Good Stuff

I've been wanting to write this post for awhile, but it's so random. It's just a bunch of thoughts that I've had over the past few months. Things have been really crazy for me with work and some personal things. The personal stuff is not at all major. It's just a lot of little stuff that tends to add up.

Here's my list of random thoughts:

1.) For about a month now, I've been using Infinit's  Mud and Nocturn products. I love this stuff. Nocturn is a recovery/protein type of drink that I have before going to bed. The tryptophan means NIGHTY NIGHT. I was previously having a shake before bed, but this stuff. It's fantastic. I personally have to mix in frozen fruit because I'm not crazy about the taste, but some pineapple and OJ and peaches and coconut milk, and I'm good to go. The Mud is one that I have when I wake up. The taste is amazing, and I've given up having coffee in order to have my Mud on Ice.....or blended in the blender. FREAKING AWESOME.

2.) I'm now down 7lbs, which is pretty great because it's all in the form of fat loss. I'm maintaining and getting stronger on the bike. So, it's a good loss. You all know how much attention I have been giving to my nutrition and fueling.

Speaking of fueling....WOW, it's come to light that I have been under fueling in training and races. Coach and I have been working to find the right mix. This weekend, we really nailed it. I've never felt so good during a long workout.

3.) Strength training. One of the things that I felt was missing from my training was strength work. One of the benefits of having a Tri-Coach who is also a Certified Functional Strength specialist is that she has the best strength training routines that are....wait for it.....PROGRESSIVE. As I get stronger and as I just start to knock out the workout, she goes and changes it on me. I love it. I have always loved strength work and had gotten to the point where I just thought it didn't work with triathlon. (I'm completely aware that strength work goes hand and hand with triathlon. I just couldn't figure out how to get it to work without completely draining me for my next workout.)

4.) You are aware of my monster swim breakthrough that I had recently. Based on my 5K PR very recently, my run is also improving. You know how it goes, when you're in the midst of training, that's no time to figure out if you're improving. There are days that I'm tired or days that I feel great. I feel pretty good about where my running is going. The bike is a little different. We did a bike test. Then the week I was supposed to do my follow up bike test, my Quarq died. Unfortunately, I had a terrible experience with their customer service and didn't even get a return label from them until 8 days after my first contact. Once I got the label, they identified that my unit was dead and immediately sent me a new one. I'm a little disappointed that I was unable to do my bike test because I know I've gotten significantly stronger on the bike. (My zone 1 and 2 workouts are now CRAZY easy). Hopefully, we'll fit one in soon.

5.) Race Schedule. My first tri is in May. In other words, it's NEXT month. I'm really excited. I don't have any goals for this race. I just want to see how the pieces are going to fit together.

6.) Early this week, I went onto a forum that I haven't been on in....probably over a year. It was so interesting. I was reading the conversation that took place in 2012. One person said to me, "You're not the same athlete you were a year ago."

I wish I had my training history that I could go back to, but I don't. I would love to go back and read my thoughts on different races. Instead, I thought back to about a little over a year ago and where I was.

I realized that person was lying. I was the same athlete. I'm not knocking the person. They probably said it to make me feel good because they knew it wasn't true. Even back then, I knew it just wasn't true.

NOW, I've changed. NOW, I'm a different person, different athlete.

So, I had a conversation with my coach this week. She mentioned that my goals should be proving something to myself not anyone else. BUT, I don't have anything to prove to myself. I have always believed that I am better than my race times show. I just hadn't gotten there....yet.

I don't doubt my abilities. But there are people who do. It's the same way I built my business. If you tell me that I can't do something, I will work to exceed everything you said I couldn't accomplish.  Triathlon is the same way.

I don't think that's a bad way to race or train. There will always be people who doubt me. I like it that way. I like being the underdog.

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See? Completely random and rather pointless post.