The Journey

After my disqualification, I felt depressed and inadequate.  How could I have missed a turn?   In 25+ years of running, I had never had a disqualification, DQ, on my official results. I had two choices, give up or get up.  I thought about giving up, but it is just not my style so I got up.  I signed up for a triathlon with a course that included hills beyond my ability. See,  I needed a redemption race.  I needed to erase the DQ mentally. So, I decided to challenge myself. Today, I joined a local triathlon club to practice my next triathlon course.  I was scared. What if I missed a turn?  What if I can't do this?  Anxiety was setting in, especially about the bike course. Just take a peek at the course. It was quite steep. Was I scared? Yes. I was worried that I couldn't make it up the hills.  Then I started thinking of  my favorite Mary J. Blige song, "Just fine."  I love that song and the words. "No time for mopin...

Today I must admit was an extra-ordinary day. I had the opportunity to do something I had never done before. I completed 2 endurance events back to back. I participated in the Maryland Sprint duathlon on Saturday and Olympic Distance on Sunday. This consisted of 39 miles of cycling uphill and 10 miles of running in back to back within 24 hours.  For a few, this seemed like a walk in a park. See these events bring out the most talent athletes around. They look fast and have fancy bikes.   I signed up for this race because a buddy asked me to do so.  There I was. No fancy shoes. A bike that is 11 years old. No fancy outfit. NOTHING.  I just said to myself, " Oh well, you defined what you want to get out of this." Oh course, I was totally intimidated by all the racers.  I had not planned on doing this event.  The course is very tough.  I have not trained for much in the past few months, but exercise regularly for sanity.  All I could do is ...

Over the past few weeks, I have spoken with several ladies about their health and fitness goals. Many have asked how to start a new healthy lifestyle and stay consistent over the Winter.  After many discussions, I could sum up my conversations with these 4- S-words.  Search -Think about what activities you enjoy. Search for the correct path for you. This requires that you reflect on your goals. Take a few moments to experiment with new activities. Read about health and fitness activities.  Do your research.  Start- Once you define your goal or identify the habit you would like to change, then start. Just start. You don't have to have everything figured out, but you do have to start. Once you start participating in your new healthy habit, you can make modifications along the way.  The start is usually what stops most people. This leads to the next S-words, scared.  Scared -Try not to be scared.  It is normal to feel afraid when starting a new a...

 Today I was suppose to participate in the Peasantman Olympic Distance triathlon. For 10 weeks, I swam, cycled and ran.  Each day, I looked at my training plan and put in the work. Half way through the training, I participated in the Xterra trail 10k. My expectations were low because I knew the course would be tough. So I decided to run with my heart with no goal except to finish.  Unbeknownst to me, I placed 3rd in my age group.  With a high from this accomplishment, I continued to train fervently. Then......... Life got in the way....... My dear friend, only a few years my senior, died. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on 6 months prior.  Here is the backstory. In early Oct., we planned lunch. I set a location but she refused to confirm. Without thinking much more about it, I got up for my typical Sunday morning run and planned to confirm our lunch plans upon after running.  When I returned from my run, I learned that lunch plans were cance...

This month I need to workINs more than workOUTS.   Yes, I completed hours of swimming, biking and running as I prepare for Spring events, but I added another component to my workouts, I scheduled workINS.  I spent sometime focusing on mental toughness as a ran silently on trails, regained balance in Tai Chi and yoga class, and strengthen my core in Pilates.  I allowed my body and mind to overcome the mild pain of acupuncture to achieve peace and checked myself into a salt cave for silent meditation where both I lost and found myself simultaneously. What did I learn?  Not all workouts are about sweat and guts. Some of the best workouts are the mental and metaphysical. Challenging the mind to focus hard on a task for hours when all you can hear is your heart beating and only your breath is an awesomely challenging experience. Why do it?   1. WorkINs-Remind you that you are capable. 2. WorkINs-Reconnect your mind and body. 3. WorkINs-Relax you. 4. Wor...

Each year,  people make resolutions to eat better and exercise more. Some actually take small steps to make a behavioral change, but after the novelty wanes, one returns to former behaviors.  It is difficult to keep those New Years Resolutions. But think about why you wanted to make a change. What made you think about making a change in the first place?  Is something stopping you?  Is it injury? Is it motivation? Is it lack of knowledge? Find your why. What made you want to make a change in the first place? If you always wanted to try yoga, walking or a new healthy food, do it. There are no limits or deadlines to making a positive change. Start today and make it fun. In January, I signed up for my first US Masters Swim.  It was fun.  I really suck at swimming, but it was something I wanted to try so I did.  In February, I completed my first 1/2 trail marathon.  It wasn't about speed. It was about remembering why I love to run. Here is the sto...

This year I ran a total of 719 miles, cycled 1,132 miles and swam 61,609 yards. What an amazing journey for this middle aged, fitness gal. All the minutes I spent on fitness activities are less important when I think about what I learned from all of them.  I shall share my thoughts with you here. 1. The process is the reward.  A finisher's medal for any event was a token of my accomplishment. It was a reflection of all the hours I spent swimming, biking and running.  The process of preparing for an event was where I learned how to overcome self-doubt and battle mental demons. Many people keep fitness journals about pace and weight. However, I found that reflecting on thoughts were just as important. Honestly, it was where I discovered hidden roadblocks. 2. There is power in routine.  It is my belief that we are what we do each day. If we get up daily and make a habit of focusing on our goal, then we can accomplish anything.  Many fail to discover the po...