Day 82 of 2020

 So after last weeks Blog entry I realized that I had not posted since New Year's day (again I would love a mulligan on this year). I decided to go back and review my goals for 2020 to see how I was doing so far. We are only 82 days in and we have 283 to go (yes I did the math in my head). The best is yet to come, right?!?!

So one of the goals I set for myself was a 100 days challenge and once again doing math in my head I have 18 days left on this challenge. I said I would go "No Sugar" for 100 days, Strength Train for 100 days, Journal/notebook, knit, and declutter. And for the most part I am doing well. I had a few slip ups along the way but I haven't given up.

In regards to the "no sugar" my system is so much better without sugar. And when I say sugar I try very hard not to eat process sugar or anything that lists "sugar" in the first five ingredients. So I try to follow this to the best of my ability. I would be lying to you if I said I was perfect. For example, valentine's day, we had a little party for our students at work and there was so many fabulous treats that I could not resist. However, I paid the price after I ate it.

I will admit I have not incorporated strength training into my life every day but I have been doing in at least 2 times a week. I think it's pretty good for someone who doesn't really enjoy it. I have found it challenging, which isn't a bad thing. I have been knitting, which I love, but there have been a few days I have missed it. However, I leave whatever project I am working on right on the couch so I can pick it up at anytime even for a few minutes.

One hundred days of journaling/notebooking...yes, I have been doing that...every day. I have created a habit I absolutely love and look forward to doing every day. Some days I write on page after page and on other days it could be a paragraph but I am doing it. A friend of mine started this Facebook group/challenge #100daysofNotebooking which of course I joined. This pushed me to do something I didn't do on a regular basis. Yes I have journal-ed in the past but not every day. She has not changed the group to #100DaysofNotebooking and beyond. And yes, I will keep writing.

I never started the declutting challenge. My coach advised me against it...well she advised me against doing so many challenges and said which one could I put off until later? I chose the 100 days of decluttering. However, when lent started I brought reading into my schedule, I read everyday just for a short period of time, but I read. And now that this "self-quarantine" has started, I stared decluttering this weekend.

So even though these goals have not been perfect for the last 82 days I haven't given up!! Which I think is a good thing. Research shows that most New Year's Resolutions are broken after the first month and we are into March!!

I also checked out the list of races I was planning on completing and the list of goals around those. Of course, like many of you, many of my races have been cancelled or turned into virtual races. It is disappointing but we all know it is for the best! This of course means I have to rethink my race goals. I did complete a half marathon in February, it wasn't pretty but I got across the finish line. I missed a four-miler, The Tipp Hill Shamrock Run, due to work obligations earlier this month. Two other half marathons have been cancelled that were scheduled for April and the Mountain Goat 10 miler has been cancelled too which was scheduled for early May. I will still be getting the miles in on the days these races were scheduled but it will be done virtually not on the race courses.

I have Three more sprint triathlons scheduled for May, July, and August and a 70.3 in June. And come October, I plan to run the Hartford Full Marathon. With that being said my A races are now the 70.3 in June and the Hartford Marathon in October. Fingers crossed nothing happens with those races.

My goal for the 70.3 race is to be faster and finish stronger than I did last year. I have been working

hard on the bike to make sure that happens but it hasn't been easy. I just keep pushing myself hoping every day I get a bit stronger and a bit faster. My runs haven't been going my way. I have been struggling out on the road and trying to get the distance. I can't believe how much can change in four months. My times have been slower and it hasn't been fun.

One of my goals was to get out of my head while running. I wanted to end the negative talk and self doubt. I have been working on that slowly. I started going out for runs and not worry about my time or the distance. I have been trying to enjoy running again and just let my body do what it wants. I often say that I love running, and I do, but lately I haven't liked it very much. On Friday, I had a fabulous run with times I haven't seen in a while. I felt great. Today I went out, same route, and I couldn't wait for it to be over. I felt like I was dragging weights with me. So needless to say I am still working on getting out of my head while running! I haven't given up because I want to see the times I saw this past fall or I should say faster times than this past fall.

Well everyone, stay safe and healthy!! Remember to wash your hands and hopefully we will be able to see everyone soon!!

PS: Did you know in the state of NY liquor stores are essential businesses!! Gotta love NY.

2020 -- Can we start over??

I have to admit 2020 has not been going as smoothly as I would like. I was injured in January and ended up in PT. My physical therapists were awesome but it set me back a bit.

Soon after that I received word that the university where I am working towards my doctorate will close the end of April. Being in higher education I have read so many articles about schools struggling, merging, and closing due to low numbers and financial reasons. I just never thought it would hit so close to home. This added some stress and anxiety to my life. It is starting to work out but not what I wanted to deal with as I was entering the last year of my doctoral program.

Now we are facing Coronavirus (COVID - 19). As an athlete it breaks my heart to see so many sporting events, tournaments, championships, and races cancelling. It has affected me personally as two races I was registered to run have cancelled, as of this past week. Professionally the college where I work, like so many others, is closing for a few weeks. We have had to cancel events and travel. And now we are working remotely from home. Restaurants and bars in some states are being forced to close. It is important to control this decease as it is bringing not only the disease and illness but also lots of anxiety and uneasiness to so many.

CAN WE PLEASE GET A DO OVER???

And this is only a few of things I have personally going on. I am about to get a bit personal or very vulnerable I should say. I have been struggling...trying to get into a positive head space. I saw the picture I posted above on Instagram and it made me think. What do I want to accomplish in 6 months. I feel overwhelmed on some days having too many goals or too many things to work on  ... work, school, workouts, my weight...world peace! I can't seem to choose one that is more important than the other.

So I really started to think about what I really want. I shared this with my coach and now I am sharing it with you (I realize I am announcing this but I need some accountability). I want to be happy. In six months I want to be happy. Not being in the right head space has caused me not to be happy. I know you can wake up every day and determine your happiness and I do try that but sometimes the outside sources get in the way. I have never really felt like this before so this is all new to me.

I want to be happy with who I am ... with what I am doing...with what I am accomplishing.

What are my excuses? Why am I holding myself back? Am I letting myself be happy. I once read that Maturity comes when you stop making excuses and start making changes. I am ready to make changes. I know so much affects my happiness... my workouts, my weight, my school work etc I let the negative talk distract me and I end up in my head too much.

I told myself I need to stop talking about it and start doing it. It always comes back to Spirit Mind and Body. The mission/vision/philosophical theory of Springfield College (my alma mater)...If you don't build the body and educate the mind your spirit will crumble. If I want to work towards happiness (my spirit) I need to kick my workouts up a notch...become stronger and lose some weight (Body) and go strong on my research for my dissertation (mind). September will be here before we know it!!

Step One -- I have a problem -- I have a goal

It always leads back to my weight (a constant struggle) and my workouts. I need to get stronger and faster.

Day One was today --- tell you all about it and go out for a run and let myself enjoy it. It was a beautiful day, don't worry about time or distance...just run. I did 6 miles. I still love running but lately I haven't liked it very much.

Keep moving forward.

New Years 2020

Races

February – Lake Effect Half

March – Tipp Hill 4 Miler

April – Skunk Cabbage half or 10K

Milwaukee Marathon Full Marathon

May – Mountain Goat (May 3)

Silver Serpent Olympic Triathlon

June – Tupper Lake 70.3

July – Gillie Girl Triathlon

Some Ideas I have … checking my schedule and also finances before I decide...

Another 70.3???

Cayuga Triathlon – August

Ithaca 5K – September

Hartford ½ marathon – October

Marine Corp Marathon – October (looking into doing this as a charity marathon…Fisher House Foundation)

Goals for races and training

1. Get out of my head when training and competing...negative thoughts and doubts

2. I want to run a sub 5-hour marathon in April in Milwaukee

3. Bike stronger/faster - Tupper Lake ... I finished 7:40:48 overall ... my bike was 3:58 (14:09/hour)...I struggled on the run...I want to go back and PR and be faster on the bike and run.

Overall Goals...Words for 2020

Stronger - Physically and Emotionally

Leaner -  Weight and clutter

Faster - Running/Cycling and stop procrastinating and wasting time...get things done faster

There are a lot of challenges out there...30 days of never missing a workout...100 days of running...it's a great way to start a new habit or force yourself to focus on something. So below is my 100 days Challenge...the first 100 days of 2020. The five things I have put down will help me focus, start a new habit, and feel better about myself. A friend of mine put out a challenge on Facebook about journaling for 100 days. So I decided to add that to my list too, it can only help.

100 Days Challenge (January 1 - April 9)

No Sugar

Strength Training/Yoga (Alternating Days)

Journal/blog

Knitting

Declutter something every day

Overall…physically I have felt slow, bloated, fat, and very soft lately. My IBS/stomach issues have been a bit out of control and bothering me a lot. So I will be focusing on the low FODMAP diet for a few weeks to get thing under control. I am hoping this helps me feel better and hopefully bring the weight down too. I would like to lose 13 – 15 pounds this year. I believe if I can keep my IBS under control and bring my weight down a bit it will help me with my training and competing. And overall feel a bit better about myself. 

I hope everyone has a great New Year and that 2020 is a huge success!!

Keep Moving Forward!!

New Years Eve 2019

I just opened my blog for the first time in 2 months!! My last post was October 30th...well that will change in 2020. I actually enjoy writing, you may not always like reading but I enjoy writing so writing I will do. But I digress...this is not a post about what I will be doing in 2020 it is a reflection on 2019.

Like most people, I am sure we can point out the lows of this last year...the tears we shed...the stress or frustrations but yet again that is not what this post is about. I am actually going to miss 2019. The year I turned 49...the year I PR'd a marathon...the year I started my research for my doctorate...THE YEAR I BECAME AN IRONMAN!!

2019 was good to me in so many ways. The hard work...hours of training...the blood, sweat, and tears (lots of tears) that I shed paid off and it was so worth it. This may sound selfish, and that was not my intent, because I know I could not have done this alone. One does not train alone...it takes family, friends, and co-workers to support and help you along the way.

I am grateful for the support that I had along this journey in 2019 and grateful for the continued support that I know I will have in 2020. It is an amazing feeling knowing that so many people have my back...I do hope they know I will always have theirs.

So 2019 I thank you for giving me some incredible opportunities...for pushing me to do something I never thought I could...for surrounding me with love and support. I look forward to entering 2020 grateful and excited for what you have in store for me!!

Love to all...be safe...believe!

Keep Moving Forward

Working towards the dissertation, will be my next ironman!

Two weeks ago I finished my last "classroom" course that was on my schedule for my doctorate coursework. I had a few days off to recover and then last Monday, October 21, started the next phase of my journey. Section 610 Scholars before Research. I have officially started my research for my dissertation.

Currently I have a broad idea of what I would like to do my research on, now the fun begins as I try to narrow that down and figure out if there is enough research out there to back my ideas and come up with a problem statement.

I have to admit I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all. This will be a long journey, of emotional highs and lows, and I know at times the finish line will seem so far away. I am scared about taking this on, even though I want it more than anything.

I had a call today with my faculty chair, who will be my mentor, guide, and critic throughout this whole process. It was our first call of what I am sure of will be many throughout the next 18 months. We talked about what needs to happen over the next few weeks and what it will take to finish this journey. I told him I was a bit scared and feeling overwhelmed. He chuckled and said, "well you are exactly where you should be." I guess I am not unusual.

This part of the journey will be a lot of self discipline. For the last two years I had a schedule when things were due, what needed to be read, and what I had to do. I knew pretty much every day I had an assignment to submit. When it comes to research you can go weeks before you have to submit something. Of course I have to remind myself there is a reason they give you weeks and not to wait until the last minute.

It is my goal to have this done by the date that the University predicted I would graduate, April of 2021. I have 18 months to give this my all, to show the world I am not just a student but a scholar researcher. For the next 18 months this will be Ironman training. I know the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to cross the finish line after 140.6 miles. And this will not be any easier.

It will be hard, it will take sacrifices, it will take discipline, but in the end I know it will all be worth it because this is something I have wanted for over 25 years. I look forward to having someone from Concordia University call my name as I cross this finish line. I know I will do it because I am an IRONMAN!

PS: don't worry I am not walking away from my other love...I still have full and half marathons to finish. Plus I have already scheduled a few sprint, Olympic, and half ironman triathlon distances. I still have goals to accomplish and a lot of work to do!!

Wineglass Marathon - #5

So I am not going to lie to you, as I sit here and type this in the early morning because I couldn't sleep, I am hurting. My quads hurt, my feet hurt, and strangely my ankles hurt...but I love it. Yesterday I completed my fifth marathon at the Wineglass Marathon, in Corning, NY and received this beautiful medal to add to the collection. 

I signed up for the marathon (thank you very much Meghan Brown ;-)) with the idea of having some fun 2.5 months after completing my first Ironman Lake Placid. However, as I continued my training, something strange started to happen. I started seeing a runner, I didn't recognize. Speed work was incorporated into my weekly workouts and the times I was hitting were fast and consistent. Even my coach was blown away. I told my coach I didn't know who this runner was....her reaction was neither do I but I like her!

So we went into this race with a different plan then when I registered for it. Based on my speed work I was doing, Yassos to be exact, and the finish time of a recent 5K I had the ability to finish under 5 hours...this blew me away and scared me to death. I was having trouble envisioning that one. So I approached the start line with three different goals...

I carried this note with me while I ran...and read it before the start. My last PR was October 2017 in Detroit, I finished in 5:28. So my ultimate goal was a sub 5 hour; my second goal was 5:15 and my third goal was to finish. Well I knew about half way through the race I was not reaching the sub 5 hour goal so I worked hard to keep my pace for the 5:15 goal...and not only did I hit it...I surpassed it by 3 minutes and ended with a 16 minute PR.

It was a great day. I was at the start line with my fabulous friends Meghan, Aria, Tom, & Jeff. I saw my friend Sammy before the gun went off...I was able to run a few miles with my friend Tom...when I hit a low point in the race, mile 21.5, I saw my friend Kevin cheering people on...and it picked me up! I met some wonderful people along the course and just as I was crossing the bridge my friend Penny was there ready to run with me. She pushed me up Market Street and helped me forget how much I was hurting! The best part was seeing my amazing friends waiting for me and cheering me on, Craig, Siobhan, Meghan and Geoffrey! In the words of my friend Ellen, it was a good day at the office!! And now I have bigger goals for my scheduled marathon in April!!

It has been a long year of training and competing. I have pushed myself in ways I never thought I would or could. I have loved the journey and I have surprised myself so many times. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to do this. I am grateful that I am able to do this. I am grateful that I love to do this.

I can't hold myself back any longer but I know I am not alone. I have been blessed along the way with the opportunity to meet some amazing people, who have become friends. Some amazing athletes and friends who push me and inspire me to be a better person. Through Team In Training, Team Believe, CNY Triathlon Club, Ordinary Marathoner, and LUNAR. Without you my friends, this would not be fun. You all make me better!

I am going to finish with a story about a man running a marathon and the chunky bar. When I was in High School every spring break I would go and visit my sister in College in Boston. In Massachusetts spring break always landed on Patriots Day, also known as Marathon Monday. And while I was visiting my sister we would always go and watch the marathon and cheer on these incredible athletes. One year we were at the race and it was a cold and rainy day. We had watched the race from different points of the course but ended up at the finish area. By the end of the day we were cold, wet, and hungry. So we were standing around trying to decide where to go. Now image the finish line of Boston in 1989...there is a sea of people every where, security wasn't heightened at that point. While standing around a runner caught my eye through this sea of people, came limping over to me, shaking from the cold rain holding a chunky bar. He could have asked anyone. He held the bar up to me and said, "would you mind opening my chunky bar". I said absolutely! I opened up his candy bar, we congratulated him on the race, chit chatted and then he limped away. When I ran my first marathon, my sister said it was meant to be because of the man with the chunky bar. Now every time I think about a marathon I think about this man with the chunky bar. The week leading up to Wineglass I was in a store and I spotted a chunky bar...it made me laugh...and I had to buy it. What's a marathon without a Chunky Bar?!?!

Finally I want to thank an incredible person, Shawn Mastrantonio, whose love for running has brought an incredible group of individuals together from all over the world to form LUNAR (Lace Up Now And Run). He is a true leader who inspires so many. Many members of the group were together in Corning for The Wineglass Race Weekend. And those that weren't able to join us we missed very much! Thank you Shawn, because of you I have been blessed with some wonderful friends...you included!! 

Keep Moving Forward!!

100 Days Left

So today marks the 100 days until the end of the year. I read this on a social media post and the site that posted the information also challenged their readers to do something. The site asked what do you want to accomplish? What do you want to feel? What did you plan on doing this year but haven't? What do you want to do with these 100 days.

So I pondered this post for a bit and decided to take up the challenge. What will I do with these 100 days. I could do so many things. I decided to focus on a few things some I will list here and others that I will keep to myself.

As many of you know, I have some ongoing GI Issues/IBS. Always working on settling the stomach and have become a bit lackadaisical on my sugar intake. It is the one thing that when my intake is too high I feel miserable and I get sick. So over the next 100 days I am going to eliminate sugar, if it is listed in the first 5 ingredients I don't eat it! Don't worry I have already done some research on pumpkin dessert recipes that don't have sugar in them! Sugar is always a trigger for me and I will feel better without it.

The next area I have become a bit lazy, and I worked so hard to make this a positive habit, is my morning workouts. I have been hitting the snooze button too often and then I don't up in time to get my workouts done. This needs to change. Going forward next 100 days I am making this a habit again and part of my routine. Up early to get the workouts done, no excuses. This helps me in so many ways, one being it gives me more time in the evening to focus on my school assignments if the workouts are done.

The next 100 day challenge item, is a true challenge for me. While figuring out my GI/IBS issues I have noticed how often I eat cheese. All kinds of cheese, in recipes or on its own. It really doesn't help me so I thought I would try and give it up for 100 days. This will be a challenge and could be tough but what doesn't hurt you only makes you stronger, right?!?

I am sharing this with you so you know what I am up to over the next 100 days. And keep in mind now that you know, if you see me eating something with too much sugar or any sort of cheese, I give you permission to yell at me!!

The next thing has to do with meditation. Several years ago my cousin and I read the book 10% happier by Dan Harris. In order to deal with stress and anxiety, Dan started meditating. He wrote the book to tell his story and his journey with meditation. After I finished the book I became very curious about meditation and I started to read more books. Meditation is often referred to the practice of meditation. It is called a practice because you are never perfect at it you are always practicing it and trying to get better.

After sharing with my coach that I started the practice of meditation she suggested a book called The mindful Athlete by George Mumford. This was a great book and showed how meditation can help with sports, athletes, and during competition. I really got into and enjoyed it. However, a few months ago I noticed I was completing the meditation for the wrong reasons. I found myself doing it just to check it off the to do list instead of really enjoying the process. I walked away from it for quite some time.

Now I miss it and I think it is time to bring it back into my life. What better time than now to bring it back into my routine. I have found through my marathon training that I get too much into my head during my runs. I become my own worst enemy and just beat myself up for miles. I recently picked this book up and I am curious to see how this book could help with my running and hopefully with other endurance sports. Stay tuned for that...but over the next 100 days I will being the practice of meditation and hopefully it will not become a choir!

There are other little projects I have that I would love to tackle, maybe I will try to get things off that to do list over the next 100 days.

Do you want to join in? What is your challenge? What would you like to accomplish over the next 100 days? This could be fun!! Embrace the next 100 days!