And the journey continues....

Someone asked me most recently asked me, " What drives you? What makes you sit at a desk for 10 hours a day studying or What makes you get up at 4:30am on a Saturday to run? I smiled and said, "I have to do my part in the process. I can't predict the outcome of anything in life, but I can participate in the process. If I study 10 to 12 hours per day and I do my best then I can be satisfied with my effort. If I train properly for a race, then I can be satisfied with my effort." It is all about perspective and being satisfied. When I am no longer satisfied, then it is time to change course and re-evaluate.

This month I finally finished my third degree, a nursing degree and passed my license exam. I am pleased. Two years ago, I left my government job of 10 yrs to set out on a different course that would change the trajectory of my life. Being over 40 yrs old and starting a new career is risky, but what in life isn't!

Now, I have new goals...my first triathlon in September. Though I have done marathons in the past, this is NEW for me. I am just learning how to swim confidently and in many respects this will be one of the hardest things I feel that I will ever do. I have the goal. Now, I must work on it just as I did with studying or training for my first marathon in 1997. I will focus on one mile, lap, run at a time. I will focus on the process.

The journey back to fitness is difficult after being in school for 2 yrs, but I am willing to put my heart and some muscle into getting back into good condition for this task.

Yesterday, I rode 20 miles and ran 1.25. This is a good start. The journey continues to Middletown...

The 4th Annual Women\'s Triathlon will take place in Middletown, MD on Sunday, September 30, 2012. The event consists of a 300 yard pool swim, a 10 mile bike on rolling hills and a 5K run.

One step, one pedal, one lap at a time.....

Stayfitt

Comments

Fear, Feedback and Fuel

On Sunday, I started the Chicago Triathlon. It was one of the largest in the United States. The goal was to complete 1500m in Lake Michigan cycle 24.5 miles and run 6.2 miles in Chicago. I completed this race last year. It was both challenging and fun. This year the outcome was not what I had planned. I started the race surrounded by wonderful people, Some I knew while others were strangers. We all started the race together. Rough waters awaited. Lake Michigan looked menacing. She churned and tossed us from the moment we entered the water. Here I am at the first bouy. My plan was slow and steady since I was not familiar with this type of water. So I swam. I remembered saying to myself, "Slow is fast". I focused on each stroke and thought of little else. I saw a friend swim by me. It made me feel great as I turned to the straightaway toward the finish. I could see the finish through my Rx goggles. I swam and swam. As I sighted for the tall buildings in the distanc

Grit- Road to Chicago Olympic Triathlon

Definition Grit in psychology is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual's passion for a particular long-term goal or end state, coupled with a powerful motivation to achieve their respective objective. This perseverance of effort promotes the overcoming of obstacles or challenges that lie within a gritty individual's path to accomplishment, and serves as a driving force in achievement realization. Commonly associated concepts within the field of psychology include "perseverance", "hardiness", "resilience", "ambition", "need for achievement" and "conscientiousness". This is who I am. Stacy the Grit. Yes, I could spend a lot of time talking to you about my finish time and what I could improve upon yadda yadda yadda but anyone who reads my blog knows that I rarely focus on the outcome. I focus on the process. I focus on how did I arrive at a specific point and time. I focus on the jour

Bend or Break- RagnarDC

So a running buddy called me a week before a 200 mile relay race from Flintstone, MD to Washington, DC. Her team needed one more runner to replace a person who could not attend due to a life event. I said, "Sure, I can do this." I tend to be a "Yes" girl. I like to say "Yes" more than "No." So there I sat in my pajamas not knowing what adventure awaited me. Six days after the call, I met the team for dinner and headed up to a hotel close to the course start. I must say I was nervous. I did not feel prepared. I observed how calm my teammates were and internally I was hoping to not let them down. See, I was Leg one of a 200 mile race. Leg 1-Rocky Gap Trail. 0500 There I was at the start. Pumped and ready. It was pitch dark when the race started. My 0500 wave started and off I went. I had a map of the course and followed the directions as best as I could. Before I knew it I was under a canopy of trees. It was dark. No, it was p

The Journey

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