Last week was the official start of my “training plan” for Ironman Arizona. I use that term loosely as I don’t have a coach and don’t have a specific “plan” that I am following. But I’ve decided that since I’m 40 weeks out, I should focus my journey a bit more on achieving the goals I have for myself at IMAZ in November. So I let my mantra dictate my week!
Quote of the week:
“Show the f*%k up!”
~ME
Swim: 8300 yards
I just love when I see 12x100s in Training Peaks (even though I put it there š¤£š„³)! Thursday when I started this swim, I felt like I was swimming through mud, but I reminded myself to show the f*%k up and stick with it. After a solid warm up, I still felt I was swimming through mud, but told myself that I just needed to show up for THIS interval…and ya know what?! By the time I got to the “fast” efforts, I was feeling like I was moving efficiently through water instead of fighting the mud, so keep showing up in THIS moment!
Warm up:
300 swim
4×50 drills
200 swim
100 kick
Main Set:
4×100 easy with 20 seconds rest between
4×100 moderate with 20 seconds rest between
4×100 fast with 20 seconds rest between
500 pull with paddles
Cool Down:
200 any stroke
Small habits add up to big success! Showing up for yourself in this moment is a step in developing small habits that fuel big successes over time. When you show up, you get a bit more courageous, confident, stronger, resilient, and powerful every time, so decide to show the f*%k up for yourself! šš
Bike: 87.2 miles
Saturday I showed up for some sweat equity. My brain said, “blah, blah, blah” at the 2:15 endurance ride and tried to sabotage my success by talking my body out of succeeding, but thankfully my body was stronger! My brain would rather have intervals instead of an endurance ride when riding indoors, so I had to show the f*%k up and pull my brain back into my workout multiple times throughout this ride.
My body reminded my brain to show the f*%k up even for the less challenging workout and won the battle!
Run: 22.1 miles
I had a lot of great runs this week (with a couple of them being outdoors…yay for our *heatwave*), but the one that I had to show the f*%K up for the most was Monday’s speed work on the treadmill. It was structured as:
15 minute EASY warm up
4×4 minutes FAST with 4 minutes EASY between
Cool down EASY to 50 minutes
I have done this workout a few times since the start of 2021, so I had a baseline that I felt I should be able to hold for the FAST efforts. This baseline was 7.8 mph (7:41/mile pace) at 1.0% incline. I decided to really challenge myself and push my limits by running “my pace” for these 4 minute FAST intervals at 8.0 mph (7:30/mile pace) with the 1.0% incline. The first 2 intervals were tough, but tolerable. By the 3rd interval I was spitting out positive words (Courage, Believe, Show Up, Limitless, and Strong) whenever I could get enough of a breath to talk out loud to myself, but they were on repeat in my brain. The last interval was all guts and determination!
I have goals! So today I challenged myself to run my “fast” intervals even faster than what I thought I could and ya know what?! I successfully surpassed what I thought I could do. . -Was it challenging?! YES! -Was it comfortable?! NO! -Did it take positive self talk to keep me focused on achieving success?! YES! -Was it worth it?! HELL YES! . We are all capable of SO much more than we think. Have the COURAGE to SHOW UP and BELIEVE you are STRONG + LIMITLESS! This is where the magic happens! šš
Snowshoe: 4.89 miles
It finally warmed up enough (kind of…is +3*F windchill warm enough?!?!) to venture outside and snowshoe for a bit on Wednesday! It was fun to get to see one of my Coeur Sports Collective Beat teammates and play in the snow together! Our adventures were short, but it was good to catch up in a COVID safe way! We had a few more snowshoe adventures later in the week after it warmed up even more and felt like a *heatwave* when it was in the 20s.
After being cooped up for a week because of the bitterly cold temps, I’m grateful it finally warmed up enough to get some fresh air (some even with friends) today! āļøšš
Strength Training: 15 minutes of core strength daily 3×30 minute full body workouts 2×30 minutes of yoga
Weekly Totals: 17 hours & 2 minutes
Attitude of Gratitude:
I got my 2021 Coeur Sports Alumni team gear! I am SUPER excited to continue to represent Coeur Sports and be a part of the inaugural Alumni team as we continue to strive to encourage, empower, support, and inspire women in sport!
When the windchill is -38*F, reading a good book while sitting in the Normatec Recovery boots is a win!
So grateful I GOT to run outside…even if the windchill temp was only 3*F! Fresh, crisp air is good for the soul!
Someone wanted all the snuggles under the warm blanket with me after snowshoeing adventures! āļøšš
It’s all about the attitude! Today I had an #attitudeofgratitude for the *heatwave*, fresh air, sunshine, playtime, and sMILES together! šš
Short sunset snowshoe with the fam! āļøš
Epsom salt + lavender bubble bath = good recovery after a big workout!
We HAD to get out and play in the snow covered woods today. It was such a GORGEOUS winter’s day! Fresh air + sunshine + family + play + snow = #happyheart āļøšš
I love my little snuggle bug!
I am stoked to continue to represent Coeur Sports in 2021 by being part of the inaugural Alumni team! Need some questions answered?! Iām your girl! Need some cheers or encouragement?! Iām your girl! Need some support?! Iām your girl! Need some motivation or inspiration?! Iām your girl! Need some race day high fives or hugs?! Iām your girl! š¤š»š¤š»š¤š» Letās empower and lift each other!
What were your highlights from week 7 of 2021?! What mantra(s) do you turn to?!
2 sliver medals for our household at the Incydeman Triathlon! Running away from the judgement and toward living my best life! Kicking out the previous 198 watt FTP to make room for the new 214 watt FTP.
February:
Finishing 1st in F40-49 and 4th overall female at the Rosy Cheeks 5K. Lunch, girl talk, and hugs with my Coeur Sports teammates, Jess and Courtney! The twins had a swim meet! Love seeing these two!
March:
Running in a new town…exploring new places and SHORTS!! Coeur team gear arrived! For me, 2020 is about courage, confidence, and celebration! Bring it! ***Little did I know what 2020 had in store for us all… Celebrating my birthday a bit early with one of my favorite food groups…sushi! So grateful for all of the strong AF, badass women in my life. The ones who lift each other up, support each other in life and sport, encourage each other to live their best life, inspire each other to dream big, and stand beside you through it all! I’m so grateful I got to share some miles with one of those strong AF, badass women today! Getting to travel with this beautiful lady! #safety first Grateful for these AMAZING ladies who sang happy birthday to me mid swim in the rain. It really filled my heart! Having fun running laps in SoCal! These two beauties are AMAZING!! I’m so grateful for everything Kebby (the founder of Coeur Sports) has done for women in sport (myself included). And Lisa…You my dear are beautiful soul inside and out! Thanks for the laughs (and photo bombing)!! After work, we adopted our new baby girl…meet Jersey! She is 1 year old and holds keys to all of our hearts. 1.25 recovery miles with Jersey It warms my heart to watch the dogs play ball! Grateful I don’t have to social distance from my favorite girl and for the 12 miles of time together! Do what makes you happy and be kind to others! We are all struggling right now. A happy heart and kindness go a LONG way.
April:
Play time! That slobber says it all…PURE JOY!! Enjoying sunshine, fresh air, and family time! “Hey mom, what is that thing?” ~Jersey Jersey made sure to find a space to snuggle while I was getting my recovery on with my Normatec recovery boots. We may not be able to connect in person, but we are finding ways to connect virtually. I’m so grateful to have landed beside this STAR when I was shooting for the moon! She shines SO bright and makes my heart happy! Playing LOTS of cards with my fave as we isolate. Race day hugs are on hold right now. Until we can hug in person, virtual race day hugs will have to do! I got to ride outside!! It rained on us a little bit, but I SERIOUSLY LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!! Did a virtual race since racing isn’t happening right now. I miss racing in real life. Yay for more outdoor riding with my fave!
May:
Did a virtual 1/2 marathon…since they sent me the medal, I felt I had to run the distance. As a white female, I do not fear for my safety while running. I have ran many miles at o’dark thirty in the morning. I have ran countless miles by myself. I don’t run with music and am always very aware of my surroundings, but I do not run in fear. Sadly, there are many people who do run in fear for their safety. They face their fear as they head out the door to run because running is something that brings them joy. . Today we #runwithmaud because we are honoring a man we don’t know. Because hatred should not exist in our world. Because no one should ever be brutally murdered while out running and doing what brings them joy. Because he was a different skin color. Because racial injustice breaks my heart and angers me to the depths of my soul. Because it should not take an outrage on the internet to get action and justice. Because now more than ever we need to come together as HUMAN BEINGS, love each other, and spread kindness! Playing ball at the cross country course! Full and grateful heart! . I GOT TO run 5 miles with my girls just after sunrise! Full and grateful heart! . I GOT TO spontaneously ride 55 miles with my fav after running today! After 10 weeks away from the water, it is safe to say I missed it tremendously! The calm, quiet, meditative state the water provides is exactly what my soul needed! I was SO grateful to have the whole pool to just the two of us this morning. 3 keys to my heart! Today was a near perfect day in Iowa on two wheels…blue skies, sunshine, little wind, open roads, wind turbine farms for miles, fresh air, 85 miles of bike love with my fav…life doesn’t get much better than this! “Life is a journey. Enjoy the ride.” 60+ more miles with my fav on two wheels and the open roads really filled my soul today.
June:
What a perfect day for 100 miles on 2 wheels! Bluebird skies, gorgeous green foliage, golden glow, and no wind on the open roads/trails…doesn’t get much better than this! #1stcenturyof2020 I love the water! Today’s adventures on the water were the perfect recovery for my body, mind, and soul! See these smiles?! This is what happens when you ride with friends on the open roads on two wheels! #happyheart + pure joy!
July:
#smilesformiles with some AMAZING peeps today! Love life on two wheels even more when others join the fun! #2ndcenturyof2020 Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful day! “How far do you want to ride today?!” “I don’t know. Let’s see how we feel.” 85 miles later I think it’s safe to say we felt really good! Lost. I feel SO LOST right now. 2020 has forced me to slow down, step back, look at the big picture, and appreciate all that I had. And ya know what?! I don’t like it! I don’t like it one bit! It has left me feeling SO LOST! . I f*cking miss racing. I miss IN REAL LIFE RACING. I miss the motivation it provides me to push myself way out of my comfort zone. I miss the long days of swim/bike/run training to prepare for the big dance. I miss traveling to new places. I miss the race morning butterflies. I miss the hugs and high fives. I miss the race week and race day excitement. I miss meeting new people. I miss the spectators. I miss pushing and challenging myself in training so I can do and be my best on race day. I miss the volunteers. I miss the drive and focus. I miss overcoming obstacles. I miss problem solving on the fly. I miss Mother Nature throwing us race day curve balls. I miss the competition. I miss the race day exhilaration. I miss those finish lines. I miss the HUGE sense of accomplishment. I miss overcoming the impossible. I even miss the blisters and chafing…ok, maybe not. . Sure I get some of these things on occasion while training right now, but NOT like I do when training for a race and on race day. Solo training and virtual racing just don’t fill my cup. I miss IN REAL LIFEE RACING! . I’m ready for the 2020 dumpster fire to burn out. I’m ready for this lost feeling to make its exit. I’m ready to move forward into 2021 better, smarter, and more ready than ever to race safe, happy, and full of passion. This 2020 break from racing has lit the fire in my soul so big and bright for what is to come in future races! I want it! I can feel it! A run can change your mood, your day, your life, so the next time you have the opportunity, lace up and head out the door. You won’t regret it! “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” ~J.K. Rowling . I’m so grateful for this amazing light! She has helped make the 2020 darkness so much brighter! Sometimes you have to let go of all expectations and just play in the rain and splash in the puddles.
August:
Rolling into August with a #happyheart + 100 miles of fun on two wheels with my fav! #3rdcenturyof2020 That family portrait…fun with friends on two wheels! A weekend with friends on two wheels enjoying life outdoors in Madison was exactly what my heart and soul needed! Today’s ride had a few detours and route adjustments due to Monday’s Derecho storm, which allowed for opportunities to climb hay bales and play! Today should have been Ironman #8 at IMMT. We rode 112 miles because…why the hell not?! The scenery in central Iowa looks nothing like Mont Tremblant, but any day on two wheels with my fav is a great day! Hopefully next year we’ll get to head back to MT for beautiful scenery and an epic day of racing! #4thcenturyof2020 Fun Friday fooleries at the poolery! Adding play is SO important and often overlooked. Don’t forget to play and play often! Morning miles with my girls was glorious! #sundayfunday was had helping my Collective Beat teammate, Courtney, build confidence on the bike. #sundayfunday included Jersey taking her maiden voyage on the SUP (we will work on standing when she doesn’t move around on the board so much)! A tired pup is a good pup!
September:
My heart is full! Happy 8th birthday Basil! Grateful for: -Jersey running 7 miles with me -cooler temperatures -longest run in a LONG time -endurance miles -smiling the whole way -SO MUCH JOY #fridayhappyhourswim is the best way to end the week! What SUP?! Being on the water makes me happy!! Truth bomb and lots of vulnerability coming at ya! . As a child I was sexually abused by our babysitter and have ridden the mental health roller coaster for decades. With the cancellation of all good things in 2020, I have spent more time in the valleys of the mental health roller coaster than up on the peaks. For the last couple of decades, racing has provided me with structure to help me cope with the mental demons. I really miss racing and the structure it provides me. . I tell you this because September 6 kicked off National Suicide Prevention Week. There is not enough emphasis and support placed on mental health. It’s time to change that! So today I put on a bright Coeur Sports kit, laced up my Newton Kismets, and ran 9.88 miles to raise awareness for mental health. . In the event of a physical emergency, people know to call 911. Starting in 2022, people can dial 988 in the event of a mental and emotional emergency.988 will automatically connect people to the Suicide Prevention hotline. 100 miles on two wheels with my favorite super hero as the colors start to indicate that fall is well on its way = perfect way to enjoy a day off work. #5thcenturyof2020 I got paid to ride my bike today! I found this $2 bill on my ride. And while it looks like fall has arrived with the changing colors and fields getting harvested, I was grateful for the summer temps! Do what makes you happy and brings you joy! For me this includes LOTS of time in the saddle. This has been my biggest bike year ever! Cycling puts my mind at ease during discomfort and uncertainty, it provides me with freedom from the chains of my past, and it untames my soul. I’m so happy to be riding through life and today’s 100 miles with my fav by my side! 6thcenturyof2020 Today we spread our wings and flew! The struggle (strong headwind) was definitely worth the reward (20 mph tailwinds pushing us home)! Grateful for 55 miles of freedom on two wheels with my fav!
October:
Running into fall! It’s #medalmonday! SO grateful to have these two help me run the Drake 1/2 Marathon on Saturday. They definitely earned this medal! Any day I GET TO ride 100 miles with my fav is a FANTABULOUS day! #7thcenturyof2020 You can find magic wherever you like. All you need is an open road, fresh air, and a bike. Cycling provides me so much freedom and clarity. Riding outdoors this time of year can be such a rarity. So I’m taking advantage of every last beautiful day…To get outside and be on my way! Just going to LEAF you with photos from our century ride today. #8thcenturyof2020 “Fall reminds us that change is inevitable and necessary for growth. There is beauty in change.” ~Rita Messing The temps felt like summer, but the colors definitely say fall is here!
November:
Family photos! Love these 3 to pieces! Photo credit: Captured by Heidi The keys to my heart are all in this pic! Photo credit: Captured by Heidi Looking forward to 2021 with my Coeur family in a new and special way! I’m SO glad these two love each other! This run was full of goodness! -62*F -sunshine -no wind -bliss -smiles -shorts + tank in November -freedom -joy Get out there and enjoy the goodness! Inhale…exhale… Run off the crazy… Trust the process… Do you… Jersey is SO good at yoga! Play! Today we played outside! Today we played in the sunshine! Today we played for 70+ miles of #bikelove with no wind! Today was all play! Today I am SO GRATEFUL that I GOT TO race for the first time since February. While I was very undertrained for this event, it was my first 1/2 marathon EVER that I ran the ENTIRE thing without taking one walking step. I kept reminding myself that #IGETTO do this and I have no idea when I’ll get to race again, so I was going to push myself even when it became uncomfortable. . Thank you to the race directors for putting on a SAFE race. -each athlete had to fill out a Covid survey online 24 hours before racing -masks were required before and after (I wore mine for the first 4 miles and every time I went through an aid station or if I was by others while running) -athletes were spread 6 feet apart in the starting “corral” that extended for an eternity -2 athletes started every 5 seconds to spread athletes out for social distancing -there was no medal distribution at the finish line (finisher medals were placed in a brown paper bag with a banana, cookie, and granola bar that athletes picked up off of a table) -spectators were not allowed to congregate at the start/finish area -I carried my own water for this race so I didn’t have to interact with volunteers at the aid stations . Bonus safety measure…Mother Nature provided us with 20+ mph winds so there was very little risk of droplets from others. On #muralmonday (November 9) I got to run in shorts + tank top in Iowa. I’m sure snow will be here before we know it, but for now I’m holding on to this weather for as long as I can! Running with a grateful heart today! It’s so much easier to run when I focus on gratitude…it feels effortless, I go faster, I smile more, my heart is happy! Our playground is open! Our playground is open! We love when the golf course closes so we can play all winter! Progressive miles + lots of heart on this #muralmonday run. . Progressive miles…do you love them or hate them?! Sometimes I find myself starting out faster than I thought and end up having to push SO hard in that last mile. I’m sure the grimace on my face is UGLY during that last mile! BUT the smile on my face when I’m done knowing I left it all out there and gave my best effort is HUGE! Snuggles with Jersey while recovering in my Normatec boots is the best! She LOVES the “pillows” that my recovery boots create for her! The fire in the sky during morning sunrises have been STUNNING lately! Here’s another gorgeous sunrise! “When you’re doing what you love to do, you don’t get exhausted. You get exhausted from trying to fulfill everyone else’s ideas and ideals about who you should be. When you do that, you’re not being true to yourself.” ~Oprah . Do what you love and be true to yourself! #sundayrunday with 2 of my favorite girls enjoying the sunshine, fresh air, and open playground! This is me rising up like a phoenix, stepping out of the shadows and soaring into the light…into my greatness! Vulnerability IS strength! Awww…these two snuggle bugs have two keys to my heart! Happy Thanksgiving! We took our family turkey trot through campus today with two of our favorite turkeys! . Why should you never put the turkey next to the dessert? . Because he will gobble it right up! Me: (serenading Tim to Brynn Elliott’s song) “Well if you don’t like girls that are stronger than you And if you don’t like girls who are faster than you And if you don’t like girls who are smarter than you Well then you might not like me, you might not like me” Tim: You’re loca en la cabeza! Keep practicing and you might get better at singing. . Disclaimer…holding a tune is NOT one of my strengths! Anytime I get double snuggles with two of my favorite girls, I’ll take it! Love these two to pieces! “‘Run to win’ isn’t about finishing first, but about getting the best out of yourself.” ~Meb Keflezighi . Always show up so you can get the best out of yourself! On this bonus vacation day, we braved the cold temps to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air + family time and get the best out of ourselves!
December:
I’m hoping that by November of 2021 we will be in a place where racing is happening again! SOOOO…I signed up to play in the desert! It is National Believe Week. I believe! -I believe Black Lives Matter. -I believe one person CAN make a difference. -I believe we CAN create change. -I believe the time is NOW! -I believe we need to keep educating ourselves. -I believe we need to keep stepping out of our comfort zones. -I believe we need to keep showing up for others. -I believe kindness always wins. . Do you believe? This morning’s ride was tough! I missed hitting targets on some intervals, but nailed an interval (on shredded legs) that I missed on Saturday’s ride. Moral of the story…keep showing up! You never know when the breakthrough will come! Sunshine, fresh air, and endorphins are good for the body, mind, and soul!! Go outside and get you some of your own today!! “Oh what a beautiful morning…Oh what a beautiful day…” Today’s choice…let the water wash over me as I continue to strive to get the best out of myself. . Choices…we all make them everyday. You may not agree with my choices, but you aren’t walking in my shoes. You don’t know all of the pros and cons that are weighed before making the choices and decisions I do. Just because you don’t agree with my choices doesn’t give you the right to shame me, belittle me, guilt me, or say/do hurtful things to try to make me feel small. Kindness, love, encouragement, compassion, empowerment…these all need to be spread like wildfire to support people living BIG! When I get an opportunity to run commute home from work on a nice winter day, I take it! Productive Failure…I’d rather try my best and fail, than not try at all. So what if I fall short of my expectations as long as I’ve given my all. This is failing productively. This is where we learn. This is how we get stronger. This is where we grow. This is where we move from the uncomfortable a little closer to the comfortable. This is where the magic happens! Keep failing, but fail productively! What month is it?! December in Iowa and we’re in shorts + tanks today. Say what?! Don’t worry…snow is supposed to be on the way this weekend! . Today’s weather had me dreaming about the future. Dream big so you can grown into the best version of yourself. Ignore the people saying your dream is too grandiose, that you can’t accomplish it, that it is unrealistic, or that your dream should be xyz. Don’t listen to them! They don’t know YOU! Dreaming outside your comfort zone requires you to consider all the possibilities and to choose courage over comfort. I choose to dream BIG! I choose to acknowledge my fears and move through them! I choose courage over comfort! I choose to chase my dreams with intention! I choose to grow into my best self! You can too! How lucky am I?! I got to run outside in December in Iowa in shorts + tank top two days in a row! I have a feeling tomorrow’s view is going to look VERY different. Walking (aka snowshoeing) in a winter wonderland!! More winter wonderland adventures!! 4 days ago I was running in shorts + tank top. Today looked and felt a bit different…all the layers, frozen snot, white all around, some slick surfaces…bring on the winter running! Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ right past 7000 miles on the bike in 2020! This is by far the most bike mileage I’ve ever had in one year! How many bike miles will I end up with?!?!?! I reflected on 2020 A LOT today! Sure this year was HARD and NOT AT ALL what I had hoped or planned for, BUT 2020 gave me the OPPORTUNITY to slow down, appreciate all that I have, overcome challenges and GROW in so many ways! 2020 has helped me become an even better version of myself and I bet if you take some time to reflect, you are heading into 2021 a stronger, more resilient, grittier, more courageous, wiser, better version of yourself too! Giving the courage cave a face lift…making it bright, vibrant, and sunny no matter what the weather is like outside! Frosty Frolic I love her and her snuggles! Some MUCH NEEDED treatment! “Create your own sunshine!” . It may be gloomy outside, but it is bright and sunny in our courage cave! Merry Christmas 2020 style! Run Santa Run! Merry Christmas from our pack to yours! Sushi…mmmmmm Snuggling under the blanket with Jersey warms my heart! What are you chasing? Are you chasing the fire deep in your heart and soul? Are you chasing someone else’s dreams because you’re comparing yourself to others? Are you chasing something you feel you SHOULD be chasing, but doesn’t hold a key to your heart? . If you are chasing anything other than what sets your heart and soul on fire, you are wasting energy. Let go of all of the things that don’t serve you! Don’t let anyone tell you that what’s in your heart and soul isn’t worth chasing, because they are wrong! #doyou “Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, and the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.” ~Deepak Chopra . So grateful for a strong and healthy body, mind, and soul as we leave 2020 behind. Most of my everything is right here! Nature is so beautiful! A long sunset family snowshoe hike was the perfect adventure to close the door on 2020 and open the door to 2021! 2020 wasn’t all bad! š
PushMyLimits 