Reflecting

December 13, 2015 ...12 days until Christmas. This is the time of year that we or at least I start to reflect on the year gone by and what does the future hold for us. Last year for my new year's resolutions I went with a word that would represent everything. The word was "health". That word represented everything I wanted; getting healthy, fighting my diabetes, and training for races. At the time last year I had only been diagnosed with diabetes for about one month. I was angry, scared and overwhelmed and I hated having this disease. I still hate having this disease and naive me thought I could fight it and get rid of it within a year.

Oh how things change in a year. My word is still "health" and I am still working towards being healthier but some days my diabetes is winning. It has been a frustrating year for me and my medical team. I am exercising almost every day. I completed a 5 mile road race, my 9th half marathon and a 5K open water swim in 2015. I was proud of myself. Looking ahead I have already laid out my race calendar for 2016 (April - September so far) and every day I am working towards those finish lines. The calendar includes 2 more half marathons, a 65 mile bike ride, a triathlon and another open water swim. Food is still a struggle for me but the big frustration is that the medication is not working the way my medical team wants it to work. They believe my body is producing too much insulin and it is rejecting the medication. Of course life happens ... some medications I can't try because my insurance won't cover them and they are wicked expensive for out of pocket. So what will happen in the new year ... only time will tell. So far no resolutions have been made!

Random Thoughts

Random thoughts ... this is sometime what I do when I can't figure out what I really want to say but I have a bunch of random thoughts ...

First thought I am traveling for work, again, and I am watching Jimmy Fallon right now ... I love Jimmy Fallon!!!

Why can't I put everything together ... my workouts have been going well. I like to workout...I like to move, sweat and challenge myself to get better or go further every day...but I struggle with food. I find myself mindlessly eating. I eat when I am not hungry and I don't make good choices when it comes to food. When I travel for work the "travel days" are the worst. Travel days are the ones that you actual travel to get to where you have to go...I spend a lot of time in airports. While I am there I find myself constantly looking for food. Is it because I am hungry, tired or bored?? Doesn't matter I eat. I am feeling out of control!!!

Today I went to lunch and ordered some dessert but asked if I could order it to go ... I thought I will eat this piece of cake a few bites at a time over the next few days. Well I left the restaurant and while I was sitting at a light, waiting to turn left, I saw a gentleman holding a sign saying he is a vet and is looking to get home so he was asking for money. I didn't have any cash on me so I turned left when the light turned green. As I turned the bag with my cake inside slid on the seat and I thought to myself I didn't need this cake ... I turned around and headed back to the street where I saw the man. I explained that I didn't have any cash but I would share my dessert with him. He blessed me and wished me a Merry Christmas!

On Pinterest tonight there was a "pin" that listed  "The 10 worst Fast Foods for Diabetics" ... that would be for me since I am a Diabetic...Here they are:
1. French Fries
2. White Tortilla recipes
3. Cookies
4. Chips
5. Chicken Nuggets
6. Bagels
7. Milkshakes
8. Pizza
9. Hamburgers
10. Soda

Yeah I am a mess since I still eat 8 out of the 10 items listed. I think I am living on the edge and I need to back away ... I haven't been feel well and I need to make a change.

Well I think my random thoughts turned into a post...
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Getting Outside

Denver 2015 - Cherry Creek Park

As many of you know I travel a lot for my job. I go from one end of the country to the other. North to South then East to West and I travel by train, planes and automobiles. These trips include hosting events and meetings. Often times friends and family will ask did I get to see this when I was away? Or did I get to go here or there? Unfortunately these trips are not meant for being a tourist. I do take advantage of being in some towns by staying with family and friends so I can save money on my budget but I also get to catch up with people I love and miss.

However, there is one thing I always do when I am away. I always take a little bit of time for myself and get my workouts in. While running or walking through a city I purposely map out a route so I can see some sights. In San Francisco it was Presidio Park and Alcatraz; in DC it is running on the Mall in the early morning and in Chicago it is running along the River Walk. You can see so much when you head out for a workout. It is a cheap, easy and healthy way to be a tourist.

When I am in Boston, if my overnight stay has me near the Financial District, there is a 3 mile route that I run that I call my "history tour". It takes me by the cemetery where Sam Adams is buried; past the state house; through the commons; onto Milk Street (Where Ben Franklin was born) and finally along the warfs and the harbor. I often think I should right all my routes down and share them with people if they plan to visit the same areas I do. When in DC one of my favorite places to run is along the Mall. If you get their early enough you can see the sun rise over the Capital and the Washington Monument.

I thought about this recently when staying in Denver. The hotel where I was staying was on a great recreation trail. This trail was miles and miles long and was soooo active no matter what time of day. I took advantage of the fact that I could exit the front door of the hotel and literally be steps away from the trail. I find it takes me some time to become used to the altitude in Denver, so this trip my workouts were walks in order to get through them. However, I was moving and enjoying being outside in Colorado.

I highly recommend this to everyone when they travel. You have to get your workouts in and being on a treadmill in a hotel "fitness center" is never fun. Get outside and see the city, explore what it has to offer and take some time for yourself. My travel schedule usually has me working out in the morning and it is a beautiful and peaceful time to enjoy the area.

Chicago - Running along the River Walk

San Francisco - 2015 The view of Alcatraz from Presidio Park

Washington, DC 2015 - An early morning run on the Mall

Boston - 2014 The view of the Pru

Approaching the one year anniversary ... not a time to celebrate

Friday will be a year since I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. This year has been a roller coaster and on so many days it feels like an uphill battle. I know what many of my friends are thinking, "hills build character". If that is the case then I have built a lot of character within the last 365 days. I will never forget that day as long as I live...the day I heard you are a diabetic. As I have shared with you in the past I was never warned with being pre-diabetic and at that point I had lost 25 pounds and I was an active individual. Since that day I have been scared, angry and overwhelmed. I have lost an additional 10 pounds and I completed a 5K open water swim (3.1 miles) and a half marathon in Brooklyn. I am currently training for another half in April and a 65 mile bike ride in June. I also have my sites on two triathlons and I want to do the open water swim again.

However, in the last few months I have been very lackadaisical towards my diabetes. I have been lazy when it comes to checking my blood ... and when I do my numbers are high and this makes me upset and discouraged. The bathroom scale has not moved much in either direction and this can be frustrating. I continue to move and feel great when I am working out but this doesn't seem to be helping the big problem. I am not saying that I am giving up on it, because I do love the workouts but sometimes you ask yourself I am doing this why?

I feel like I am a hamster in a cage on an exercise wheel going no where!! I am trapped.

Is she frustrated, you ask ... yes I am. I am stuck in a very large corn maze and I can't get out. I am not looking for sympathy, just sharing my frustrations.

Half Marathon

Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 11:15 am I completed my 9^th half marathon. I stood at the start line in Brooklyn, NY along with 17,499 other people and ran 13.1 miles through the streets of Brooklyn in the Inaugural Rock n Roll Half Marathon.  I completed the course in 3:17 (two minutes slower than I wanted) but I did it, despite fighting a cold the five days leading up to the race. It was the perfect running day, not too cold and not too hot, sunny with a nice breeze. As my friend Moira and I would always describe these days when we ran cross country in high school, “perfect apple picking weather”! I ran the first 8 miles and kept a nice pace. Mile 9 -11 I did a run walk and started to slow down a bit. The last two miles were tough. My plantar fasciitis was acting up and I couldn’t wait for the race to end. At that point in the race you see everyone who finished ahead of you with their medals on walking to their cars or the subway and it makes you want to finish even more.

My friend Lynne was waiting for me at the finish. She was a trooper; she got out of bed at 4:30 am and headed to the start line with me. We took the subway from Manhattan to Brooklyn, the Q train, with so many other runners who had the same crazy idea as I did. When we sat on the train the nerves started to take over. I didn’t know anyone else running this race, what made me decide to pick this race? (Well I know why I picked this race but that is another story for another time). I was nervous that the head cold that I had would really affect me during the race. Did I train enough for this race? I had doubts and fears running through my head as the train moved its way to Brooklyn. What was I doing?

We arrived in Brooklyn, walked towards Prospect Park, stood in the porta potty lines and then said good bye to Lynne. I headed to the security lines where every runner had to pass through a metal detector. I miss the good old days where we used to feel safe on a race course and trusted the people around us.  After I made it through security I headed to the corals where we stood and waited. Due to so many people running the race, there were delays in the security lines and also clearing the course. I finally started at 7:57 am. 

Team In Training (TNT), the endurance fundraising program of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, had teams of runners and walkers there. I worked for TNT for five years and of course I had to talk to as many participants as possible. I met runners from Savannah, GA and Portland Oregon as well as many from New York and New Jersey. It brought me back to a place when I was first introduced to the endurance running world.  It brought me back to a time when I loved running as many races as possible. And I couldn’t wait to cheer on anyone who had a goal and a dream!

When I got home on Monday, October 12^th I hung my medal with my other half marathon medals and realized it had been 2 years and 8 months since my last half marathon. I couldn’t believe it had been that long. I had not planned that long of a hiatus from running but it happened. It felt good to be out there again. I don’t want to lose that feeling or desire again. Although my wallet and schedule don’t let me run as many races as I want, I would like to run as many as I can. As of today my next half will be on April 3^rd. And as I train I want to get stronger, physically and mentally. I can’t just talk a big game; I have to live it every day. My health is so important to my goals of wanting to continue running and completing more triathlons. It is not just about the miles on the road but about how I treat myself.

While I was running this past weekend, I saw a woman running for Team In Training. She and I would pass each other. At this moment I cannot remember what chapter she was from but I do remember one thing as clear as day. Written across the back of her jersey was the word “Survivor”. This woman had survived a blood cancer. She was out on the course completing 13.1 miles because she was alive. She looked cancer in the eyes and said you aren’t going to win. I became a bit emotional at that moment not for her but for me. I realized how often I ignored my disease, there were so many days I won’t look it in the eye because I don’t want to face it. Why didn’t I look at my disease the same way this woman looked at her cancer and tell it you aren’t going to win today? Why do I let the diabetes get the best of me? I am not the type of person who likes to let others win … so why am I letting the diabetes win? When will I wake up and begin to fight for my life?

Fat Wednesday

Tonight is the last night of my old life ... Tomorrow is the first day of my new life. Tomorrow my rut will end. I will begin my journey to achieve my new goals. I will move forward and not look back. I am the most important thing in my life. It will be hard but it will be worth it.

Decisions, goals and a funk...

Sorry for the delay, life has been a bit busy. I actually made a decision based on my last blog a couple of weeks ago. Two weeks ago I ran in a five mile race. I felt great that day. I ran the entire race and kept a steady pace the entire way. A week ago I did my long run leading up to my half marathon which is scheduled for October 10th. This past Sunday I walked for about 40 minutes after working all weekend. The problem is that I haven't done anything else. I have been in a funk or a rut. But I digress, I will get back to my decision and share that first. During the two runs I made the decision to go back to basics. I will sign up for two triathlons like did back in 2001. The first for the 2016 season will be in June and the second will be in July. I am still deciding on exactly which triathlon race I will do but I have it narrowed down to just a few. I also decided that I will complete the 3 mile swim again in August and of course try and beat my time. And the final thing that I decided was I want to participate in the Diabetes Ride (cycle) in Syracuse (no I haven't decided on the distance yet). So there it is my schedule and goals for the spring/summer of 2016. Now back to my rut ... I don't know what is going on. I lay out my gym clothes every day but I either don't get up in time or I don't go to the gym after work. The scale hasn't looked good and my diabetes numbers are paying the price. I will say that by not working out it affects so much ... my mood, my self esteem, my sleep and so much more. I know I want to work out but something is keeping me in this rut. Tonight I told myself that I had until September 30th to continue to feel sorry for myself but come October 1st that was it ... I had to get moving. Training must begin and I physically can't afford to continue this. Tonight I went onto Pinterest and read my board on motivation. It helped a bit, I saw one post that said, "imagine yourself in 6 months from now, don't stop it will be worth it". Six months from October 1st is April 1st ... can I do it? Another one read, "look in the mirror, that is your competition". That is so true ...The person in the mirror can be my best friend or my biggest rival. Will she hold me back or will I pass her? The final post I read was, "God has a purpose for your pain, a reason for your struggle and a gift for your faithfulness. Don't give up". AMEN!!

Stay tuned!!

What to do??

15 years ago this month I started training for my first triathlon. I worked so hard for that first event and the second one I did that same summer. I had a fire in me that drove me to complete that event. I will admit that some of the fire in me was fueled by people who doubted me. I was out to prove them wrong! I worked hard week after week and I enjoyed the process as I saw myself get better and stronger. Since that first summer I have completed several other triathlons as well as countless half marathons, a marathon and several open water swims.   

When I started this blog several years ago (2012) I was training for my half Ironman (70.3 miles). Which although it wasn't pretty I completed the distance. In 2013 I completed the 70.3 as a member of relay team and did a few other sprint triathlons. Since the summer of 2013 I have not completed one triathlon. I have done a few open water swims and a few runs but I haven't completed a triathlon. I do miss it.

This summer I had planned on doing two, the first was going to be in July but do to some GI track problems the morning of the race I couldn't do it. I wasn't totally disappointed because my heart wasn't in it completely. The second one I wanted to do in August but I had to back out due to a work conflict. Instead this summer I did an open water swim (5K) and have been training for a half marathon this fall.

Recently I was riding my bike, on my trainer. Yes I have put my glutius maxiumus on the saddle a few times since my last post, most recently this morning. And it occurred to me that it had been 15 years ago this month since the first time I trained for a triathlon. I thought about my desire and dedication to accomplishing that goal. I want to be that girl again! Although I am 15 years older I know I can be that girl again!

So this is what I need to decide ... do I sign up for a 70.3, set my sights on that goal and start training now? Or do I go back to basics, get my fire back, fall in love with triathlons again and focus on some sprint triathlons next summer?  I need to make a decision soon but I would love to hear your thoughts. 

September 2nd

I biked today! I actual got my bike shoes on sat in the saddle and peddled. It wasn't a hard ride but it was a ride. Sometimes slow and steady wins the race. Every journey begins with the first step. Or in this case the first turn of the crank!

A swim, my bike and then I run

This past Saturday I completed a 5K (3.1 miles) open water swim. I love to swim, it is actually my favorite exercise, but this past weekend's event was tough.The water was rough and choppy and I had a lot of trouble with leg cramps. It was a great event and I will definitely sign up again ... I need to beat my time.

I have always struggled with the same thing my whole life, my weight. At times it has held me back and at other times I try to prove I am better than my weight. I have never disliked physical activities. I have run, biked and swam for 100s and 100s of miles and yet my weight is still and issue. To reiterate what I stated in my last post I have six months to get my weight under control. Exercise will not be enough. I have to watch not only my carbohydrate intake but also the amount of fat I intake too. Is it more important to weigh myself at home and use the same scale I have always been using or do I use a different scale during these 6 months. I have been thinking about using the scale at the gym and weigh in once a week. With tomorrow being the first of September, I will make a decision in the AM and post my weight.

I have another goal as we start September. My sister, who is a teacher, often says that September is her "new year" so she sets her resolutions in September rather than January. I thought I would do that too this year. My resolutions in January were surrounded around my health and this September it is a continuation. I need to get my weight under control and I would also like to move my bike now. My bike taunts me. It is setup in my living room and every day it looks at me and laughs. I always have great intentions of riding my bike outside or on my trainer but every time I make the plan I find an excuse. Of the three disciplines of triathlon the bike is my weakest. Knowing the fact that it is my weakest or should I put it bluntly, I stink at it, I should want to get on the bike more, but I don't. There is something holding me back. Is it fear? I know what you are thinking, get on my bike because it is the only way to get better. Oh I know, but the bike taunts me instead! So this September I am going to ride my bike. I will overcome this fear and quiet the bully known as my bike! Other resolutions are to knit more this fall & winter and to do something new every month!

So what is next? A run. I have a half marathon scheduled for October in Brooklyn, NY. Training is going ok but now that the swim is over, my training will totally be focused on my run. I have also decided to sign up for the Ithaca 5 & 10 in September. I was excited when I realized I wasn't working that weekend so I can actually sign up for a race!! And what will come up next ... stay tuned!

What's next?

Of course it's hard. It's supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it.

Hard is what makes it great ---- A League of Their Own

It's been 3 months since I have met with my diabetes coach and on Tuesday, August 25th I returned. I have been working very hard at controlling my daily blood sugar levels. There is so much I can do to produce low numbers but sometimes one meal can throw you off. It happens sometimes when you go out to dinner or When traveling, you think you have made the best choices and then that evening or the next morning's read is up high. I am happy to report that my coach was pleased with my numbers. The majority of the time they were great but there were a few times when they were high. However, we could look back on my daily food intake and were able to pinpoint what I had eaten that made the levels high.

During our appointment we discussed some side affects and issues I have been having with one of my medication. I have been feeling the affects of some of the medication to the extreme and these side affects wreak havoc on my daily routines. So we decided to change up some of my medications to see how I do. I have to try the new medication for a month and then report back in with her via email to see how I am feeling.

The good news is I don't have to go back to my coach for another 6 months. However, I have my work cut out for me during these next six months. I have to break the weight plateau I have been on and continue to bring it down. I lost the 41 pounds and during this summer I hit a stand still. The weight is going to be key. So my blood sugar numbers need to stay low and my weight numbers need to come down. I feel like my body has changed, clothes fit differently in the areas that I lose the weight first (my hips, legs and upper body) but my mid section is still an issue. I need to increase my vegetable intake (not easy for me) and decrease my daily fat grams. Doing all of this while keeping my blood sugar levels low too ... this won't be easy but as the quote up top states...if it were easy everyone would be doing it.

In 6 months the weight needs to drop. No more plateaus ... No more sliding by ... this is more than just my blood sugar numbers, this affects my blood sugar levels. The scale is important too. I need to follow a low fat/low carb diet. I need to be strict and I need to make sacrifices. I need to say no, not just in public but when I am home alone too. Most importantly I need to plan. Exercise is not enough, my diet is keeping me from succeeding. This will not be easy, this will be hard. I have to stop finding excuses and start making a change.

Sometimes a run is all you need...

This month is going to be crazy! It is only August 4th and I am already saying this. I have seven work events that are planned along with multiple trips scheduled each week. The last two evenings I left work at 7:15 pm ... not because my work was done but because I was hungry and wanted dinner. The past two days I had planned to swim after work, but by the time I left the office the pool was closed so my gym bag was dragged back home. Last night I got home and it was thundering and pouring rain so I just made dinner and sat on the couch. Tonight it was a beautiful evening and I couldn't miss another workout.

This morning I saw the above post and I couldn't agree more. Tonight I was tired and hungry but I knew I needed to move. I put dinner in the oven and went out for a quick run. The oven timer was set for 45 minutes and I was back in 44 minutes, happy that I completed the workout.

When I was out for the run I passed a couple that was walking. They cheered for me when I passed and said that I was doing better than them. I in-turn cheered for them and said as long as you are moving forward that is all that counts. As much as my job takes up so much of my life, I can't let it affect my health, I must keep moving forward. My workouts are too important. My workouts challenge me, relax me and empower me! My workouts make me a better person, my workouts help me move forward.

After my run tonight I felt great. Happy that I completed it and happy that I didn't find an excuse not to do it. I told myself while I was on the run that if I kept moving I would reward myself with a treat...

There is my treat ... a nice cold glass of chocolate milk. Sometimes all you need is a run and maybe some chocolate milk to make you happy!!

Erasers

On Monday, this quote from John Bingham was on Facebook as a "Monday Motivation". I felt that it spoke volumes and I know I wasn't alone. So many times we wake up and set goals for ourselves. We set out to accomplish those goals through training, planning and sometimes "blood, sweat and tears". However, sometimes we don't accomplish those goals. We hit a road block or the climb up the mountain became too steep. Did we end up with an injury or did we have a bad day that didn't bring us across the finish line?

We were strong when we set the goals. We were stronger when we started training and we were strongest when we approached the start line. However, something got in our way of finishing and because of that we began to doubt ourselves. We questioned if we could do it? If we could accomplish our goals, if we were worthy of the finish line?

One thing we have to remember is we had the courage to try, to train and to start. So we start again, we put on our running shoes and we start again. We erase those failures and those doubts. We remember what drove us to set the goals in the first place. And it doesn't matter how many times we have to start again, one day we will succeed!

Numbers

Sorry it has been a while since my last post, and this one is a bit longer than my previous ones. This past month has been busy and I haven't been inspired to write much. At the end of May I saw my diabetes coach and she was not quite thrilled with my daily blood sugar numbers. My A1C, which is a test you take every 3 months to test your average blood sugar numbers, had dropped significantly but other test showed that not all blood sugar numbers were coming down. She sent me off with a challenge of lowering my blood sugars on a daily basis or she would have to add more medication including insulin.

I write down everything I eat on a daily basis to the best of my ability. I may be off a few ounces here or there but for the most part I am very honest with myself. I figure the only way this is all going to work is to be honest with myself. Every time I have an appointment with my diabetes doctor I show her my daily food intake so she can compare it with my daily numbers. What she has found is that it isn't my diet that is stopping my numbers from going down, the fact is that my body does not break carbohydrates down enough and I am paying the price. So in order for all of this to work, I have to be extra strict with my carbohydrate numbers. I try very hard to keep these numbers low, but my coach is a realist and knows that some days they maybe higher than others. We are all human. I have found out that I can not eat Thai food anymore. Rice and noodles are high in carbohydrates and drive my numbers through the roof. I love pad Thai too so this is hard. I have also stayed away from pasta, except for the occasional once a month when I need some comfort food, you know what I mean.

Well I am happy to say, with another four weeks before I see my diabetes coach that my numbers have been great. In the morning I try very hard to have my reading be below 140 and I have been very consistent with that. I then take a second reading in the evening after dinner and I like to see those numbers below 190. In the last 10 weeks I am happy to report that I have been above that number only 10 times (about once a week), and I can pinpoint what I ate that brought those number that high.  I have another month before I see my coach and I have to continue to work at keeping these numbers low.

So you figured I would be thrilled to report this, and I am, but I wish all the numbers that I am working towards would go down. Numbers surround me; blood sugar numbers, pounds on the scale, fitbit daily steps, the number of laps in the pool and the miles on the road. As I am so happy to have my blood sugar levels going down the pounds on the scale are not moving. On June 24th I weighed in at 208.5, I was down 41 1/2 pounds. Since that date, the scale, had not moved or has fluctuated as much as 8 pounds. I am frustrated and upset. I finally weighed in last Monday, wrote down the weight and hid the scale. That damn square box. It plays with my emotions. I figure I will put it away for four weeks and take it out again on August 17th and see what happens. I am still writing my food down, not going overboard. I am exercising almost every day, and switching up the workouts as well as the distances. I have even incorporated strength training. Oh how I hate the scale!! I think I would be better off using a Crazy 8 ball and asking it how much I weigh. I might get a better answer!

Just today I read an article in Women's Running magazine. The title of the article is The Weight Debate.  The article argues the fact that we should all ditch the scale. The author argues that the scale only tells us one side of the story, our weight. However, it doesn't tell us how fit we are or how much muscle we have. It only shows us a number. I started to think about what this article was telling me. There is some truth to this. The stupid scale, as I like to call it, doesn't know that I swam 2.25 miles today or that I ran yesterday. It has no clue that I lifted on Friday or that I have been trying to see how long I can hold a plank. And as much as I agree with all of this I still want to see a different number on the scale. It is a never ending battle.

So here is to three more weeks without the scale. My focus will continue to be on my workouts and my daily blood sugar numbers.

Updates and random thoughts ...

Well I finally reached a total of 40 pounds lost this morning. I was very excited to see that on the scale. This past week I have been traveling for work once again, but during this trip I also got hit with a head and chest cold. This threw me for a loop and knocked me out a few times with pure exhaustion. My workouts were limited due to lack of energy and not being able to breath but I tried my best. I mostly walked as much as I could because I knew running could cause some problems with a chest cold. I am feeling better, still dealing with the cold lingering but feeling much better. So this week is a clean slate and I don't have to travel again until Friday ... woo hoo.

Twenty-eight more days until my triathlon and 10 more weeks until my 3 mile open water swim. I need to kick up the workouts a notch in order to be ready. As far as the triathlon is concerned I am good with the swim and the run of course the bike needs some work ... and for those that know me well you are not surprised by this. The thing that is getting me nervous is the fact that I have a few work travel trips between now and the triathlon. So I have to plan accordingly. Tomorrow morning I am heading to the pool, the alarm is set and off I will go!!

My other random thoughts...I am struggling with a few other things right now too. This struggle has nothing to do with my training or my weight loss but has to do with a goal I have set for myself and I am struggling with. Last fall I started my doctorate. It is a hybrid program in Higher Education. Weekly I do the work online and once a month I head to campus for classes. I enjoy the program but I struggle with getting the work done when I travel so much. When I am home I work all day, get a workout in and then spend hours working on school work. Which doesn't come easy to me. I have always been an average student who has to work really hard to make a B. Then when I travel, I work during the day and then usually head to meetings or events at night and I am limited to when I can get my school work done. And usually if I have to sacrifice something it is the school work. I want to continue but it is hard. I also have to make a big sacrifice financially and that scares me too.

I am weighing all of my options but I still don't have an answer. What do I want? To do well at my job; to be healthy and beat diabetes; to continue to lose weight; to be able to train and compete in runs and triathlons and complete my degree? Can I do it all? Am I insane to try? I know there are sacrifices and what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger ... but is it all worth it? I ask the question again, Can I do it all??

One Year ...

Before - June, 2014

After - June, 2015

One year ago today I stepped on the scale in my apartment, saw a number I didn't like and decided to make a change. Since that day I have lost a total of 38 pounds. That is an average of about .73 pounds per week. In the past 365 days so much else has happened but I tried very hard to stay on course. Even though one year has passed I am not satisfied and I must keep going. I do like the fact that I have lost the weight but I must keep moving forward.

Since I am starting another year, I decided I would take a look at my post from the New Year. At the start of the new year I decided to live this year by one word and one phrase ... six months into the new year I am still facing each day reminding myself of my one word, "health" and my one phrase, "medication free". It's a long road but I am not afraid of the journey!

38 pounds this year ... how many next??

"Finally, what do I want?  I want my health!  I want to be healthy!  How will I get there? One step at a time.  Everything I do and every choice I make I will keep my "one word" and "my phrase" in mind ... will this get me what I want!" ---Maura Donovan, New Year's Post

May 31st...

There are 31 days in the month of May, in case anyone forgot. So many things happen in the month of May, graduations, first communions, I had so many friends growing up who had birthdays in May and my favorite lilacs bloom in May!  I had set a goal for myself to be active/workout every day in May, 31 days. Well I almost did it. Out of the 31 days I worked out 29 days. I swam, biked, ran or walked for 29 days. I missed Wednesday. May 20th and Thursday, 28th. However, if I include the last five days in April, I worked out for 34 of the past 36 days! I am quite impressed with myself.

So what will June hold for me? Well on May 23rd I signed up for an open water swim that will take place on August 29th in Lake George, NY. It is a 3.1 mile swim and I am so looking forward to the event. Also on Monday, May 27th I signed up for another half marathon. I decided when I signed up for these, they would be etched in stone on my calendar and I don't care what else is planned I will not miss them. The half marathon is the Rock n Roll Brooklyn Half Marathon. Since I was feeling so ambitious I also decided to sign up for the C&O Canal Half Marathon in Washington, DC. The Brooklyn Half is on October 10th and the C&O Canal Half is on November 8th. I have incorporated some long runs into my workouts over the last two weekends but now I have to kick it up a notch and June will be the month to do that.

I need to swim, bike and run. I have seven weeks until the Gillie Girl Triathlon; 13 weeks until the swim and 18 weeks until the first half marathon scheduled. We can not waste any time. I also have five work trips planned for this month alone and I can't use that as an excuse. I have to lay out my schedule and work things in appropriately. I will have to keep you posted on what I come up with but I am planning on increasing my swim and bike workouts. There are 30 days in June, bringing my travel into consideration (traveling 15 days) I would like to plan to swim and bike 15 out of the 30 days. On the other days I would walk and run. I can do this!

"But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep" - Robert Frost

Numbers are all around me...

"Belive you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt

So this morning I had my monthly appointment with the diabetes specialist. According to their scale I lost 4 pounds in this past month. According to my scale I am down 2.5 pounds ... either way it's moving in the right direction. However, my daily blood testing numbers are all over the place.  They are not consistent and are definitely not low enough to make everyone happy. My specialist is happy that my weight is going in the right direction and the fact that I do exercise on a daily basis. For example in the last 31 days I have worked out 30 of them. However, that isn't enough when it comes to my blood sugar numbers. She doesn't want to put me on any more medication and I don't want to go on anymore medication. However, my body is not breaking the carbs down.

I write down everything I eat, even if I cheat. I have to in order to compare it my blood sugar numbers. My specialist checks everything I write down and sees that I am in control of my carbohydrates throughout the day but I tend to lose control in the evening around dinner and snack time. It has always been a tough time for me. She has threatened me that if I don't control the numbers she will have to put me on insulin.  The fear that goes along with that is, one of the side effects is weight gain. Now there is an oxymoron for you!!  So of course that is not the route I want to go!!

She has given me three months, to challenge myself and set a goal of eating within my carbohydrate limit per meal and get my numbers down!!! As she explained to me she knows that I am a goal oriented person and that I just need to tell myself to eat within my limits and avoid everything else. As I always say, if it is important to me I will find a way if not I will find an excuse. This evening I saw this quote from Teddy Roosevelt and thought to myself, "will this work for me?"

Tomorrow is the beginning of the next three months ... I go back to her on August 25th and my numbers will be down! In some ways this is a matter of life and death!

Is there a difference in these pictures?

 Do you see a difference? The picture on the left was taken in March of 2014. I am the person in the green vest. The picture below on the right was taken this month, May, 2015. Some of you may not see a huge difference but I do. Just this week I was searching through some work event photos when I came upon this one on the left. I couldn't believe it when I looked at myself! That was 36 pounds ago!! I haven't taken many pictures of myself over the last 11 months. I don't always like what I see when I am shown what the lens sees so I usually avoid the camera.  However, this past Sunday a friend of mine took this picture of me as I was driving the golf cart around campus during Commencement Weekend. Although I am still far away from my goal and I am certainly not perfect I was quite surprised at the differences that I saw between the two pictures. Obviously this is all working!!

I do have to share some bad news though ... I missed a workout yesterday. I was shooting for 31 straight days in May. I made it 19 straight plus the last five in April made it a total of 24 days straight. I just wasn't feeling it yesterday. I was still tired from the very long work weekend; I had cramps big time and I just didn't have the energy. I didn't even hit 10,000 steps on my fitbit yesterday! I tried but I didn't get it done.

Now I am not giving up, there is always today and tomorrow...I focused on today and I went out for a 40 minute walk this evening. I got right back up on the horse. I need to keep moving towards my goal. Once again today I went over 10,000 steps on my fitbit!! Just keep moving forward, there are 10 more days in May in which I could continue my workouts!

It finally moved!!

It had been over a month that the scale in my home had not moved. It was stuck at the same number for too long. However, Saturday morning I stepped on the scale and it finally moved. I had lost a pound!! I felt relief ... pressure was off. I had visions of my emotions and frustrations getting in the way of this long plateau and eventually throwing in the towel. However, I wasn't ready to quit and I had to keep fighting!! Total loss now is 36 pounds. I don't know if I am going to make my goal of 45 pounds by June 8th, due to the plateau. However, as long as the scale continues to move in the right direction I will be happy.

Why June 8th ... It will be the anniversary of when this all started. I stepped on the scale the previous year and said to myself, that is it!

I am also happy to report that my workouts have continued this month. I have not missed a workout in 22 days. Even though this passed weekend was crazy busy with work travel, all day meetings and events and finally the college's commencement I still got my workouts in. As they say if it is important to you, you will do it, if not you will find an excuse!

It's time to keep moving.  Happy Monday!!  Enjoy your day!

20 days

This will be a quick entry, I have a very busy weekend ahead of me but I needed to share. I am right now in Boston and will be heading back to Ithaca in about an hour. I came into town last night for an event and need to head back for commencement weekend on campus. Life is a bit nonstop right now but I can't skip the workouts. I just got back from the hotel gym.

At the end of April I set a goal for myself to do some sort of physical activity every day during the month of May. We are 15 days in and I have done something every day. I have ran, bike, swam and walked my way through May. I am actually at 20 days because I had worked out the last 5 days of April too but who's counting??  ME!!

This weekend will be the challenge, today is done but tomorrow I will be in meetings all day long starting at 7:30 and will continue working until 10 pm. I am determined to do something. Who knows what Sunday will bring with a very early morning and I am sure I will be very tired by the time commencement is over.

Stay tuned but I think determination will carry me through this weekend.

The highs and lows of the weight loss challenge

I started to write this blog a week ago but throughout the week I would get home from work and be too tired to do anything. So today I thought I would take the time to sit down and finish this blog. Three weeks ago I shared with you a high ... I tried on a few of my tri suits and some of them were too big. So I decided I needed to order some new tri shorts and a top. I put the order in on the 19th of April and it was delivered to me by the 22nd. I was so excited to try on my new items until I took them out of the box!  I had ordered an XL in the shorts and top and if you don't mind I will preface the next scene by saying I hate trying on tri clothing. I took the shorts out of the box held them up and thought to myself "XL??? I don't think a doll could fit into these, I would love to see what an XS looks like". To make a long story short ... my self esteem came crashing down. I couldn't get the shorts on to save my life.

Now I know after years of doing triathlons and trying on shorts and tops, each clothing company cuts their items differently. So this particular brand isn't made for me ... it isn't made for a barbie doll either but that is besides the point. I know that the clothes I already have fit well and some are too big so I am going to try to remember that. I will also ship these items back and try a few others.

After that not so fun day I was out running errands and ended up near LL Bean. I thought I would run in and check out their flip flops. The flip flops didn't work out but before I exited the store a display of workout pants and tops caught my eye. I brought one size into the dressing room and realized that they were too big. I had to go and get a smaller size...back on a high.

So I am trying very hard to focus on the positive and not focus on the fact that the scale hasn't moved in over a month. I have been very frustrated about that but trying not to let it bother me. However, I know me and if this plateau continues everything I have worked for will begin to go backwards. I would get frustrated and start to not care. I have done too much and have worked t hard to let that happen. So I decided to take advantage of the gym where I work out. I work out in the wellness clinic on campus which is associated with the exercise science department. I met with an exercise specialist last week and we decided to change up my workouts that will kick things up a notch. I am committed because as much as the almighty number on the scale shouldn't affect me or rule me ... they do and I would like to see the numbers go down some more!!

The other numbers that rule my life are my diabetes numbers. My diabetes expert is still concerned about my numbers. The medication, exercise and diet is still not controlling my numbers enough. My body can not break down carbohydrates and it keeps my numbers really high. I have worked very hard at limited my carbohydrates...which are in everything ... but it is not easy, it is a lot of work.

My life has become controlled by numbers!! But I am not ready to give up!!

Some good numbers to report I have not missed a workout since April 26. I have done some sort of movement (swim, bike, run or walk) for the last 15 days. I am feeling good. I find my body hurts more when I miss workouts then when I workout. This coming week is going to be busy but I have already planned my workouts because it is important to me to get them in. I have found that making my workouts a regular part of my routine is what helps the most.

Here's to the highs and the lows!!

One day you wake up and your shorts don't fit...

So this morning I woke up and put on a pair of triathlon shorts that I have not worn in some time and jumped on my bike. I had a great ride and really enjoyed myself, which doesn't happen too often on the bike. After the ride was over I was doing some things around the house before jumping in the shower and still had the shorts on. What I discovered was that my shorts continuously slipped down and were quite big. So what is a triathlete to do ... go shopping for new shorts. This isn't a bad situation to be in, it fact it is a good problem to have. The only downside...I hate shopping for tri clothes. However, I will suck it up and do my best to find a size that fits.

After taking those five days off from workouts, April 6 - 10, 2015, I have worked out 9 days in a row and on some occasions it has been multiple workouts in a day. I feel good and the plantar fasciitis hasn't been bothering me too much. On Friday I had my first brick of the triathlon season...a little bike and a little run. I will have to schedule a few more of those into my workout schedule.

Yesterday I purchased a new pair of running shoes. It always amazes me that I don't bat an eye when the sales person tells me my sneakers are $120. I happily put the money down and walk out with my new shoes. Now if you took me shoe shopping I would be complaining the entire time how much i hate to buy shoes and I would not even look at a shoe that cost more than $40... now you know where my priorities lie!

Well I have to run and get the gym bag packed for my morning swim.

5 days off...

So the last day that I worked out was Easter Sunday, April 5th.  After the woman in church predicted that I would have a red headed baby.  I don't know what happened to me this week.  I was tired so in the morning I hit the snooze button a few too many times and in the evening I stayed at work way too long or had plans after work.  On Friday I travelled for work and had an event to attend.  Mostly I was just tired.  Funny thing is that I did notice I was sore during the week that I didn't workout compared to the weeks that I do.  My hips were bothering me and I didn't feel very good about myself.  The moral of this story, don't take a week off.

Today I was in NYC for work.  I actually had the day to myself.  I came down yesterday for an event and I have a meeting tomorrow but today I didn't have anything planned.  I should have spent the day doing school work but it was way too nice out.

After staying up to watch the Red Sox beat the Yankees or at least I tried...I fell asleep around 1 a.m. not knowing who won.  It was nice to wake up at 8:00 a.m. to see Boston won and that it was a gorgeous day outside.  I went for breakfast and had plans to meet an alumna from Ithaca College for lunch. I am staying on West 57th Street and our plan was to meet on 31st  so I decided to walk the 26 blocks.  After lunch I treated myself to a mani/pedi.  I had done some research and found a really nice nail salon on Madison Avenue.  After that special treat I continued my walk back to my hotel stopping in Barnes and Noble and a few other places.

I finished the afternoon by heading to Central Park for a run/walk and really enjoyed myself.  The workout felt great except that my plantar fasciitis started to bother me during my workout.  At one point I stepped off a curb and I felt the pain shooting through my foot.  I prayed to God and said please no!! If you have ever had plantar fasciitis you know that it can be very painful and can last way too long. So I am hoping it doesn't plan on sticking around for too long.

However, I will not let this slow me down.  I will stretch, ice, roll it out ... I will do whatever it takes.  (Yes I started stretching it this evening and iced it.)  I haven't rolled it out yet because I don't have anything with me hard enough to use.

I will not use this as an excuse, the workouts will continue.  I have a lot of work to do to lose a total of 45 pounds by June 8th which is my goal. That deadline is 8 weeks away! Working out is what helps me the most. I can not do this alone ... I depend upon those workouts so I can't afford another week like last week.

Keep moving forward.

Happy Easter

So this Easter, similar to years past, I have traveled to Virginia with my Dad to celebrate the holiday with my sister.  This morning like so many others I got up, put on my Easter best and headed to Mass.   My sister lives in Ashburn, VA which is considered the metro DC area and very close to Dulles airport and belongs to St. Therese Catholic Church.  It is a very large church and with a very large membership.

So off to Church I went; entered the pew with my family and sat next to an older southern woman.  As I sat down the older woman looked at me and said ... your baby is going to have red hair.  I looked at her wondering who she was talking to and realized she was talking to me.  First I thought to myself, only if there was an immaculate conception! Instead, I looked at her and said, I am not pregnant.  I wanted to die ... way to kill my self esteem lady.  I wanted out of that church so badly.  Easter is supposed to be a joyous occasion and instead my confidence was crumbling and I was hurt.

I was wearing a new dress, which I bought last month and it was a size smaller.  I had just gone shopping the day before and bought three new pairs of pants and several tops all of which were smaller sizes.  And finally I had completed a week of workouts and didn't miss one; I had swam, biked and ran and felt great.  Then you hear this comment and everything disappears.

I realize the woman didn't mean anything by it.  She continued to apologize throughout mass and all I wanted to say was let it go lady but I smiled politely and said it was ok.  She wasn't trying to be mean but words can hurt. How can a total stranger who knows nothing about me, make me question all of my hard work?

So guess what? A workout has been added to my calendar today.  In fact I think I will head out soon before dinner is served.

Jesus give me strength to keep moving forward!!!  Happy Easter everyone!!

And if  you are wondering I probably would have kids with red hair.  My dad and aunt were red heads and my natural highlights are red!!

March 22

It's been a month since my last post. The scale has moved down this month, not quickly but it has moved in the right direction. Also last week I went shopping and everything I brought into the dressing room was too big. I had to go back to the racks for smaller sizes. I ended up buying a dress one size smaller.

I will be on this journey for one year on June 7. As of this weekend that date is 11 weeks away. I would love to be down 52 pounds by then but that would mean I would have to lose 1.6 pound per week. Doable but I don't want to set myself up for failure. So I decided to shoot for 11 pounds instead. If I end up losing more bonus if not I will be happy with 11.

Finally it is 19 weeks until the Cayuga triathlon and 23 weeks until the open water swim. Let the games begin...

Ready set go....

February 22nd.

Sunday, February 22nd.  I am sitting in a cafe in NYC.  I just attended some alumni meetings and I am now waiting for the Cornell Bus to take me home.  Today was the Lake Effect Half Marathon in Syracuse.  I was registered to complete this half marathon but I had to cancel for these meetings.  I also found out that I have to drop out of the Syracuse half marathon on the 22nd of March because the meetings that were held today will continue in one month.  So much for registering early in order to save money.  I am almost too afraid now to register for anything.  Between work and school I don't have the time to compete in races.  The other half I was thinking about was the Skunk Cabbage which is held in April in Ithaca.  During the meeting held today we scheduled our meetings for March and April.  The April meeting is April 12...so I just went on line as I was typing this blog to checkout the date of the Skunk Cabbage race and ... it is scheduled for April 12th!!  So right now I don't have any races scheduled...what is a girl to do.  I guess I just keep running and something will work out. Maybe I should turn my attention to the pool and bike and get ready for my triathlons.

I am a frustrated competitive runner ... I had such hopes and dreams for this year.  I am not giving up...just whining!!

40+ days

Ash Wednesday was yesterday and so begins Lent.  So I thought about what I wanted to give up, what would challenge me and what would be good for me.  I chose two things to give up Facebook and sugar.  With Facebook I can't post, comment or stalk for 40+ days.  So far so good!!  In regards to the sugar ... I am reading all ingredients and if sugar lands in the first five ingredients then I can't eat it.  This will be a challenge but in the end will be very good for me. Walking away from Facebook will be good for me too.  I need to work on my Time Management skills when it comes to school work and I don't need to be waisting my time on Facebook.  The funny thing about not being able to post anything is throughout the day I think about things that I would post on the book...comments or things that happened but I can't.  Now I have to communicate with friends the old fashion way!!

Just trying to stay the course

Lazy Slug...

...that's what I feel like lately.  A lazy slug!  I have not worked out since Tuesday.  Crazy is I ventured out in Chicago as soon as the blizzard ended but I get back to New York and I haven't stepped into the gym yet. I don't know what is wrong ... just haven't felt like doing much.  What is also bad is my school work has suffered this week as well.

It has become my routine to go to the gym after work and then stay on campus to do school work. I find if I go home to do school work I have adult onset ADD. I end up watching TV; doing laundry or find anything else to do besides school work.  Of course I miss one day of school work I get behind and if I miss one day of a workout, lately, I end up feeling like a lazy slug.  So can you imagine how I feel if I have missed four days...

Tomorrow is a new day ... my running shoes are longing for the pavement and there is school work to be done...plus I need to get out of this funk before it goes on for too long.

The Coat...

When trying to lose weight you will find yourself reading articles, books or posts that will give you suggestions to help you succeed.  I know I do and I can almost guarantee that I am not alone.

When it comes to measuring your success everyone usually uses the almighty scale.  This thin box can make or break you.  It can make you feel like you are on top of the world or it can make you feel lower than dirt.  I once saw a cartoon with two kids standing near a scale.  One child said to the other, "don't stand on that, it can make you cry".  I laughed at the cartoon but I also thought to myself that is so true.  So are there other ways to measure?

When reading the articles, books and posts an individual trying to lose weight is encouraged to find other ways to measure weight loss.  You can use how your clothes are fitting, measure inches on your body or maybe it is just how you feel physically and mentally.

So you are probably wondering  why I am talking about this? Well here is goes.  Earlier this week I was walking on campus.  I was actually walking from the gym while it was snowing during the day.  I started to cross an intersection, slipped on the snow and down I went.  I know you are not surprised that I fell, being the klutz that I am.  So after I fell I jumped up as fast as I could but I was covered in snow, slush and dirt.  The winter coat I was wearing was now wet and dirty.  I brought the coat home, hung it up but knew I didn't have time to take it to the dry cleaners.  So then I had to ask myself what will I wear now?  It was too cold for my winter vests and the fleece jackets weren't going to do it either.  So I reached into the back of the closet and pulled out a long black winter coat that is probably 8+ years old.  The coat is still in great shape because I barely wear it.  The reason why I don't wear this coat is because for many years I wasn't able to button it closed.

So the moment of truth came on Wednesday morning.  I was ready to leave for work and I put the coat on.  I was in shocked, not only did it button close but it closed easily with extra room.  I didn't need the scale this week, I had a way to measure my hard work and I was a success.

However the measurements are not over.  I thought the black coat said it all but I was wrong.  On Friday I was curious so I stepped on the scale and it was down an additional half pound.  Not a huge loss but a loss just the same.

But wait there is more ... I feel like I am doing an infomercial ... if you call now you can get more for a low price.  After a few weeks of no work travel I was back on the road this morning.  I was taking a flight to Chicago, heading right into a blizzard, but that is a story for another day.  I got on the plane took my seat, got settled and then buckled my seat belt. Not only was I able to buckle my seat belt I was able to pull it tight.  That hasn't happened in a long time.  Over a year ago there was one flight that I had to actually ask for an extension and today I pulled the seat belt "tight across your lap".

Woo Hoo

Using other measurements helps to build you up!

GO Patriots!!

I cheated ...

I cheated ... I stepped on the scale early.  When I posted five days ago I said I would wait until Monday to step on the scale.  Well curiosity got the best of me this morning and I stepped on the scale.  The scale moved and I was happy.  I am down 1.5 pounds ... FINALLY!!!  I know that shouldn't be my only focus but the frustration of a scale not moving gets the best of me!!

Tomorrow morning I have an appointment with my diabetes nurse expert (for lack of a better word).  My numbers aren't consistent so I am curious to see what she has to say.  She wanted my numbers to be in a certain range every morning.  I only hit that range 3 times since I saw her last.  They have been low in the morning but not always low enough.  So tomorrow could be interesting.

I missed three workouts this week.  Wednesday I had planned on a workout, packed my bag and everything.  However, I forgot that I had a conference call planned at 5:15 for work and by the time it was done the gym was closed.  Thursday, I had also planned a workout but had to stay later at work to finish a few things and the gym was closed by the time I was done.  The students will be back this week so the gym will go back to regular hours thank God!!!  I walked yesterday and I will do something today I just don't know how far.  I am fighting a head cold and I have to see how I feel.  However, I promise to get something done today.

Keep moving forward.

Wish the scale would move

I realize that my 2015 word is HEALTH but I am human and I want the scale to move too.  I know I am doing all of this to better my health but again I want the scale to move.  Prior to Christmas I broke the 30 pound mark for a total of 31.  After the holidays I am still holding at 31 pounds.  I understand that I should look at the glass as half full and tell myself that I am happy I didn't gain any weight over the holidays but I am losing patience.  I am happy I didn't gain any weight but when I start to lose patience it can get ugly.  I want to keep moving forward but I would like to see the scale move too.  I would love even a half a pound.

So what do I do ... I hide the scale until Monday.  Instead of stressing about it, thinking about it too much or focusing on it I hid the scale.  It's just a number right?  Waiting 6 days until I can weigh myself is not a bad thing.  I need to focus on HEALTH.  My workouts; food intake; sleep etc.  Monday will be here before we know it. 

The scale better move!!!

27.43 miles

In the last 11 days I have run a total of 27.43 miles.  Just keep moving forward is my mantra!  The best part of this update is that the running that I have been doing over the last 11+ days hasn't been a chore.  I have actually enjoyed hitting the pavement.  It has been empowering and peaceful at the same time. I am just hoping I can keep this up! 19 more weeks until the marathon!

I was recently reading through some past blogs and I realize that I have not given you all an update on my water drinking challenge.  Back in November I challenged myself to drink a gallon of water a day for 28 days.  I have to admit it was tough.  A gallon of water is a lot to drink in one day.  Keep in mind it is not the only thing that I drank so add a gallon onto my morning cup(s) of caffeine and/or other liquids and it is tough.  Some days I achieved my goal and other days I missed by a few ounces here and there.  I am glad I took the challenge on because I realized I didn't drink as much water as I thought.  I thought I drank a lot of water throughout the day but I wasn't even close.

The positives that  came out of drinking that much water.  I limited my cups of caffeine (Tea) and also cut out soda.  In the 28 days that I took this challenge on, I had one soda.  I was at a work event and I needed a caffeine pick me up and soda was my only option.  Since I finished the challenge, I haven't had a soda.  I think I broke the habit!

So how much water am I drinking now? 80 ounces a day is my goal...it seems reasonable and doable!

Just keep moving forward.

Happy New Year! 2015 The Year of Mo!!

Happy New Year!  A new day, a new year and a blank slate.  I looked back on my "resolutions" from 2014 and out of the 10 I listed I completed 3 1/2 of them.  2014 personally was a year of ups and downs but I refuse to look back.  I have a clean slate in front of me and an opportunity to get up and move forward.

While I was off from work this past week I had the time to watch many of the morning news programs.  Something I enjoy but I am not able to do normally.  The last few days the focus on these morning news programs was the New Year and resolutions.  One suggestion was made instead of listing resolutions come up with a word or phrase that defines your resolutions.

After I heard this I started thinking.  Obviously resolutions are not for me.  It is obvious if you look at my post from a year ago when I listed 10 resolutions but only completed 3 1/2 of them.  So I decided instead of resolutions I would set goals.  I do better with goals that have a beginning, a middle and an end. And I wrapped those goals into one word and one phrase.

My one word --HEALTH

My phrase -- MEDICATION FREE

Knowing that I am a triathlete and a runner you can guarantee that I have set race goals for myself for 2015.  These goals will feed into "health" and "medication free".  The following list are my event goals:

February 2015 - Lake Effect Half Marathon (registered)
March 2015 - Syracuse Half Marathon (registered)
May 2015 - Vermont City Marathon (registered)
July 2015 - Gillie Girl Triathlon (waiting for registration to open)
August 2015 - Cayuga Triathlon (registered)
Ultimate goal -- Open Water 3 mile Swim in Lake George, NY (waiting for registration to open)

Finally, what do I want?  I want my health!  I want to be healthy!  How will I get there? One step at a time.  Everything I do and every choice I make I will keep my "one word" and "my phrase" in mind ... will this get me what I want!

I have announced this in year's past but this year I believe it ... 2015 is the YEAR OF MO!! A year to take care of me in order to accomplish my goals.

There is a Japanese Proverb that states: "Fall seven times, get up eight". 

Happy New Year!! Take advantage of your blank slate, your untraveled road and the blank first page of your book!!

Tri-ing to get the fire book!!