Thursday, February 10, 2011

Keeping it Real

I think by now, many of you know that I am a pretty serious athlete. By that I mean I am serious about my training and how I perform. Training for Triathlons and road races is a way of life for me. I am very lucky to have enough time in my life to dedicate many hours each week to the sport I love. I organize my days around my swims or my bikes or my runs. It's just part of what I do. I am a Mom to my kids, I coach my athletes, I train myself and I am a wife to Mark.
I do my best to go to bed at a reasonable hour and eat foods that support my very active lifestyle and keep my body healthy and ready to rock.
I do my best.
I care.
A lot.

Where am I going with this??

I think it's interesting the way so many of us seem to forget who we are. We can only do what we can do. I put my heart and soul into my training and racing. And yet, I know there are things I do wrong. The training I do calls for a Lot more sleep. Hey, I think there's even literature out there that would claim I even require Naps for optimal performance!
Ya right.
Naps?

I am also quite certain that I am not at my perfect race weight. I will do my best all season to get there. I don't eat junk food and I rarely eat out. But don't get me wrong, if there are warm freshly baked chocolate chip cookies in front of me, I will eat one. Oh who am I kidding. I'll eat three or four. Aren't I baaaaaad!!!

I am struggling to write this blog. I am just throwing it out there that I think it's important to keep it real. I need remind myself of that from time to time. I am a busy person for many reasons. Not just because I train for many hours/ week. I am doing the best I can do to keep all things balanced but at the end of the day, I am Not a profesional and can't expect to live the lifestyle of one.

Balance--- that' all I can say.
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Moving along..

I think I might start growing gills. It would be helpful anyway. I'm Back in the water and swimming and swimming and swimming!!! Jen promised me I'd remember how to swim when I grumbled quietly about my slow times last fall. She was right and she's making sure I never complain again!! [Right Jen? :o) ] I was in the water 1-2x week during my marathon training. Phew... I'm making up for it now! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to swim!!! But my shoulders are screaming right now. And I think, they have grown even bigger in the past 2 weeks. I am laughing as I write this though. Back in the day, when I was 'just a swimmer,' I swam 11x week. We practiced 2x / day and then again on Saturday morinings. It was very rare for a workout to be less than 5000yards. My big swimming lately has been ~ 4x week with 1 or maybe 2 workouts at 5000. It' all relative though. Obviously I'm doing more than swimming so 3-4x is Just fine.

After running all fall, my body is readjusting again. I added my strength program back. I've increased my swimming and biking and continued with running. And, my body is tired!! I am getting stronger again though and that is worth the fatigue. I will rest soon and recover and be even stronger again.

I am also convinced that my boys are at the toughest ages they've been yet. They are now 11,9 and 6. They have not had a full week of school since Christmas ( maybe 1??) and as a result, I can't catch up around home. These boys are incredible. I've said it a million times-- I think they're fantastic little people. But WOAH! They ARE boys and they ARE loud!! There is contant action and issues and hunger!! It's just 100 mph all day long. My middle guy truly does not seem to be able to walk anywhere. He is in constant motion. Usually in the form of jumping or rolling or galloping. I just took a deep breath thinking about it..... Even when behavior is A-ok.....they are just busy. The house is rockin'..... it's a lot of work. I know you other Moms get it. When they were babies, and smaller children, it was different. Busy-yes. Loud-yes but in a different way. Their voices were baby / small child voices. It was physical for me. I carried them everywhere. I lugged huge bags and cribs and carseats. But now, they are BOYS! It's different and It's wild. And, I do love it. But I'm TIRED!
I know I know...wait 'til they're teenagers.
You know what I'll do then?? I'll take them on 10 mile runs with me and make them keep up. teeheheeeee.. they'll love that.

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How' that for a random post!?

time for a ride.

7 comments:

Christi said...

Wow, that is some great swimming! I am impressed but then I am not a great swimmer so I am always impressed by you strong ladies!

I totally understand the boy thing. I only have one son but I have all his friends as my adopted boys. And yes they are loud as young boys and as teenagers! Good luck!

GetBackJoJo said...

All you need to add to your life is a few big dogs! Then I can safely call the insane asylum and reserve a spot for you. :) hehe JK.
And actually, you do have ankle attacking kitties already...

Some days I find it so easy to just take a step back and put the training and racing in perspective. And then some days I can't put it in perspective at all... it totally consumes me. But I will never say no to a homemade chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven. That is wrong on so many levels.

Running and living said...

I can never do the food thing that most people do...I eat healthy but the moment I deny something, I want it, so I never do. Eating chocolate at the end of the day is so relaxing, I would never give that up. Now napping, that, I like! And you can fit it in, if you make it a priority. It is interesting how we never miss a workout but we all skimp on the recovery...what if recovery was the secret that would get us faster, and more important that an actual 15 min of a run or bike?

Caratunk Girl said...

Food (as you know) is my biggest issue. I think you are amazing, being a mom and balancing it all at the level you do.

dawn said...

your post is my life for the last two months. food. time. five-year-old kindergartener and already playing travel hockey. work. husband. triathlon workouts.

Something's gotta give -- yeah I know it's a movie -- but it's also my life.

Thanks for the reminder that I have to find balance. Sounds yoga-like -- but again -- there is no more time.

mjcaron said...

Um.. you swam that much? I can't really comprehend swimming that much. Didn't you get bored? Well, regardless it odviously paid off!

runningyankee said...

i love this post. we all have our things that make us crazy. that we have to schedule around and deal with every day. its always so refreshing when people are honest and say its hard and i'm maybe not doing the best at it but the best I can. thats whats important. and DUH dont you already have gills?