My Return to Triathlons

Whew! It's over! What, you may ask? My long-awaited return to triathlons. I have not done one in over a year and have been nursing a bad knee so this has been a nerve-wracking wait. Cale and I have competed in numerous sprint triathlons over the past few years and have always enjoyed the experience. We took a little break from them for awhile but decided to try a new one, the Lone Star Triathlon in Galveston, TX. Since I've had a bad knee for the last 8 months, I decided to stick with a Sprint Tri (500m swim, 12.5 mile bike & 5K run). However, Cale decided to be the overachiever and go for the Olympic which is double the distance of the sprint (no problem for him).
Well, we went to Galveston on Friday evening to check into the race and stayed the night in a hotel on the Seawall. At 1:00 am, we woke up to a crazy storm with incredible winds and hard rain. At the point, I questioned whether we'd be competing in the morning. We woke up at 5:00 am after very little sleep to no rain but lots of wind. My race was set to start at 7:00 am but kept getting delayed due to the high wind making the bay where we would be swimming extremely rough and choppy. Now, I can swim just fine but when you put me in the bay with choppy water, I become extremely nervous. I was also recovering from a stomach bug so the waves weren't helping my nausea. Luckily, after an hour of delays, the race officials decided it was too dangerous and cancelled the swim portion of both races. Can I just say how happy I was???
On to the bike and run...my best event being the run. The bike portion was a little rough with the crazy winds and the fact that my bike was malfunctioning and not switching gears. This was where I had to kick in my mental game. It was about mile 10 that my knee really started hurting from riding against the wind. At one point I acutally came to the realization that I would finish the bike but probably not be able to run because my knee hurt so bad. For those of you who don't really know me well, I'm EXTREMELY competitive and very hard on myself when it comes to physical performance. I work hard, train hard, eat right, etc. and expect my body to perform. Being a "slacker" because of a bum knee is not an option for me (probably the reason why it's taken so long for the knee to heal) and admitting that I might not be able to run was tough for me. I finished the bike, quickly transitioned into my running gear and set out on the course feeling rocks in my quads and extreme pain in my knee-NOT GOOD! After about a 1/2 mile, I settled into the run and either my body went numb or my knee pain went away because I got "Into The Zone". I raced to the finish and actually ran my personal best for a 5K. I ended up finishing 11th out of 67 women in my age group! Not too bad for a bum knee!
The lesson of the day for me for me...Don't count yourself out. The mind is much stronger than the body. Just when it seems you're doomed, almost at failure, at the end, etc., remember it's not over and you don't know what God has in store for you. Somehow all my pain subsided and I was able to finish a race in less time than I ever have in my best shape. I truly believe in the power of positive thinking, prayer and determination. I hope all of you find this useful in your next challenge, competition, race or anything else in life!

Becoming the Student

I just spent two days at a Fitness Convention here in Houston. This is something I go to every year. It's always nice to see old friends and co-workers and enjoy the opportunity to learn something new. It's also one of the few times I get to shut my mouth and let someone else do the talking, the teaching, the training and the butt kicking! I so love being a personal trainer and fitness instructor. I love teaching others about health & fitness, encouraging them, being their cheerleader, and their support system. It's also nice to turn the tables and have someone do this for me. So many times, after a long day of training, I often don't have much left in me to push myself through my own workouts. I'm usually exhausted from being on my feet all day, demonstrating exercises, motivating and coaching and sometimes working out with my clients, that there's nothing left to give to myself.

These last 2 days, I was able to participate in fitness classes and training sessions and give 100% effort and boy did I feel it! I took a yoga class for the first time in years and LOVED IT! I never knew yoga could make me so sore! I also participated in a kick-butt bootcamp that left me sweaty and invigorated. I took 3 spin classes that were completely amazing. I participated in an "Everest Ride" that was nothing short of spectacular. I really don't think I've ever sweat so much in a spin class or felt so energized! All of these presenters (instructors) were motivating, uplifting and full of energy! I'm sure there are some good days when I can reach my members and clients in the same way (at least I hope) but I never really know for sure. After taking some of these classes, I feel renewed and ready to conquer the world. I hope to become that kind of trainer and instructor again and really touch my clients and members lives. I will be here to cheer you on, motivate you and support you when you need it! Being the student was fun and I learned a lot and hope to pass it on!

In The Zone

Yesterday was an awesome training day for me! OK, not really for my physically but for my clients. Everyone came to the studio ready to work hard and give it their all. One client in particular made my day. She and I are alike in that we've both been suffering from knee pain when we run. For any runners out there, you can totally feel our mental anguish over not being able to run. If you're a "runner", you thrive on that mental release, time for reflection, and sense of empowerment you get from running. It's hard to explain and hard to live without. Anyways, this particular client came in on Monday totally pumped! She went out for a run over the weekend and finally was "In The Zone"! She told me she set out to jog a few miles and ended up going for 4 miles without pain! She was so into her run and feeling so good, she said she could have gone 4 more miles or more but stopped herself to insure no knee damage would occur. She was so excited to find her groove, feel the rush and let those endorphins kick in. I was so excited for her as I've recently been able to enjoy running again pain free and there's nothing better than getting "in the zone" during a run.
This conversation got me thinking...has everyone had the experience of getting "In The Zone" during a workout? Gosh, I really hope so! There is nothing better than setting out with a goal, reaching it and feeling that overwhelming urge to go above and beyond. Never getting tired, slowing down, feeling pain, etc. It's the biggest rush and confidence builder. It's a feeling I hope everyone can experience in their lifetime.
I encourage you to find your zone whether it be running, swimming, biking, walking, weight training, or any other activity. Set a goal and go for it!
My hope for you this month is that you get "IN THE ZONE!"