Do or Doughnut, there will be Tris!

I finally scheduled a bike fit and am taking the next steps to get a new ride... I am SO good at avoidance, man... and I know why it is. I like my bike, and getting a new bike is going to be a BIG decision and because of the global bike/parts shortage 😩, I am concerned that my choices are going to be limited. And it's going to be costly👎I also know that in order to be as successful as possible, I will not be able to ride 112 miles on my current bike. After two hours last weekend, lawdhammercy my bum was not pleased. Triathlon has definitely made me feel like The Princess and the Pea 👑.

Training is going pretty well, I think. I need to do more with other people so that I push myself, but as of right now I think things are going pretty well. I am seeing improvements in my times and how I feel afterwards, so that makes me feel good.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Today's Doughnut Count: 0

2021 is here. Shockingly (and thankfully!), we made it out of 2020! Now on to the Big Scary Thing of 2021: IRONMAN Maryland in September! I have been reaching out to coaches and trying to get that part of my life in order. I went for a night ride today to start the year off on the right foot, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The streets were mostly quiet and the weather wasn’t awful. 

This is going to be quite the year!

Today’s Doughnut Count: 0

Days Until IMMD 2021: 260

#AKsBST #AKsBigScaryThing #2021BigScaryThing

#IRONMANMARYLAND #ironman #whatdidido #OHMY #athena

OMG! I did it!

IRONMAN MARYLAND 2021 is up! I cried. I was shaking. I was nauseous for about an hour after I registered. My card’s fraud department kept declining my purchases, but I finally got it to go through!

Noon time registration meant setting an alarm so I didn’t just work right through it! OMG!

OH EM GEE.

MAN I am nervous, but excited! Oh my gosh! Here’s to the next 300ish days!!!

It Is Done.

Today’s Doughnut Count: 1

Things have been crazy to say the least. I am feeling unsettled soooo it’s time for something big. Friends have planted the seed, and since I’ve had so much fun growing things this year... maybe that seed has grown and will help me click the REGISTER NOW button tomorrow on IRONMAN MARYLAND 2021? I don’t know. Ignorance was bliss with IMAC 70.3, but now I know what it’s going to take. I know what HALF of that day looks like. But so what? Was it that bad? Oh man... 14 hours to go until registration opens. I may have found 2021′s BST.

IMMD 2021... What the heck am I thinking?!

Today’s Doughnut Count: 1 

Wow. What a time to be alive! Don’t get me wrong, it is MUCH better than the alternative, but Oh Man has it been tough! 

I’ve been working from home for a little over 18 weeks now. WOW. I hadn’t broken it down like that yet... seems like much longer, although it seems like years ago in memories. Anyway... it has been a looooong time. I was doing just fine! Working out every day, a run, or a bike, or a workout, and then working. But then I got injured pretty badly and couldn’t do those things and it made me reevaluate so many things. What exercise means to me, and my why. Then I had surgery and was on a 6 week ban of all activity and I REALLY couldn’t do anything, but now I’ve been released and IT HURTS SO GOOD! I was able to get a swim in today, and I am SO sore, but I am also SO happy. 

Doughnut swimsuit at the pool this morning! 

During these crazy times when so much is so unknown, I’m thankful that I have my family, my health, and my ability to exercise. 2021 is going to be a great year.

Oh, and I very safely delivered doughnuts to friends who are under quarantine due to the Coronavirus this morning. (Don’t worry, I ate plenty!)

Today’s Doughnut Count: 4  (OMG I KNOW!)

Maybe that headline is a little dramatic... but I’ve never claimed to be anything less than that, of course.

Life has been very full and busy since the last entry where I could barely walk. Bless my heart. NYC Marathon was definitely an undertaking, and I’m glad I can say I did it, but boy was that hard.

As of right now, this year’s BST (Big Scary Thing) is probably going to be health related, at least for the first half of the year. I’ve had a few issues come up over the past 10 or so months that have really impacted my ability to swim/bike/run. Hopefully the end is in sight, and the Return to Tri can begin. From what we can tell, MaQuidney is doing fine, so that’s always a good thing!

I’ve spent a lot of time on tables like this over the past year.

We are 48 days into 2020 and I haven’t yet figured out what this year’s Life List item is going to be. It was going to be going to the Olympics in Tokyo, but the coronavirus has me shook and I’m not really sure that’s the best decision I can make, for a number of reasons. I’m not sure if it’s going to be something tri related, or if it’s just going to be something off of my Life List! I want to get my AFF sky diving license, I want to go to the Olympics. I want to get Little Orphan Annie in driving condition, but I also want to eventually do a full IRONMAN. It’s amazing how far away a 70.3 seems right now, in terms of physical conditioning. I’ve been riding, and I’ve taken up yoga (which I absolutely LOVE, by the way), and I get the occasional swim in, but running has been basically non-existent.

Not my bike or picture, but if they weren’t kept inside they sure as heck would look like that due to lack of proper use!

I miss it. I miss riding for a long time. I miss feeling like I actually did something (athletically) that day, and I just need to do it, but I haven’t. Something always comes up, or I don’t listen to my alarm and I sleep. That will change, but when? Am I the type of person who needs to be registered for something in order to be disciplined enough to get myself out of bed in the wee hours of the morning? I guess I’ll find out once I’m fully recovered! It’s just so hard to “do what I can with what I have, when I can,” even though it’s so easy for me to preach that little saying to others. Do as I say, right?!

I couldn’t describe that any better than this. Yes, I once swam 1.2 miles in an hour. No, I can’t do that right now, but I know I have it in me somewhere. Just Start.

Until then, I will just keep on keeping on. It could be a lot worse, that’s for sure. And I’m absolutely going to continue to live up to my blood type and B+.

I DID IT!! And am SO. SORE.

My hard-earned medal (and happily worn heatsheet) from the 2018 NYC Marathon!

More to come tomorrow.

Whattaday! It hasn’t really sunk in that I am setting out to finish 26.2 miles tomorrow. Not yet. I don’t think. Maybe. The WOG (Walk/Jog) is going to be on point, and I AM GOING to finish. Had a fun afternoon with Maquia, preparing for tomorrow! Oh man. It’s almost time!!! AGGGGHHHHH!

Fall colors, cute window displays, freaking out, NYC, and my Dough doughnut with a view!

What a long, yet super quick road it was! Seems like just yesterday I started training for this race!

OHEMGEE. Where the heck did the days go!? I could put a lot of excuses here about what happened to me and my training, but that’s exactly what they would be: excuses. This is probably the least prepared I have ever been for such an athletic endeavor and I’m quite nervous. Thankfully I’ll be there with 60,000 of my closest strangerfriends! Because strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet, right?

NYC Marathon Expo pre-race walk through before Maquia gets here!

Anyway! The cousin comes in tomorrow, and on Sunday we do it!!! OH. MAN. 

Today I ran. I successfully completed day 1 of my NYC Marathon training plan and I AM GOING TO stick with it. The days are long, but the months are short, and I know that it will be November before I know it.

My alarm went off early this morning, but I didn’t get up. I stayed in bed and wasted time, until it was time to do some adulting then head off to work with a promise that I would run later tonight.

I left work and headed to a local running meet up where I was for sure gonna run. A long-time friend (who doesn’t run, but is trying) came out, so I ran with her. We got in 1.21 miles before calling it a day because she was done, and I’d forgotten to put my insoles back in, and the stitching was starting to bother my feet. 

Beautiful sights from the first run of the night! 

Feeling the need for some accountabilibuddies, I’d told plenty of people of my plan to start running today so I knew I was going to get asked about it. The pub run was a good start, but I needed to get the full 3 miles in, so I went home and ran around my neighborhood. The Florida Summer Storms were coming, and the second half of my run was definitely at a much faster pace than the beginning, because the fear of getting struck by lightning is real! 

Post-Run Selfie! I made it!! And most of my joints feel mostly ok!

Tomorrow is another run day. : / I miss my bike, and the pool. I think I might have to cool off post-run with a swim. Hey! Something is better than nothing, right?

The Journey to the Concrete Jungle... starts tomorrow. According to the calendar, I *should have* started my 24-week training on Monday. I discovered this on Tuesday. Wednesday came, and I “didn’t have time”, and today I didn’t feel like it. Tomorrow morning I am going for a run. 

I am nervous about running on my bum knee.

I am nervous about 26 point 2 freaking miles.

I am nervous about the hills.

I am nervous about doing one thing for so long at one time. At least with triathlon, I switched disciplines.

Oh, and that doesn’t even include all my anxiety about getting to the race, and where I’m going to sleep! 

I will never know if I don’t try, and I can’t not give it my all. 26.2 miles on foot is so. far. 70.3 was hard, and far, but I did the training, and I prepared. Ignorance was bliss, and I just kept my head down and did it. I am going to use that same approach here, and forget any previous long distance running I have done/attempted lol.

I did it. After calling my running streak at 45 days because of a bum knee, I ran a mile while on vacation, because what better way to see a city?! (More on the bum knee at a later date). 

It was really strange to not run for so long, after doing it every day for over a month! Dare I say I even liked it?!

In order to try and get back into the swing of things, I joined some friends at our local pub run last night for another mile!

Some of the beautiful sights, treats, and flowers from my run! 

It wasn’t my fastest, and it was not completely pain-free, but I did it! Now to just do that 26 more times, in under 6 hours!   

Today marks 7 MONTHS until I run my FIRST EVER FULL MARATHON. Oh yeah, did I mention that yet? In November, I’m running in the NYC Marathon with my dear cousin as a celebration of our kidney transplant! 

I guess a post and new countdown is in order. maybe I’ll do that sometime soon. Until then, one thing at a time!

Endorphins are my favorite, and I love them so much.

endorphin noun /enˈdɔː.fɪn/ US specialized ​a chemical naturally, released in the brain to reduce pain, that in large amounts can make you feel relaxed or full of energy.

It’s Friday night, and tonight’s wild night included a trip to the Dollar Store, Bulk Nation, and Target (Danggit Dollar Spot!). Then I went for a short run to keep my streak alive! 

So far, I am 4 days in. 

I have decided that I am going to take this in 7 day stretches, and see how far I can go! I went to Target to check out the Dollar Spot (WHOA! WILD FRIDAY NIGHT!) to find some cute stickers for my progress calendar and boy did I!! 

Slowly and surely I’ll increase my mileage, but for now I’m pleased. And maybe this running thing isn’t so bad after all. Maybe.

Then when? Tonight I went for a run (of at least a mile in distance) after eating way too much at dinner. 

Way too much yummy, not so great for you food!

I almost bailed on it, but that would be another day of starting this running streak thing over again. See, my friend over at Happily Running has created a Run Every Day challenge, and since I’m kind of floating around the exercise world right now, not really following a set training plan, I reverted back to last year’s motto: Why Not?! 

And see! Now I’m mad at myself for not MAKING THE TIME to go for a quick run on Monday!

I can totally run at least a mile every day! It’s not THAT hard, right?! It’s just a few minutes out of my day when you break it down. And that first event of the year is going to sneak up on me, I know it is. 

So I went looking around my office for doughnut stickers for my calendar (because who doesn’t love a completion sticker?), and I couldn’t find any! First of all, I can’t believe I don’t have any little doughnut stickers, but secondly, I guess I’m off to Michael’s tomorrow!! But anywho, I found this magnet, and it made me smile. Here’s to becoming a streaker, one day at a time!

Ya know what?! I am easily counting 2017 as a HUGE SUCCESS! I’m so proud of all I was able to accomplish, and the relationships that I made/focused on. I am working on a year in review, and a couple of race recaps lol, but one of my resolutions is to write when I feel like it, so here I am!

This weather is B A N A N A S here, and because of that, most of my workouts have moved inside.  

See! What happened to Sunny Florida?!

With all the new visitors at the gym, I was worried that the parking situation would be crazy, and that the place would be super crowded! Maybe the weather has put a hitch in people’s plans, because it was not busy at all! Front row parking, and no wait for a treadmill or a weight bench!

Front row!!! Yeaaaaahh!!

Today I tackled something I love, but haven’t done in probably a year (thanks tri training! I know, I know.. I could’ve worked it in, but that’s the past. LOL): I lifted heavy weights! I did bench press, over head press, lat pulls, flies, biceps, triceps, push ups, and core! My goodness I might not be able to move my arms tomorrow, but for tonight, I’m happy!

Today’s Doughnut Count: 0 eaten, 15 on my hat (I thought the shirt was ironic since I did NOT in fact brave the run, I ran inside LOL)

Life has been pretty crazy for the past two months, and I can’t believe that it has been two months since my crazy awesome Half Ironman finish! (I know, I know, I still need to write a race report!)

I am super proud, and still love that I did that hard thing, but now what? I don’t have another big event planned for a looong time, so I’m kind of just bouncing around riding my bike, and running here and there. But one thing I haven’t done: I haven’t been swimming. Oopsy!? There are a number of reasons that I have not gone back to my Swimone Manuel ways, but really, all of them are merely excuses. I GET to swim. I am ABLE to swim. And the weather here is great right now for swimming! So, I did it. I went swimming, and boy were the first 200 yards U G L Y!

BUT! I did it! I had a solid little swim after work, and after a few hundred yards, I relaxed a bit and started enjoying the water again. When everything works together perfectly and it all feels right. Those few magical moments will keep me going back to the pool, and I WILL swim at least once a week until I’m back on some kind of training plan.

I am slightly freaking out. I am a list maker and a master avoider, and my goodness I am running out of time before the big day! 

Rain, and slight flooding off and on today led to my 3:15 bike and 15 minute brick being done indoors (EECK!). And since I don’t yet have a trainer stand... I was resigned to going to the gym and using the spin studio and treadmill! I didn’t want to do it, but I saw everyone’s racing posts from this weekend (Thanks #Athenas!), and then I remembered that I don’t wanna feel terrible after IMAC so I got off my rump and did it! Got motivational texts from my training partner/friend, and passed the time with a documentary on Showtime that kept me fired up! 

Tomorrow is “New Bike Day!!”, and that is causing me to freak out even more! What if I don’t like it? What if it’s too small? What if it feels too strange?! What if something happens to it in travel?! What if, what if, what if!?!! 

I need to just LET IT GOOOOO LET IT GOOOOO! lol