Stop criticizing and start approving!

I've been seeing a lot of posts lately on my Instagram page of beautiful females with captions stating "Sorry, I'm bloated today." "I had a cheat meal, sorry for my bloat." "I apologize if this isn't what you wanted to see" ....

LADIES....STOP IT! 

No one is perfect, AND I can guarantee you that even if there was a "perfect" body that body would not look that way 365 days a year! I know what you're going through. I've lived through an eating disorder. I've hated what I saw, and I did all the things you're not suppose to do to change it. Eating disorders (or disordered eating) and body image disorders are female steroids. No one wants to admit to them because then you can't "claim" the "perfection" that you think comes with it. Once you stop apologizing to others for the way you look, or see yourself, only then can you start to see yourself in a new light. I could tell you that 99% of women with eating disorders wish they didn't have it. It's not something anyone wants to live with forever. Find someone to talk to, someone willing to listen. If you have someone in your life (physically or virtually) that you feel the need to apologize to for how you look, then you should probably re-evaluate why they are in your life and if they truly need to be. 

If only it were as easy, as I just made it sound...*sigh*

January 15th already??

I can't believe we are already half way through the first month of 2014! It just goes to show how fast time can pass. So much has been happening during workouts and with work, family, and life that I've been overwhelmed during the week! I have been able to enjoy some wonderful, relaxing and productive weekends though and even spent some time with friends that was long over due now that the holidays are over!

I've had difficulty with positive focus on my tri-season because until this past weekend I haven't felt like I was performing like I wanted to be. It took me a while to realize that I shouldn't be at my goals paces/times yet, because that's where I need to be during peak season, not post or pre-season. New to my swimming has been the addition of flip turns. I'm still not real good at them, and the addition of the turn also takes out a breath or two at the end of each lap. The combination of these 2 things have decreased my swim times. I can't get up and down the pool as quickly as before, but Brian keeps telling me that it will make me a more efficient swimmer in the long run. Trusting a process to make you faster that you can clearly see via a stopwatch is making your instantly slower in the present is a very hard thing to wrap your head around...but, I trust Brian...a lot! I finally saw some improvements in my flip turns and swim stroke this week, and Brian saw them too when we happened to be swimming at the same time on Tuesday. So apparently this process does work :)

I also previously stated that consistent stretching was going to be a goal of mine for 2014. I attended my first hot yoga class this Sunday morning at Bliss Bliss Bliss with a few of my friends. I was very uncomfortable, and my lack of flexibility was very apparent as I struggled with most of the moves. It's that kind of feeling where we like to say "It hurt so good" but in reality you're in significant discomfort. By the end of the session though I felt good. I went home, refueled/fueled for my Sunday long run and headed out the door for the most invigorating, and comfortable run I've had in months! No pain, no discomfort, no difficulty staying within the proper hear rate zones. I had an easy 1.5 hr run in zones 1-2 and felt like my whole body was in sync. My runs have been brutal since my marathon. Aches, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and not being able to hold the right zones with a pace I am proud of were very mentally defeating. It felt so good to have a run that not only looked good on paper, but also felt good while I was performing it. Finally, I can see my 2014 season in front of me and it makes me excited rather than nervous!

So what about the bike leg of this triathlon puzzle? Homewrecker had a retul fit! Not only were there adjustments to the different components of the bike, but I also had inserts, wedges, and a lift put in my bike shoes for proper alignment, and comfort. We were able to address a leg length discrepancy with the use of a lift under my left cleat that not only made my hips feel better, but it stopped friction on my seat and my bum feels better too! I am so excited to see what I can do on Homewrecker this season. The comfort I feel on her being properly sized is 10 fold compared to Polly. I can actually stand up to pedal without hitting my knees on my elbow pads :)

But, so far my most consistent change of 2014 has been how quickly I upload my data for my coach. I use to upload my data by Sunday evening each week. When I asked Brian what I could do to improve this season he said "Just listen to your coach...and more feedback. Update your data more often." This has always been a joke between us, but since I had asked what I needed to do better, and that was his response I knew it wasn't a joke anymore. I have done my best to upload my data within 24 hours or sooner of completing each workout. To help, I even set a reminder on my phone to go off each night at 8pm that says "Data?" just in case I got busy and forgot! It also says stretch just in case I hadn't done that after my workout either! 

So that's the update of my swim, bike and run so far in 2014. It started rocky but I'm excited in the direction it is heading! 

Have you stuck to any of the goals you set for 2014? Or are there any that you are going to start now?

Homewrecker

This post is long over due... but, I present to you HOMEWRECKER! There is a unique story that goes along with how this beautiful, purple beast got her name. . .

This past year (2013) I traveled 3 different times with my coach and friends, Lori and Brian. We traveled to Eagleman 70.3, Lake Placid, NY for a training camp, and then again to IMLP. The bike I have been riding since I started triathlon's name was Polly. Polly previously belonged to Lori, which is initially how we met. Polly was a great bike. Lori rode her for 6 or 7 years before I bought her. While at Eagleman (and every other time we're together) we were chatting about racing, speed, training, and BIKES! I'm bike illiterate, and until more recently triathlon illiterate as well. I'm just good at doing what I'm told! :) I vividly remember looking at Brian and saying "I can trust you to tell me when I've improved enough to invest in some free speed, right?" He looked at me, put his head down, and reluctantly said "You're ready." I say reluctantly, because Brian does NOT like to make financial decisions for me (which I don't blame him). I try to remind him that when I ask a question that pertains to a purchase/hotel/travel I'm asking for his honest/coach opinion and if I can't afford his answer that's fine, but I still want the truth.

I went home and told Jason, very excitedly, that Brian said I had improved enough that a new bike would be beneficial. He was very proud of my. . . until we started discussing the price point of a custom built Project One bicycle. . .then he got sick. . .(just kidding...kinda) From there, I played on the Trek website for months and the longer I played the more I feared to tell Jason about what I was designing. It wasn't until I was determined that I wanted a power meter to take my training to the next level that "Homewrecker" came into play, because the more I added the higher the price increased and by the time I was done designing it took several conversations before Jason finally gave the "OK" for my dream bike to be built to my exact specifications.  Before that, Jason would just refer to her as my "baby" saying if I got a new bike I had to race for a few more years and couldn't even think about asking to have a baby...I was cool with that :)

I have a wonderful marriage, and would never actually purchase a bike if I felt it would "wreck" my marriage, but as a non-triathlete, I totally understand how it's hard to swallow the purchase of a new bicycle, but as my husband, he understands how much triathlon plays into my happiness and he sees my potential and what I've been able to accomplish on a bike that's actually too small for me (Polly was an XS and Homewrecker is a Medium). He really is the best!

This coming Friday I will be traveling to Pittsburgh, PA for a Retul fit of Homewrecker. This bike fit will set me up in the best position to get the most out of each ride. . . I'll be sure to share how that goes after they hook me up, and make me a video game for a few hours!