Saturday, March 3, 2012

I get around..

I am becoming a Yoga whore..yes I am getting around to alot of classes in the last couple of weeks. It started out when we saw a Yoga studio  just about 1 mile from our house in the Albertsons shopping center. We checked it out and they had a 20 classes for $20 on sale. Who could refuse this? Yoga, for the most part has always been a challenge doing, going, staying at any Yoga Studio. The last Yoga I tried was Hot Yoga, where I nearly died of heat exhaustion. First few time I tried it, I became dizzy each time I stood in a sweltering room and tried to contort..I had to leave early a few times because I felt sick. The last hot Yoga class I left feeling nauseous and faint by the end of the class. I really, really wanted to like Hot Yoga! I wanted all those "amazing benefits" of Hot Yoga! I felt a bit like a failure when I could not get past the heat part. So I gave up, assuming being all Eastern meditative and flexible was not in my future.

Fast forward a few weeks ago, where I went to Yoga at the new place. It is not hot, seems almost manageable, even though I toppled over a few times the first couple of classes. Yesterday something finally clicked and it felt like I was getting ever slightly more stretchable, which is not saying much! I also began to like the feeling of "Child's pose" which got me to a state of new relaxation after doing some pretty hard poses...This is my best attempt to be a meditation person. I have never successfully been able to sit and "think of nothing" for more than 2 minutes. However, something about moving while meditating is easier for me. Julia, the new instructor is also amazing and encouraging. Something about her makes me think I could actually keep coming back and getting benefits of the practice. I plan on continuing as long as I can until the swimming, biking and running overtake our hours in the day.

We hired a coach on Monday. It is my old coach, Mark from Ironman Florida days, my first IM in 2004. IMFL was my PR and I have never been able to match it. When he asked me what my goals were for Ironman Arizona, I quickly said, without thinking-to break 14 hours..I figure any time faster than my last IM-Western Australia, where the heat gods got me, would bed good. H and I will be training with him separately and together. I look forward to being pushed in a different way.

Our triathlon and running race year seems to be shaping up. We were going to register for Jay Benson, the local sprint triathlon that has been here every year for 20 years. But seems the base director (race is on the air force base here) has other plans! The race director may not get a permit so registration is postponed until further notice. Bummer! I have begged off several morning rides in the last couple of weeks. My tolerance for training in the eff-ing cold is way down. I hate, hate hate, biking in the cold. When it stops being fun at all, I draw the line. ABQ us just not warming up to South American standards yet! Hopefully tomorrow, we can get out early to ride with a group. I am already psyching myself up and planning my many layers to begin the ride with...

I actually got into a pool the other day and swam 2000 yards. Wow! I never thought I could be so sore trying to swim! The muscles in my arms were freaking out, legs yelling at me and form was atrocious. I can only hope that with  more practice, I will be less stiff in the pool. It did not help that when H and I got to the pool and asked to share a lane with an older guy, he yelled at us. Apparently, in this gym, the elderly get to call the shots in the pool? He finally moved out of his lane, griping to anyone who would listen about how rude we were to try and share a lane with him..Geez! Swimming at this new gym may be a challenge but I can beat up those old people if they start to get sassy with me! :) I can be just as grumpy and old-they better watch out!

Off to run today..I am having a grandson on Tuesday..I am on Cloud Nine!!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Okay New Year, New Goal

I tumbled this idea inside my head for a few weeks. Should I keep blogging or not? I guess one reason to keep writing is to not let the cobwebs grow too much in my head. I read an article on "reasons to blog" and these are some:

1. You will find your kindred spirits. 

I've made best buddies for life from my websites. After all, blogging and putting myself out there has helped me find you, my kindred thrifty spirit! My favorite part of blogging is making heart to heart connections with my readers. 

2. 
Blogging is better than Facebook siphoning away countless hours.


I haven't found this balance yet but hopefully I can do both while not being a total online obsession about myself.

3. Your writing will improve. 

Blogging is daily writing practice. You'll learn to write engaging copy faster and you'll sharpen layout and content organization skills.

4. Your photography will improve. 

I always felt like I had a good eye, but snapping daily photos for my blog has helped my photography improve by far! I can take better pictures faster, and I keep learning every day. 

5. You'll learn, grow, and discover yourself with every single post.

Your self improvements will go beyond writing, photography, and journaling. Blogging daily helps you make personal improvements. We improve on our weaknesses because they're highlighted when we document them. I like how Penelope Trunk says it: "Writing daily is a path to self discovery."



I have several races coming up in 2012. Why not write about this? Triathlon, running, biking, swimming-it's all therapy for me. Looking toward goals is how I find my life interesting. I fill in the spaces with family life, retirement life-which is not always that interesting. After our trip to South America, I was stunned that people enjoyed my writing. Really? I tend to be way more critical of myself when I blog, OMG my grammar, spelling, word phrasing sucks! I am apparently hardest on myself. The people who read my blog are way more forgiving of my errors.. 


My ultimate racing goal is Ironman Arizona-scheduled for November 18, 2012. In the meantime we have two weddings and one baby coming in 2012. This makes for interesting back stories. In our growing family of 10 plus 3 (baby and soon-to-be-son-in-laws) makes for some pretty interesting drama. Of course I can't share everything about all of our family, I still can write from a Grandma Debi perspective in general terms. 


IMAZ (short for Ironman Arizona) will be my 5th Ironman race. We are hiring a coach, which I have done before. I have trained without a coach but results speak loudly to which is better. My first IM, I had a coach who trained me to do my PR for IM. I figure even though I am 8 years older, perhaps I can break my own personal record. We shall see! We also joined a new gym, I started doing yoga as a routine thing. I love Yoga-finally! I have tried and tried to love it before and been very inconsistent..The new Yoga place is 5 minutes from my house, it does not seem like a big production to get there each class...I plan on keeping up the practice, if only for the reason of maintaining my flexibility.


In my world of idle time and lack of structure, I welcome IM training as a way of "accomplishing something" and keeping myself on track. It is also a way to connect with other like minded, interesting people in the triathlon world, who challenge me physically and mentally. H does all that of course-it is just nice to expand my world.. 


It is a beautiful day in ABQ. We are off to the new gym to do weights and I may, just may-actually get in the pool today!