Treading Lightly, Fighting Time

Is there a life hack for stretching time? I seem to be out of it these days, hence my inability to update the blog and share with you all my adventures and stories these last few months.

Work has been extremely busy for me this year, and generally that’s something I very much enjoy, because I truly love to work hard. But for some reason, finding personal time has been nearly impossible. Training has only/barely made the cut because I can do it when the rest of the world sleeps. (I’m very grateful for you, 5am). But as I write this, I feel a promise coming on. It’s time to make a positive change.

So how do I suddenly find this thing they call time? I’m simply going to build it into my schedule. I want to train more, read more, write more, and be more present. So it looks like I’ve got plans to make…with myself. Hmm, that kind of sounds sad, but it’s anything but! 

Ok, let’s switch gears. Let’s talk about winter and spring training. How’s it going for you? 
As most of you know, last July I tripped and broke and(!) sprained my left foot, sidelining me from the last 5 or so weeks of training before my first Ironman. Well, I still did the race, and ceased running the following few months (which was SO hard to do). Now, nearly 9 months later, I still feel pain from time to time. I have been told by docs that I’m “healing, but not healed.” I’ve continued to train with my team because a) I want to  b) I know how to listen to my body and stop if I need to, and c) I’ve got an Ironman in 15 weeks - enough said. There’s definitely a way to tread lightly while still sticking to the routine. So I’ve soldiered on. Is there any other way?

I’ll admit it hasn’t been easy. I sit out during team sprints, I skip anything that involves jumping or quick movements. I do (mostly) everything with extreme caution, but the point here is - I’m still doing it, and I’m still loving every second of it. How could I not? I feel grateful for being able to take my body through these motions. I feel honored to be alongside teammates that I can call close friends. I feel proud that I continue to swim, bike, and run, for the fun of it - not because I’m looking for a podium or recognition of any kind. 

And it’s that podium mode that still never phases me. I race for the journey, the fun, the friends by my side. Because of that, I don’t seem to find the drive to push the limits or attempt record-breaking stats. And that mirrors these last few months. I haven’t done many (if any) two-a-days, I’ve slept in when I felt I needed it, I skipped workouts, and I haven’t felt guilty. Maybe it’s that second year Ironman training that has my head on a bit straighter. It might just take having one under your belt to have the confidence to understand “I’ve got this.” Meanwhile, most of my team is training for their first, so I’m watching them hit it hard, and make the most of their first run. I’m stoked for my training, but I am more excited to see them all soar on their big day (as they’re all doing Ironman Mont Tremblant three weeks after I’m doing Ironman Lake Placid.)

So after nearly three freezing months of mainly indoor training, last Sunday, April 3rd, I completed my first triathlon of 2016 and my first race since Ironman. The South Beach Triathlon brought a handful of us from NYC down to the sunny beaches of Miami to take on an olympic distance course with an ocean swim (race recap to come!) I had nearly no outdoor rides before this race, and no runs at pace for almost a year, but I also had no fear. I just wanted a finish line and the time with my family down in Florida. Meanwhile, this week, I was bringing my bike back home and I had a small crash on the city streets (not involving anything but me and a sidewalk). I’m suffering some aches and boo boos but I’ll be ok. It’s funny how you can complete a race with 30mph downhill speeds on bad roads and yet you crash in a most unlikely and familiar situation. Oy vey, as my mom would say.

Well, I’ve got a race each month from now through July, and I’m excited for it all. Bring it! 
Here’s what’s on the calendar…at least for now...
May 15 - Grand Fondo Bike Race
May 21 - Harriman State Tri (olympic)
June 4 - Ironman Raleigh 70.3 (half Ironman)
July 24 - Ironman Lake Placid (full Ironman)
November - Marathon (TBD)

We all have something to train for, even if it’s not a race. So let’s make a promise to ourselves that above all else, we’ll make time for ourselves. This blog has been a joy to write and I don’t want to shy away from expressing myself anymore. Besides, we’ve got a lot of swimming, biking, running, and relating to do!! Let’s get it going, spring!

Hope to hear from you all soon! It's truly inspiring to see what everyone is doing out there. So keep on keepin’ on!

-BForge