New Goal

Has it really been two weeks since my last post? Whoops! Sorry!!!

So I've been giving the new diet a solid go. No wheat, gluten free and no caffeine. Mostly I'm eating all fresh vegetables, lots of brown rice, and fruit. I eat a ton of fish, some chicken and I found some yummy recipe for tofu that turn out top be pretty good. I have found a bakery that makes delicious wheat free muffins and fresh rice bread and although it's too pricey to be a staple, makes a yummy treat on the weekends. I've said so long to cereal, my beloved toast and peanut butter, but by far the most missed is my morning coffee. Ahh sweet, sweet warm morning goodness, how I miss thee.

Honestly though, it's not so bad. I've noticed a difference in the way I feel. Much lighter and cleaner. My energy is still up and my appetite has decreased. Old habits die hard, but there are sacrifices I'm willing to make if it helps me feel better.

Ok enough boring stuff - let's get to this week! A few fun things happened in the last two weeks. First and foremost - I got a car!!! WOO HOO! Life has already become so much easier - I have some freedom, I'm self reliant, and best of all, getting from place to place is no longer an exercise in patience and frustration. I no longer have to carry my life in a back pack, well.. the list of reasons why getting a car has made a huge difference can go on and on and on. Let's just say I'm thrilled to have wheels.

Second - Time Trials!!!

Remember back in Feb when we did the first time trials. Well this was our first chance to see what the improvement has been.

Run: 1 mile x 2:
Feb: 7:47
March: 7:41, 7:48

Swim: 1ooM
Feb: 1:32
March: 1:30

Swim: 50 Kick only
Feb: 56s
March: 57s

Swim: endurance
Feb: 400M: 7:41
March: 1000M: 21:30

Each were small improvements, but improvements nonetheless. So I'm happy. Running is still my biggest challenge, I really wish I was a better runner, but c'est la vie I suppose.

Ok. Last update before I hit the sack (9pm is my new witching hour - I've got no choice in the matter, seems my body just decides to shut'er down at 9pm now).

I've set my sights on a new goal. Not that Ironman isn't still my long term goal, but I've got a short term goal that I'd like to explore. I've discovered that the secret to achieving goals starts with something very simple - tell somebody. Until you verbalize your goals, they're just dreams. Dreams are wonderful things too, but to make them a reality, start with telling someone about them.

I'm going to try and qualify for the World Championships in Immenstadt , Germany in 2010 in the long course triathlon. Long course is the same distance as the half Ironman (2K swim, 90K bike and 21K run). Many of the people that I train with qualified for either the long or short course last year and are training for the World's in Australia this year in October. In chatting with some of them about their qualification race, I hear the same thing time and time again - many people qualify in their first year racing, or at least at their first attempt at making the cut.

It's funny how things I learn from triathlon always seems to filter out into my regular life, or at least have a direct link to how I live in my 'other' (non-triathlon) life. I seem to always, at first, set the bar to low. I never reach far enough the first time and have convinced myself that it takes years and years of doing something (whatever it is) before you can become the best (or at least really good at it). See, I always thought that people that did stuff like running marathons, or doing Ironman's were these finely tuned, machine like athletes that trained for their whole lives to become what they are. The people you see on magazine covers, in advertisements and on TV, yeah - those are the pros... it's their JOB to race and be what they are. What you don't see, is (literally) the thousands (in some big races - tens of thousands) of regular people, like you me and everyone else, that have set a goal, and are achieving it. Up until this year, I thought the biggest goal I could achieve was to complete the Ironman. That's that - the biggest thing I could think of. Now, after speaking with 3 or 4 of my training peers about their experience qualifying for Worlds, and how I am where they were a year ago (fitness wise and goal setting wise), I think to myself... wouldn't it be fun to race in a World Championship???


Goodnight, sweet dreams :)
S.

Slacker...

This week (and most of last) have been pretty slack for me. I've been up in Whistler working at the IBU Biathlon World Cup. It's been long days and besides a few runs up and down the mountain road, not alot of opportunity to train.

I was however, back in the city for a few days and got a follow up visit with the Natropath. We looked over my diet diary from the weeks before and he's suggested that I try removing wheat from my diet and gave me a few additional supplement. Iron and a fish oil to help with my sleep patterns. So far I'm supplementing with Iron, Vitamin D, Phosphatidylserine (PS), Fish Oil and a Bija sleep tea.

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a natural phospholipid that is an essential component of cell membranes. Apparently is helps with "brain function"... whatever that means. So far I haven't seen too much of a difference, but I'm willing to give it a shot. The sleep tea is relaxing, but I'm not sure that it's all that much different than regular tea. Fish Oil is generally known for it's benefits with hair and skin, but it's been recommend for sleep function as well. It helps regulate your stress hormones to even out during sleep. So far I'm having a hard time remembering to take the 2 tbsp of liquid fish oil (...eww) but I'm going to start making more of an effort. It kinda taste like a mix of fish and Buckleys. You can imagine I'm not all that motivated to down that first thing in the morning.

Next week it's back to the grind. But I did receive good news - our club was picked up by SUGOI as a clothing sponsor. So we're getting uniforms and great deals on race gear. Next weekend we're going to check them out and get a preview before they get ordered. Woo hoo!!!

Well.. I'm off to enjoy my last afternoon of Biathlon World Cup before heading back to the city. Hope everyone had as good of a weekend as I did!

A birthday muffin from my volunteers :)

Hangin' out at the top of the Ski Jump

Trying out the Biathlon riffle