Ladies and Gents, it's time to rev your engine.

Oooph. Went for a run tonight, the first activity since my sluggish 'rest week...er, or two...and a half' after the ChelanMan race. Wow. I went slow. It was hard. And, even though I was just going for a quick, get the feet back in the game type run, I cut it even shorter. And then slowed down for a walk. And then stayed walking the rest of the way home.
It is truly amazing to me how quickly you can lose that lightness of feet feeling after not much activity. And encouraging each time how, with starting up again, it comes back.
Time to start up again!

Turning 35

I turn 35 tomorrow. I am glad. It feels 'just right' to me at this time in my life. And, my summer of training and doing triathlons are probably a significant part of that excitement to be this age.

I didn't grow up as an athletic person. I never did sports as a kid, got picked last for all the games in PE, couldn't fathom running for fun. I've been 'curvy' or 'heavy' most of my adult life, and that has shaped a lot of how I viewed my body. I did dance. I danced a lot. But that to me felt different then being 'athletic'.

What a delight to surprise myself with who I am the summer I turn 35!

My commitment to maintain a healthy weight and a fit body only grow stronger each year that goes by. The seniors I work with certainly inspire me. Many of them keep at it, coming to exercise class, lifting weights...One woman, who has significant balance issues and chronic pain, everyday walks around our mezzanine. She has found something that works for her and her health issues, and she sticks with it.

When I go to triathlons, I am also inspired. I see many (most!) competitors who are older than me. It is so inspiring to be around all that fitness, all those people who have decided to make their health a priority in their lives. Whole families turn out. Heck, the husband of one of my seniors competed in the same Issaquah Triathlon I did - he's in his 70s!

My desire for myself is that I keep finding fresh enthusiasm and excitement around having an active life. The picture above is me and my family finding a way to exercise on a multi-day train ride by running up and down the tiny stairs. This winter, I was super-jazzed about lifting heavy free weights. This summer it is triathlons. Who knows what next year will bring, but I'm determined it will be something!

What do you do to keep inspired about fitness and health?

Training Matters

Just got back from my 2nd triathlon, this one in Chelan. It was very different then my first, which was really all about the new experience. This one I had something to compare it to, wanted to increase my speed, improve my record, generally do better. Too bad I hadn't put in the time to do so! It ended up being an experience of not having trained enough. I'll post a race report later, and hopefully figure out how to post some pics, but suffice to say it was a real wake-up call for the kind of training I'll need to do to successfully complete the Olympic-distance triathlon in September!

Ahhh, nice long training run...

Last year I never would have imagined that I would be training for a triathlon. Five years ago I never would have imagined that I was capable of running one mile, let alone a five k. (thanks to Paige D for proving me wrong there!).

But tonight, I couldn't wait to pull on my shoes, tuck my son into his jog stroller, and take off on a nice leisurely hour-long loop around my town and its trails. Something about the steady pace of my feet, the rhythmic squeezing of my heart, and moving through the world with some speed makes me feel so alive.

An hour! It's taken me many months to build up to this, but man, does it feel great to be here.