Better this time :)

Alright.

So if you read my last post, sorry to frreak you out. I'm doin just fine :)

Last week was a pretty low point in training. Skipped workouts and lack of focus resulted in me reaching an absolute nadir but also resulted in a realization that, if I want to succeed in this IronMan Triathlon that is now only 5 months away (Yikes!), I need to stop dwelling in 'misery' on things i should have done and focus on what I can do now.

So I decided, no more excuses.

Really. None.

I know that not every workout that I do will be met with extreme enthusiasm. I know that there will be days when I just-don't-wanna but I'm-just-gonna-hafta put one foot in front of the other or one arm in front of the other, focus on the task at hand and just get-it-done. Period.

I know that the 'runner's high' won't happen everytime I run, or that 'feeling like i'm gliding beautifully through the water' won't happen every time I swim, or that 'climbing the hill on my bike in the zone, perfectly connected' won't be as frequent an occurance as I'd like and that is OKAY.

I'll still be chasing those highs that WILL happen every now and make it all worth it.

And they may not always come in the form of my own running/biking/swimming.

They may come in the form of a Facebook friend who, after reading my endurance story, felt inspired to donate.

They may come in the form of my friend Karyn or Phil that I'm 'psuedo' coaching that tell me about how much they appreciate being able to talk to me about their training.

And they may come in the form of me reflecting on all that I've accomplished since I first started triathlons and allowing myself to actually be proud of myself, despite some of my short-comings.

I'm convinced that any major task or goal in life requires three things for success: Heart, Dedication and Faith.

Heart: You've gotta have the passion burning within you to accomplish what you've set out to do. If your heart's not in it, you've lost the battle before you even started. There will be days when you second guess yourself, and times when you're tired or worn out. But if you have a deep desire to accomplish your goal, it'll get you through those tough times and keep that light at the end of the tunnel in sight.

Dedication: Simply put, sometimes you just have to put your head down and do the work. You have to commit, fully. Your heart may be in it, but if you're not willing to put in the work, your 'heart' can only carry you through so far. The ability to put total focus and hardwork into the task at hand is absolutely essential in achieving success.

Faith: Gotta have faith. Gotta believe in yourself. Gotta know, deep down inside, that if you have the Heart and you put in the Work that you WILL succeed. Period. No room for doubts, no room for what-ifs... because if you don't believe in yourself, who else will?

Changing subjects:

On the training front, things are going great! I've had a few great workouts and a few 'gosh I don't wanna do this' workouts but over all, I'm pretty happy with everything.

Last sunday, I did an almost 4hr Brick workout (3:20 bike ride, 30 min run) and I was amazed at how resilient the body is.

The last time I had ridden over 40 miles was two months ago and the ease with which I was able to do it again was pleasantly surprising. No real pain or soreness, not even during the run.

The only issue is that I didn't take in enough calories on the bike. I was only eating about 150 or so calories per hour, when really it should be more like 250-300. As a result, I was ready to collapse at the end of the workout, not because I was worn out, but because I desperately needed some energy!

Note to self: Eat more or you'll whither away!