47 weeks till IRONMAN - she who thinks she can!

I think the quote that inspired me the most in this video was

Life's battles don't always go to 

the stronger or faster man.  

Sooner or later the man who wins 

is the man who thinks he can.

     -Vince Lombardi

Self talk is where it is at - I have no question. . . .

oh, I also loved: (all of it actually - but here are some quotes that I want to remember)

"if people can't do something themselves, they want to tell you - you can't do it"
"you want something, go get it, period."
"great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here, what you earned here."
"I'm so bad I make medicine sick!"
"The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows, it's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees, and keep you there permanently if you let it.  You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but it ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward.  That's how winning is done!  Now if you know what you're worth go out and get what you're worth.  But you gotta be willing to take the hits and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you want to be cause of him or her or anybody.  Cowards do that and that ain't you, you're better than that."

I need to show ME how great I am.

It has been a good week for training.

Bike -  I got on my bike trainer 3 times this week.  I think that is more than in the last 2 years put together!  I'm not sure why the change - maybe because I am feeling a bit of pressure by signing up for the IRONMAN????  Ha Ha (nervous laughter) . . .  Amazing what a goal can do....  I enjoyed just spinning.  3 - 30 minute sessions.  It felt good, and by the end of the week, my legs are already feeling stronger...

Run - Running was good as well - Tuesday and Thursday I did my intervals - which I love, I hate, I love, I hate - truly a mixed up relationship with running!  At run like a mother today, I ran the 5K loop twice - giving me 10K - yeah!  It felt good until the last km or so - my toes were giving me GREAT pain. . . so I took off my shoes and ran in my socks, with my runners on my hands, all the way down the path only main street and back to the pool.  I only got a few 'funny looks' from passerby's.  (shrug)  I was very grateful to the person who keeps the path clear of snow and ice in the winter. . . it made it a lovely end to my run - and my toes stopped hurting. . . hmmm. . . I think I might have to do this marathon in my Vibrams??  Is that what this means?  Hmmmm.  I don't know, I don't know. . .

Swim - sadly, no swimming this week. . . . I am looking forward to getting into a regular routine in the new year....  I do love the swim - my happy place.... I guess I will count my weight training as swimming?  Well, I will this week, since I live in a tiny town with no indoor pool, and it is coming on Christmas, and my swimming babysitter is still on her well deserved holiday. . . hope she is ready for her weekly commitment in the new year too. . . ha ha ha (nervous laughter again. . . )

Nutrition - I had a bit of an epiphany about my 'nutrition'.  After meeting my weight goal last week, I had a moment of realization (of which I already knew, but it became a little more clear in that moment) that food is just food.  It is not love, or companionship, or relaxation, or stress relief, or a party, or __________, or _________, it is just food.

On that note - exercise is just exercise - I sometimes like to beat myself up with more exercise because of my food choices, and I realized that more exercise just makes me stronger, which is a good thing, but it doesn't take away my poor food choices. . .

so exercise is just exercise

and food is just food

Now that those two things are separated in my mind - when I make poor food choices, I will change that behavior with better food choices.  When I make poor exercise choices, I will just make better exercise choices.  Just like eating less will not make me stronger, exercising more will not take away my addiction to food...

Now I know that food and exercise are still connected to overall health - but for my brain this week, I had to separate the two.... I am not sure if that made any sense to you - - but that's the way my brain processed this information this week.

I found this quote this week. . . thought it was appropriate to my epiphany.

Do not reward 

yourself with food, 

You're NOT a dog!

I signed up for Ironstruck this week, and this was in one of the e-mails that came - I thought it was inspiring.  Another reason I am doing Ironman Florida!

"A challenging journey is not without risks.
 Often we feel we can go no further, we can do no more, and that one more step is impossible.


In that one moment we face the abyss, the ultimate challenge of mind, body, and spirit and discover an inner strength we never knew existed and in a glorious revelation realize that our lives have changed forever."