The middle

Things have been busy, and yes, I have been training. I finished five weeks of the Insanity video series (only missed one day of the recovery week otherwise I did all 24 days of the first month). Tomorrow I start month two of the Insanity videos. Beyond that, I have been swimming once a week and am still training for the Rock in Roll San Diego Marathon in June.

Last weekend I drove down to sunny California to ride the Cinderella Classic bike ride in the Bay Area. I had yet to get on a bike this season, so I was nervous about the ride. It was 64 miles and was relatively flat. I ended up really enjoying the ride. In the beginning, I about burned out my legs trying to pass this pack of women that were going slower than I wanted to go. The cycle club I passed ended up passing me later in the morning, but I passed them at the first aid station and they never passed me again. (Not that I'm competitive or anything.) :-) The second half of the ride was in Livermore, north of 580. The wind was blowing fairly hard and I was VERY thankful for my little tri bike Roo. I was down in the aero position and loving life. The bike ride really made me remember and realize just how much I love riding that bike (she is a fast little guy)! It also made me long to move back to California (man I miss the sun and glorious weather). I ended the ride at about 64.9 miles, in about 4 hours and 30 minutes, with an average speed of about 14.36 miles per hour and a max speed of 33 miles per hour. Not bad for my first ride of the season. Now I need to get on the bike at least 2x a week and start doing some long rides on the weekends.

Then today I had a training run with Team In Training. I did 13 miles with the first half heading up Thurman to Forest Park (ugh on the hill running!). But I actually really enjoyed the run. During the run, my friend Erin mentioned that there are 2 kinds of athletes that partake in the sport of running: people who run and those who are runners. I am a person that runs. I don't make the sport look easy, I'm not built for running but yet, I still get out there and slog my way through it.

It's amazing how when I started the marathon training a few months ago, I was thinking about just how hard it is to start training, especially since I allowed myself to get out of shape. And I remember thinking that at some point I will realize just how far I've come and how easy the workouts have gotten compared to how hard they were in the beginning. Flash forward a couple of months to today. On the 13 mile run, I had that moment of realization that running is easier again. The 2 mile training runs I did in the beginning are no longer hard or challenging. I don't know how it happens, but it does. The body is truly an amazing thing! Our ability to adapt and get stronger is miraculous. And it happens without our full realization. I don't know why this kind of stuff blows my mind. I guess I am just trying to appreciate my progress even though I fully know I have a long way to go yet. Ironman Canada is still 4.5 months away. :-}

Anything is possible, and yes you can. Two mottos I keep in my mental pocket for moments when negative self talk sets in. And if that isn't enough, I can always look down at the tattoo on the inside of my left wrist to remind myself that yes I can, and I have. I have already completed one Ironman. I can do it again.

Here's to staying healthy and continuing to get stronger.

YAY IM CANADA, eh!?!