Competitive Athletics in Surgical Training: Is It Possible?
I know you are busy, so I will get right to the point. If you find yourself wishing that you were in better shape, or possibly even capable of running a 5K, 10k, half-marathon, or even a full marathon, but struggling with finding the time to get it done, I think I can help you reach your athletic goals. That’s the long and short of it. As a surgical resident I know full well how hard it can be to find the time to take care of your own health, when so much of your time is dedicated towards taking care of others. I have made all of the mistakes and learned a lot about training through my own experience, and I have turned that experience into helping others reach their own goals.
Before I was a doctor, I was an athlete. I was a basketball player and track and field athlete in high school and was able to parlay that into a walk-on spot as Division 1 track and field athlete. After graduating from college and entering medical schooI, I started to train for triathlons and worked my way up to a half Ironman distance during medical school. As I entered clinical training, I focused more on running given my time limitations, and ran multiple marathons and ultra-marathons including several Boston qualifying times. It was only during dedicated research time that I was able to return to triathlon and was able to complete 2 full distance Ironman competitions. More recently, my wife and I welcomed our first child, a daughter, and I am back in clinical training, so I am once again rebalancing all of the pieces and trying to make time for my own health within this new reality. There are a few key principles that I have learned for myself, and that I would apply for anyone who I was coaching toward their own athletic goals:
1. Consistency is key:
The fitness for any race or event, and the health benefits of exercise, come not from a single great day of training but from days, weeks, and months of consistent effort. For many, accountability is key to reaching consistency, and this is one of the many benefits of a coach.
2. Quality over quantity:
With a busy clinical practice, you’re not going to be able to do a 90 minute run every weekend as you prepare for a marathon. It’s just not going to happen. The key here is to get those longer sessions when you can and then get some good quality sessions in between. These can be short, but again, the consistency will pay off. The pressure to do sessions that are simply outside of the realm of possibility helps no one.
3. Training is just the half of it.
There is no replacement for running miles if you are going to be training for a marathon, but rest, recovery, nutrition, and hydration are just as important for health, fitness and performance. This is the part that took me the longest to figure out, and while it’s still a work in progress, I consider it one of the keys to my ability to perform well and stay injury free.
The idea to help other busy professionals with their training came after I employed my own coach. I realized during that time just how difficult it is for outsiders to understand the time limitations of a residency or busy clinical practice. Since I do understand these limitations and I have been able to maintain my athletics within these limitations, I decided I could help others do the same, and that’s why I started Blitzer Coaching. I look forward to writing future pieces for the Modern Surgeon on health and fitness for trainees and surgeons and I’m hopeful that I can work with some of you individually to reach the finish line of your dreams.
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David Blitzer is a former Division 1 Track Athlete turned Cardiothoracic Surgery Trainee. Despite a busy clinical schedule, he remains an avid sports enthusiast and actively trains for Marathons and Triathlons. He is passionate about helping others reach their fitness goals and shares his own hard learned training knowledge through Blitzer Coaching.
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The opinions expressed in the article is not affiliated with any institution, company or product. The article should not be interpreted as medical advice.