpretations: What This Means for My Training
- Am I ready for Hyrox?
My deck answered with ONE card jumping face down. (Moved onto asking the next question without looking at the card. Three of Swords.- This isn't about heartache or failure. This is about recalibrating my mindset.
- Mentally I need to get my head straight. I am ready physically. Now I need to get my thoughts inline with the physical component.You are ready physically now tell yourself you've prepared the best you could. Give yourself the mental strength, mental toughness, the positive affirmations. Stopping asking IF you are enough. You are enough, now get it right in your head space.
- Did I prepare enough for Hyrox?
One card face down popped out. (Moved onto the final question while shuffling) Ace of Pentacles.- This card says you are ready. You've done the work. Your foundation is strong.
- When/will this sickness go away so I can perform (at Hyrox)?
This one was a FACE UP pop out. Landing clear as day, Four of Swords REVERSED. This is the first time I have gotten this card.- Don't rush through recovery from this sickness, you're past the brink of the sickness. Focus on tapper weeks. If you don't heed warning to your body at this moment you jeopardize not being healthy and strong as possible for THE ACTUAL COMPETITION. Don't sabotage yourself now. Listen to your body. With this card being reversed, it gives me the sign I am on my way to better health. The worst part is over.
Applying This to Hyrox
Stick with the tapper strategy you have in place. Trust the process. You've built the engine. Now is the time to focus on resting and mobility plus nutrition and sleep. Get your head in the same place as your body. I've trained for months/weeks now. This is the recovery focused portion so many people don't account for going into the competition. They fear if they don't keep going hard they will lose their fitness.
This simply is not true. You need to be FRESH going in. You've built an engiene from the ground up, ok well maybe not the rock bottom ground, but rest is best. You will still be training, but the mission is movement and not at an ALL OUT RPE.
For Other Women Like Me
This level of frustration is normal and common among all of us. That's why you are here. Because you often find yourself asking "Am I the only one like this?" No, you're not. We are all going through this. This is the space I am talking about it with you. Because I am here and I am listening.
We have these bodies and we feel more youthful than ever before. Thanks midlife body, messed up shoulders, joints that feel stiffer than they use to be, but a fresh mind unless the perimenopause is causing the brain fog dazed n confused. We have a certain level of expectations for ourselves. But here's the thing, how many of your friends or family NOT including your gym buddies are preparing to run, jump, and throw themselves at a wall ball? Not many I bet. Just pushing yourself out of your comfortzone is already enough.
Now try doing something different this time: Go have fun with it vs racing yourself to death. If you end up not meeting your level of expectation afterwards, we look back on results and make tweaks to training for the next time. This is emotional resiliency. Not everyone has this and the strength. Can you hear me now? (Verizon commercial quotes for the win)
Next Two Weeks: Taper Weeks
For the next two weeks, I am going to stick with my plan. I am going to trust the process I created. I am going to talk positively to myself. I am going to laugh and smile. Heckle the rando gym bros as I do best. I'm going to stay grounded. Stay focused. And eat a fuck load of healthy carbs. If you are interested in what my actual training plan for my first hyrox as a midlife athlete you can find it here. <-- Go Ahead and Push My Button