official off-season and looking back

what to do-what to do. Offseason has arrived for 2 weeks-nothing structured training wise. I have been so pleased with my coaching through Ironguides that I will follow their sage advice closely. I had a great 2nd year back into triathlon after my 10yr hiatus. I'm finally fit again and capped off the Southwest Challenge Series with the agegroup win, Raced the Best of the US representing NM, and finished first overall in the NM trail championship at Baylor Pass in Las Cruces last weekend.

Now it's time for my 09 proclaimations! yes, I'm putting out there....

Running Austin Marathon-AGAIN and gonna best my 3:34 there with a run focus for now although this time i'm gonna keep swimming and biking :)

Duathlon: qualify for Natls and Worlds teams and possibly go to N.Carolina ITU style-so that's after Austin and I'll head out to AZ for the qualifier

then, focus on BSLT 1/2 Iron distance and try for a slot to *gasp* Kona....

IF I get the slot

Somewhere along the way I might, race schedule permitting, try for the NM slot to BOUS again despite being one of the older fems (ugh).

I'm off next week to drive to Waco to visit my parents for some nice vacation time, then come back to El Paso and hit it hard. I've got to get prepped and primed for my new job that starts in January and do some major adjustments in time (spent in training) waaaaaaa..... little spoiled girl

has it been a year already?

First off, I found out I'm not good a "blogging"- I don't like the feel of it much so I must change my perception- my purpose... it will be my diary since i enjoyed seeing where I was a year ago and how far I've come in 08.

Winding down '08 I just finished Baylor Pass Trail Run and won the thing- I went into it tired; mentally and physically from a long season of racing triathlons. I can now take away an agegroup win for the Southwest Challenge Series and a slot representing NM for Best of the US where I didn't finish dead last (old lady)- I was right in the middle and had a solid race- not my best because I got waaaay too cold and never warmed up. I have worked for a year with coaching from Ironguides.net- Marc and Vinnie and I must say I now feel extremely close to being in the best possible shape of my life. I have looked ahead to '09 and have decided my "pie in the sky" goal will be to QUALIFY for Kona!!! how to do it will be a challenge since I love the 70.3 distance and will try my hand at BSLT but i will also be working full time-ugh. So, lets see where the road leads me.... time to start training for my fav. race; Austin Marathon in Feb. and knock some more time off my 3:34 last year.

I soooo dislike science fair!

especially if its for 1-5th graders! ugh- at least the 5th grader is starting to grasp the concept of scientific testing... this is taking up most of my time right now- one project had to be scrapped and restarted- the other well.... (big oh well)
I've gotten my weekly run mileage up to 60 and feel good- did a 18 miler on sat. in 1:37 so right on track for Austin. Today was 10 miles of hills- feel fine-just ravenous! I've decided to really go light if at all on the bike.
Finished my book, Eat, Pray, Love- wow- hard to put down reading- I'd love to live her life and learn those lessons-can't wait for the sequal.
Tomorrow I will hopefully get some video of my swim work-out and some more good one on one coaching from a friend of mine who graciousy ponied up to coach my water time. That and a 5 mile tempo run in the middle of a 10 miler should do me in tomorrow (and science fair projects)

SNAP! another weekend gone by... I got to ride with my group today since it was 50* to start- it was warm and WINDY and, of course, they all were riding at 22 mph to start- ugh- boys... into the wind coming home they were all on my tail- good ole aero position fairs much better. I also never fight the wind, just ride (flow and all) I can't wait to see the #'s off of Motionbased.com. Had a great conversation with one of my riding bro's- he's into lots of the theology/psychology/art of being that I am- he vacationed in Hawaii over the holiday, met with his guru and read a great book; Eat, Pray, Love. We had to high-5 on that one as I'm reading it currently and love the author. I then turned him on to Dan Millman and website that started all of this for me- I love it when I encounter "coincidence" because it's not that at all!
I did a powerwalk for 4 miles with the husband this eve.-he's trying hard to get back in shape and I'll be there to help him. He was the one that got me running and biking long ago (1983).

Yesterday was really great too; got my 8 miler in, my horse got her workout and then we skated in the eve.- I love ice skating... I used to be a figure skater of no repute- now i have hockey skates and have discovered my bad boy side :) I had 3 boy's and husband last night so " if ya can't beat em? out-skate em!" just hook in the i-pod.

Take away thought: Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it (Charles Swindoll)

So, I wake up to get a 4 miler in this a.m. in the quiet of the pre-dawn- around here it is simple to get away from traffic and people although I live in a huge border city, it is still quite rural on either end of El Paso Del Norte-and, the public pace is still manyawna time. It wasn't all that early- 6:30am but my focus was on achieving flow. As I run I'm thinking about all the things I could write about-er, blog about, what I've read of other blogs in the past, how I want to flow in writing as well. My a.m. runs are a great time for thinking. My dog runs in sync with my stride and, 1.3 miles into the run we achieve flow-all things are in harmony; dog, my legs, my breath, the temperature, the sunrise, the path... At this time I have a choice, now 5 miles into what was supposed to be a 4 miler- do I do some more fartlek and another mile?
well, I'm not one to pass up a chance to float along when things are going so well, after all, I have a marathon to run near the end of February.
My goal in everything i do today is to flow. I start back to work since my client has been away skiing in Aspen. I love and hate my job at the same time and the irritation always seems to peak at the end of the year. Well, it's a new year and I'm determined to teach these people about that little technique toward getting the most out of what you do. I'm a personal trainer; private, in house for a family who I've worked for 10years. I've been a personal trainer for 19. Our workout flows seemlessly thanks to my direct intent on the process and I'm thanked for a good workout :).
On to the pool I go, my 2 boys ages 9, 11 in tow the whole time. The pool is the best place, the easiest place for me to flow. The kids splash and dive in my lane but my 2800yds goes by in no time. I love the water.
As I write now, I'm still flowing but it gets hard at the end of the day- I have an ice skating session this eve., will fall into bed and be out the door tomorrow to run with the dog and some friends and will continue to re-awaken my creative writing side. Also, I'll try to get this really cool pic I took of my dog off of my cell phone and on here.
Namaste

and so I begin... writing as an athlete, a woman, a wisdomseeker and a wisdomkeeper, a lover of all things outdoors. Ask anyone that knows me; if the question is "where is she?" the answer by everyone is "she's outside somewhere." I'm on my bike, or running, swimming, riding my horse, working on my 4 acres. I have started this blog in answer to a timely call. Dan Millman, author of some very thought provoking writings on athlete and sport and what lies beneath has been one of my most favorite writers for a very long time. I was alerted to a post on Slowtwitch.com in where I found Hak leading the way to Dan's newest book, Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior, through his website www.theoutdoorjourney.com, and a challenge to blog for a signed copy of this book and the prospect of passing it on... I love to pass it on :) Dan's words encompass much more than sport psychology for me and they are words that I need to read and re-read often, for I am only human, just trying to be better at it.
Namaste