Friday, January 17, 2014

Next steps


I don't have a problem with change. In fact, I embrace it. I've always been a risk taker so accepting changing is no big deal. It's part of the territory.

I'm also human. I know that too much change at once can be more stress than it's worth. 

When I hired my coach, I wanted to give myself the best chance of success. I had a little bit of a learning curve (one I am still going through and probably will for awhile). I had to adapt to a completely new way of training and new language and new exercises and drills and communication.

You get the picture. None of it was difficult. I had to adapt, learn how to space workouts (based on what coach wanted me to do) and fit it all in my schedule. 

Over the weeks, things became easier, and I started to find the routine. (Although, I confess, swimming--of all things--has been the hardest part to fit into my schedule with the other workouts, but I'm getting there. Swims are most definitely getting done.).

This week, I decided that I was ready to work on my nutrition. I had been WANTING to do this. When the time came, I hit the ground running. 

I'm really happy. It's all working together extremely well. There are a few things that I won't really be able to test out until I get into "tri" training. Until then, things are working out.

Of course, it's not perfect. I find that I'm getting hungry more often. I keep top loading, slowing making my breakfast larger and larger and larger.

It's not any different than what I went through with my training. Take a piece, work with it and take the next steps. I'm pretty sure that I've almost lost all the weight that I gained in the Vegas-Thanksgiving-Christmas-Vacation-Eat-A-Thon....which wasn't very much of a gain but nonetheless still a weight gain.

Of course, with triathlon, it's really important to lose the fat without losing the muscle. It's balance between all nutrients and fueling to support workouts. All in all, I think I'm doing pretty well. 

With that said, I have my first race under the tutelage of my new coach. I'm really excited about it. I have no expectations about the race, but I like where we are headed. Most importantly, it'll give me a baseline....a starting point. Honestly, I'm not looking for miracles at this race. She and I will only be working together for a little over a month, when I race. Prior to that, I wasn't running very much.

I'm really excited. Have I already said that? It feels like I haven't raced in quite awhile, and I am so ready to lace up and run.