Three's A Charm

Motivation: This week I was totally motivated by new friends. The encouragement they gave was sincere and on the money. The connection itself gives me momentum. It's true that we are "on our own" to fight our demons while training/racing, but it's also true that we are not alone. Others are fighting their own battles right alongside us and we are training/racing from within the context of lives connected to friends/family. I put it out there this week and got it back tenfold. The images and words I carry forward from this week keep echoing in magnificent ways. I absolutely loved the new-to-me formula "DFL>DNF>DNS" from RBR. And thank you Willie for the reminder to push forward keeping my head up and fears low. It helps to have new ways to express good things!! (I know, I know - links two weeks in a row - but y'all have had a big impact! And? You're in a different category than last week. See? That's allowed.)

Tri-Tool/Gear Gratitude Focus: This week I am grateful for Vivian (my Specialized Dolce Comp). She is almost two years old now - and has been ridden in TN, NC, VA, NY, VT, and Canada (Montreal). She is the exact right combination for me of new enough to be exciting and broken in enough to be comfortable. What little confidence I have managed to gain on the bike is all because of Vivian. I like my bike and this is why, we tackle those hills and the miles speed by. (<--Apologies to Dr. Suess.) In case you were wondering, IRL she has pedals - all the better to cycle with. Oh, and in the spirit of full disclosure, she can be a total bitch too. She bites me when she gets cranky. (<-- Get it? Cranky! Ha, ha.) In spite of the gear tooth scars on my right leg, I love my bike. Her geometry fits mine: she's little and strong. She's just right for me.

Obstacle Of The Week: Sick people. I'm glad to say everyone in the house feels better now (although Donna's neck/shoulder stuff is going to take more treatment and care). When the people I love are sick, it's hard to want to do anything away from them. I get caught somewhere between smothering them with too much attention, fighting off the guilty "bad mom" feelings if I leave them at all, and see-sawing to keep a semblance of routine going for everyone's sake. I threaded my way through that gauntlet very well this week, thank you. I made sure there was healthy food available and that anyone who wanted/needed cuddling and TLC got it. I also got the work(outs) in, if not on the originally scheduled day. I was successful on all fronts!

Setting My Sights For The Upcoming Week: This week I have got to do a better job with hydration. When you end up with cotton mouth on a thirty minute run, you were in deficit before you began. I already know this! I need to pay attention to my fluid intake not just for the workout, but for the whole day. I know I feel better when I consistently stay hydrated. I sleep better and make healthier food choices when I'm intentional about water. I'm not going to kick myself for not hydrating well this past week but I am going to take better care of myself this week. Six baby camelbak's a day. Every day. Even if it means I have to pee twenty times!

Celebration: Yay me for being flexible and committed. It IS possible to have it all. Three weeks in the log. Three is a great number. For me, the benefits of any plan start showing after a lag of three weeks. The gains really seem to kick in at that point. It's fun to think of having gotten to that first marker already!