Workout with Friends-Nov. 2015

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.

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 dis...

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...

You Define Success*****

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 ...

The Journey

Search This Blog