The Journey

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 power of routine pract

Today, I participated in the last event of my 2016 season. It was a 140.6 min indoor triathlon. There is nothing like jumping in 12 ft lane like it is nothing and swimming with no fear. I could not do that earlier this year. I rode and ran with smiles. At the end, participants in my section took a group photo and we exchanged holiday pleasantries with hopes to see each other at triathlons in 2017. This has been an amazing year for me. It is never about the outcome, it is about the journey. It is on the journey that one learns lessons. Fitness is a lifestyle/healthstyle.  Now more than ever, each of us must take control  of our health. We cannot afford to place our health in others' hands. We must own it. If you are on a health journey, instead of making resolutions make a recommitment.  Commit to making your health a priority. 1. Mental health is an important aspect of health. Balance is key. Make time forspiritual reading, walk in nature, laugh and forgive self and others.

--> Today I participated in the Metric Marathon.   I purposely chose this race to be the last official event of my season.   I wanted to test myself mentally and physically.   The course showed no mercy.   I was humbled by it once again.   The last time I ran this course was in 1999 and today I remembered why.   The hills were unforgiving. Take no prisoners.   The field was small. Limited to a few outsiders, like me, and members of the local running club.   It was well organized, but definitely not for the faint of heart.   Everyone was so wonderfully kind and cordial.   It was the best medicine for me today.   After the divisiveness in the news this past week, I need to just run.   I needed the fresh air. I needed to feel free from all the political rhetoric. I needed to be free from the labels and identify as “the runner.”   The running community is one that I enjoy very much. In the new world of “Garmin,” everyone is truly running their own race.   It is the o

  Recently, I chatted with someone who stated, “I wish I could run like you.” I smiled and replied, “You can.”   She looked perplexed. I reminded her that the only difference between one person and another is one is doing while the other is not.   Change requires action.   It is a verb. Here are a few tips to make positive changes. 1.      Define what you want to change (i.e. decrease inches or pounds, run a 5k, etc.) Be specific (I will walk 1 mile per day for 15 mins. or I will have 1 cup of grapes instead of 1 cup of M & Ms). 2.      Find a plan that works for you and work it. 3.      START   (Starting is what STOPS a lot of people). Don’t think just START. 4.      Surround yourself with others who support your goals. 5.      Expect setbacks.  6.      Write down what you learned. Reflect on what worked and what didn’t.  Make modifications and  continue to work. 7.      Change is a constant process improvement cycle. It includes beginnin

My training year ended September 30th and began October 1.  It was great to take a mental and physical break during September.  I needed it.  The Chicago triathlon sucked the wind out of me. Although I was pleased with my effort, I know there is room for improvement. October begins a new training year. I have started to build my running base and will slowly incorporate more cycling on the trainer as the days grow darker.  In the depths of Winter, I plan to swim, swim and swim some more. I have a clear idea of what I would like to accomplish during my next fitness season and the work starts now. October 2016-February 2017  Winter Goal 1. Improve my swim time and technique. (Translation pool time 3 x per week) Winter Goal 2. Make strength training a priority (Translation 2-3 x per week) Winter Goal 3. Build swim, bike and run endurance (Periodization plan in effect now) March 2017-May 2017 Spring Goal 1. One Marathon or Ultra Spring Goal 2. One Indoor Tri and Sprint Tri

What makes you want to move?    Is it because the you went to the doctor and you heard these words, “ You must exercise 30-60 min per day or you must eat more fruits and vegetables.”    Just hearing the words “ must,” “should” or “have to” can have a negative effect on motivating us to actually move   or engage in the very activity that is recommended.   The word “should” can be used to express obligation or expectations. Think about how you feel when someone says, “ You should do…xyz.”   Honestly, you probably don’t like it.   Neither children nor adults like to hear, “ You have to do xyz.”   We resort to 2 yr old behavior, dig in our heals and resists.   “No, No, No!” We say to ourselves.   “ You can’t tell me…” “I am the boss of me!”   Have you ever thought that rather than telling people what they should or should not do to get healthy? Ask them?   Ask them, “How do you feel when you eat xyz?” How do you feel when you go for a walk, run, swim, stretch, relax?   Helping

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

If you have been following my blog then you know I am preparing for the Chicago Triathlon in 2 weeks. I am both excited and scared at the same time. This post is less about the event and more about my thoughts leading up to the event. Hopefully this post provides some insight into my journey to Chicago. Have you ever sat back and thought- what if? What if I weren't so scared I would do xyz? What if I only had x many days in my life how would I use them? Last year this month, I read a book titled, What would you do if you could fail?   This book was comprised of several stories of people who came to a crossroads and decided to try something different. Some left jobs, relationships and locations that no longer fed them spiritually only to discover new jobs, relationships and environments to renewed their sense of purpose. The stories were filled with hope. Many shut down their frontal lobes, defied logic and followed their heart. So I tried this. I decided I

While swimming on Saturday after a long night shift, I went to my local gym. Since the Chicago Triathlon is a month away, I knew I could not afford to miss any workouts so off I went.   I put on my swim clothing and underwater iPod and proceeded to swim a mile.   I was pleased.   On a hot and hazy Saturday, there were only a few people at the pool at the local Sport and Health. I quickly showered and proceeded to the exercise room where I continued the second part of my workout on the bike. As I proceed to leave, a woman stopped me. She said, "Are you the woman who was swimming a long time in the pool?"   I smiled and nodded, "Yes." She proceeded to speak about how she used to swim as a child, but doesn't swim any more. When she asked if I was on a swim team, I laughed.   I proceed to tell her that I did not started swim lessons until age 43. She was shocked. She thought I had been swimming my entire life, but I have not. I proceed

If you grew up watching PBS between 1968 and 2001 chances are you watched Mister Roger's Neighborhood. This show was viewed regularly after-school when I was a child. I can remember singing along " Who are the people in your neighborhood, the people that you meet each day." On Mister Roger's Neighborhood, the host, Fred Rogers, would greet the mailman, milkman, the conductor and other familiar faces in the neighborhood. Also during his show, he would speak of values such as kindness, gratitude and empathy. In real life, Fred Rogers had a degree in Divinity. He shared his values with millions of children for years until his show ended in 2001. So why am I referencing this show?  What does it have to do with multi-sports?  I thought of him today. See here I was in a local duathlon in Maryland. I saw many smiling faces. Some athletes I met at my last event last weekend while others I have known for years.  Everyone was smiling and greeting each other. In that moment

Diamond in the Rough Triathlon Sprint Triathlon~Reflections If you have been reading my blog or know me personally then you know I love music. Music is medicine for me. It soothes me, comforts me and energizes me. It is my favorite wonder drug. With that said, my reflection of my triathlon shall have many musical references. Get Up by Mary Mary Layin' low, rest and pause Sleeping long, slow motion Gonna do, shoulda, coulda Woulda done, excuses What are you afraid of? Don't you know what you're made of? One of God's greatest creations Take this invitation now Get up, 'cause you can't stop Get up, got a lot to do 24 hours, almost gone Get up, don't sit back Get up, if you wanna get there Clocks don't stop and time won't wait I put this song on as I traveled to Perryville State Park where Diamond In The Rough Triathlon was held today. This is a song I have listen to for the past 2 yrs whenever I had doubts about swimming.  I sa

Yesterday was my last open water swim before my first open water swim triathlon on July 9 th. Someone asked me, why do you swim so much? Your event is only 500 m. You know you can do this. I usually smile and say nothing. However, in my mind I have a totally different dialogue. See in my mind this has very little to do with the race distance, I have to prove it to myself that I can do the swim portion of the triathlon. I can't worry about proving it to my swim coaches, the race director, my friends or family. I have to prove it to me. Every time I get in the water I think, impress yourself. Prove it to you. Each time I get in the pool, lake or bay, it is a new experience. The water is never the same. I must prove it to myself that under any conditions, I can swim. Others may be convinced already, but I must convince myself. My training program is expectionally rigorous for a beginner Triathlete who will participate in Sprint and Olympic distances for now. Why is that?  It is bec

Music is my life. This is the title of a Patti Labelle song and sums up who I am. I could sing before I could speak in full sentences. Music and memory are intertwined in the fabric that is Stacy. I work out with music especially swimming since it scares me so. Music comforts me so I combine both. It is all about the midnight hour- a time when I am in a dark place with all of this swimming, biking and running that I question- " what are you doing?"  Self-doubt shows up with her friend, the critic and they attack me. They have a gun while I have a knife. The battle is real. That is the midnight hour. The internal battle is real when you look at your training plan and cry. The critic says-"You know you aren't any good at this. You suck. People die from doing this. They drown, they get mowed down on their bikes or they fall. Stop!" I tell the critic- "If I am not trying, I am dying.  I can't sit and worry. Worry is not work."  If

Oh Happy Day when Jesus washed my sins away.  Yes! Here I was with old Negro spirituals in my head. They comfort me when I am scared. Guess what?   It was one of those days.   I signed up for this event after attending Swimfest Ft. Ritchie with triathlon buddies. One thing I noticed is I had sufficient ability to participate in this but no OWS experience. I promised myself I would go home and sign up for OWS lessons. I did!   Two weeks after my first lesson with Traci, I   found myself standing at the starting line of a Swim fest. I had no family or friends who could attend this event so I went alone. I was scared. But I just sang a line in one of my favorite songs, "Ain't no need to worry what tomorrow gonna bring, it will be all over in the morning."   The start gun went off and I let every one go. I decided in that moment, I will finish and learn. I stayed in the back and focused on one buoy at a time. I claimed victory at each buoy. I got a

Today was my first OWS in Annapolis. I was so scared. I met the swim coach who is truly an angel in disguise, Traci.   We have met before, but I was not ready mentally or physically. I stayed with the newbies then the best swim angel, Lisa arrives (in above photo in the Blue). All anxiety ceased. Lisa is a strong swimmer and a friend extraordinaire. Every girl should have a Lisa in their life. Someone who encourages you and shows up for you when need a little extra support. True swim angel indeed.   I found additional Angels at the swim, Shaunna (in photo above), Crystal and Eric. I managed to swim out and back with Lisa on the 350 m course. I panicked because I couldn't find the body. She reminded me that you control the tempo and take your time. I did. I finished and managed to go again with another new swimmer. Lisa swam behind us.   I did it again.   Golly Gosh-   I did it!!  

I am a firm believer in putting in the work. It will hurt and you may suffer at that moment but it is all worth it. Surround yourself around those who take you in the direction of your dreams. This is on my favorite coffee cup.  As someone who toggles the line between introvert and extrovert, I choose to work out alone most days. However, I am learning that I enjoy sharing my love of running with other runners especially new female runners. This event was well organized. I was honored to speak at a women diversity panel and share a few stories about my 25 years in running and how important it is to support other women. I met so many great ladies. Some participated in the 5k,10k and half marathon. I chose the 10k since most of my energy these days has been focused on swimming. The Annapolis course is not for the faint of heart. It was a hilly course with 95% humidity. I was so excited about being surrounded by all the positive energy of the women that I ran freely. I

Since I had been training consistently, I decided to sign up for this event. If you noticed, I tried to steer clear of saying race. Using the word, event, allows me to relax and enjoy running while the word race makes me anxious.   It was a low key event in Howard County, Maryland known for it's hills. I knew it would be tough. I maintained my nothing new in race day motto as I had done for 25 years.   I knew there was a big chance I may be alone on the course since there were few participants and a fast field. I did all my long runs alone so I was mentally prepared.   I ran alone a lot or shoulder to shoulder with few.   What I have learned from participating in events is one can never predicted the outcome. I did the same plan as my last half marathons and finished in the top 10 in my Age group with 1:58 finish. My best time ever.   Note- Focus on the process not the outcome

After the long months of cold and over 30 inches of snow, I arrived at the Rock n Roll:DC half marathon.   It was a blast. I had been tired from working consecutive night shifts and this event was on a Saturday unlike other half marathons I have run in the past, except Baltimore.   I spent 2.5 hrs in traffic to pick up my packet on a Friday night .   Between the traffic, security and all the training to get to this event, I was simply exhausted.   Saturday was a brisk Spring day. I decided that I had done all I can to get me to the event healthy so I matters we'll have fun.   I did. I listened to the sites and sounds of the bands and cheers of the spectators. Around mile 5-7, I turned up the music in my iPod. I knew what lay ahead. A huge hill by the National Zoo was gonna trying to beat me down. I felt like an old car with a manual stick shift gear system and powered it down. I made it up the hill and conserved energy for the second half of the event.

Indoor Tri day in February 2016 was great fun. As a treat for my efforts during the November-January, I signed up for an Indoor Tri at a local gym. To keep my anxiety in check, I simply though of this event as a workout with friends. My time slot was at 2pm , but I arrived early and was given an earlier time slot at 12:30 pm . I met a wonderful couple who noticed I arrived alone and they warmly greeted me at the pool. We completed the 10 min swim, 30 min bike and 20 min run together. I believe the universe conspires to bring wonderful people in our oaths when we need them. Though we may arrive at an event by ourselves, we are not alone.  The fear of arriving at event alone or traveling, dining, shopping etc. can impede growth and opportunity. I have found that when you are willing to do something alone then you really want it and muster a new kind of personal fortitude that groups can not offer.

Winter in the Mid-Atlantic states can be both a curse and a blessing. The days can be bright and crisp or dark and long. The choice is how do we use this the time. Since my birthday is in the winter, I decided to use it as a time to re-assess and re-evaluate  my triathlon/fitness goals. So I thought, now is the time for you to do WORK. I signed up for a virtual Ironman in a month Challenge. This gave me the freedom to complete 140.6 of swimming, biking and running over one month. Since I don't like races, I found this challenge to be perfect for me. I made a workout schedule/training program to help me successfully complete the challenge. I posted everyday on the Ironman Challenge FB page and saw how much progress I had made each day. The support of the participants was amazing. Perfect strangers encouraging each other along during the challenge. I loved that. The positive energy was infectious. I did this challenge in November 2015 and January 2016. I learned th

In November 2015, I decided to  sign up for 10 k. As I have stated before I don't particularly like races. They give me anxiety and I don't need them to validate me. I workout rigorously and regularly so my attitude toward races had to change.  So I decided to view them as workouts with friends. So there I was at the Bay Bridge 10k with thousands of runners. The weather was perfect. I saw a few familiar smiling faces from my local running club and Facebook. Attitude is everything. Regardless of the outcome, I was determined to have a great run and I did. I am not outcome focused in races, I focus on the process. Each step counts. I focus on each breathe and how my body feels. I felt great. There is nothing like visceral feedback. Did I care about my time? Nope. Did I have a great time. Yup . It was in that moment that I decided that I must do more workout with friends.

In October 2015, I had to make a tough decision. I had to admit that I was unhappy with my academic program and course of study. It was not right for me so I did something I thought I would never do- I quit the program. I just said, "Stacy, all you have to say is Stop and it will."   I did. I withdrew and got my refund.   The program was not right for me.  I wanted something more or at least I can say different. Little did I know that the break up was a set up for something wonderful.