Skip to main content

Updates!

WOW - it's been a while since I blogged. I suppose when I'm not devoting my life to Ironman training I don't feel the need to vent on here!

2017 has been a great year so far! I've stuck to my goal of running one race a month. Although I can't say that I've overcome my fear of racing, I've been meeting some awesome trail runners through the NW trail run series, so enjoying that at the very least and running in some new places! Isaac and I joined the Washington Athletic Club - best pool in the city, no doubt. Also, incredible amenities and community - we have really enjoyed spending time at the SAME gym together, which we haven't been able to do since 2010.

A couple months ago I started thinking more about my long term racing goals. What kind of triathlete/runner do I want to be? Someone who just survives the endurance races - or someone who gets faster every year? I'm not saying I anticipate I'll start winning races like Isaac does, but someone who's PR's and is always improving. I want to be faster, more competitive (if you didn't know that I'm pretty competitive, then you must not know me...) One of the easiest ways to do that in triathlon besides really pushing your intervals - is to drop weight. I've started counting macros, monitoring my diet pretty closely, and I'm already starting to lean out and drop lbs. I feel awesome, I can see my muscles starting to pop, and I'm loving it. My mile time on normal runs is starting to drop, because the fewer pounds you're carrying around, the easier it is for your legs to run all over the place! I've been regularly going to a bootcamp at Seattle Movement Project right by my work (Xplore Crossfit formerly) and they've really helped me make strength gains, which isn't hurting either! I've always loved bootcamp type classes - but I SO love this gym. I've somehow tricked half of my work friends to go there too... it's been fun to share some workout camaraderie, and not always be working out by myself. On top of counting macros and working out all the time, I've started doing more and more research on what my ideal competitive weight is and body comp to race efficiently but also effectively for endurance racing. I've been reading "Racing Weight" which is going to help - I'll keep you posted on what I learn!

I also got LASIK a month ago. I wish I could say it was AMAZING, but I'm one of those people that is unfortunately going to have to get it done again soon. Apparently I have underperforming eyes or something... go figure. So likely having it done again on June 16th, at which point I'm hoping to finally see 20/20 or better without contacts or glasses! Since surgery, I see kind of double at mid distance and can't really see faces or read at a distance. A little frustrating. But, it could be worse. I can see WAY better than I could before surgery. I'm not wearing contacts or glasses and I'm getting around, so that's a massive improvement!

I think that about sums it up. Running, bootcamping, biking, practicing yoga, counting macros.... my life in 2017. Shaping up to be a great year so far!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

My running journey

I never considered myself a runner despite being an athlete my whole life. After an ACL injury took me out of competitive sports in high school and I went through 9 months of physical therapy, I started running on treadmills to try to get back into shape. It makes me laugh now because you couldn't pay me to run on a treadmill. I was too afraid to run outside; I am by no means some incredibly graceful and natural looking runner. I didn't do cross country or track in high school... I don't look like the Nike ads - and that made me self-conscious. Little did I know the beauty of it all is that no one looks like that. Hit a trail any Saturday  or Sunday morning and it is filled with all kinds of people - old and young, skinny and heavier, graceful and clumsy; they all have something in common - they're trying! And they're all runners. I started dating Isaac when I was 20. A few months into our relationship, he made a simple statement - "running outside is h...

"She doesn't even go here!"...I have a lot of feelings.

As we've been tapering, I've been overwhelmed with all kinds of feelings. Happiness, fear, anxiety... all the feelings, more than I've felt in a while. I have been so exhausted the past 6 months that I've felt a constant state of being "out of it" and haven't felt as emotionally connected, so this overwhelming rush of emotions throughout the days has been very different. I thought that when they said not to go crazy during taper that it would only apply to elite athletes that train a LOT harder than me. Already, I've found myself pushing my workouts too hard. Everything this week is supposed to be super easy or don't do it at all. I'm swimming, biking, and running too fast and hard. It's challenging to not keep pushing at the intensity I'm so used to - every workout I have to remind myself constantly to slow down - total opposite of everything up until now! While tapering has certainly been challenging mentally and emotionally, I am e...

Thankfulness

I love this time of year. I love how people take time to reflect on things they are thankful for. It seems like in today's world, we focus so heavily on what we don't have instead of what and who we do have in our lives. I try my best to spend all year reflecting and being thankful. However, a quick shout out to some extra special people and things that deserve thanks: My family. You are always there for me through my best and my worst. I'm thankful for your health, your love, and the time we spend together. Chelsey, our relationship means the world to me. I can't wait until you move home some day. My husband. I know being married to me is not easy. Thank you for always being up for an adventure without plans and for supporting me in my many athletic passions. I'm thankful that you have found passion in Ironman and that we can share that together. You are the glue that holds our life together, every single day. Thank you. ...