A Triathlon Kind of Life...

Lately I've been reflecting on all the ways my life has changed since getting into the sport of Triathlon.  For example, it is now normal for me to wake up earlier on Saturdays than I do on work days to go for a long bike ride. 

This Saturday my training buddy and I knocked out 40 miles on the Silver Comet Trail...

by 10:30 a.m.!

 

  

Due to foot issues that happen off and on, I rarely wear heels anymore...only for special occasions :(

My neglected high heels

 

So instead, I wear these:

 

And I wear this sexy boot to bed:

Ow, Ow! Watch out boysss!

 

I used to read more books and study languages in my spare time.  

Now...haha...what spare time?  This is what's on my bed-stand these days:

 

I maintain my bike better than I do my car.  I just cleaned my bike yesterday, and honestly can't tell you when the last time was that I cleaned my car and I am way overdue for an oil change and maintenance checkup!

My clean bike with added aero bars...ready to race!

 

 I used to dabble on the piano/keyboard and sing...

I rarely touch this anymore, and the only singing I do is in the car :(

One more change from this triathlon lifestyle...

This is what my shower is used for now

After doing laundry this weekend I realized that at least half of my clothes being washed were workout clothes and I appear to be lacking in the work clothes department.  I spend way more money on triathlon clothes, tennis shoes, you name it...than I do on 'real world' clothes!  Speaking of that...I think today is the day to update my business wardrobe :)  I'm probably one of the only females who needs an excuse to shop!

All of this being said, I'm sure there is some kind of life balance I just haven't found yet that could include all of my passions and interests in life.  Something I definitely still have to keep working on. Life balance--a constant process of keeping myself and my priorities in check.  I'm struggling with this as a single, childless female...and there are plenty of people out there with families and others who are dependent upon them who somehow find that balance.  Amazing! 

I hope you all are enjoying this wonderfully long Memorial Day weekend!  I have another race in less than a week!  Can you believe it?  The nervousness should set in any day now :)

Warrior Dash (as a spectator!) :)

Yes, that is a Storm Trooper and Yes, he did finish the race without drowning :)

This past Sunday I woke up before 7 (which has been the normal weekend pattern lately) and traveled almost 2 hours North to Rabun County with some friends who were running in the Warrior Dash.  I came prepared to be the pack-mule and photographer for this fun event and I could not have been happier in my role :)

First of all, I know I would have hurt myself in some way or added to my pre-existing injuries, and since the next triathlon is fast approaching, I'm trying to play it safe.  

Secondly, I honestly wanted to photograph this event and document all the craziness that went on...from the climbing over rusty cars, to the big military climbing wall, crawling through mud and under barbed wire and finally jumping over fire...what photographer wouldn't want to snap shots of this???!!! 

Many people wore costumes to race in; here is Snookie claiming Queen of the mountain of cars

 

 

The others in the Jersey Shore group :)

This climbing wall was serious business, but all 4 of my friends in this pic made it to the top!!! 

Go team!!

 3 of my friends approaching the fire leap to the finish line!!!

 

 

I was (and still am!) so impressed with everyone! They finished strong with no major injuries, just minor war wounds on the knees and legs.  Congratulations on becoming warriors!!!

This is how I roll...

I love this guy in the video!  "Find the most painful spot, then look for the most painful spot within that painful spot, and press on it."   Ohhh yeahhh...this is definitely how I roll ;) 

I seriously cannot praise my 'rolling out' routine enough.  Between using my pvc pipe roller, tennis ball, and keeping my 2 times a week chiropractic appointments, my muscles haven't been as knotted up as they used to be.  Sure, I'm still sore and still have some spinal alignment issues and associated pain, but considering how I have amped up my training these past few weeks, I think my body is finally starting to adapt to this routine :) 

Of course, there are still bad days that find there way in every now and then.  Today, for example, I was riding around Stone Mountain Park for the first time and didn't realize there would be quite a few SIGNIFICANT hills to climb.  I woke up feeling a bit 'off' and it was drizzling and gray, but went ahead with the training plan to ride with my training buddy.  It is a beautiful park with a lot of people out riding bikes, walking and running.  We decided to try an outer loop which was less traveled (for a damn good reason!!!) and BAM we were hit right away with a crazy hill climb.  Serves us right for not reading the fine print on the map!  (See image below and added drawings around "the Hill")

I have made a pact with myself to never get off my bike mid-climb, but today I broke that pact.  I was going so slow that I thought my bike might fall over or start rolling backwards and wasn't even sure I could clip out my foot in time to avoid a tipover once I decided to stop and walk the rest of the way up.  Never have I felt so horrible...I was wheezing, my back was having some sort of spasm, and I felt like I was about to pass out. Definitely an off day for me.  But now I am determined to make it up that hill some day...by the end of the summer I WILL be able to do it and do it strong, without almost dying!  Always good to have goals to work towards :) 

Tomorrow should be a fun day--I'm going to cheer on my training buddy and other friends participating in The Warrior Dash.  It's a 5K obstacle course race which includes mud, water and jumping over fire!  I opted to sit this one out and be the photographer instead ;)  But it should be fun, and I will be there cheering the crazies on! 

Mental Toughness

This week I've found myself searching for ways to strengthen myself mentally when it comes to life in general, but especially in relation to the sport of Triathlon.  After analyzing my strengths and weaknesses post-race, I realize that I need to be more positive and mentally prepared for the next race in 4 short weeks.  So, how am I going to do that? By watching Navy Seal training videos, of course!

I really am addicted to watching these videos because what they are capable of accomplishing when they put their mind to it is simply amazing...incredible...almost unbelievable!  No wonder they are the nation's heroes right now! 

What I find most fascinating about this video is that research has proven that if you fill your mind with positive thoughts instead of negative, the positivity overrides the fear signal coming from the amygdala!!

Another video I watched on Navy Seal training (see? I told you I am addicted to these now!), mentions the link between an Olympic athlete's brain and mental toughness and that of the Navy Seal.  If you have time, watch this video below.  Very interesting stuff.  Science has proven that we CAN train our brains not to panic...or at least to know what to do to quickly overcome the onset of panic.  How exciting is that?!

I also have picked up some great tips from an active.com article landed in my inbox early this week (at exactly the right time!).  The article is titled 3 Exercises to Train your Mind (click the title to go to the article).   The author states:

                    "Many athletes would readily admit that more than 70 percent of our performance depends on our mental outlook, yet most athletes spend little to no time training their mind. Our mental race dialogue is built upon what we do in practice. We can't flip a switch and expect to have a positive mental dialogue (that we actually believe) during a race unless we've practiced the same dialogue in training." 

She goes on to recommend 3 techniques to practice.  The first one, and my personal favorite, is called The Superman Booth.  "Create your own imaginary phone booth where you feel extraordinary. Step inside mentally and physically. Create your safe and magical space."

The idea behind this is much like when Clark Kent, the dorky insecure reporter, steps inside the phone booth and becomes fearless, strong, able to take on anything and everything.  You are going to think of a scenario in your mind that makes you feel full of positive energy and unstoppable every time negative thoughts start to creep in. 

For me, I am going to think of swimming in the crystal clear water in Hawaii with the Eagle ray, sea turtle and other fish.  It was peaceful and I loved swimming there. No competition, no judgment, no need to worry (except for that nagging thought that a shark might show at any minute!). I loved it so much that I wouldn't realize just how far I was swimming out. I can hear right now the constant sound of breath through the snorkel and the sounds of the peaceful ocean. 

 Yep, that's me swimming in Shark's Cove, Oahu :)

 

When it comes to running, my superman booth is to imagine running along the Bosphorus in Istanbul with one of my best friends.  The sights, sounds, and smells of Turkey all around.  The last time I was there, we were running along the shore and overheard some girls talking amongst themselves as we passed saying  "I wish I could run like that".  I felt strong, proud, and happy to hear that!  Running in a place that my heart loves and hearing positive feedback makes me want to keep going and keep getting stronger.  Maybe I'm not as fast or strong as many other triathletes, but I can be strong and fast for myself and reach to improve my personal best each and every time with a smile on my face :) 

I'm excited to have learned so much about myself from the first race of the season, and to put these mental training techniques to practice! 

Have a great weekend everyone!