Challenges.

 I find the sport of triathlon so amazing... many things  can occur that are outside of my control,  I have to take each day, each race, as an unique moment in time....sure it would be great to do this sport in a bubble, where every day/race the conditions (water, road, wind, stomach/body) are exactly the same...I guess that would be one way measure your improvement or skill.  However, I find the unknown is the part that gets the butterflies fluttering....that possibility that anything can happen and being excited about what challenges could be put in your way.  That unknown is what used to motivate me toward different race distances...could I do an Ironman?...could I really bike 180km and then run a marathon?  Could I go faster at the Ironman distance?  This uncertainty of what I could or could not accomplish is what led to registering for Ultraman...could I really compete over 3 days (10km swim, 419km biking and 84km of running)....it was probably the best and worst year of my life...the 6 months leading up to that event was a roller coaster, emotionally, physically and mentally...but through it all I kept Ultraman at the front of my mind...using it to help get me moving forward and knowing that even if I wasn't able to do everything that I had planned to do training wise, the fact that I wasn't giving up was just as valuable for my "training" as any long bike ride or run.  I went into that race under trained and not 100% ready compared to where I thought I would be when I registered the year before but I altered my plan...focused on breaking the swim record and just trying to get to the finish line...realizing that life had happened and rather than beat myself up for not doing everything that I had planned to do, I was happy with the fact that I had made it there and having the opportunity to make a dream a reality.  In the end it was one of my favourite race experiences of my life. I met some amazing/inspiring people and was able to spend 5 days with 3 of the best friends any girl could ever ask for.
I no longer have that need for the unknown in terms of distance...very happy knowing that I can/have done the Ironman/Ultraman distances, but now I like the challenge of finding out how hard I can push myself...the uncertainty of knowing if I can push myself to the point  that my lungs feel they are going to burst...trying to find another gear/speed and pushing myself to the point that it hurts like hell and holding on, not giving up regardless of what challenges come along the way.
So even though I no longer do the "ultra" distance events, I continue to focus on reaching my goals knowing that anything is possible and even if something unexpected happens,  all I have to do is adjust, modify my training and realize that it is an opportunity to improve in other areas, an opportunity to push myself in a way I may have overlooked  All of this has been helping me this last week as I have been faced with the challenge of my body protesting when I pushed too hard...I have adjusted my training and have given my body the rest that it was demanding and even better than that, I didn't beat myself up for missing workouts or get stressed that race season is quickly approaching...I have been looking at this as just another challenge...one to overcome and more importantly to not give up.

24 Hour Relay

24 Hour Relay...Kids vs. Masters.... an interesting idea and fundraiser.  This past weekend the MUSAC swim club tried to race each other around Lake Muskoka...which by bike is a great ride!

Our masters team started out with 6 of us hitting the pool against the 23 youngsters...the youngsters quickly took the lead...but we noticed that they were all excited and playing around in the pool...while we rested between our legs... man some of those youngsters had staying power...one particular little guy (8 years old) was still up and playing around in the water at 1am and back at it at 6am!!

In the end, our Masters team had 17 people participate in the 24 hour time period, with 5 of us staying the entire 24 hour time period.  I swam 11.5km in the 24 hour time period (doing 200-1500m at a time depending on the time and number of people).  First time in my life that I have ever swam 1500m at 3am....the Masters team chipped away at the distance, in the end we completed 83km around Lake Muskoka, pretty impressive and even better because we crushed the youngsters, much to their disbelief!  I am almost back to normal after spending 24 hours on the pool deck and we are already strategizing for next years 24 hour relay!

Lake Muskoka--Masters (black) Kids (red) 

Just a little tired and dreading going back in the water..(20 hours done)

I LOVE my bike!

I was able to get out and ride this week...last day of winter SV and I did our first outdoor ride of 2012...such a great treat, especially when our first outdoor ride of 2011 was on April 9th...crazy to have such amazing weather in Muskoka at this time of year!  

It was awesome to come back from CA and get out and ride! I have done 3 rides so far,  today we were able to get in 90km and other than some sore bits, my legs felt good...really good...the winter trainer riding must be paying off.  I know it is still early and we are going to get some more unpleasant weather, but I am going to take advantage of every moment I have to spend some quality time with my bike and love the fact that I was able to wear shorts/jerseys in March!

My favourite view!

 Smile says it all...Love being on 2 wheels!

 Drafting SV

Shorts and Snow....Awesome!

Swim and Run (wishing we could bike!)

Day 4 in Laguna Beach...we have been enjoying some gorgeous weather and some amazing food.  The kidlets are loving the area and we have been keeping busy every day!
SV and I have hit up the Laguna Beach High School Pool and have done some great runs...after running here for  9 days, I am going to be strong on hills...or dead...one of the two!  Lots of cyclists out riding, it would be a fabulous area to ride (maybe one day)

Little Voices

It seems that spring is slowly arriving... We had 2 days of bitter cold followed by a sunny gorgeous day that lifted spirits. I love this time of year, everything is beginning to wake up and come alive. I am excited for training, awaiting that first outdoor ride, running outside in shorts and being able to sit on a deck and enjoy a morning coffee or an evening glass of wine!
Race season is quickly approaching and the warmer temperatures help get my butt in motion, knowing that each day is one day closer to a starting line.  I'm excited to race again this spring/summer...my 2011 season was pretty light, but it is looking like this summer is going to be a busier one...which excites me but  also causes the little voice deep inside to say "Oh crap"...that little part of me that dreads the hurting, the part that doesn't want to do the hill repeats/ speed work, go on the fast pace times for the swim workouts or do the killer brick workout that SV loves to do.  That is the part that makes those tough workouts even more challenging, a constant struggle with my mind to keep my body moving and to move harder/stronger/faster!  Luckily, I am more stubborn then that little voice in my head...I don't give up easily and I love to make myself hurt....I find comfort in putting on my "good" workout gear, putting on my socks and shoes (left foot first of course!) and blasting my angry music to help block that little voice...that voice  doesn't stand a chance with the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, Korn, Godsmack, Nirvana and Foo Fighters!
So while we wait for the warm weather to finally stick at home, we are off for a week to the Golden State, a great hilly area, which means we are in for some killer runs and some great outdoor swimming....all my good workout gear is packed, angry music at the ready because although we are there to have some fun with the kids and have a fun vacation...it wouldn't be a great vacation if SV and I didn't kick our own asses with some insane workouts and I am hoping that the beautiful scenery and pounding surf can help quiet that little voice while my lungs threaten to burst!

Suffering

Legs burning, lungs ready to burst...contents in your stomach dangerously close to staining your shoes...This week SV and I brought the speed/threshold/hill workouts back into our program... those workouts that you hate with a passion while doing them, but  end up calling a "great" workout  a few hours after they are over!

We are beginning to think about the upcoming race season and which races we want to toe the line at, other than Worlds of course... and what better way to get motivated than to kick our own asses on the trainer and treadmill....suffering together is what helps get me through these tough ones!

“Look at life through the windshield, not the rear-view mirror”

The best of life is what is still to come....I love looking forward to each day and things to come in the future.  I am not one of those people who dreads getting older...you could not pay me to be a 20-something again.  I love that with each day I am that much stronger, that much wiser... and that much more comfortable in my own skin.  

I know it is easy to get caught up in the "what-ifs" or the sadness of the "endings" in life...but other than making you feel a little worse about yourself, I am not sure what looking back at those moments with desire or regret can bring.  I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.  I have had dreams that were unfulfilled... my Olympic dream never became a reality, but that doesn't mean that all those years of hard training weren't worth it in the end, medal or no medal!  

Everything that we have done in our lives has brought us to this moment right now...and if you are too busy looking back with regret, you are going to miss out on the beauty of the moment you are in!

Remembering the past and learning from those experiences, good or bad, are what makes us more successful now and in the future.  If you spend all of your "now" stuck in the past...what kind of future can you have? 

I am so happy to be at a point in my life that all those bad moments no longer drag me down...but energize me because I pulled through.  I am able to file them...to be used in moments when I want to quit but won't ... to help propel me forward...almost as if I use them as fuel when my tank is nearing empty.  

The past is just that...and I am happily living in the present, both eyes forward....excited to see what is around the next bend!