Couch to ATHLETE!

 *Video displayed above:  https://youtu.be/BGLGzRXY5Bw You say you got a real solution Well, you know We'd all love to see the plan It's a hard thing to acknowledge and accept falling back into old bad habits. It is also hard to accept when tools used in the past no longer work, AND when tools used in the past are necessary. I'm going to acknowledge something here that can be an uncomfortable topic for some people, including me, but really shouldn't be. After being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis I went through some serious depression. I remember sitting on the kitchen floor of my kitchen sobbing over the fact that I MIGHT lose my mobility, I MIGHT lose my livelihood, I MIGHT never run a marathon again, and so on. What I had to come to terms with is I might NOT, and that I wouldn't know until it happened. Shortly after diagnosis, I ran another marathon, I got a couple of cool promotions, and I am still mobile. Part of my progress in recognizing the fact that I cou...

Some say it takes 21 days to establish a habit, and then 66 days to make it a strong habit. Look it up and you will find many studies about it. What's interesting is that you will find research that indicates the 21 day path to a habit is a myth, but you will also find research that supports the claim. What I know as true: My mind is a powerful organ, and regardless of what research says, I can make a decision and stick with it. I mean, I did quit drinking Diet Coke awhile ago and even when put in right in front of me I push that pop away every time.  There are seven pillars of self care that I have learned over the years. The Pillars include: Knowledge Mental Health Physical Activity Healthy Eating Risk aversion Good Hygiene Rational use of Products Seven pillars has always been WAY too much for my brain, and I prefer to categorize and put these pillars into broader pillars for myself. I like to focus on: Mental Wellbeing Physical Wellbeing Spiritual Wellbeing This 3 pillar approa...

I used to take tremendous pride in my athleticism; so much so, I got a tattoo to celebrate some of my accomplishments. My friend Chris stood in a doorway watching when the needle first pierced my skin to etch my pride, my joy, what I lived for, on my leg. Chris is a friend that has been by my side at every pivotal moment from my teenage years, to this day. She shows up for me, always. In fact, the first night she spent away from her kids was to support me during my second Half Iron distance triathlon, so it only made sense for her to be there when I got the tattoo. People have invested so much into me and my athleticism. I invested so much into me and my athleticism, so to let it all go is, quite frankly, embarrassing. To go from self propelling myself 26.2 miles by foot, and 70.3 miles by swim bike run, to struggling with getting out of the house with my sneakers on is not a good feeling. It sucks... So how does one go from Couch to Athlete back to Couch? I wish I could put my finger ...

We all know exercise is good for us, and necessary, but doing it is another story. As I stated just a couple of weeks ago, I want it... I want it so bad!!! If that is the case, why is it so damn hard? Well a wise woman once told me, several years ago when I was struggling so hard, "you must not want it bad enough." Oh, and the truth hurt... I mean, how could she be so flippant with my feelings of despair? Well, I decided to show her how wrong she was; I signed up and did half ironman number two. So, was she right? Well she was right about one thing, I wanted to prove her wrong bad enough, and I did... However, her point was not lost on me. You have to want something bad enough to choose to do it, change it, manage it. I'm unhealthy and I want health bad enough... I'm not exercising much and I want that next half ironman bad enough...  I can't bend and tie my shoes as easily as I used to and I want to take care of myself bad enough... I get fatigued quic...

I just watched Iron Cowboy... Not that you need my life story, but to impress on you the importance of what this story just did for me, I must start with mine! On June 12, 2013, three days before my first half ironman distance race I received a dreaded phone call from my doctor. The staff member on the other end of the line asked me if I wanted to wait until my doctor's appointment in two weeks for the results of my testing or get my results over the phone. I asked to receive them over the phone. She spent time confirming my identity and then told me what I had suspected from my first appointment with the neurologist... She said, I'm really sorry I have to tell you this, but you do have Multiple Sclerosis. That was the first day of my new life and I had a choice... Show up for 70.3 miles on Sunday, or wallow in this new information. You see, many years before this, in 2003 to be exact, I did my first sprint distance triathlon. I was grossly over weight, barely tra...

A Cloudy Day in Wisconsin Last you heard from me on this blog I lived in Ohio. In the last year I left my people in Ohio to start a new adventure in Wisconsin. I love Wisconsin, I love my job, I love my life but I desperately miss my Ohio people. So where to start? Well, I think it important to reflect on the last 9 months so you can understand my journey back to the blog. Last year I was training for the Chicago Marathon and I was travelling a ton leading up to the Marathon. I was fortunate to be in DC because my sister was willing to do a lot of my training with me. The week before the marathon I had very significant symptoms of a gallbladder attack and my doctor told me I was alright to go for it, run the marathon. As I was walking out the door to drive to Chicago for the marathon I received a phone call offering me this job in Wisconsin. Let's just say it was an interesting drive that started out with me saying there was NO way I was going to take the job, to half way t...

It's hard... The end... No seriously, traveling and training equals extremely tough combination, but somehow I'm managing. You know what else is tough? One hundred plus degree heat index is tough as well, but managing that is somehow easier for me. It simply means accept 20 minute per mile trots with random ultra-marathoners on the trail. So what is in this traveling thing that makes it so difficult? Work, unfamiliar trails, exhaustion, unfamiliar territory and then navigating it all. I have found myself going back to my hotel, laying across my bed for a little bit and then strapping on my shoes to escape from technology for awhile. I think what I am learning though is that when traveling, motivation is harder to find and self discipline is so much more important.