Last year I changed my job and I love my new job…. However, I am struggling to train as i did in the past. Maybe I was so focused for so long on Kona that I am now rudderless. Maybe I just need to take 3 or 6 months off? Don’t worry I’ll still kick ass in IM Wales
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And struggling to sleep! I think you need to ask yourself why you are struggling to train? Are you tired or is it motivation?
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Hardly a hypocrite @Matthew_Spooner
You’re the real deal and apparently made of kryptonite. 20 hour training weeks, massive rides and ultramarathons, top of AG in the big races, etc etc.
No idea what you eat for breakfast, but if they ever have a BOGOF could you pick a box up for me?
No-one puts a gun against our heads and makes us ride a bike for three hours then go for a run. I wonder, if you had to write down your motivations for doing this sport, what would they be?
Who knows, a bit of down time might see you champing at the bit and keener than ever. Or maybe you’ll find you’ve already achieved more than 99% of people in this sport & decide to shine that laser focus elsewhere for a bit. No harm in that.
And actually… are you just sandbagging 
? In the best TT tradition… good effort if so
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It’s probably the deflation effect Matt. I had a mate like this in Sydney, we did our first tri together and we both got the bug but he was an over achiever in every way.
He decided he wanted to do Kona, built up to an IM, did two and came close but no cigar. Then took a a year out, as him and his wife were trying for their 2nd baby. (they had massive problems conceiving their first). didn’t happen.
His first IM back after that and he qualified, hooray! Problem was he didn’t have a plan for what happens after Kona. He did the WC race, said he didn’t really enjoy it that much because the athletes got treated badly compared to Oz and NZ.
After that he never did another tri. He switched to cycle racing and got up to B Grade in a season. Then gave it up and switched to tennis.
I don’t think he ever really loved tri, I think he liked outcomes more. Kona was the pinnacle for him and i guess he couldn’t see any point after that. Before tri, he was playing cricket at a high level, NSW State Reserves.
Your new job has a lot of travel by the sound of it, that always takes a toll. It’s hard to be good at everything, all the time. It’s easier to be happy in what you can achieve. I’ve always had a love for endurance but I’m not welded at the hip to tri,
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Matt, you’re a fantastic athlete.
Life is never lineal, and full of ups and downs. Take time to regroup, enjoy your exercise and ramp up when you feel like it.
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Hmmm, several things could be at work here, good suggestions above.
My first thought is a bit left field and comes from my own experience as a very decent rock climber in my 20s. When my career started to progress and I didn’t have time to train as seriously I found it hard to maintain my love for the sport. I had 5-10 years of doing bits and pieces whilst also running and latterly getting into triathlon before finally stopping … but stop I did.
I genuinely loved the sport and gave 10 years of my life to it; 2-3 times training a week which involved travel to indoor walls up to 1hr each way, maybe 30-40 weekends a year and all holidays.
Looking back, I think it’s complicated to maintain some drive when you’re used to giving it your all; to look at things you could do and can’t any more. For me this was all tied up with issues of self-worth, having been a small, weedy kid at school.
I also found that doing triathlons, running (and now cycling) in beautiful places replicated a lot of the satisfaction. So I stopped climbing and started enjoying the great outdoors in a different way.
Realising I had nothing to prove any more helped a great deal
No idea if this helps 
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I worry that (if) I finish Western States that I will encounter a similar dip in motivation. I certainly did after UTMB when I had finally finished that race.
What I hope I found was to appreciate the journey and try and treat the event as the icing on the cake - in the build up to June I feel I am the most motivated I have ever been and hitting all my sessions and enjoying the improvements in my fitness and form.
I will let you know at the end of June whether this is all rubbish or not.
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What’s the connection you see here? And what’s the hypocrisy?
Procrastination and lack of motivation is just part of being human imo, could be for a dozen reasons. Winter is typical for it, lower light and temp. Could be that your ambition needs to seek new heights.
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I guess that it is not hypocracy, at least not looking from the outside. For me the element of hypocracy is that I set big goals for the year, but it’s just not happening. I think I need to reduce my goals to match the level that I am comfortable training.
I am happy with life and happy with work, just lacking the drive to train. Possibly I will look back on 2022 as the high point in my sporting endeavours. I would still love to do a sub 9 Ironman, but realistically I am not sure I want to commit to the level of training that it will take
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Thanks, I think that doing really well in triathlon has defined who I am for the past few years. Looking back, I think that it was a way to survive a job that I really didn’t like. Strangely I didn’t recognise that I didn’t like the job until I got a job that I really do like. Now that I have a job I enjoy, I don’t need to train so much
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I’m failing to see how you’re a hypocrite at all here.
New job with transatlantic travel is obviously going to eat a lot of your time and mental capacity. You’ve been ill recently too right and I hope you don’t mind me saying you’ve had other family issues to work through.
Also just coming off a massive life goal in achieving a solid Kona finish.
Maybe you need a little reset, set new goals and see if you want to go again. You’re a top athlete and definitely have it in your locker!
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@Matthew_Spooner can I just say you are looking more and more like God in your profile pic. As a suggestion for the next iteration, perhaps add a white robe and a cloud and maybe a couple of angels playing harps?
If you do go sub 9 in M50-55 people’s suspicions will be further aroused
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Ha I meant to say I’m loving the new profile pic!
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Now that’s an idea, If I can walk on water too no need to worry about swim training
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down time is always good for e energising and a refocus…
my current period has lasted 12 years…
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Nothing wrong with having lower goals to suit your life/training, I did the same last year.
We only see what you post so my view will be limited, but given the volume of training and racing you did last year, it seemed to me that you went from what would be most elite’s peak at Kona straight into more ultra distance races and ultra weekend rides rather than taking it easy so it doesn’t surprise me to hear you say you’re feeling demotivated - but that might not be it at all.
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You have described my situation to a tee, as per my rant the work/train balance has shifted and like you feel a bit in limbo. New goals and events will have to picked to keep up the mental stimulus.
After your epic year (including accidents) anything else could be considered minor. You like and the others on here are an inspiration.
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That’s really sad, it’s not who you are, it’s something you do. If you didn’t do it, you’re still the same person.
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@Matthew_Spooner you haven’t always felt like this and it’s great you’re finally feeling, can I say, satisfied and comfortable with life. Tbh, it all sounds very positive and healthy, enjoy it!
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There’s a danger of getting into an argument here, which I don’t want … however …
My own experience is that you’re not the same person if you don’t do the things you do - that’s neither good nor bad for you, but can impact your relationships (for better and worse, often both at the same time for different people).
I also don’t think it’s sad to feel defined by what you do. My experience is that it isn’t sustainable (time period will vary for different people) but without that focus, it’s hard to achieve what you’re capable of
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