Getting my brain back in the game

Well…..  certainly not the beginning of my training season as I thought it would be.  My job ended up taking 60+ hours a week.  Every aspect of the owner’s life is pure chaos and she doesn’t know how to operate any other way.  I, on the other hand, am the exact opposite.  I can deal with chaos but usually have a plan in place to minimize it where you can.  I finally had enough of the unnecessary craziness and hours put in that were just silly.  So as of March 1^st I am unemployed.  My poor husband is stressed over it but I’ll figure something out. 

This last week I was able to get most of my training in but it kicked my behind!  I am using a Triathlon coach, who is really good and spot on about what I need to do to get better.  I’ve been adding gym workouts to correct some imbalances and get overall stronger.  Plus I started running backwards!  That’s hard.  I love all the information my coach sends me, the videos, write ups, suggestions.  I am an information junkie.  It’s a lot to take in but taking it one thing at a time.  It will all come together.

My brain has not been focused on my training because of my work and it’s a bit of a shift to get it back in focus.  It’s not all about just putting in time running, biking and swimming, if you don’t’ have the brain and mental toughness on board forget it you wont’ get very far.  I always say that; yes you have to do the work but the mind is more than 70% if the total equation.  That part fascinates me.

I was told when I did my first triathlon that I would get addicted and do more. HA! I said, no way!  My first triathlon was super hard and I hated it.  Fast forward a couple years, hip problems and discovering swimming and I do a relay where I do the swim part of the triathlon.  Ok, loved it.  Then I decided I could do the swim and bike part of the relay and get someone else to run for me.  Ok, loved that too.  My hips kept deteriorating to where the bike was even hard.  Had my surgeries, rehabbed and started back with triathlon relay doing the swim and bike.  It took me a little longer to get back to the run, very hard but I finally did it. 

About 1-½ years after my surgery I finished a Half IronMan at Amelia Island.  I never had so much fun competing ever!  Smiled all the way through it.  I’ve always done competitions to do the training, stay in shape and socialize while I do it.  The events were just the side effect of it and I didn’t like them.  The Half IronMan was tough but I did it and was crying as I crossed the finish line.  You never know what someone’s journey is or what he or she has been through.  After that I was hooked.  Once thing that endurance training teaches you, is that you can do more than you think you are capable of, in every aspect of your life.  Once you stop telling yourself you can’t do it then there is nothing to stop you from doing it, whatever it is.  Very empowering.  I wish I could bottle that and sell it, I would be rich J

There are so many people that have it tougher than I do and I see them out competing or overcoming whatever problems they have and I can only hope that I would do the same, no matter what the problem was.  I look at it and think: well what are your choices.  Do nothing, sit around and say oh poor me.  Or do something and say wow, look what I can do.  We are all just people trying to get through life.  Why not make it the best that you can?