Training for ANW but also the rest of life.

One thing I've been struggling with for quite some time is how to fit in the rest of life, with my training. I'm sure it's literally what every competitor, every athlete, every musician, everyone who is trying to upskill themselves to the exclusion of pretty much all else.

I struggle, not for my own benefit, but for my partners.  I honestly don't care for fancy food, I don't crave deliciousness nor partyingness or ever really need to drink.  Honestly, I'm happiest when I'm training hard, resting well and eating properly.  All the things that make a great athlete.

However, my partner is not wired that way at all, she doesn't care about what she can or can't do, she cares about what she can experience.  She loves amazing food, it's almost orgasmic for her, she loves a great white wine, she's very social and loves to be out, to see bands, to experience restaurants and bars.

Since moving to America, she easily put on 20 pounds from sampling all the new cuisine available to us, and is now working hard to get back to her pre-America weight.  I try and be supportive and take her out to nice places, but it so feels like a huge waste of time, money, energy and calories.   Not only that, but because I see my trainer on Sunday mornings, I train my hardest on Thursdays so I'm recovered for Sunday.  Saturday is my rest day so I work hard on Fridays too, which means by Friday night (tonight!) I'm totally beat.

We've been invited out by some of my partner's work friends, that she really does want to be close to, but one of them won't arrive in town until 9pm, so the funness doesn't really start by then. It's barely midday now and I'm already ready for bed.  I've always laughed at party-girls that really want to hook up with professional athletes, who probably don't quite understand that their lives are diametrically opposed.

I can see why athletes often end up marrying other athletes, because they both understand the sacrifices required.  I want to be a good partner, but I'm also really worried that compromising just leads to mediocrity.  It's a tough call...