Change

This phrase is so true--not just in workouts, but in life.  With my "fit-versary" coming up, I feel like I should talk about the catalyst for my biggest change.

I can't believe my daughter is turning 4 in 5 short days.  I never even wanted a daughter--I've never been a girlie-girl. Give me bugs, dirt and camping over makeup, princesses and dolls any day of the week.  So I was surprised and a little scared when God decided to bless us with a girl.  It didn't take me long to realize that **I** was going to a be a role model for her.  Me back then didn't love myself. I put myself down, I hated myself every time I looked in the mirror. No self confidence. I always talked about wanting to change, but never did it.

 

Summer was born and I realized I did not want her to grow up with those same issues.  I wanted her to look in the mirror and know she was strong and confident.  I KNEW that if I wanted her to have that kind of self esteem, I needed to fix my own first. Because she would learn from me.

I'll never forget one of my first running outings with my dear friend Allison . . . she said to me "You seem really committed.  What's different this time?"   I told her I was done.  I was ready to be more.   You have to be ready for change.

I was so blessed, as I began my journey, to have a great support system.  Active friends who encouraged me to run.  My husband, who stayed home with both kids so that I could go to boot camp.  The trainers there pushed me.  But I pushed myself too.  I never quit.  They underestimated me at first and I relished in proving them wrong.

But it was Summer, my beautiful, crazy, always challenging daughter, that made me realize I needed to take the plunge.  For me.  For her.  For every girl who has never felt worthy of love or good things because of her size.

So thanks, baby girl, for making mommy face herself and grow.  Its her birthday, but in a way, I was reborn too.  And if there is anything I can't stress enough, there is something amazing in each of us. Just waiting to come out. 

 Last, but not least, I have to share this brilliant ad campaign by Nike.  You've probably seen it by now, but it always makes me tear up.  Because Greatness really is in each of us.  I hope we can show the next generation that. 

Race Report - Key Biscayne Triathlon Trilogy Bonus Round

I've harbored a secret dream since I got my road bike and discovered how much I love biking. . . a dream that involved me on a podium getting a medal for placing.  I'm not that strong of a swimmer or a runner, but I've discovered I'm a semi-decent cyclist.  The fat girl that still lives in me--the one that could never do the monkey bars and was always picked last in gym class--would never have considered placing in the top 3 in any physical event.

When I got my USAT membership and decided to start Tri-ing this summer, I didn't really think I would be able to pull off all 4 races of this series.  Its a lot to consistently train for, even though the distances are relatively short.  The one I did in 2009 was excruciatingly difficult for me.  But I'm learning my fitness is much better than I give myself credit for.  Going in the bonus race, I was pretty darn sure I was going to make that podium, but scared to say anything out loud.

Race day was beautiful--a nice easterly breeze (read--tail wind for the swim so NO BIG WAVES!).  My morning was marred slightly by a jerk moving my bike out of the end spot I had arrived nice and early to secure.  He swore up and down "It wouldn't matter" because he would be long gone by the time I returned.  Sorry, dude, didn't realize the fact that you were fast gave you license to be a complete asshole pooh-pooh head.  Its okay though, I believe in karma.

As usual, while we were waiting for the swim to start, I started feeling terribly unprepared.  This happens EVERY race.  Once the swim started, it took me a few minutes to settle in to my stroke.  I really need to work on that--I think I lose a good minute getting comfortable.  The swim FELT slow, compared to last race.  Transition felt slow too.  On the way out of T1, I thanked my lucky stars for the 1000th time that I didn't wear cycling shoes as I listened to people pound out of transition on their cleats.   The bike was windy, but great.  I'm probably known for yelling words of encouragement at everyone I pass . . .  On the 2nd time heading over the Rickenbacker, I encouraged another athlete.  She caught up to me on the run to say thanks and we ended up enjoying each other's company for the last mile and a half.  But before the run, I had to shove pooh-pooh head's $4,000+ tri bike out of my spot again so that I would have a place to rack my bike.  Despite that, in and out of T2 in less than a minute again.  Have I mentioned how glad I am not to have cycling shoes to deal with yet??  :-) .

I crossed the finish line tired, but not nearly as exhausted as last time.  I would be annoyed that I didn't push harder on the run, except for the fact that there was 7 minutes (!!) between myself and the 1st place finisher.  She ran a 26 minute 5K, so I don't think me pushing "a little more" would have put me in first.  Splits broke down like this:

Swim/run 0:10:10

T1 4:44

Bike 0:36:11

T2 0:55

Run 0:35:51

Total 01:27:51.45

 I knew when I crossed the finish line that I had done well, simply because I knew I had passed a few of my stronger competitors on the run.  But I was incredibly excited to see it was 2nd.   My daughter is turning 4 this month, and it was her birth that got me started on my fitness revolution.  It was SO FITTING that this first should come on her birth month.


My neighbor/friend/swim "coach"/inspirational counterpart, Julie, rocked the fat tire division for a 1st place.  It was so awesome that we both made the podium!

 All in all, a great race.  I need to improve my run and swim, but the BIKE is definitely my strong suit.  And my ability to hold the run after spinning my legs off for 36 minutes).   Looking forward to improving the other two over the winter months.

Nothing beats my son's response when I got home.  I told him I had a special medal if he wanted to wear it because I finished 2nd in my group.  He said to me "WOW, great job mom!  Maybe if you train harder, next time you can have first next time!"  Maybe so, silly boy.  But I've never been so happy to come in 2nd!

I'm not quite sure what's next.  I may tri ONE more time before the end of the season--I'm undecided about a race next month.  After that, everything is going to be focused on preparing for Ragnar Relay Florida Keys in January.   Hubs and I will be running that one together so I'm stoked for it--its going to be epic.

Do you yoga?

September in National Yoga Month.  It's also my daughter's birth month.  My fitness journey began the moment she was born, so I've been thinking a lot this month about how far I've come and how much I've changed.  About where I want to go.   Yoga has been a HUGE, HUGE part of my journey.

Its so funny, the reasons that people give (both the active and the sedentary set) for not doing yoga.

Yoga makes me sleepy.
I want to sweat during my workouts.
I'm not flexible.

i started doing yoga from P90X, but it wasn't until I went to a class taught by a friend of mine that I really became a Yogi.  It isn't about how flexible you are.  It isn't about how much you can or can not do.  Its about honoring your body and where you are in it, embracing and loving every aspect of it.  Its about being present in the moment.

I could spend hours and hours spouting about how much yoga has changed my life.  If running is for my body, yoga is for my mind.  It has helped keep me healthy over these past 4 years.  It has helped keep my mind grounded and has helped me remember how to stay sane in the chaos that is my life.

Something that many people do not realize is that yoga has an incredibly healing component as well.  I've had pain and injuries that have been alleviated through yoga.  I'm so blessed that my friend, who specializes in therapeutic yoga, came into my life.  Any time I find myself in pain, she is able to give me a couple things to do on a daily basis that help my body heal itself.  That is an AMAZING thing.  Its easy to become frustrated when you start to feel pain. Before yoga became a part of my routine, I would either push through pain or back completely off so that my body could heal.  Now I am able to acknowledge pain, think about its causes, and come up with a management plan that does not hinder my training.

So it made me laugh when the USAT published this article, "Why Yoga Can Benefit Endurance Athletes".  My response was WELL DUH!  But I forget not everyone is "enlightened" in that regard.  That is the incredible thing about yoga.  You are never too young, too old, too fat or too thin for it.  My kids ask to do yoga all the time when their muscles get achy.


With all of the the things I've achieved on the fitness front, the first time I popped up in wheel definitely rates right up there with all-time highs. For a girl who was neither flexible nor had any upper body strength, it was a pretty cool achievement.  Forget the list of things you are or aren't when you think about why you CAN'T do yoga.  Let me assure you that you can.  I could not even reach my toes 3.5 years ago. 

(Pardon the chaos going on in this picture. . . gives you an idea of my every day life, and the fact that you can't see my hands.  Totally did this with a timer!)

Spread your wings this month and give yoga a try.  Find a great studio.  Look for free community classes in your area.  Your body and your spirit will thank you!

What's your favorite thing about yoga?  Or what fears do you have that was keeping you from giving it a try?  Take those fears and kick them aside after you post them!

Don't let fear rule

This was a great little thought provoking piece that Fit Yummy Mummy posted on facebook earlier this week.

Sometimes the things that are most rewarding are absolutely the hardest decisions to make.  And sometimes making the decision is the hardest part . . . but once you make it, you can figure the rest out along the way.

Last year we, as a family, were faced with a decision regarding schools for my son.  Small school with a family, further away versus new, bigger school with more opportunities within walking distance.  For me, the unknown was harder, but we chose the second option--mostly because fitness is so important to us and I feel that our country would be a much better place if we took the time out to walk our children to school.  You can enjoy nature, visit, and get a little exercise in on the way to school.  It wasn't an easy decision, but 2 weeks in I am so glad we made it--we spend so much less time rushing around trying to get things done and get into the car.  Instead we enjoy our time getting to school.  Less stress, more sweat, more family time.

Don't be afraid to turn heads and make tough decisions for the betterment of yourself or your family.  Don't let fear of failure prevent you from making a positive change in your life--whether it be diet, fitness . . . anything.  In fact, if there is something that scares you a bit--you may want to find a way to face it.  Because with facing your fears comes immeasurable growth.

 

While we were on our vacation at the beginning of August, we went to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. My husband has always been an adventurer and has wanted to go caving for some time.  That is something that I once would have considered outside my comfort zone.  I used to be pretty big (and am still no slender flower), so trying to squeeze through small dark spaces scared the crap out of me.  But we took turn watching the kids and each took an introductory caving course.   It was incredible.  An amazing look at nature and a chance to see things not everyone gets to see. 

You only have one shot at this great wild ride called life.  Take the plunge and do something epic EVERY DAY.  Because life is short.  There are no do-overs.  If you aren't going to face those fears now, then WHEN?

Race Reports: Key Biscayne Triathlon Trilogy #2 and #3

Thanks to vacation and the start of school, I'm terribly behind on blogging.  No surprise there--I knew it would be an issue when I started this.

So since my last post, I've raced twice--The 2nd and 3rd installments of the Key Biscayne Triathlon trilogy.  After the first race of the series, I decided my fitness hybrid bike was on its last leg.  My mother generously offered to give me a very, VERY early Christmas/birthday present in the form of a road bike.  After some shopping around I came home with THIS pretty baby--it isn't a true "racing" bike, just an entry level road bike with a carbon fiber fork, but I love it so very much.

 I went into July's race with only 2 weeks in the saddle of my new bike.  Thank goodness I have great roadie friends who let me tool around behind them and gave me lots of pointers.  The only major fail was that I did not practice climbing hills before the race, or really even consider how to approach a big hill on this bike.  Ready or not though, Key Biscayne Triathlon Trilogy #2 ended up being my first Athena race.

Another awesome PLUS for the 2nd race over the first was that my kick-ass neighbor, Julie, not only gave me some major swim pointers, but she also came along to race in the fat tire division.  Julie is an absolute beast on the swim AND the run.  It ended up being perfect because I caught her on the bike, then she caught me on the run, so I had her ahead of me motivating to push.

The splits for July's race looked like this:

Swim

0:12:56

T1: 4:30

Bike:  0:38:48

T2  1:17

Run:  0:36:44

Total Time:

01:34:15.95

The swim (and .25 beach run to transition)--definite improvement from June, it was choppy, but I found my rhythm and was comfortable in the water.

The bike--I didn't pass anyone on a road bike, but felt decent the whole time. The bridge was killer.

The run--super humid, so I had a hard time finding my rhythm.

Julie, by the way, snagged a 2nd in the Fat Tire division.

This was good enough for 5th/15, which I was far more pleased with than my usual 4th/5 :-)  This was a personal record for this course, thanks largely to my lovely Trek Lexa :-)

August and KB#3 came WAY too fast.  We took a 10 day trip between #2 and #3, during which I only ran once and missed my bike terribly.  I DID take advantage of my inlaws pool and swim on a daily basis.    When I started Tri season this year, I secretly hoped to get below a 1:30.  When race day dawned, I dared to dream, but wasn't too terribly optimistic since training was basically non-existent and we ate out for an entire week straight.  But I WAS armed with lots of hill and cadence tips from my girl Susan and a solid set of climbs over the bridge in the week leading up to the race.  That contributed largely to an epic bike ride in which I not only felt like I knew what I was doing, but actually passed some people :-)

Weather conditions were perfect.  The wind was much calmer than it had been in the past 2 races.

The splits looked like this:

Swim:  0:10:55

T1  4:13

Bike  0:35:27

T2  0:54

Run  0:36:00

0

Total  01:27:29.40

Placement was 6/14.  I was totally happy with that, this group was far more competitive than the last race.  I hit my time goal.  I improved every single one of my splits.  Got in and out of T2 in less than a minute (I am not sure I will ever mess with cycling shoes--I love not having to do a single thing other than slap my bike into transition and grab my race belt). Having Julie ahead of me and IN SIGHT (a rarity indeed) on the run was a great push.  

With just a little over 2 weeks before the bonus round of the race, I'm focused on training.  I can't believe I'm going to say this "out loud", but this girl who was picked last in gym class REALLY wants to get on the podium.  So the next few weeks will be filled with lots and lots of Swim, Bike and Run, not to mention loads of cross training fun. 

When "Make It Happen" DOESN'T Happen

I'm a big fan of the "Make It Happen" mentality.  If you want something bad enough, you go for it.  It's completely on you to make time for it, make a plan and MAKE IT HAPPEN.  I really dislike listening to people complain about wanting something but never actually taking the effort to find a WAY to make it happen. But holy cow, sometimes something got to give.

Its just been one of those weeks here.  Everything has snowballed--my work schedule, hubs work schedule, and stuff with the youngest keeping me away from the gym in the morning.  I know every one of you knows what I'm talking about, especially if you have kids. Scheduling conflicts.  Getting tired of asking for help so you can find the time to make it happen.  Doing late night workouts because you can't find the time to work out ANY other time, and then being so jazzed afterward you can't sleep.  Which makes you tired.  And discouraged.

So this week in our household we're out of make it happen mode and into survival mode.  And it sucks, because workouts are TRULY the source of my sanity.  But sometimes the body and soul needs a little break to recover, because making it happen 24/7 can be pretty damn exhausting.  But even with survival mode, you must have a plan.  Because otherwise survival mode can quickly become a rut.  This girl is already planning her Comeback, because I refuse to let this last more than a single week.

That evil C word

Image courtesy of http://www.howjoyful.com

I saw this quote the other day and immediately fell in love.   I mean, REALLY how true is that?  How often do we do something incredible and then compare ourselves to others?  How many times have you come home from the gym, a race, or a run and said "Wow, so and so went faster/harder/better than I did."  I know I ALWAYS compare what I do to others.  I have lots of runner friends and always compare my pace to theirs.

But here's an AH HA moment for you folks.  No one has lived your story or had your struggles.  We ALL need to stop comparing ourselves to one another.  Our diversity in shape, size and ability is what makes us unique.  Don't sell your successes short because they do not measure up to the successes of others.   So for the next day . . . the next week . . . or maybe the rest of your life, challenge yourself to stop comparing yourself to others and instead celebrate your accomplishments from your unique place in life.   Have a healthy, happy week!