Chin Up

Sometimes it is better to just focus on the positive and the beautiful things in life.  Don't waste time stressing about the things you can't control or change.  In the words of my big sis "Don't be afraid to take a beat"....so this is me stopping to enjoy the smell of a beautiful flower and letting go of some of the stress I have been carrying around this past week and a half!

Environment Change

...Coach brings in a 2x4 and puts it on the mat, asks the fighters to walk across it heel to toe.  They all get up walk across the 2x4 like it's no big thing.  The coach brings in 2 tall step ladders, hangs the 2x4 across them and asks who's ready to walk across the 2x4.  No one raises their hand.  The environment changed....the Act doesn't.  It's the same thing..the same 2x4....(Chael Sonnen)
This really hit home with me.  I have seen it so many times in the athletes I coach or am friends with.   What is it about race day that makes people forget the task at hand/ the goal they have trained for?  Is it the start/finish line, is it the clock, the crowds of people, the new racing outfit?
In triathlon and running the environment is always changing, every day brings a new route, a new bump in the road but in reality it is still just forward motion, one stroke, pedal or stride after another.  Where you are and who is around you shouldn't distract from the task that you are doing.  
I tell my athletes that Race day is just another day...except this time you have tonnes of other people around who will motivate you to push a little harder (you know that guy that passed you in the grey sweat pants...NO way are you going to let him beat you!!).  There will be people to hand out nutrition that you might have forgotten to pack, port a potties just in case, crowds of people cheering you on and telling you that you look strong (that NEVER happens in training) and someone is going to place a medal around your neck when you finish.  So much better than a regular training day!!
 The hard work and action that you put into every day of your life is what gets you to race day.  You CAN do this,  you do it every day in training.  The ACT is still the same!  Rather than letting the environment change of race day bring emotions of doubt/fear, embrace the actions that you have done to get there.   Keep the forward motion and enjoy every moment!

Refocus

It is easy to get frustrated when things don't go the way you want, to not have control or have a definite end point.  I've been doing my best to be patient and reminding myself that my body will be ready, but with my first half ironman 19 weeks away, the continued foot discomfort has been starting to plant doubts in my brain.  I see the numbers on the treadmill and want to push harder, to try to "keep up" with SV but I have to listen to the body and that is the source of my frustration.  My brain and my body aren't agreeing.   I've decided to trick my brain.  Time to refocus..rather than let myself get down about what I am not able to do (run fast) I am challenging myself to do things I normally wouldn't do.  I am practicing Yoga daily and letting my brain focus on the great things I can do.  All the extra Yoga is helping those sad running muscles feel better, totally win-win!!  So for the next 6 weeks I will be refocusing on the positive...can't wait to see what I can get into!

Better

I had an injury.  It's healing...but not as fast as I would like.  This past week I hit the ground running,  and it hurt.  I tried to cut myself some slack... these were the first outdoor runs I have done since October and the most mileage I have done in 14 weeks.  However, that irrational part of my brain, quickly went to the what if's, you know, the: what if I can't run pain free again, what if I am not as fast as I used to be, what if I can't run long... what if, what if, what if.

We all go through "stuff" (an injury, a loss, a break up, a bad spell...whatever it is) and the focus tends to be on getting back to where we used to be, being as good/happy as we once were but that isn't the right way to look at it.  I realized this week, that I have to be kinder to myself.  My body is doing the best it can and that is all I ever ask from myself.  I shouldn't be pushing myself to go harder or farther right now, because I am not ready and that is ok.  I am the only one who expects more, yes SV may have helped point this out to me :)  So my focus right now isn't on trying to be as strong or as fast as I "used" to be, instead I am going to focus on doing the right things and getting stronger and that is a process which has no finish line and no matter what I will be better than I once was!

Let's go for a ride!

I know many people have many opinions with regards to LA and what is front and center in the news...and that is the beauty of opinion,  we are all entitled to our own!  

I am not going to go on and on about what he should or shouldn't have done...not my place...all I know is that if  he ever wants to go for a ride, I would jump at that chance....especially if he wears his "kit" below ;)  What a perfect day, riding with SV and LA.   I would be a VERY happy lady!

Missing you

Lungs burning...Quads screaming...Ponytail dripping with sweat...Side stitches... Throbbing toe nails... Blisters...Racking up the mileage... Wanting it to be over...Wishing it would never end...Hills..Headwind...Speed sessions and Long runs...I miss it ALL!!

It has been 6 long weeks of no running and I'm itching to get my run on!  I have done the time and I want to be cleared to hit the pavement (well, Treadmill honestly, but you know what I mean!).   I am hoping this will be the week that sees me tying up laces again...I have my fingers crossed!
In hopes that I will be struggling to get my running legs back soon... here are some of my favourite running pics!

SV and I at UMC'09  (notice the iPod and Speakers taped to his hand...awesome!

Dr. Peggy and I running stride for stride @ UMC'09

Loving the crowds enthusiasm in Budapest 2010

Laguna, CA

Getting ready for some speed work with SV in Tucson, AZ

Worlds in Auckland, NZ...last run.

Go Big Or Go Home!!

Wow, what a whirlwind!!  We've been home 4 weeks and just finding a few minutes to sit down and catch up!  Hope everyone is healthy and happy and ready for the craziness that is the holiday season!

NZ and OZ were amazing!  We packed as much as we could in the 3 weeks that we were there.   There is tonnes that we could have done but I am totally happy with everything that we managed to do and see.  We were slowed down by my sore foot... going for long hikes was out of the question, but I'm not much of a hiker so maybe that was a good thing.  

The highlight of the trip was Bungy Jumping...something I wasn't sure I would ever be able to make myself do...seriously, jump off a platform 134m above the ground with only an elastic "band" around my ankles...crazy!  This was the most nervous I have ever been in my life.   Started in the morning as we talked about the craziness we were about to experience...was amplified on the bus as they played video of people jumping... reached full swing by the time I stepped onto the gondola high above the little river.   The butterflies in my stomach were going mach 9...so intense. 

I stood near the edge to watch our friend Big Tom and SV jump...so great to watch them go, hear them scream and see the pure pleasure on their faces as they were pulled back up into the gondola. 

The guys at Nevis Bungy were awesome, kept me laughing and chatting up until it was time to jump.  It happened so quick..one second I was taking baby steps to the edge of the platform (absolutely NO foot pain!) and the next I was free falling towards the ground!  I screamed louder than I have ever screamed in my life!  No other way to describe it other than the BEST experience I've ever had....so incredibly overwhelming, amazing and unbelievable!!  It took a couple of hours before the adrenaline of the event wore off.  We finally stopped saying "Wow" and "Awesome" and crashed for an afternoon nap!  

It was very hard to leave a beautiful country that was just getting ready for summer and come back to the cold and dark (seriously, pitch black by 4:30pm) of Ontario, but it was great to be back home, surrounded by our kidlets, friends and kitties...it's always great to go on vacation but nothing beats your own warm bed and the smell of coffee in your own kitchen!

I finally went to get my foot checked out, it still hurt and I needed to find out exactly what was wrong.   I needed to figure out how long it would be until I was back to normal.  Turns out, I fractured the base of the 5th metatarsal.  The good news... it had already started to heal, much to Dr. Jenn's amazement (I guess walking around for 2 weeks on a broken foot isn't usually recommended).  

The bad news, I became the "proud" owner of an air cast for 6 weeks (no cute fall/winter boots for me!) and I missed out on some glorious fall days of running.  3rd X-Ray scheduled for the 20th so keep those fingers crossed!

Nevis Bungy--Holy F'n'F!!

Love this race pic (yep that's the broken one about to hit)

My "boo boo"

Ugh