- Food Becomes Fuel
- I own stock in Kashi products. I pretty much eat the same thing for breakfast everyday. Kashi Truly Vanilla Oatmeal with either strawberries or blueberries. If I get bored of that there is always the Kashi waffles. Or a Kashi Go Lean Chocolate protein shake. Complex carbs and protein is what it's all about. Snickers bars are great while on the bike. Plain GU w/caffeine is my gel of choice. Alcohol as fuel? Not so much :(
Routine
Oh I live an exciting life... if I am working then I basically get up, work, and go to bed. Occasionally I will train after work. My 4 days off from work are dedicated to training. I get up, eat, check email and puruse the web for a bit, then I am usually at the gym by 10 to swim, run, and lift. Home by 2 ish, fuel up, and then do some housework, grocery shop, wedding plan, and/or nap and sometimes I catch Oprah. I get to see Ty at the gym during his lunch hour which always puts a smile on my face . On my days off, my favorite part of the day is around 5:30 pm when I know Ty will be coming through the door and we get to sit down to a nice dinner togther. Some people hate routine....I live for it :)
Rest
Not only am I talking sleep here. But of course, 8-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep is what I need. Do I always get it? NO. When I am not working or training I am in constant "rest mode". I almost pretend that I am in a little protective bubble. It's all about resting for the next training session. Multivitamins and Vitamin C are my best friends, along with ice. I try to ice my aches and pains and pay attention to them as best as I can. I go through phases where I am good at this and then there are times when I just push on and ignore things. Ignoring what your body is telling you is NOT a good idea. Presently I am doing massage and stretching as much as possible. And Ty is not only my wonderful husband to be, but also very attentive to how I am feeling (he is always there for foot and neck massages :)
Sacrifice
I don't want to sound like I am complaining here about things I've had to sacrifice, but these things go through my head and this post is all about what goes through my head. So here are a few little things I've had to "sacrifice". A variety of social outings ie late nights out, having a drink/or a few drinks whenever I want, and I guess that's really it. So basically I haven't had to sacrifice anything important .... see it's all worth it :)
In my head while swimming...
I count laps (yes I know it's terribly exciting), I do mental imagery of being in a race, I concentrate on technique or breathing, and once in awhile I pace myself off of someone in the next lane.
... while biking...
It would suck to crash again....please don't crash again..... how much longer do I have to ride this freakin' bike? I can't wait to get off this stupid thing and go for a run.
Can you tell how much I love the bike? I don't always dislike it. There are times I find myself cruising along and just enjoying the feeling of being up on the bike. When I am on a flat section of road I really enjoy it. When I am going up a hill I pretend I am in the Tour De France or I concentrate on keeping a stedy cadence. If I am listening to my IPod then I am siging along in my head.
... while running ...
This is when I really do a lot of thinking. Recently I have been doing a lot of thinking while out on my training runs. I'm not sure if this is due to the fact that I have been doin longer runs lately or if the changing weather has brought this out of me. Ironman teaches you how to be patient with yourself and I try to practice this patience when I am out on a long run. My mind wanders to a variety of places while running. Sometimes I think about work, sometimes I think about my friends and family, and then other times I think about the Ironman and what it has taught me.
While thinking about work, I think of the patients who have touched my heart. I think about their families too. I think of the teenage boy who was given the gift of life, a new set of lungs, but suffered complications during surgery and will now never walk again. I think of a young man who was waiting for the a new heart, only to suffer a massive stroke and go on to give the gift of his own life. Life is so bittersweet sometimes. Taking care of patients and their families is a tremendous privilege, and I always thing about how I would want to be treated if I were in that hospital bed or if I were that family of a critically ill person.
My mind then wanders to think about how lucky I am to have my health and happiness. I am so fortunate to have the physical capability to even complete an Ironman. Part of me on race day is out there representing the people who are not able to do what we are out there doing. Ability...it is such a significant word to me. Of course my mind always has a memory for Jon Blais (The Blazeman); the corageous young man who became the first person with ALS to complete and Ironman, only to lose his battle with the disease about a year and a half later. His memory has touched the triathlon community forever.
I think about my friends and family who have touched my life forever, whom I love. (I knew I wouldn't be able to get through this without crying.....this is good practice for my wedding day :) (I have no idea how I will get through my vows on that day......stay tuned :) It has been amazing to grow up with and experience life with you all.
And of course Ty, you are my "Ironmate" :) You are my rock and a shoulder for me to cry on when I need one. You are always here for me with open arms and unconditional love. The amount of support and encouragement you give me is unmeasureable. You make me want to be a better person. I am so glad that you are here with me to walk through life together. Ok this is sounding way too much like wedding vows..... back to the Ironman........
Have I mentioned that the Ironman is amazing? :) Basically this is what goes through my head :)
posted by Em at 3:15 PM
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