running in place

minor setback yesterday. it was one of those, day is going great. slam. hit a wall kind of days. i didn't really need it 13 days pre st george.  but then again who ever really needs those kind of days.

on my ride, i set out to go 80.  i only went 52.  the rest was the slam part.  the pattern here ive found is this, juggle 100 items in the air at the same time and at precisely the same moment they all inevitably fall. at. the. same. time.  i would equate this fall to how an alcoholic might feel when they are sober and then go on a bender 13 days before their 1 year anniversary.    yea. something like that.

the date is coming whether i like it or not. there will be no groundhog days in between.  the hills did not shrink, the water is still cold, and there are about a million people counting on me to finish this thing. 

so today i'm trying out that whole positive thinking process.  like when you start to think you can't accomplish something you are supposed to tell yourself you can. so far so good but its still early.  yesterday wasn't my best moment, pretty low on the scale actually. 

but tonight is PK's spin class and he's very good at snapping me back to reality.

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference"

missing what isn't gone yet...

when i decided to start this blog a few weeks short of a year ago, it seemed that ironman st george was so far in the future that not having a training session to log wasn't a thought in my mind. the time has now come where in less than one month i will either have crossed that finish line by midnight or i will not.  i will no longer have an ironman on my calendar or one to blog about. 

it all seemed so distant until this weekend.  suddenly it felt close. the counter reads 25 days and 18 hours.  25 days?!!!  shit. 



TEAM GT....MY TRI FAMILY



i traveled to henderson, nevada this weekend for two days of a four day GPP endurance camp. due to work  i could only go half time, working thing? WAY overrated.  i drove up friday night after getting a late start, (don't even ask why)  i arrived at the hotel at midnight and was looking forward to the 7 am wake up call.  

the swim saturday morning... it was cold, it was choppy, and the self doubt was alive and in my head.  then it happened, i got in the water and felt amazing.  i'm not fast, never claimed to be.  but i wasn't fast when i ran my first 10k either.  so i'll wait.  very patiently.  i didn't freak out and don't laugh (okay go ahead) somehow justin biebers "never say never" found a way into my head.  and the bieber fever got me all the way to the number 6 buoy and back. 

then it was  back to the hotel, rest up, and  hit the road for an afternoon BRICK (this is a ride followed by a run, the idea is to get your legs prepared for the mean things you plan to do to them later in the actual race) we did  30 miles on the bike then 22 minutes out and 20 minutes back on the run.  all in awesome company.  then it was back on the bike for the ride home.  numb toes were alive and kicking but not wearing socks seems to help.  the swim on sunday was a quick 30 minutes followed by a long ride of about 50 miles.  it was goodbye to all the amazing old and new members of the tri family and on the road back to la la land.  it was all so quick.  to quick. 

as for the blog updates, i might decide to just keep going with it.  after all nothing is truly over, with every journey there is another adventure, with every step there is another finish line. and well new york is only 6 months away!

happy training. 

a little bit of inspiration

i've always been the one being inspired.  finding inspiration in other people to push me to the limit. (or in some cases get me out the door)

 i am the youngest of three and my two older sisters amazed me from the start. my oldest sister is the most talented of artists and taught me at a young age that talent starts one on the right course, but to excel you need to follow your heart and persevere.  she now runs a very successful invitation business from home while juggling being a new mother to my nephew, who she describes as "a bulldozer wrapped in a wrecking ball".

my middle sister was my sports idol growing up (still is actually) and i longed to be half the athlete she became.  whatever she ran I only dreamt of doing half of.  she now juggles three children and is pregnant with a fourth.  they both continue to inspire and amaze me daily.

more recently, i was blessed to come in contact with a group of individuals who are not only remarkable athletes but nice people too.  this is hard to come by these days.  not one but an entire group of non judging, supportive, genuine friends.  i feel more blessed everyday.

i have a few close friends who entered to run the broad street run this year in philadelphia.  for those keeping track the broad street run was my first official distance run at 10 miles, many years ago.  throughout their training i've received countless text messages with questions ranging from "what shorts should i wear" to "how do i pass dunkin donuts without stopping for a donut on my way to the gym?"  i smile when i receive these messages for several reasons, but most notably because i give them advice that i know to have worked for me but then typically follow it up with "i'm the last person you should be asking for advice" to which i usually receive a "why?  you are training for an ironman! YOU inspire me"  i never thought of myself as an inspiration.  it was always the other way around.

and tonight as i was heading back from a workout i stopped my older heavy set neighbor to inquire about a fuse box issue (long story for another blog entirely)  and he replied with a "sure i'm actually just on my way to walk the track.  I see you every morning and every night going out in your workout clothes.  you inspired me to get going tonight"

my point is this.  we all need a little push.  it doesn't matter if its from your childhood heros (my sisters) or the neighbor across the way.    you never know when you might be someone elses inspiration.

the view just keeps getting better

some have what they call a bucket list in life.  i have a "what i always wanted to do and never thought i would list". on this list is included a marathon. complete.  an ironman. getting there. and living in the city.  done.

(clearly not all inclusive) but you get my point. 

over the past year i've moved four different times and all within a mile and a half of each other (the last one was literally 1 block)  i moved out here 8 years ago and never actually bought anything not from ikea or target for furniture because "it was always just a temporary gig".  i sold stuff as i went and found creative ways to open the essentials like cans and wine bottles.

today all that changed, as i walked two blocks from my new office to my new apartment in the sky to sign my lease.  i've already selected my bed frame (that i won't need an allen wrench to put together) and signing up now for new gym memberships for my continued training.  (move in date is 2 weeks pre IMSG)

so my sneakers might not be hitting the sand anymore and my rides might have just gotten a little more adventurous.  but its part of my "never thought i'd do's" and i'm okay with that.