March was my first breath day month and it was full of lots of great things! One of the best things…seeing more and more daylight hours! Oh…and I’m so grateful that I got to race for the first time in 2024…racing in a swim meet and racing a 1/2 marathon! ⚡️
training highlights:
My 2nd ever swim meet is in the books! I swam the anchor 50 in a 200 free relay, the 200 free, 500 free, 100 free, and finished it off with the pool mile free. I am really proud of my effort (you know you worked hard when you can’t lift your arms the next day 😜), mental fortitude, and grit to get it done. The unexpected icing on the cake was placing 1st in all events except the 100 free where I placed 2nd. ⚡️ • I am so grateful for the Ames Masters Aquatic Club for their support, encouragement, and cheers on the journey to the meet and while racing!
What?! 70F + 5-7 mph winds + hazy sun = a perfect day to play outside and celebrate another trip around the sun (this weather is a definite anomaly in March in Iowa)! This is 47 ⚡️
I had the privilege of running the St. Paddy’s 1/2 Marathon. Always grateful for the opportunity to challenge myself, learn, and grow in the process.
•
Intentional thoughts I focused on during week 11 of 2024:
⚡️ run with heart
⚡️ I am making it happen
⚡️ I am creating an opportunity to achieve my goals and dreams
⚡️ dance with the discomfort
⚡️ progress over perfection
life highlights:
Little Miss Jersey celebrated her golden bark day in early March! We are so glad you chose us to be your furever home. You bring joy, sass, love, and 100% with all that you do. Love you so much baby girl! 🐶🥰
Over spring break, I got a rare opportunity to swim with Isabella. She pushed me, challenged me, and made me dig DEEP when she beat me by 1 second in our 50 free race off the blocks. Youth is definitely on her side…I was giving my all, but she was not. 🤣
This is 47 ⚡️ • So grateful that I got to enjoy some tasty food with amazing people to celebrate another trip around the sun!
gratitude highlights:
The sky was absolutely on fire for multiple sunrises this month…so grateful for the beautiful start to so many days!
It has been a hot minute since I have had the opportunity to run with Isabella. So grateful that she drug me out for a few birthday miles on a gorgeous day!
What is this nonsense?! While I am over seeing the white stuff flying around for the rest of this season, I am grateful for the precipitation since we are in a drought.
How was your month of March? What are you looking forward to in April?
Last weekend I participated in my third Ironman Virtual Race. I was supposed to run the Des Moines Women’s 1/2 Marathon (DSMWHM) on Sunday, but as you probably guessed, it was cancelled. The race director and organizers sent us our swag and finisher medal suggesting that we run the race virtually, so I knew I had to run a 1/2 marathon to earn my medal. This fit in well with the IMVR5. I decided to run the 5K and bike the 56 miles on Friday after the official time began and figured I’d run the 1/2 marathon on Sunday sandwiching a 75+ mile bike ride with my fave in on Saturday. Flexibility became the name of the game as plans changed on Saturday morning when we woke up to rain in the area. I ran the 1/2 marathon on Saturday morning and we went for our 75+ mile bike ride on Sunday instead.
As with the previous two IM virtual races, I wanted to really push myself with each leg of this race and see where my fitness is. I am grateful for the opportunity to break out my Coeur Sports team kit anytime I can this year!
5K run – 24:28 (7:51/mile average pace)
90 K bike – 2:41:12 (20.9 mph average speed)
21K run – 1:54:30 (8:44/mile average pace)
Total 5:00:10
I’m grateful for the Ironman VR5 OPPORTUNITY. It was an opportunity to “race” hard and compare my fitness to where I was a few weeks ago on the same courses. I’m so grateful for a strong + healthy body, a strong mind, and the opportunity to do this “race” over a couple of days instead of doing all of these disciplines consecutively! I kept reminding myself to push hard, dig deep, be grateful that I GET to do this, and know that I’ll get to cross a real finish line again one day! 💛💙🤍
I won’t be participating in the IM virtual races anymore. I am disappointed that they are changing the format. I realize there are people who want to be competitive with these events, but there are also many people who are using these “races” as a way to stay motivated and feel somewhat normal in these uncertain times. It would be nice if they had “for competition” and “for fun” options when registering so that people who don’t want to be competitive can continue to do these in a way that challenges and motivates them. Cheating is something I will never understand and to me, it makes even less sense to cheat on a virtual race.
This weekend is the IMVR6 and it is an “Olympic” distance event again. Are you going to participate?
Last weekend I participated in my second Ironman Virtual Race. I wasn’t sure if I was actually going to participate or not as I had been having some left hip tightness/soreness while running last week, so I decided I would head out for the 3K run and see how it felt before deciding just how far to push. If it was bothering me, I was going to take a DNF for this “race” and do a long ride instead. Thankfully it didn’t bother me, so I was able to race strong!
I treated this as a real life race doing each discipline back to back in the 3K run/40K bike/10K run format with as little transition time as possible. I did both of my runs outside and rode on the trainer indoors. I wanted to really push myself with this race and see where my fitness is. I am grateful for the opportunity to break out my Coeur Sports team kit!
3K run – 14:26 (7:36/mile average pace)
40 K bike – 1:10:16 (21.3 mph average speed)
10K run – 52:04 (8:22/mile average pace)
Smiling makes it hurt less…
Total 2:16:44 (Overall 2917/14506…top 20.1%; Women 279/4231…top 6.59%; F40-44 63/930…top 6.77%)
I’m grateful for the Ironman VR4 OPPORTUNITY. It was an opportunity “race” hard. I found my limits and pushed past them as I overcooked my chicken on the 3K run + 40K bike before giving everything I had left on the 10K run. I’m so grateful for a strong + healthy body, a strong mind, and random strangers cheering me on when I needed it most! I kept reminding myself to push hard, dig deep, be grateful that I GET to do this, and know that I’ll get to cross a real finish line again one day! 💛💙🤍
Strongly considering this weekend’s “70.3” IMVR race, but breaking it up because I REALLY want to go for a LONG bike ride outside on Saturday. So I would likely do the 5K run + 90K bike tomorrow and run the 21K on Sunday. Are you in for this distance?
Last weekend I decided to drink the Kool-Aid and participate in my first Ironman Virtual Race. I was holding off because I figured it was just another way for Ironman to gain a profit, BUT the races are FREE! They definitely look different than racing in real life. Here are some of the differences:
When you think of Ironman, you typically think swim/bike/run, but these races are duathlons instead of triathlons. That means NO SWIM! For those of you that don’t know how to swim or the swim scares you, these virtual races (VR) are for you! They follow a run/bike/run format.
You create your own routes. You can do the entire race indoors on the treadmill and trainer. You can do the entire race outdoors running and biking on the trails/streets around you. You can do the entire race by combining indoor and outdoor experiences like I did.
There are no competitors around you. You can’t rely on other athletes to push you. You have to push yourself.
There are no spectators and fans cheering for you. I highly recommend telling your neighbors that you are racing. Maybe they will go outside and cheer you on from a safe distance. If they have kids, they can make signs, which gives them something to do at home.
Your transition times are not added to your overall finish time. Only the times for each discipline of the race are added to your overall time for the race. In real life races, any time you spend changing, fueling, etc. between disciplines is added to your overall finish time.
You have 2.5 days to complete all three disciplines, so they don’t have to be done back to back. If you are unsure about how your body will hold up to complete each discipline one right after the other, you can spread them out. Each discipline of the race must be completed between 6 pm GMT on Friday and 11:59 pm GMT on Sunday. If you want to do one discipline on Friday, one on Saturday, and one on Sunday, you can. If you want to do them all back to back like a race in real life, YOU CAN!
You can do the disciplines in whatever order you prefer. In a real race, you have to do the disciplines in a specific order. With the VR, you can do them as it works for you. If you want to do all of the running disciplines first and then bike, you can. If you want to bike first and then run, you can. If you want to do it like a real life race (run/bike/run), YOU CAN! It is completely up to you!
I treated this as a real life race doing each discipline back to back in the run/bike/run format with as little transition time as possible. I did both of my runs outside and rode on the trainer indoors. I wanted to really push myself with this race and see where my fitness is.
1.5 K run – 7:05 (7:30/mile average pace)
1.5K run…flying home!
20 K bike – 35:47 (21.0 mph average speed)
20K bike…Leaving it all out there!
5K run – 24:47 (7:58/mile average pace)
5K run…pushing my limits and testing my fitness
Total 1:07:39 (Women 658/6245…top 10.5%; F40-44 127/1326…top 9.6%)
I’m grateful for the Ironman VR3 to push myself and wear my Coeur Sports race kit! I kept reminding myself to push hard, dig deep, be grateful that I GET to do this, and know that I’ll get to cross a real finish line again one day…even if it doesn’t look promising in 2020. Racing doesn’t define me, but it sure is FUN! 💛💙🤍
Who’s joining me for this weekend’s “Olympic distance” IMVR race?
And with that, I am officially done teaching 8th graders!! I still have multiple days of professional development ahead of me, but the students are gone. It is bitter sweet!! You can read more about that here. It is time to start my next new adventure soon, but first, here is a look at what the month of May had in store for me.
Training:
I had another SOLID month of training!! I completed 10 minutes of core strength daily + 3 minutes of meditation daily + I’m still on the green streak in Training Peaks!! I have not missed one workout so far this year…22 weeks and counting!! BOOM!!
BOOM!! I think I grew gills and fins!! This is my fastest ever 100 yard pace!! 🙂
I love spending time on two wheels outside with my fave at my side!! 70+ miles on the most perfect weather day any cyclist could ask for!!
What?! I got to run with my fave!! WAHOO!! I’m so proud of his patience, strength, and focus on getting to the start line of #IMLP this July!!
Swim: 28,725 yards (16.3 miles)
Bike: 357 miles
Run: 83.6 miles
Strength: 10 minutes of core daily + various full body strength
Meditation: 3 minutes daily since January 1
Monthly Totals: 53 hours & 5 minutes
#explore:
Explore is my focus word in 2019 and I’m happy to be incorporating it into all areas of my life…including racing!! I’ve been talking with Coach Kelly about racing two IRONMAN races in one year and she was just as excited for me to give it a go as I am. So, on May 1, I decided to #explore with racing TWO IRONMAN races 10 weeks apart in 2019. I have officially registered for Ironman Lake Placid on July 28 AND Ironman Louisville on October 13. This will be my first ever experience in doing two Ironman races so close together. Am I nervous? Sure! Am I scared? A bit! Am I excited? MOST DEFINITELY! I am ready to push my limits and see what my body + mind can handle.
Ironman Louisville registration is complete! I am ready for another crack at you and hoping for much better weather this year!!
Listening to:
KonaKamps always has me inspired by some amazing peeps!! Megan Anley won Ironman South Africa in the W18-24 age group at her first Ironman. Congrats Megan!!
Rich Roll brought Jesse Thomas to his podcast recently. Jesse is not only an amazing professional triathlete, but he balances his pro triathlon career with a wife, kids, his own business, and fun. He is quite the inspiration and so down to Earth!!
Reading:
Finding my Voice by Mike Reilly is so inspirational!! “Finding My Voice is a series of deeply personal vignettes illuminating how profoundly the sport of IRONMAN touches both its participants and its fans. Written from Reilly’s unique insider’s perspective as the long-time World Championship race announcer and one of the most prominent personalities in the endurance sports field, it provides an intimate, revealing and entertaining glimpse into a fascinating corner of the world of endurance sports.”
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins is a great read. He overcame so many obstacles in life and eventually became “the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller. He went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him “The Fittest (Real) Man in America.” Through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes.”
Loving:
Our new Sleep Number bed!! While we have only slept in it for 3 nights, it has been three of the best nights’ of sleep in a LONG time!! As we continue to dial in our numbers, I can only imagine that out sleep will continue to improve!!
Basil loves our new bed!!
Leaning into:
My last week of my middle school teaching career. This change feels scary, but right!! I’m super excited to embark on this new career as a Teaching Laboratory Coordinator with the Physics and Astronomy Department at Iowa State University starting next week. After all, stepping outside of your comfort zone is where the magic happens!
Going out with a splash!! My last day with kids was super fun and wet!! Now for a week of professional development before starting my new adventure next week!!
Attitude of Gratitude:
Chaperoning my last 8th grade dance!!
Morning sunrises are the best way to start the day!!
Playing in the water with my fave!!
Recovering in my Normatec boots while watching the Kentucky Derby!!
Joining some friends for a spin class!
Our neighbor, Marjorie, came home from Arizona. We are so happy she is here to stay!!
So grateful my favorite girl loves to run!! 13.2 miles later, we were both ready for some food and a nap!! 🙂
I love fresh, homegrown veggies!! So grateful to get our garden planted!!
Grateful to get to reconnect with my mat!
Grateful for the time and nice weather to finally landscape around the house!!
Grateful to have these two amazing ladies show up and attend my triathlon clinic!!
So grateful that Shane, our UPS delivery driver, loves our girls!!
So grateful to have had some of the most AMAZING colleagues ever!! I will miss some of our shenanigans!!
How was your month of May?! What were you grateful for last month?!
As I roll into my last month of teaching, before changing careers, it is time to reflect on April. April has brought us some days of warmer weather, had me spending time with my Coeur sisters, crossing the finish line of another 1/2 marathon, and riding outside on the open roads with my fave. With all of these amazing things in the rear view mirror, I have high hopes for the month of May!!
Training:
I had another SOLID month of training!! I completed 10 minutes of core strength daily + I’m still on the green streak in Training Peaks!! I have not missed one workout so far this year…18 weeks and counting!! BOOM!!
14 Ironman finish lines amongst this #swimsquad and more to come in our futures!!
“Growth comes at a point of resistance; we learn by pushing ourselves to the outer reaches of our abilities.” ~Josh Waitzkin
Keep the focus and finish STRONG!! My 7th Drake 1/2 marathon is in the books!! You can read more about it here.
Swim: 38,700 yards (21.99 miles)
Bike: 282 miles
Run: 95.5 miles
Strength: 10 minutes of core daily + various full body strength
Monthly Totals: 54 hours & 40 minutes
#explore:
Explore is my focus word in 2019 and I’m happy to be incorporating it into all areas of my life…including training!! Before each race, I think back to key sessions that better prepared me (both physically and mentally) for the race I’m about to embark on. I even jot these key sessions down so that I know the dates to refer back to in my training log. On April 23, I had a key swim session that gave me the confidence that I can have a stellar PR swim this year! The workout…
Swim 100 at the 3rd fastest pace from the 4 x 100 descending above. Assuming that felt “right” for z3/mod hard type effort this will be your pace.
Swim as many 100’s as you can at this pace with :20 to :25 rest between. If using a tempo trainer, your rest is one beep cycle.
If off by 3 seconds, rest a full minute and try again.
If after 1 minute you cannot hold the pace you are done. Cool down.
Well…my 3rd fastest 100 was 1:38.7/100 yards. Could I really hold 1:39/100 yards for more than 5 intervals?
100s Z3 effort until failure for breakfast…goal pace = 1:39/100 yards with 20 sec recovery between each; failure = 1:42/100 yards Self doubt told me I could only maintain my goal pace for 5×100. Self confidence told me I was strong and could crush this pace for at least 10×100. Giddy!! That’s how I felt when I successfully completed 20×100 at 1:3x.x + nailing 21×100 before failure!! #explore #befierce #beatiger #believe
Apparently so! #befierce is the mantra for the Coeur Team in 2019 and it helped me crush my expectations and self doubt during this workout and I know it will help me with many more in the future!!
Tiger Team!! #beatiger
Listening to:
KonaKamps always has me inspired by some amazing peeps!! Keri Houston is an age group champ at Ironman New Zealand 2019. Michelle Enslin is the age group champion for the 50-54 age group at Ironman South Africa 2019 after coming back from surgery. Her gratitude is contagious!
Rich Roll brought Johann Hari on his podcast to talk about addiction and depression. “The opposite of addiction isn’t sobriety. It’s connection.” With the world at our fingertips (quite literally…that phone you’re holding is taking you away from making connections with the people around you, so put it down and make memories with those around you) we can disconnect from those around us just as quickly as we can connect with them by putting the technology away. “If you suffer from addiction or depression, this is a must listen. If you don’t, chances are someone you care for does. This conversation can provide the insight and tools for better understanding the struggle — because mental health truly impacts everyone.”
Reading:
Peak Performance: Elevate your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness is amazing!! It kept me engaged and wanting to read even more!! The authors suggest “optimally alternating between periods of intense work and rest; priming the body and mind for enhanced productivity; and developing and harnessing the power of a self-transcending purpose.” There is so much useful information in here!! It was one that I struggled to put down so I could get adequate sleep each night!!
Leaning into:
Discomfort…I know that when we step outside of our comfort zone and embrace discomfort that we experience growth. As a result, I have been leaning into discomfort more in my personal life and am making huge strides. Discomfort isn’t easy and it takes a lot of work for growth to happen, but the rewards that come from it are definitely worth leaning into and embracing the discomfort.
Attitude of Gratitude:
Grateful for the support of SBR Sports, Inc. SBR is my go to for chlorine removal + blister prevention + easy wetsuit removal. Use KEPL19 at checkout for 20% off your next order of these amazing products!!
Grateful for the warmer temps + sunshine as I put my feet up with a good book while the dogs enjoy their bones!!
WAHOO!! Grateful that the IronHippie is seeing green in Training Peaks again post surgery!!
Grateful for the yoga mat + some vitamin D!!
Grateful for a strong body to put up some all time records during my most recent FTP test!!
Grateful to have Basil run by my side and the IronHippie back in the saddle!!
Grateful to Normatec Recovery for helping me bounce back from tough workouts so I can nail the next session!!
These two…so grateful for their unconditional love!!
Grateful for some girl time with Robin as we pound the pavement!!
March was a turning point. Spring FINALLY showed up, the snow is nearly all melted, a sh!t ton of dog poop has been picked up, I finished my last parent teacher conferences EVER, and I am now just over 2 months away from the end of my last school year teaching. With the end of the school year comes the building excitement of starting my new career and nerves (in a good way) of doing something different for the first time in 16 years. Meanwhile, these are some of the highlights of March…
Training:
I had another SOLID month of training!! I completed 10 minutes of core strength daily + I’m still on the green streak in Training Peaks!! I have not missed one workout so far this year…13 weeks and counting!! BOOM!!
Love you more and SO glad you’re back in the water!!
My graph from my bike ramp test is so pretty!! Thanks Coach Kelly for helping me realize the strength I had didn’t disappear!!
So grateful for spring weather so I could wear the same Coeur Sports “Not Today Cancer” kit for my bike + run! Oh…and super grateful for my favorite girl who loves to run!! #basillovesrunning
Swim: 26,500 yards (15 miles)
Bike: 227 miles
Run: 79.2 miles
Strength: 10 minutes of core daily + various full body strength
Monthly Totals: 42 hours & 32 minutes
#explore:
Explore is my focus word in 2019 and I’m happy to be incorporating it into all areas of my life…including racing!! I ran the St. Paddy’s 1/2 Marathon with the goal of averaging an 8:30 min/mile pace and I am pleased as a Leprechaun finding a pot of gold with my performance!! I had an overall finish time of 1:51:44 (8:32 min/mile average pace)! I finished 2nd out of 20 in F40-44 and 89th out of 341 overall. I am super excited about where 2019 might take me as I continue to #explore and push my limits!!
Double medal race day at the St. Paddy’s 1/2 Marathon where I got 2nd place in my age group!
Listening to:
KonaKamps had me inspired by two AMAZING women!! Maggie Walsh won Ironman Maryland 2018 at her FIRST EVER triathlon!! She didn’t just win her age group, she was the first female to cross the finish line and break the tape!! Reiko Donato won Ironman Chattanooga 2018 for women 60-64 on a VERY special day…her birthday!! That’s right!! She turned 60 years old and won!! Jana Richtrova won Ironman Cozumel 2018 for women 35-39. This will be her 7th time at Kona!! Congratulations to all of these amazing ladies!!
Find Your Awesome Podcast with Kelsey Abbott had Jessica Broderick on to talk about grief and what one goes through when they lose a part of their identity. Jessica was a pro triathlete who recently retired and explains the grieving process she went through when this part of her identity was removed. “You can be healthy and fit. They are two very different things.” ~Jessica Broderick
Reading:
I strive to have an attitude of gratitude daily, so when I saw the recent blog post by Carrie Cheadle titled How an Attitude-Of-Gratitude Can Also Lead to Better Performance, I knew I had to read it! Gratitude has so many amazing benefits, why wouldn’t people try to be more grateful?!?!
“Greater feeling of happiness
Improved sleep
Boost your immune system
Feeling more optimistic
Better at handling adversity
Increased amount of exercise
Experiencing more positive emotions
Raises self-confidence
Less physical pain
More resiliency”
She has some great tips for how to start your own gratitude practice! She recommends “bedtime reflection, a happy jar, and a gratitude journal.” Every night before I go to bed, I write down as many things as I can think of that I’m grateful for from the day. I don’t limit myself to only 3 things and I try to make sure I am not writing down the same things everyday. I also try to take pictures of things that I am grateful for and I look back at these pictures at the end of each month as I compose my “What’s Up?!” monthly blog post. Compiling the “Attitude of Gratitude” section of my blog post each month is a great way to remind myself of all of the amazing things that I have in my life to be thankful for. Taking the pictures also keeps me focused on gratitude daily.
Celebrating:
42!! My birthday fell on a very LONG work day (teach all day + parent teacher conferences all evening), but this being my last parent teacher conferences ever was one of the best birthday presents I could give myself!! I did get to celebrate over the weekend as I consumed loads of sushi + raced the St. Paddy’s 1/2 Marathon!!
Love me some sushi…SO YUMMY!!
Attitude of Gratitude:
So grateful I got to see these two beautiful faces…even if it wasn’t for the happiest reason.
So grateful for girl’s night out playing board games with these beauties!! #needtodothismoreoften
The first time in my 16 years of teaching that I was given flowers from a student.
Love my mama! She’s still the boss even after 42 years!! 🙂
So grateful, blessed, and lucky to have my fave supporting me, encouraging me, and cheering me on in races and life!!
I am so grateful for the sun, bluebird skies, and warm temps for a tank top + shorts while running outside!!
I am grateful for noticing the little things in life…the random heart that the cord of our fan made on the floor by my bike trainer.
I am grateful that the weather is nice enough to rake up all the leaves and play in them with my favorite girl!!
SO grateful my legs and mind were strong allowing me to put together a solid 7 mile run with 1100 feet of climbing!! 🙂
After a tough run (1100 feet of climbing over 7 miles), I was so grateful to find a way to use my Normatec Recovery boots in the car since I had to be there for a few hours post run.
Grateful to meet the Iron Hippie’s parents for lunch!
So grateful that my body and mind are strong and they allow me to run 15 miles after a busy day at work!
So grateful that I got some run love with Robin in the sunshine (even if the temps were cold)! I’ve missed my girl time!
How was your month of March?! What were you grateful for last month?! How can you document them in a meaningful way for you?!
Saturday I ran the St. Paddy’s 1/2 marathon with the goal of averaging an 8:30 min/mile pace over the course of 13.1 miles. When I hit mile 1, I noticed I was running a bit faster than planned, but I was feeling good and decided to go with it. Sure, I was working hard, but my goal for this year is to #explore and see what I can do, so that is exactly what I did. I knew the later part of the race would be more challenging with fatigue and that gradual climb back to the Capitol building, so I was going to ride the good feeling wave as long as I could. I didn’t negative split my run, but I am very happy with how I performed! This has me super excited for what 2019 has in store for me as I continue to #explore!
1:51:44 Official Finish time (8:32 min/mile average pace)
2nd place out of 20 in F40-44
25th place out of 50 Females
89th place out of 341 total finishers
Let’s get this party started!
2 blocks into the race…
2 blocks into the race…
Coming into the finish
That grimace coming into the finish says it all!
Not my best finisher photo, but you win some and lose some. 😉
I finished strong
So grateful to have my fave supporting me and cheering me on!!
Double medal race day at the St. Paddy’s 1/2 Marathon where I got 2nd place in my age group!
February was a mixed bag with LOTS of snow (over 24 inches just in the short month of February) + turning into a hamster running on the wheel, but it was full of LOTS of good things as well. Spring is just around the corner on the calendar…hopefully Mother Nature keeps her eye on the calendar
Training:
I had another SOLID month of training!! I completed 10 minutes of core strength daily + I did not miss one workout last month!! BOOM!!
1000 yard straight swim right where I wanted to be!
My goal was to complete 10×1 minute Z5 repeats before failure. I successfully completed 15!! BOOM!!
I’ve spent FAR TOO MANY MILES here this month, but I’m just grateful that I have an option for running when Mother Nature’s sense of humor doesn’t match mine.
Swim: 24,200 yards (13.75 miles)
Bike: 214 miles
Run: 78.7 miles
Strength: 10 minutes of core daily + various full body strength + some yoga 🙂
Monthly Totals: 43 hours & 56 minute
#explore:
Explore is my focus word in 2019 and I’m happy to be incorporating it into all areas of my life…including my work life. Not only have I been exploring in training and racing this year, but in February, I accepted a new gig! At the end of this school year, I will be starting a new chapter. I am pleased to announce that I will be the Teaching Laboratory Coordinator with the Physics and Astronomy Department at Iowa State University!! I am VERY nervous to embark on a new career (I have been teaching 8th graders for 16 years…change is scary), but I am SUPER excited for this new opportunity and can’t wait to embark on this new adventure!!
I’m so ready to “explore” in a new career!!
Listening to:
Coeur Sports Earsplitz Podcast!! Voices (featuring Mike Reilly the voice of Ironman) is SO exciting!! He has called over 400,000 athletes across Ironman finish lines all around the world. The things he’s seen, the stories he’s learned about people and the enthusiasm he brings to each finisher over the many, many years is so exciting!! Just listening to Mike brings a HUGE smile to my face!!
“In The Confidence Code, journalists Katty Kay and Claire Shipman travel to the frontiers of neuroscience on a hunt for the confidence gene and reveal surprising new research on its roots in our brains. They visit the world’s leading psychologists who explain how we can all choose to become more confident simply by taking action and courting risk, and how those actions change our physical wiring. They interview women leaders from the worlds of politics, sports, the military, and the arts to learn how they have tapped into this elemental resource. They examine how a lack of confidence impacts our leadership, success, and fulfillment.
Ultimately, they argue, while confidence is partly influenced by genetics, it is not a fixed psychological state. That’s the good news. You won’t discover it by thinking positive thoughts or by telling yourself (or your children) that you are perfect as you are. You also won’t find it by simply squaring your shoulders and faking it. But it does require a choice: less people pleasing and perfectionism and more action, risk taking, and fast failure.
Inspiring, insightful, and persuasive, The Confidence Code shows that by acting on our best instincts and by daring to be authentic, women can feel the transformative power of a life on confidence.”
Trying Something New:
Thanks to my friend and colleague, Traci, for encouraging me to try something new! We went to Art Ciccotti and made glass heart paperweights. This was my first experience with glass blowing and it was so much fun! I’m already thinking about future glass blowing experiences. 🙂
Carving my glass heart!
The finished product! I think they turned out pretty awesome!
Photo Shoot Time:
I am SO blessed and honored to be a part of the rad Coeur Sports #tigerteam19 mission to encourage, empower, and support women in sport + spread #heartandcourage EVERYWHERE! This year’s theme is to #befierce and remove the leash that may be holding you back and not allowing you to be your best self. It is time to #uncageyourinnerbeast ❤
Because my focus for this year is to #explore, even in training and racing!
#uncageyourinnerbeast
Not only do I love this team, but I love this girl!
These two have two keys to my heart!
“And one day she discovered she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears!” ~Mark Anthony
Grateful for:
So grateful for being able to run outside in short sleeves in February in Iowa!! This was DEFINITELY NOT the norm this month!!
I’m so grateful to be on #tigerteam19!! My Coeur Sports teammates help me to feel empowered, inspired, connected, loved, and full of joy!!
The Skratch Labs cookies are da bomb diggity!! I’m so grateful for the ease to make these!!
These 3…I love them all!! So grateful for their unconditional love!!
Mother Nature’s sense of humor is a bit different than mine, but I am grateful for the 4 seasons…even if the snow drifts over one of our favorite trails. #driftedsnowiswaistdeep
I am so grateful for my Normatec recovery boots…especially after 14 solid treadmill miles!!
So grateful for Nick at Vitality Massage for keeping me active and healthy!
How was your month of February?! What were you grateful for last month?! Have you ever tried glass blowing?!
2019 is off to a great start…even with arctic temps last week!! I love the changing seasons and we FINALLY got snow, so winter is officially here!! Only in Iowa can you have nearly a 100*F temperature swing in a span of 5 days. Thankfully we are experiencing a temperature swing in the upward direction!! As the saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather in Iowa, just wait 5 days…it will change!”😂 Here is a snapshot of what January had in store for me.
Training:
I had a SOLID month of training!! I completed 10 minutes of core strength daily + I did not miss one workout last month!! BOOM!!
It is SO HARD to swim with a merman on your back!!
We don’t always hit our targets, sometimes we don’t even hit a single target, and that’s ok. That’s why they are targets. I wanted to quit multiple times throughout the 7×20 minute intervals during my 3:11:00 ride, but instead I became more determined with each one. I gave everything I had today. Tomorrow is a new day.
Running in the snow is SO HARD, but I loved every minute of my 8+ mile run in the sun!!
Swim: 35,300 yards (20.06 miles)
Bike: 257 miles
Run: 62.8 miles
Strength: 10 minutes of core daily + various full body strength + some yoga 🙂
Monthly Totals: 50 hours & 1 minute
Creating Headspace:
I have been meditating in the morning for about 6 months, but I did so on my own until January 1. I had tried the Calm app, but it was definitely not for me. So many people had recommended the Headspace app to me, so on January 1, I bit the bullet and officially tried using the Headspace app to help me meditate. I am pleased to say that I used the app everyday for the entire month of January. The best part…I don’t mind it!! This is a HUGE success for me as I typically don’t like it when someone else tells me what to “think” or how to think.😂 Thankfully the Headspace app doesn’t do this, but instead subtly reminds me to focus on my breathing rather than on the random thoughts floating through my mind like clouds in the sky.
Listening to:
Kona Kamps!! Bianca Faulke-Tanner won the F30-34 age group at Ironman Malaysia on a challenging day. Sara Randolph won the F40-44 age group at Ironman Malaysia on a hot, humid, and stormy day! Congratulations to both ladies on their win!
4 heartbreaking (yet very common) reasons we don’t set goals by Mel, with Fellow Flowers, really resonated with me. I find so many of these reasons to be true for why women (and sometimes even men) don’t set goals. It is ok to fail…it makes us stronger and more resilient! Stop comparing yourself to others…YOU DO YOU & BE YOU! It is ok to change your mind…people do this all of the time with small, medium, and large things. Make a decision, commit, and set goals that feel good to YOU in this moment!
Focus…Today is going to be tough, but I’M READY to push myself to new limits!
Goal swim was sub 8:30 for the 500 yards. Actual swim time was 8:06 (1:37/100 yards)…BOOM!!
This stationary bike was so not fit for me, but I still managed to average 18.5 mph for the 8 miles at the resistance we were instructed to ride at. I missed Mojo SO MUCH!! That gurl and I have a bond…she gets me!!
Onto the run…running 16 laps on an indoor track isn’t easy…hence the ugly grimace.
Finally…done and I can honestly say that was the toughest race I’ve had. I pushed myself into a state I’ve never been in before.
Overall finish time was 50:03 for 2nd place in my age group!!
Podium finish is a great way to start 2019!!
Grateful for:
I’m so grateful our twin nieces and my sister came to visit for the twin’s swim meet!
I’m so grateful for morning runs with my favorite girl! #basillovesrunning
WOW!! Magnificent sunsets are amazing!!
So grateful to have some of my tribe coming to cheer me on…even though it was snowing!!
Cheer squad!! #grateful
Basil loves to play in the snow and help shovel!!
Snowshoeing at dusk with my faves!!
I have some of the best people in my village!! Thanks Ruth for the reminder to #explore in all areas of my life this year and always! You’re the best! ❤
I’m so grateful for sushi…SO YUMMY!!
How was your month of January?! What were you grateful for last month?! Have you done an indoor triathlon?! If so, what were your favorite parts of the race?!
PushMyLimits 