Welcome to a blog about triathlon and how it has changed my life. This blog will cover areas such as training and racing, as well as my inner thoughts/philosophies as related to triathlon. Triathlon tips and nutrition will also be explored, in hope of inspiring my audience to tri too.
" You are what you eat from your head down to your feet." Remember Time for Timer? I've always believed in this statement and was lucky enough to learn this at an early age. Food provides us with nutrition, but did you know herbs have some wonderful benefits as well?
Lately, I have been dealing with an injury, and part of healing that is taking some anti-inflammatory medicine. The problem with Advil or any of the over the counter meds is that they have side effects, which over time can wreak havoc on your insides. My biggest problem with Ibuprofen is that it is not easy on my already sensitive stomach. I started investigating some more natural approaches to battling inflammation and discovered that adding some herbs to my diet can help.
Centuries ago herbs were used medicinally and for good reason. The seven best herbs to use, according to Dr. Wendy Bazilion, are oregano, rosemary, thyme, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, and curry. Most of us have at least a few of these, if not all, right in our pantries. The spices, when added to our favorite recipes, can provide an antioxidant boost to our diets. Bazilion who recently wrote, SuperFoods RX Diet, writes about the importance of adding herbs to get health benefits.
Blueberries and pomegranate are," super foods," that are discussed in the book, but did you know that one half of a teaspoon of cinnamon added to your favorite fruit or coffee can give you the same amount of antioxidants as a half a cup of blueberries or pomegranate? Antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals or unstable molecules linked to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's. While nothing beats a fresh cup of blueberries, sometimes it isn't readily available, so reach for some cinnamon to get some of the same benefits.
Oregano is another herb that most of us have in our cupboards. Did you know that adding a half of a teaspoon of this to your favorite food can have as much of an antioxidant boost as three ounces of almonds, and a half a cup of asparagus? Oregano contains rosmarinac acid, an antimicrobial property that has been shown to fight the growth of bacteria and parasites. Again, I think that nothing beats the real thing, but adding herbs to your already favorite foods can really boost the nutrition and add flavor.
Ginger is a spice that has many healing properties. With my recent injury, I was looking for something to aid my inflammation, and I read that ginger, contains gingerol, an anti-inflammatory. Research has shown that gingerol can reduce muscle fatigue and soreness due to intense exercise. Ginger was used centuries ago as a natural way to aid distressed stomachs. Bingo, by adding ginger to your stir fry veggies or chicken dishes, could really make a difference in your recovery after a hard workout, or aid in repairing an injury.
Turmeric is another great spice. Turmeric's deep yellow color is a result of a compound called curcumin. Curcumin has been linked to having anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric, which also has curry blended in it, has as many antioxidants in it as a cup of red grapes.
I think it is worth adding more of these wonderful spices to your repertoire, if nothing else it will add color and flavor to your dishes, but think of the health benefits as well. As my mother-in-law has often said," I would rather pay the grocer than the doctor or pharmacist."Load up on fresh foods and herbs, and reap the benefits of a healthy waistline and good health.
About three weeks ago, I slipped down some wet stairs in my ski boots, and bruised my tailbone. The good news is that I had an x-ray last week and it is not broken, whew! The bad news is, that it's a bit sore. What's an injured triathlete to do that can't run or bike? Practice what I preach about the power of water, and add more water workouts. I can still run in the water. The water is a perfect place to work out and rehab at the same time. In this post, I'll share one of my swim workouts.
First tip, if you have an injured tailbone, is to not flip turn when doing laps. The motion from somersaulting on your back and pushing off the wall can cause excruciating pain. A simple, two handed turn, off the wall will do. Ignore your inner swim coach and wait until the area is pain free.
Second tip, again if you are experiencing this injury, is to go easy on the kicking sets. Depending on how bruised the area is, kicking freestyle with a board could aggravate the area further. The muscles around the tailbone area are over compensating for the injury. My first swim workout back, I did very little kick. This type of injury really requires you to listen to your body. A good rule- if something is causing pain while you do it, stop. Take it from me, I've had my share of injuries, and if you push too hard, too soon, you can increase the longevity of the injury.
Otherwise, the doc said swimming is absolutely fine, even encouraged with something like a bruised tailbone, because swimming has no impact. Below is a swim work-out that I have done the last couple of weeks. Again, no flip turning, and you can add or take away from the kick sets, depending on if you are injured or not.
Warm Up
Easy 500 yards. Concentrate on long arm strokes and breathing every 3rd stroke.
Pull Set
These are done with a pull buoy- great if your back area is injured, and great if it is not too.This works your arms and your lung capacity. Hypoxic means training with little oxygen.
4x200 yds (800 yds.) Concentrate on elongating your stroke and hypoxic breathing- first 200 is every 3rd stroke you breathe, second 200 is every 5th stroke, 3rd 200 every 7th stroke, last 200 every 3rd.
Kick Set( if it is not causing pain from an injury)
4x100(400 yds)
100 free kick
100 breast kick
100 free
100 breast
Main Set
4x100(400)
Alternate 100's with freestyle and breaststroke
Rest only 10 seconds in between each 100, breathing every 3rd bilateral( on both sides)
Cool Down
Swim an easy 200 freestyle
Total yds=2300 yds.
This is a great swim workout( injured or not). You can always tailor this to your needs, by adding more or taking some away. Also, be careful when doing the hypoxic part, if you are not used to little breathing then that needs to be built up. I don't want anyone passing out during a workout.
Last weekend my family and I took a ski trip to the mountains of North Carolina. A mountain called Beech provided us with plenty of east coast skiing, even with all the warm weather. Sunday we ventured to another mountain, just six miles from Beech, called Sugar Mountain, where we skied comfortably in the high 30 degree sunny weather. December and January are months where I tend to spend more family time and take a little break from my usual triathlon training. Soon, I will be gearing up for my first race in April, but it is fun to switch the focus every now and then, and while downhill skiing is not the same as swimming, biking, and running, it is still an activity I love.
Sunday turned out to be our best day skiing; bright sun and cooperative temperatures provided an enjoyable day; that is until I slid down some cement steps in my ski boots and bruised my tailbone. Ouch!
I was able to rehab a bit Sunday night in the cabin's hot tub, but my mind was on the HydroWorx pool. I was miles away from being able to use it and I realized at that moment how much it really works. The hot tub was an okay alternative, but what I was missing was the attachment that the HydroWorx pool has that enables the user to blast water at an intense rate onto sore areas of the body. I kept trying to position myself on the hot tub jet, only to find myself frustrated, as I couldn't get the right angle.
Last year, I had a sore knee and was able to run on the HydroWorx underwater treadmill and recover rapidly. I would recommend that land athletes try more water workouts. At one point or another we all have some type of injury or ailment and the power of exercising in water is amazing because you are virtually getting no impact on your joints and muscles.
The HydroWorx pools are mainly found in physical therapy offices. Professional and college sports teams have access to the pools too, but even a YMCA in Randolph, NJ now has three of the portable X80 underwater treadmills in their facility. Featured recently in the news, the YMCA provided a boot camp class using the underwater treadmills as part of the workout, where participants rotated to different stations in a warm therapy pool. The workout was killer as they incorporated running, biking, and the use of exercise balls in a non-impact environment. This YMCA recognized that the HydorWorx equipment provides an excellent workout. Soon, I 'm sure we'll see more of the treadmills in gyms around the country. The fact that you can rehab and get a great workout without the stress is a key selling point of their products . Look for more of these classes and equipment at your local gym. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jCQGNdnpBI
Check out this cool video of the Randolph Bootcamp with the underwater treadmills.
During the holidays I took a little time away from writing, but now with the new year already under way I am back in full swing. Like most people I have a list of New Year's Resolutions. This post is about sharing some realistic secrets( namely my mom's) in hopes to help my readers attain their weight loss and fitness goals for 2012.
Weight loss and eating better are some very common resolutions for 2012. I just had a conversation with a friend recently and she was explaining how she quits drinking alcohol each January, gives up heavy carbohydrates, and makes a menu plan for her family. Great ideas. Like my friend, I do many of those things also, after a month of eating mashed potatoes and stuffing with every meal, it is time to tweak my eating habits.
As a triathlete I am always looking for ways to lose weight and stay on track with my training, but I wanted to share with you some realistic ways to get fit, even if you are not a triathlete. I said in my last post that you can't look at diet and exercise as a goal per say. Diet and exercise are a lifestyle and you need to commit to making that part of your everyday routine. How the heck is that an attainable goal for 2012? I promise it is simple. I want to share a story with you about my own mom.
My mom is an inspiration to me. Is she a triathlete too? No. Is she a runner? Nope. Is she a swimmer? No again. So how is it that she has never had a weight problem and she has never even entered a gym? That is right, she wouldn't have any idea what to do if she entered a gym. She is 65 years old and has maintained the same weight for many years. When people see her they think she is my sister. Admittedly, that kind of irritates me sometimes, but overall I am super proud of her.
So how does she stay in shape and maintain her weight without a fancy gym or personal trainer? Simple, she stays active by walking her dog ever day. She lives in Northeastern Ohio where the winters are tough, yet even in the dead of winter she bundles up and out she goes with her white Scotty named Beamer, after her favorite car a BMW- I know, don't ask, but off she goes for a walk each and every day for at least a half an hour. She is getting some great cardio without all the impact.
When we were little kids my mom used to pack us up and take us to Summit Mall in Akron, Ohio. It would be the dead of winter and pitch black outside and off we would go to walk around the mall. I remember that she would walk really fast around the mall and not even go into the stores sometimes. This was back in the late seventies before walking became a craze. I realize now that there are many walking clubs that meet at the local mall, but Mom was doing it well before it was en vogue. She has always been ahead of her time and the speed walking was something that she did regularly. My brothers and I thought she was crazy, but in fact she was really smart; she got her exercise for free, walking the mall in the dead of Ohio winters. She walked so fast that my brothers and I had to do a slow jog to keep up with her. When the weather broke she went outside for her walk, recruiting many of our neighbors.
The craze today is buying anything local, especially produce. I know a group of moms who started a business called The Produce Box here in Cary, NC, where you can have local produce delivered to your door. Mom was going to local farms many years ago before it was a trendy thing to do. She would talk to my friends about the,"Organic tomatoes that were less acidic," and they would look at her like she was a kook. One of my old boyfriends coined my mom as a hippy and did not understand what,"organic," even meant. Again this was back in the early eighties when she got into the," all natural phase." She always told my brothers and I that we needed to load up our plates with fruits and veggies and slack off on the meat.
I'll never forgot the day my mom sat us down as a family to announce that we were going to change our eating habits. She had started going to the local farmers market to get all of our produce and she said one night after dinner,"Kids I have an announcement to make." Whenever my mother made an announcement we looked on in horror because as I said she was always ahead of her time and none of our friends parents were anything like her. It took many years for me to appreciate my mom's quirkiness and appreciate what she was advising. At any rate she continued with her announcement that we were going to,"eat a lot less meat." My brothers and I literally cried. After all we loved our hamburgers, steaks and pork chops. A life with less meat, in our opinions, was a life not worth living.
She continued with her speech that we would ,"load," our plates with healthy fruits and veggies that she got at the local farmers market and that we would still eat meat but just a little less and incorporate more fish into our diets. The reason was that meat was too expensive, but also that it caused,"carcinogens," that would,"pollute," our bodies. I learned about cancer well before most kids, but again Mom was ahead of her time. Most of her information came from women's magazines, but it turned out that Mom was right.
Another,"fitness tip," that I learned from my mom was to stay moving all day long. So many of us sit in front of a computer for work or in an office. Mom never sat down when we were growing up. She was always moving around. As a housewife she was constantly running the vacuum, doing laundry, or picking up something that my brothers and I had left lying around. The point is that she was always in motion doing everyday activites. Yard work was another thing. How many of us now have lawn services or cleaning services to help us? Rake your own yard and clean your own house and you will burn calories and save money. Get your family in on the action of cleaning and yard work too if time is a factor. If you sit at a computer put on a headset and walk around your office. You'll burn more calories standing then sitting and it's good for your circulation to move around.
Mom was always involved with us growing up. She would volunteer at school and help out with all our parties. Usually she'd show up in some mini skirt and leopard shirt, which would totally mortify us. As with everything else, she was also ahead of her time regarding fashion. The point is that even though it was embarrassing that my mom showed up with a short skirt on, the cool part is that she could actually fit into a little skirt when most of the other moms could not. Her routine of eating healthy, speed walking the mall, and constantly moving around our house has kept her fit and,"hot," into her sixties. Now that is inspirational and totally realistic. So you don't have to run a marathon in 2012 or even do a triathlon. Just get moving every day and I promise you'll see results.
Triathlon season is over and I am settling into the holiday season. I vow each year to not slip into bad eating habits and try to stick with my exercise routine- even though I am not training for anything specifically yet. How do you stay inspired to stay with the program? That is the million dollar question that many people ask themselves to stay on track with diet and exercise. So what do you do?
Find something that you love and go for it. That advice sounds so simple and yet how many times have you started a diet or exercise program only to find yourself defeated ? The only answer is to realize that staying fit and healthy is a lifestyle.Most people have short term weight loss goals; they want to look great for a big occasion but what most don't realize is that exercise and proper nutrition doesn't ever end. There is a start point, but there is no end point. Proper nutrition and exercise should be incorporated daily into your life like sleeping and showering. It's a harsh reality, but it is the honest truth when it comes to maintaining fitness health.
I have heard over and over again by countless people that the number one reason for not staying active is time. But there is time for a workout if you consciously put it into your schedule. I know for full time working people this is the hardest thing to incorporate into a schedule. My advice, sit down and schedule it. Personally, nothing in my life is accomplished unless I sit down each week ( maybe five or ten minutes) and think about what I have to do. Write a list of what needs to be done, look at your list and then see when you have a block of time for exercise- even five minutes is a start. During the holidays it is important to do this to keep sane.
Five minutes? I can already hear some of you squawking that five minutes is not enough so why bother? You can climb your own stairs for five minutes, never leaving your house or apartment. You will see benefits if you do it everyday. Don't like stairs? Walk to your mailbox and back as many times as you can for five minutes. Live in a cul-de-sac? Walk to the cul-de-sac and back as many times as you can for five minutes. Get the picture? Get moving. Park further away from the door when you go to the mall; this adds walking time. Try adding a minute to your walk or stair climb each day and after a week you'll be up to twelve minutes. Most beginners can run a mile in that amount of time. If you speed walk, a mile can be done in around thirteen to fourteen minutes. The time excuse just doesn't cut it.
Last week at my son's basketball practice everyone was sitting around on their phones, reading their Kindle's, or working on laptops. I kept thinking that some of the people sitting around should get up and walk around the gym or go outside and walk around. Why not manage that time better? That was an hour practice. Think of what exercise you could do in an hour. Put away the technology and get off your bum is what I wanted to shout! I had visions of Richard Simmons pulling people off the bleachers and forcing them to walk around the gym. The point is that here was a block of time. It was only a practice and not a game so parents should not feel guilt for fitting in a walk or run here.
What inspires me to keep fit is that I physically feel better and have more energy to tackle my day; especially this time of year when the holidays are approaching and there is so much that needs to be done. I am inspired to keep at it when the clothes I have in my closet fit, when I go for my yearly physical and my blood pressure is outstanding, when people tell me that I look the same as I did in high school. Those are the little reasons I am inspired to stay active, but there are big reasons as well.
Recently losing my aunt and grandmother to cancer has taught me to be inspired by little things like a beautiful day or my kids sharing with me their school day or perhaps my husband explaining his victories in work. I am inspired by friends that make me feel good about my accomplishments and goals. I am inspired by one of my spin instructors at the gym who always seems to get me to work a little harder. The biggest inspiration to me is when I see someone with a challenge out there participating in sports.
A few days ago I was running at Lake Pine Park in Cary, NC. I was not feeling in the moment at all, in fact I was not really enjoying my run as I was distracted by all the things on my to do list for the day. I was getting through it when I saw a girl in a wheelchair going around the lake. I was stunned, but she was using one foot to push off and propel herself around a two mile loop. She had a group with her and what struck me was that she had a big smile on her face. She was rehabbing an injury and it looked very difficult and yet she was having fun with her group. I immediately realized that although I was tired and really didn't feel like running at the moment, I was so lucky to be out there; I was inspired by witnessing one person who was challenged, but she wasn't feeling sorry for herself. She was simply doing what she had to do.
When I am struggling to continue with my training, I look to other people to train with, take a fun group class, or put on music with a great beat. Sometimes if I need a further push I look to two videos for inspiration. One is with Dick and Rick Hoyt, a father and son team that do triathlons together, the other is Jim Valvano's famous ESPY speech from 1993.
Rick was diagnosed as a quadriplegic with cerebral palsy as a result of a lack of oxygen to his brain at birth. His mother and father have strived all of Rick's life to make it as normal as possible. Rick's parents were able to have a special interactive computer built for him that enabled him to communicate.The computer gave their son a," voice," and they quickly learned that Rick loved sports. In 1977, Rick told his father that he wanted to participate in a five mile run that benefited a lacrosse player that had been paralyzed in an accident. Dick agreed but was not really a runner at the time. He pushed his son in the wheelchair for the five miles and finished the race. Later, Rick told his father that he did not feel paralyzed when they were running together. This was the catalyst that sparked the beginning of a foundation Dick started for his son called Team Hoyt. Together the two have done over 1,000 races including marathons, duathlons, and triathlons(six of them ironman competitions). Dick pulls his son in a boat, pulls him while riding a bike, and pushes him in a wheelchair during triathlons; it is a sight to see.
Ten years ago when I decided to sign up for my first triathlon, I had seen Rick and Dick Hoyt on the televised Kona Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. I was so inspired I knew I had to try one. I cried the entire time watching them and the feeling that came over me was overwhelming. I knew that there was absolutely no reason for me to not do a triathlon. I was hooked after my first race and have continued ever since. Each year I watch Kona and am inspired by anyone who attempts this race, but seeing the Hoyt's blew me away. Kona is still a dream for me, but I am hopeful that someday it will be a reality.
The other person that inspires me is Jimmy Valvano, a former basketball coach at NC State University. He blew me away with his speech at the 1993 ESPY awards. It was my first time watching the ESPY's; I remember my husband saying that I would love the awards show.Valvano gave the speech of a lifetime, talking about the important things in life while he was fighting cancer. His motto,"Don't give up, don't ever give up," is something we have all heard, but there are many things I have taken from that speech like when he said ,"a good day is when you laugh, cry and you think." These are very simple things that we can do each day. When I'm feeling down about anything I think of his powerful words.
Finally, I am inspired by the founders of HydroWorx for the wonderful pools they have created that help people all over the world. Through the power of water therapy they are continually improving the quality of life for people.
I am inspired each day by the grace of God and my many blessings, and like Dick Hoyt has said, "Yes you can," and like Jimmy V. has said," Don't ever give up," I say tri-on friends! Below is Jimmy Valvano's 1993 ESPY video-You Tube and Team Hoyt video-You Tube.
Today is perhaps my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is all about the food and the football, but more importantly it is a kick-back day of realizing what we truly are thankful for. The story we learned in elementary school was that Thanksgiving was a celebration of the first harvest of the colonists in Plymouth with the help of the Native Americans. The colonists struggled until the Native Americans gave them seeds and taught them how to fish.
How many times have we taken for granted the fact that we can just run down to the store to get what we need for our meals? Thankfully, our world is realizing the importance of getting back to our roots, so to speak, and buying food from local farmers or farmers markets. My husband Mark is a big hunter and fisherman so we do eat venison meat and fish that he provides from his hunting expeditions, but what if he didn't have those skills? Would we go hungry? No, because we can go to the local Harris Teeter and get what we need. But the colonists weren't so lucky. Thankfully, they were able to figure things out with some help so that their entire population did not get wiped out.
How many times do we really think about the original Thanksgiving? I guess my point is that it's probably a good idea to revisit that lesson we learned in elementary school. But in a modern day world filled with computers, flat screen televisions, Kindles and Ipods and...electricity, it's hard to comprehend that if you didn't hunt you didn't eat. So as you are eating your feast today, appreciate the small things, like you didn't have to actually venture out in the cold woods to find a turkey first. Perhaps you did venture out in the cold ,but only to get into your warm automobile and drive yourself to the local market.
Beyond the bare bones meaning of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share a more personal reason I'm thankful. In 2001 my husband Mark was supposed to go to New York City for a meeting on Windows on the World, the restaurant on top of the World Trade Center. At the time he was working for Metlife and they had scheduled a managers meeting on Sept. 11, 2001; now currently known as 9/11. That day our world changed forever as we were bombed by al-Qaeda terrorists and our," twin towers," were destroyed forever. We all know the story, but mine was significant because my husband did not end up going to the meeting, as Metlife, thankfully, changed the meeting to another day. My life could have been greatly altered, but I was spared.
I remember exactly where I was when the attacks took place that morning. We were living in Apex, NC. After I had dropped my son Bryce off at pre-school, and had put my son Nick into his jog stroller,
I had gone out for my morning run, donning my Sony headset. I did not own an Ipod yet. I was listening to G105, a Raleigh radio station, when the story broke. At the point of the breaking story I was climbing a nasty hill and I remember thinking that hill was nothing compared to what just happened. The newscaster thought the attack was an accident and by the time I ran home and turned on the local news, the real story was playing out before my eyes. I immediately called my husband Mark at work to tell him the news. I silently prayed to God and thanked him for not sending my husband to New York for the meeting.
I often think of all the wives that lost their husbands in the 9-11 attacks; all the kids that lost their dads and moms, all the unnecessary violence, and I thank God everyday that I was spared. It sounds almost selfish, but I feel there was a reason I was spared that day. I am thankful that I still have my husband and that my kids have their dad. In times of marriage when I am feeling frustrated; and if you are married (let's be honest) you definitely have times that are challenging, I remind myself how lucky I am. The one thing I am truly thankful for is that I have the person I am meant to be with standing by my side and cheering me all the way to the finish line of life.
Reflection-Something such as light, radiant heat,sound or an image that is reflected; a fixing of the thoughts on something, careful consideration. A few weeks ago I completed my last triathlon of the season and it was a challenging event. Being my last event always stirs up many emotions for me. I am usually a little sad that the season is over, but hopeful for the next season. Pinehurst Olympic Triathlon was a wonderful way to end my season. Rolling hills on the bike and run; a clean, clear lake with beautiful homes surrounding it and a golf community that provided a beautiful venue while I tortured myself one last time will keep me coming back to this race.
During the swim I was challenged by the glaring sun reflecting on the lake, but rather than cursing the sun I suddenly was overcome by the beauty of the morning. I was reminded of my grandmother and my aunt who I have recently lost and realized how lucky I was in that moment to be in the warm water even if it was a bit rough from the winds. I realized that with each arm stroke I was gaining momentum to the shoreline. The sunlight was blinding, but it didn't blind my spirit. I felt a sense that my aunt and grandmother were with me guiding me through the light to the bike transition. This was living; feeling the waves, the cold water, the sunlight in my eyes, the cool morning temperatures- all examples of life and experiencing these elements keeps me coming back for more. I could have slept in and been home drinking a cup of coffee, but why sit on the sidelines when you can be in there," in it?" It's a privilege to be a triathlete and the ability to participate is never taken for granted as it is a gift that I reflect on regularly. As I've written before, I ,"tri," for those who can't.
The bike and the run lead me through the beautiful Pinehurst community and while the hills challenged me, I enjoyed the cool temperatures of the day, especially during the run when I so often overheat. I always like to talk to people on the run. During Pinehurst, I talked with a man that was in his sixties. The cool thing, or maybe not so cool, is that your age is marked on the back of your leg. I am always so inspired to see all age groups out there participating in the field of triathlon. The man that was in his sixties expressed that he was tired when I asked him how it was going. But then he said," I keep doing this because of how I feel afterwards." I nodded and told him I felt the same way. Whatever his reasons were for feeling good after he didn't say, but I had a pretty good understanding of what he meant. When you are done it is a feeling that something great was accomplished in a morning. Rather than watching TV or drinking coffee or perhaps having breakfast, there is something great about knowing that your body travelled a long distance (37.2 miles in this race) in a morning using arms, legs and a bike. Through this,"play," I feel like a child again. Competing in triathlon gives you strength to get through tougher things in life.
I met another guy on the run who was closer to my age and he,"carried," me for about four miles. He kept me going by talking with me. What I learned from him was that he was a," weekend warrior," type of athlete. He said he didn't train much but rather just came out to the events and did them. I was impressed with his ability as at mile four he increased his speed and took off; probably tired of talking to me. What stuck with me was that he said he'd rather be,"spending time on the weekends playing and fishing with his son," so he doesn't put in as many training hours as he should. I could relate to that philosophy as my race schedule is always around my family.
Part of reflecting is also realizing how thankful I am to be able to share my stories and to have people that believe in me and support my efforts as an athlete. I can't say thanks enough to my friends at HydroWorx for believing in me. I believe in water therapy and would recommend an underwater treadmill at every gym in the country. The people behind HydoWorx are visionaries in the sports medicine industry, much like Steve Jobs was a visionary in technology. Recently, they put an underwater treadmill in the Keefer home that was featured on ABC's Extreme Makeover:Home Edition show. One of the family members featured on the show is a paraplegic that needs therapy and HydroWorx installed one of their pools right in the home. The power of water therapy is so incredible. The show featured another man with a disability that is now walking as a result of one of the pools.
Beyond reflecting on my last race, I began to reflect on the challenges faced by my family over the last six months. We recently relocated back to North Carolina after a five year stint in Pennsylvania. Although we were returning to an area we call home, we were leaving behind new friends that we'd made and traveling far away from family members again. Moving across country is no easy task,especially when you have children. "Setting up shop," is an adventure, but hard work. Relationships/friendships from the past have changed as well and so our old life was a bit different. We moved back to our,"home," but things had changed over five years. Again an adjustment had to be made for all of my family. Through it all, the swimming, biking, and running kept me on task. Sounds crazy, but when you have a checklist of things to do and follow it, voila it happens. I train for triathlon that way and live my life that way. The workouts were a great release in between packing, unpacking, setting up my kids in school and sports, DVM visits. et cetra.
This blog is more than a blog about a girl who loves triathlon. This is about life and how triathlon shows up in my life. I am reminded of my brother-in-law, Dr. Frank McCluskey, who wrote a book called Thoughts on Fire; a book about being a fire fighter. In his book, his life was brought full circle by his passion for fighting fires and the relationships he developed doing so. It is not much different than what I am trying to convey in My Tri Life; do what you love and love what you do. I am lucky enough to have figured out my mantra and I am only middle aged. Thankfully, I still have half a life to go.
Pinehurst Triathlon Swim Transition
Tri- On Friends,
Kelly
Pinehurst Triathlon Run Transition
HydroWorx Pool at Keefer home featured on ABC Extreme Makeover Home Edition
HydroWorx Pool featured on ABC Extreme Homemaker Home Edition
