EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to the Athlete Journal of world champion powerlifter Chris Duffin. Follow Chris as he trains and competes in various events over the coming year. Chris’s journal will be posted every Tuesday. You can also read about Chris on his personal website KabukiWarrior.com.
Athlete Journal, Entry 23: Anger & Frustration
Absolutely no training was done this week. I didn’t even do any of my drills or rehab work that I do at home that never makes it into my log.
My cold turned into a throat infection. Spent two days in bed with a fever and barely able to talk. Finally got some antibiotics and slowly coming out of it. Getting this sick is something I’m not accustomed to. It has also been very frustrating.
This year I have trained and dieted harder than I have ever done with the goal of putting in a good competition this fall/winter prior to elbow surgery. With 9 months of focused training I was at my peak and the strongest I have ever been, only to get derailed from my planned meet by this cold (and that injury). I was then unable to do my backup meet 3 weeks later, or backup-backup meet 3 weeks after that.
I have now pushed my planned meet into December, along with rescheduling my surgery several times. I have not squatted or deadlifted anything beyond 45% in 6-7 weeks. If I don’t get better in the next week I’m literally only going to have a couple weeks to train for the December meet before its time to deload for it. This is simply my last shot of the year and I may completely miss even competing at this point.
I have committed to myself to take it easy for 3 months after my surgery. Once I ramp up my training again I wouldn’t be on the platform again until late next year. This is where the frustration and anger come in. After busting my ass for 9 months more than I have ever done in my life, and reaching a peak strength level I have never achieved, I may not have the chance to compete (or at least at my peak) this year…. and may not do so again until almost a year from now!
