David Archuleta: GLORIOUS from Meet the Mormons

So here I am, Post Ironman, and I haven't written my race report - so my thoughts are just tumbling around in my head and I can't seem to move on. . . I need to find an hour today and do that. . . I will try.  

But I really had to share this song with you today. . . . I heard this song the other day, and I just can't get enough of it!  I tear up every time it is on. . . discovering who we are . . . . it's why we are here!  I know that and I hope to be able to figure out my heart. . . . soon. . . I really do need to write that race report!

It IS glorious!

I saw this quote today - and I loved it.  It is how I feel about running and about Ironman and training for Ironman. . . 

"I think that sometimes we only talk about the good parts of running, as if there weren’t any bad parts. Running sucks. It does. It makes your legs hurt, your lungs hurt, and just about every other part of your body. Your body basically feels like a moving bucket of ouch. You can’t breathe, you sweat in your eyes, you smell gross, and you can’t hang out with your friends because you spend 99.9% of your free time running. Just running. 

Some days when you do intervals, you want to cry. You want to lay on your back in the middle of the track and scream at the sky because it’s been forever since your times improved and you literally in that moment, want nothing more than to improve. But something keeps you on your feet, and you hobble over to the water station and when your coach tells you to, you get your ass back on the line and you run your heart out.

But that is what running is. You hate it, you despise it, but it’s become a part of you. No matter how much it hurts and drives you to the ends of hell and back, you would never let it go. You need it, when you don’t run you feel lost and confused. It makes you cry it makes you angry, but it makes you, you.
Because it is who you are."

From runawaytorender.tumblr.com via Gibson's Daily Running Quotes

I think I am going off for a run right now - to figure out my heart, to think, because I am struggling with post ironman confusion - sigh.

Habits. . . .

Some quotes that speak LOUDLY to me. . . . 

“The chains of habit,” said one man, “are too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken” (Samuel Johnson).

It seemed to me that most of the failures were shackled by poor habits.

A Spanish proverb reads: “Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.”

Could the young but realize how soon they will become mere walking bundles of habits, they would give more heed to their conduct while in the plastic state.

I would remind you “walking bundles of habits” that there is a relationship between thoughts, actions, habits, and characters. After the language of the Bible we might well say: “Thought begat Action; and Action took unto himself Habit; and Character was born of Habit; and Character was expressed through Personality. And, Character and Personality lived after the manner of their parents.”

C. A. Hill: “We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions; we sow our actions, and we reap our habits; we sow our habits, and we reap our characters; we sow our characters, and we reap our destiny” (Home Book of Quotations, p. 845).

If character is truly born of habit—and it is—it is vital that all of us understand the process of habit formation. Not only will this process, if applied, enable us to refine character, but it will also assure us success in our missions in the mission field, at home, at school, or wherever.

That which we try to do, and persist in doing, becomes easy to do, not because its nature is changed, but because our power to do is developed. [Josiah Gilbert Holland (Timothy Titcomb, pseudo.),Gold-Foil: Hammered from Popular Proverbs (New York: Charles Scribner, 1859), 291]

you must bolster your will or desire by riveting your mind upon the virtues of the desired habit.

Once we have determined the new habit or the improved pattern of living, we must guard against any inclination to deviate. No exceptions must be tolerated and no excuses invented. For every breach of our new resolution returns us to point zero, or below, and adds strength to the behavior we are trying to conquer.

“Look not behind thee” (Genesis 19:17), were the Lord’s words to Lot and his company, and those words apply to you and to me as we seek to improve our lot.

you must plunge wholeheartedly into the new program of conduct. Wholeheartedly: You do not let go of old habits gradually and move into new ones slowly. You do not taper off from the old, because that only prolongs the struggle. It also provides opportunities for the old habit to increase its hold. The new habit, if it is to survive, must be favored in every possible way and repeated in its complete form as often as possible.

I have suggested to you six steps which may assist you in cultivating new habits. Let me review the process quickly: (1)Define the desired habit, (2) bind yourself to act, (3) put the new conduct into operation, (4) bolster your will or desire, (5) do not look back, and (6) plunge wholeheartedly into the new conduct.

6 weeks till IRONMAN - keep moving forward...

I chose some AFTER Ironman races today - and I am excited!.....

I am trying to keep moving forward, even AFTER Ironman.

I know I fell into a bit of a 'finish line' mentality last time as soon as Ironman was over, we went on a big family trip - which was AMAZING, then when we arrived home, I blinked and it was Christmas time, and I found it challenging to look forward to the next thing.  Nothing seemed 'big enough' or 'worthy enough', and so I fell into a bit of a workout slump.

I don't want to do that again, so I am planning
some things to look forward to,
to keep training for,
to keep me moving forward....

OCT - Calgary Harvest Half on October 4th (2 weeks post Ironman)

NOV - The Clause Cause in Lethbridge - November 15th

DEC - Lethbridge Resolution Run (5K)- December 31

JAN -

FEB -

MAR - Moonlight Run

APR- 10 mile Road Race - Lethbridge

MAY- Women's Only Canmore 1/2 Marathon (23rd)

JUNE- Cardston Kids Marathon, Ladiesfest, Spinderella

JULY-

AUG-

SEPT- swim vacation

This would be IDEAL - if I could have something every month to work towards.  I've got some more work to do to get THERE!   That's for sure! It's those LONG COLD winter months that are so very challenging!  I may just need to be happy cross-country skiing and swimming in Lethbridge and maybe doing some cross-fit during those long months December - May!

I do like a good plan!  Can you tell?!  Ha Ha!

11 weeks till IRONMAN - Processing

Well, I am cooking a 27 pound turkey right now. . . . ya you read that right. . . .

It is 9:00pm on Thursday, July 3 - weird.

I am trying to 'clean out' my freezer this summer - and. . . .  I am having a fairly substantial 'need' for protein these days. . . .

As you may know - I struggle with food.  I struggle a lot.

With 11 weeks left till Ironman, I am feel like I am struggling.

I reached out to a sports nutritionist a week ago, hoping that they would be able to help me 'get it under control' - but I got a message today that they were unable to take me on as a client at this time.

I was mad, frustrated, sad, and most of all worried about how I was going to do this - by myself.

After a fairly in-depth conversation with my husband, within minutes, the door bell rang, and it was an old friend that I used to go to for counseling..... he just happened to stop by to pick up his Cardston Kids Marathon package.  REALLY?!?!

I am thinking there is really no such thing as coincidences. . .

He came in and we had a really good conversation (a mini session actually)

I heard him say a few things. . . .

After Ironman - re-assess

I can do exactly what I need to do for the next couple of months - whether I like it or not - just do it!

I know what to do - just make a plan and follow it - I know what is best for me.

HMMM - no such thing as a coincidence....

This is the same advice that others have been giving me all along - you would think I would listen, or have heard it by now. . . but it took today for me to finally clue in - I think - I hope.

Whether you like it or not. . . . . just do it. NOW.

re-assess after Ironman.

OK

Friday - bike 5 hours - easy

I laugh everytime I look at my schedule from Erin and everything says 'easy' after it!  So I got up early in hopes to beat the wind - but I didn't really.  I rode past Welling, not quite to Lethbridge, turned around, and back to Cardston - but the way back was into the wind - it was tough.  I had Duane come and pick me up - and bring my runners - so I did my 10 minute run on the highway - my toes were BAD - I was grumpy - not my best day. . .
I learned to wear chamois cream, I learned my seat on my bike needs a little adjustment, I learned that the pain in my feet comes and goes - and sometimes it causes tears - , I learned that I don't need as much nutrition on the bike as I thought I needed and that helps my stomach, I learned that I need naps, that I love naps, and I will have naps - today was that day.

Saturday - run 2.5 hours - easy

There we go again with the 'easy'.  I slept in today - and it was a beautiful day for a run.  I drove to the school so I could use the bathrooms there on my loops - left my water and chews in the car.  Ran 2 loops around the temple ( 1 mile down!), then did my 5 mile loop - stopped at my house for bug spray and a quick drink from the fountain.  When I got back to the school, I did it all again - when I got back to the school for the second time, I was just a few minutes early from 2.5 hours, so I did 2 more laps around the school - bringing my Saturday run to a sweet 13.1 miles - the extra mile did GREAT things for me mentally.

A much BETTER workout day.

Finished with an ice bath, and a cup of tea - It is quite awful - but as far as recovery goes . . . .
it works - I swear!

Yup - you got it - First run a cold bath - then bring out all the ice you have.. . . 

Get in the cold bath - get someone to pour all the ice in the tub for you -
drink a cup of hot tea -
watch 15 minutes on netflix -
as to try to forget how VERY cold your legs and toes are getting. . . . . 

recovery is really important and I know you are thinking why is she doing this?!!  Remember what I learned just 2 days ago - whether you like it or not - just do what you have to do. . . . . That is why I have the ice baths - not because I like it - I'm not that crazy, but because

whether you like it or not - just do what you have to do.

 Now it is time for my very well earned NAP!

13 weeks till IRONMAN - Cardston Kids Marathon AND Spinderella

I had 2 big events this week -

Cardston Kids Marathon AND Spinderella

Cardston Kids Marathon was GREAT AGAIN!

In spite of the naysayers, publicly telling us that we were irresponsible for NOT cancelling!

OIY!

I believe CKM 2014 was one of the best years yet BECAUSE we did it in spite of the weather, and the naysayers!  We do not melt in the rain, we CAN do hard things - in fact we NEED to do hard things to teach ourselves and our children

RESILIENCE

THAT is why we did not cancel or postpone!

Check out the party that happened!

2104 Medal - AWESOME!

It was SOME party in the Ice Arena!  I don't know if there has
ever been that many people in there at one time before!

Thanks to everyone who came and enjoyed 2014 Cardston Kids Marathon!

15 weeks till IRONMAN - Ladiesfest

Only 15 weeks left to train. . . .

We can do ANYTHING for 15 weeks - right??!?

A race that I LOVE doing every year is this one - Ladiesfest in Lethbridge.

Amy comes from Edmonton, and brings her girls - they run with my girls, and we all have our very own experience this day in the coulees, as we are surrounded by 750 other women.

Sometimes I feel an overwhelming feeling of the power of women as I run down the hill into the coulees with 750 other women - all running for their own reasons - all with their story....

This year, we were a little late on the start, but it was ok - we finally got our race numbers and our chips on our ankles and we were off -

It was a beautiful day for a run - the sun was shining and I felt like I had a great race.  I realized that I really love the 8k distance.  And next year - I am going to 'train for it'.  I had a great run, my pace was good - I felt good - till THE HILL......  the hill kicked my mental butt!  I told myself - run one lamppost and then walk one lamppost. . .so I ran one lamppost, then I walked one lamppost, and then my legs told my head that it was too hard - and I listened, and I walked the rest of the hill..... when I got to the top, I was really ticked at myself!

I learned a valuable lesson today - the mental training is crucial!

Next year - I am training on hills, and I am going to be ready to take on the Ladiesfest hill!  I will not cave at the first sign of 'this is too hard!'

Still a great run - I love doing this with my mom, my sister in law, my daughters, and my nieces - it's wonderful!

It was Kate's first time doing ladiesfest this year - and she loved going with Grandma -

And of course our group shots!

Our team name this year was "Appleton Girls on the Run"

We didn't win the 'largest' team this year - but we did win a few other prizes.
Kate wind the hat she is wearing by playing "heads or tails"
Clara won a candle ( the jar in her hand) as a draw prize
And Amy won a gift certificate to a store she likes to shop at - Lucky!

Kate (7), Mary (10), Mady (11), Clara (almost 13), Emma (17), Anna (14)

18 weeks till IRONMAN - really?

Well it's true!

18 weeks till IM Maryland!

I did it - transferred 

from Ironman Florida to Ironman Maryland

from sun and beach to fall colors and no sharks

from knowing the race route to not knowing the race route

from November 1st to September 20

It's all new stuff!

Well technically it's all the same stuff

2.4 mile swim

112 mile bike

26.2 mile run

but in a brand new place with all new views - - - 

(this is how a crazy person gets excited!!)

Now to keep that excitement and motivation and GET READY in only 18 more weeks!!

First step is to get my nutrition on the same page as my workouts!  My aha moment was this one. . . . . 

Preparation is key!

"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail."

28 weeks till IRONMAN - so many thoughts

So Ironman has announced a new location - Cambridge, Maryland

and I can't get it out of my mind.. . .

for the first time ever, Ironman is offering a transfer program.
I could transfer from Florida to Maryland. . . . . .

I have been making Pro's and Con's Lists mentally,
 on pieces of paper, and in ALL of my conversations
with my poor friends. . . . .

Maryland Pros

It's sooner

I won't have to train in Alberta in Sept/October's unpredictable weather

My hard training will be done before school starts

I'll have more time to deal with x-country and Christmas, Girls Choir

It's a new race - more adrenaline with the unknown

It's a new place - different medal!

No Sharks

No Jellyfish

Maryland Cons

My training is going to have to jump up 5 weeks

I'm having a hard time finding anything wrong with this race!

Oh what to do!

29 Weeks till IRONMAN - run run run even if it looks like a blizzard!

This Video inspired me today……. and I am sure glad because when I went for my group run this morning, this is what I saw. . . .

and no group. . . . I needed some inspiration. . . .

This picture was taken at almost the half way point on my run this morning . . . . it was beautiful when I was running South or East. . . . but North or West  - I was wishing I had some ski goggles on!  My friend Lisa would say it was a blizzard. . . .

It must have been a funny angle on this picture - but after my 75 minute run in much like blizzard conditions ( but I have run in worse), I figured I better make a snow angel cause it just might be the last one I make this season ( I hope!)  Ha Ha.  It felt good to lay down in the snow, make a snow angel and be done for the day. . . .

Now ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!

That is why I run - to feel like THIS!

mmmm

I wish you could smell this. . . . . 

Rainbow Rooibos Tea - mmmmm - this makes me happy!

10 Health Benefits Of Rooibos Tea

1. Caffeine free – The rooibos plant grows naturally without any caffeine.  This is important, as it means it does not need to undergo a chemical process to remove the caffeine.  It also means that anyone can drink it, including those who do not want to drink caffeine such as children & pregnant women.  The other key benefit of no caffeine is that rooibos tea can be drunk in unrestricted amounts, in fact, the average South African will consume 5-6 cups per day.
2. Contains powerful antioxidants – Rooibos tea contains a huge array of antioxidants, which help to protect the body in a number of ways.  Two polyphenol antioxidants called aspalathin and nothofagin are found in high concentrations in rooibos tea.  These antioxidants protect the body by fighting free radicals.  These are unstable cells, which attack healthy cells in order to stabilise themselves.  The polyphenols also have anti-inflammatory properties and can safeguard against heart disease.
3. Prevents against some cancers – Some studies have demonstrated a link between consumption of rooibos tea and a reduction of cancer-causing chemicals.  This is because of the high level of dominant antioxidants, some of which have anti-mutagenic properties.  This means that they defend cells & DNA against damage and inhibit them from developing into cancer.
4. High mineral content – One of the key health benefits of rooibos tea is that it contains several minerals that are vital to health.  These include:magnesium – essential for the nervous system, calcium & manganese – essential for strong teeth and bones, zinc – important for metabolism andiron – critical for helping blood & muscles distribute oxygen.
5. Improves circulation – One of the many potent antioxidants in rooibos tea is called Chysoeriol.  It can improve circulation by preventing the activity of the enzyme that triggers cardiovascular disease.  Drinking rooibos tea also lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
6. Relieves stomach complaints – As rooibos tea contains high levels of flavonoids, especially one called quercetin, it has the ability to relieve numerous abdominal ailments such as cramps, diahorrea and indigestion.  This is because the flavonoids help to reduce spasm, inflammation and allergies.  It has also been widely stated that the health benefits of rooibos tea extend to alleviating colic in babies.  As it is totally caffeine free, it is perfectly safe for them to drink rooibos tea.
7. Aids absorption of iron – Unlike most black teas, which prevent the body from absorbing iron effectively because of the tannins they contain, rooibos tea supports the body in absorbing iron.  This is because rooibos tea contains less than half the tannins of black tea.
8. Can relieve skin conditions – A more recent discovery of the benefits of rooibos tea is that it can help you to look more beautiful!  Rooibos tea contains phenyl pyretic acid, which can help to improve acne, psoriasis and eczema.  You can apply a freshly brewed and cooled tea bag to the affected areas and it will soothe and heal any inflammation.
9. Can protect against Parkinsons/Alzheimers disease – drinking rooibos tea regularly can protect against a process known as lipid peridoxation.  This is where free radicals damage brain cells and nerve tissue.  If this is prolonged, it can lead eventually to progressive and deteriorating brain disease, such as Alzheimers.  Laboratory tests on rats showed little difference in brain function from a group of older rats given rooibos tea to the brains of newborn rats.
10. Encourages restful sleep – One of the many health benefits of rooibos tea is that it can be drunk as often as you wish and at any time of day.  Many people choose to drink it before bedtime as it can help with insomnia.  Due to its high mineral content and lack of caffeine, it helps people to feel calm and relaxed.

30 weeks till IRONMAN - I think, I hope, I believe. . . . it might be SPRING!!!

First Bike Ride of the Season!

I'm so excited to get outside!  It has been a really long cold winter!  I hope spring is here to stay!