On Hold...

For weeks something heavy was weighing on my shoulders I had to make a decision and it wasn't going to be easy.  Back in January my life had taken a 180 degree turn.  I had a new job (which I love), I was now commuting almost 3 hours a day and I was traveling a lot for work.  So for the last two months I have been trying to create a balance in my life of work, travel, commuting, sleep, volunteering and training ... I felt like I was becoming a "jack of all trades but a master of none".  What should I do?  This question loomed over me for weeks.  Well last Saturday I woke up and made my decision.  I said it out loud to myself and it felt like the world had been lifted off my shoulders.  Even though I made the decision I was nervous about telling people.  I knew it was the right decision but I didn't know what other people would say.  I shared my decision with a few friends and they agreed that it was the best decision for me.  I had thought about it for a long time and the decision was well thought out.  I decided to put my 70.3 training on hold and try to defer my race entry until 2014.  Due to my new job, the commuting and my travel my training has not been consistent.  It becomes hard to swim when you don't have access to a pool for a week because the hotel you are staying in didn't have a pool.  Or it is hard to get some time in on your bike when your bike was at home but you were 100s and 100s of miles away.  Not only was training suffering physically, mentally I had my doubts too.  I shared my decision with my coach and he too thought it was the best decision.  He told me that I should not worry about what others thought and that I was not quitting just putting it on hold.  He is right ... I still have three half marathons, three sprint triathlons scheduled, and open water swim and countless other races to focus on this summer.  As much as we want to think we can do it all sometimes we have to say no.  I did the 70.3 last year and I know what I need to do to be ready ... and I wasn't going to be ready.  I have put it on hold...

Must keep running...

This morning I am looking out a window onto Cazenovia Lake in New York and it is snowing.  In fact I don't think it has stopped snowing in Cazenovia for the past four or five days.  Not surprising for this part of the country and during this time of the year.  For individuals in other parts of the country winter means  running and training on treadmills but not in Central New York.  We run in snow, sleet and in cold temperatures.  You learn how to dress for this weather and you head out the door and you do it.  Within the last seven days I ran in two different races.  The first was last Sunday, February 24th.  I ran in the Lake Effect Half Marathon.  It was 13.1 miles running along the shores of Onondaga Lake and yes it was snowing!

The second event was yesterday and it was the Tipp Hill Shamrock 4 mile run.  This event event kicks off the St. Patrick's Day celebrations around the city and it is one of my favorite events.  It is a tough course but it always fun to see so many friends along the way and of course we celebrate when we are done.  Yesterday was cold and snowy but we all got through it!

Even though I got out and finished both events I struggled a bit during these events due to some recurring injuries.  I have this strange problem with my right foot.  When I run I can tell you exactly when I hit the four mile mark because this foot becomes inflamed and it begins to cramp.  My foot feels like it is on fire.  And if it is hot out it is even worse.  So thank God that it was cold Sunday because it numbed the pain a bit.  I also have some hip problems that I have had for 10 years that can get inflamed and will bother me.  Well during the half marathon both areas on the same leg bothered me a lot.  As a result I think I changed my gate a bit and I did something to my left foot.  I will say that the first 7 miles of this half went really well.  I was making great time on the course and was really excited about that.  However, after mile 7 all went down hill.

After this event was over the past week I spent my time walking, stretching and rolling out my sore muscles.  I had to be ready for yesterday's Tipp Hill Run.  I didn't know how the four mile run would go since I was still sore and my feet were bothering me.  So when the gun went off I didn't start my watch and decided my goal that day was to just run the course and finish.  And I did just that ... I was in pain and I took it slow but I ran the entire course except for the last hill which I have to admit is a Beatch!!  And I survived my week of running!  The goal now is to figure out what is going on with this foot.  I have a lot more runs ahead of me and I can't be sidelined with pain.  I have gone to doctors before with the problem but it is a mystery to all of us since we can't find what is wrong!  This week will be a lot of swimming and biking so we can rest these paws of mine!!

Are we there yet??

A thought...

I have had one thought going through my head lately ... or maybe it is one question....

Can you be your own worst enemy??

Dealing with a new challenge...

The half marathon is scheduled for Sunday, February 24th and on Sunday, February 17th I get hit with a head cold.  I haven't been sick in so long and now I get hit with this.  I am actually home from work today trying to get rid of this thing.  Will this effect me on Sunday?  Right now I feel like crap and I have absolutely no energy!  Let's hope this turns around soon!!

Are we there yet??

Catching Up

Yes I am still alive!

I know it has been some time since I have written last, three weeks and one day to be exact, but I have a good reason.  Yes I did find my mojo, no I didn't give up on my training ... I GOT A NEW JOB!!  After being out of work for 18 weeks, I was offered a job on January 7th and I accepted the position.  I started work on January 21st and I do love it!!

I accepted a position at Ithaca College in their Alumni Relations department.  My title is Associate Director of Events and Regional Planning.  Was this means is I am overseeing events that are planned by the Alumni Office and also overseeing their alumni groups across the country.  This position will require much travel so I will have to really plan my training accordingly and not use travel as an excuse.

Right now I am still living in Syracuse and traveling to Ithaca every day.  This commute puts 130 miles round trip on my car and tacks on a lot of extra time just sitting in a car.  I have been leaving early in the morning (5:30 AM)  to get my workouts in before work.  I don't mind that because the drive to work is quick that early in the morning but it does make for a very long day and I am tired by the time I get home.

With this position I am able to use the facilities on campus, which includes a beautiful pool, a great indoor track and a wonderful workout facility.  So there are no excuses on my end!!

The training has been going well.  My swim workouts as usual are my favorite and I still don't love the bike but I am getting it done.  I have had some hip issues within the last month and we have contributed that to sitting in the car for so many hours.  So in addition to my regular workouts I have had to add a lot of stretching for the hip. 

This past weekend was a busy one ... swim workout Friday morning, which when I got out of the pool I thought to myself, "I feel great!".  Friday evening I went skiing and it was a beautiful night with great conditions!  Saturday morning I went out for a run and I wasn't looking forward to it but half way through I just kept pushing myself to go further!  And this morning I met friends for a spin workout.  It was tough and I was tired when I finished but not because I was out of shape but tired because it was a tough workout and I left it all there on the trainer!!  It has been a long time since I have said that was a great bike workout!!

Next weekend is the Lake Effect Half Marathon ... I don't know what to expect for this race.  I know I can complete the 13.1 miles I just don't have a good feeling about how fast I will do it.  I have been running and have incorporated speed workouts but I don't know what will next weekend.  All I know is I will cross the finish line.

So I hope this blog finds everyone well.  I am sorry for being MIA but I am still trying to figure out my full schedule with the new job.  And I have to say the blog has been put on hold when the job, training and sleep are a priority!

I lost my mojo...

I know it has been a very long time since my last post ... I have to admit I lost my mojo.  I lost my motivation to train.  I felt like I was going through the motions of my workouts but not giving it everything that I had.  I lost my enthusiasm for my training.  I also started to give up on my nutritional needs and I even had some binge days.  I think I was getting discouraged.  I was training and working on my weight issues but wasn't seeing results so I started to give up.

A binge for me can be a day long event or even just one meal but the results are always the same.  You never feel better than you did when you started eating, in fact you usually feel worse.  And during these periods the gluten that I become for the day or a meal doesn't care that I am trying to lose weight.  And after the binge is over trying to workout was very difficult.  I have no energy or I feel very sick.  It is a ride that goes around in circles and sometimes doesn't stop.  You eat to feel better but you feel worse so you eat some more.  I had to stop this before it got worse!

Instead of throwing in the towel I reached out to my coach and my nutritionist and told them what was happening.  I didn't want to get caught up in the downward spiral and I wanted to stop myself before it got to late.  I know that my coach and my nutritionist can not do the work for me and I am the only one to blame for what was happening but I needed them to tell me all was not lost!  I could do this and I would see results.

On January 6th I ran the Chilly Chili, which is an annual 5K race in the area.  I love this event, even if the course is a bit tough.  Well when I finished I looked at my time and realized I was slower than last year ... in fact 3 minutes slower!  When I talked with my coach I told him about this and he decided I needed to do a Tempo Run.  So the following Saturday my coach and I met at an outdoor track.  I had to do a mile warm-up (just to let you know I never warm-up ... I believe I waste good energy that way) and then I had to run 2 1/2 miles in a certain time.  Every lap I had to stay at 3:08 or below.  Well I did it I stayed at the 3:08 or better for the 2.5 miles.  I thought I was going to die at times but I did it.  When my coach looked at my splits he said to me "Do you know what these times tell me?  They tell me that you dogged the Chilly Chili".  I said to him, "but I wasn't struggling during the race, I felt OK".  He said, "exactly you didn't give it your all".  I think that Saturday I found my Mojo!!

Just going through the motions isn't going to give me the results that I want!!  I want a better time at the 70.3 and I have to work for it!!

I am sure we all have days or weeks like this where we can't get out of our own way but you can't let it get the best of you!  You have to keep fighting.  I will admit during the few days of my binges I fell off the Resolutions Wagon but I am back on it and have not given up!!

By the way I already accomplished one of my resolutions ... I got a new job in 2013!!

Are we there yet?

173 more days

Today is January 1, 2013 ... there are 173 more days until the Syracuse 70.3 Half Ironman!  How is everyone doing so far on their New Year's Resolutions?  In the last two days I have skied (and my quads and calves feel it), ran and taken a yoga class, in order to kiss 2012 good bye and ring in the New Year!!  Oh what will 2013 have in store for me?  Well I know for sure the next 173 days will be filled with training, training and more training.  Even though I have already begun my training things are going to get "kicked up a notch", if I could quote Emeril Lagasse.

I had a meeting today with my coach to discuss my training, ask any questions I had and discuss what else we could do.   I had to admit to him that I have not been faithful to one section of my training ... the strength training and core work.  I don't know why I hate it so much ... and I always have disliked it too.  I know how important it is and that it will help me a lot to lose more inches and pounds but when it comes down to doing it ... I would rather walk away from it.  But I had to be honest with him about it because if you can't be honest with your coach why bother having a coach.  I made a promise to him today to get it done and to commit to it!

So if I could add to my resolutions/goals ... I need to add in a commitment to completing my strength training and core workouts!

Here is the updated list...

1. I would like to have a new job in 2013!
2. I want a better finish time (I will keep my actual goal to myself) at the Syracuse 70.3 Half Ironman ... and I will work hard to make that happen.
3. To continue to lose the weight and inches that I started to lose in 2012
4. This next one will be tough but by making it public I hope it gets easier...To give up those food items that I don't know how to eat just a serving size ...this would include CHIPS, SNACK FOOD ETC.
5. Be committed to completing my strength training/core workouts

I hope you all had a fabulous New Year and that you have stuck to your resolutions/goals so far!

Tri Mo Tri