A year ago this weekend I was attempting the seemingly impossible task of completing a full Ironman distance triathlon.  After a year of training sometimes five or more hours a day, I was as ready as I could be, but there was still that little tiny bit of doubt at the back of my mind.  How could someone who weighed over 230 pounds at one point and had been almost completely sedentary really swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and then top that off with a full-marathon at 26.2 miles.  How was this even possible??
           What I have come to realize over the last couple of years is that impossible is relative.  And what I mean by that is that we tend to base what is impossible for us on what we perceive is our current level and how far we feel we are from the impossible goal we want to reach.  When my friend Karrie first approached me about doing an Ironman, I honestly thought she was crazy to even think I could do such a thing.  She believed in me much more than I believed in myself, which is pretty sad when you think about it.  In my head all I could think about was what I couldn't do.  I couldn't swim 100 yards in a pool without feeling like I was going to drown...how could I possibly think I could swim 2.4 miles in open water?  I had never ridden more than 30 miles on my mountain bike and had not been on a racing bike since I was 20 years-old.  There was no way I could ride 112 miles.  And while I had run several half-marathons, I was not very fast and it was impossible for me to think I could finish a full marathon let alone do so after the ridiculous swim and bike miles that would come before that run.

              I have an inspirational running friend named Tony that, like me, was a sedentary couch potato, overweight and not looking as though he would live to a ripe old age if he continued on the path he was heading.  His doctor basically told him he needed to change, or else!  He started by just walking his dog Chewbacca, and recently he has been excelling at running those crazy 100-mile ultra-marathons.  If you had asked Tony five years ago if he would have been able to even run 5 miles, he would have told you that was impossible.  But impossible is relative!  Now he knows that virtually nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough, train hard enough, and then give it your 100% effort.
           One of Tony's posts actually inspired me to write this blog this week.  Don't limit yourself because what you want to do seems impossible.  Like Tony shares in this photo from his Facebook page, it is those first miles that are actually the most difficult.  Do not let your brain tell you what you cannot do.  Push yourself beyond what you think is possible and I know your seemingly impossible dreams will come true.  Tony and I did not let our brains push us around, and those negative little voices have been pretty silent these days, because we have made the impossible possible!

“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” 
                                             Christopher Reeve
           

           Earlier in the summer I posted some of my latest goals that I hope will keep me moving forward (see 6/18/14 blog "Birthday Wishes").  The problem is, that while I set those goals I am now realizing that I have not done the groundwork necessary to actually achieve those goals.  
           First, as I was running this morning I realize that I don't even remember the exact goals I set.  I know them generally, but I forgot to make a copy for myself that I can post in a place where I can actually see them on a regular basis.  This daily reminder would enable me to actually reflect on whether I am moving toward meeting those goals.
           Secondly, while I set my goals, I did not do a good job of developing plans to ensure I actually meet those goals.  One of my goals is to increase my running, biking, and swimming speeds, but what do I need to do to actually make those goals a reality?  If I have a goal without an action plan, it is really just a dream that may not come true.  I am not just a dreamer...I am a doer.  I need to keep my eye on the prize.
           My close friends and family know that I have a need for structure and organization.  If I have a plan, I need to see it all written out before it becomes a reality for me.  Once it is down on paper, I can then use that plan to keep myself accountable.  When I first decided to attempt doing an Ironman, I felt overwhelmed thinking about the end and what I was expected to do on race day.  Once I broke it down day by day and week by week it suddenly felt a lot more attainable.  So today I looked back at my goals and begin to develop steps to help me achieve those goals (see photo to left).  I know this seems extreme to take the time to type it out, but it is what works for me.  Use what you know about yourself to plan in a manner that will help you succeed.
           For my first goal I wanted to make sure that I focused on the incredible progress I have made instead of focusing on all the little flaws that I am hyper sensitive to.  I am still doing a pretty good job on this one, but having this list posted on my bathroom mirror will remind me to be kind to myself on the days I want to beat myself up.

           My second goal "to get faster" is a super broad one, so it will take the most planning.  Luckily, my running partner Mark gifted me with a book that will help me to actually train specifically to get faster.  Run Less Run Faster written by Pierce, Muir, and Moss gives specific training plans based on a current 5K race time.  It suggests doing three quality runs a week (speed, tempo, and distance) along with at least two cross training days (swim, bike, or row).  The funny thing is that I actually do the workouts that they suggest, only I cannot say that I have a purpose for each of those exercise days.  For example, I run 5-6 miles every T/Th morning, but I just run.  I don't focus on my speed, on improving my form, or getting stronger...just running.  This book is already giving me ideas for how to make my runs more beneficial to increase speed.  In addition, there are also suggestions for how to use my swimming and biking to support my running goals as well.
           The third thing I wanted to focus on was making my core and arms stronger.  All summer long I have been reading Running World magazines and collecting articles on strength training.  I am working on developing a weekly plan that will fit right into what I am already doing.  One Runner's World article that I found particularly helpful was "The Whole Body Fix" by Katie McDonald Neitz.  She points out the top reasons why some of us get injured and stay injured, but she also offers specific exercise to strengthen problem areas.  I am hoping to use some of her suggestions to add to my weekly routines.
           The next goal was to continue to keep control of my eating.  This one has been a little tricky for me lately, but I know once I get back to my regular school routine that I will be able to be more consistent with my planning and my tracking.
           I love that my final goal is to remember to be happy.  I have a lot going on to make me happy, so this one should not be that difficult.  I have an extremely supportive family.  I have friends that help keep me accountable and cheer me on from the sidelines.  I also have my health and non-stop days of playing out in the sun and fresh air to keep me content.  And my newest happiness comes from the fact that my husband has agreed to run Surf City Half with me again.  Sean ran this one with me the first year I started running, and has not really run since.  This new goal for him means that I can actually do some of my running training with him as well as have the thrill of having Sean cross the finish line at Surf City in a race that we get to run together...and that is the best prize of all!   

            Despite the fact that as teachers my husband and I technically have summers off, we have not had a true family vacation in almost ten years.  Don't get me wrong, we have had little mini breaks in places like Monterey, North Carolina, and Northern California, but all these trips have been for work, family, or related to some race I was competing in.  We have not had a true family vacation since we took my two oldest children on a car trek across the US to San Antonio, New Orleans, Orlando, North Carolina, Michigan, Indiana, and the Dakotas (and yes we drove that whole way and more).             
          This year was special.  Not only were Sean and I celebrating birthdays and our 25th wedding anniversary, but all three kids graduated from important levels in their schooling journeys.  Niall graduated from San Diego State University, Siobhan from high school and headed off to University of Montana, and even my youngest had a graduation of sorts after two years in kindergarten (Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten). We had been promising for years to take the kids to Hawaii and this was the year we finally followed through on that promise.
           Now I needed a restful vacation, but even on vacation I am happier if I am in a location where I can get outside and play.  As we inquired about which islands to visit, it became clear to me that Kauai would be the best island for me to get out and hike, run, snorkel, and swim.  We did spend three days in Oahu to do the touristy things like a luau, Pearl Harbor, and staying at a luxurious hotel with all the amenities like play pools, lagoon for swimming and paddle boarding, and outdoor movies on the lawn.  And while I did get up early each day in Oahu to run, swim, or both, after those three days I was done with the pampering and ready to start my "real" vacation.  I was ready for my kind of vacation.
           In Kauai we did stay in a condo with a nice pool, but most of our time was spent enjoying all the outdoor activities Kauai had to offer.  We snorkeled every day, we went tubing through sugar cane irrigation tunnels, and I also could not resist several days of running along the beaches.  In addition, we did a ton of hiking.  Our favorite was our trek along the Napali Coast.  This was no easy hike.  Not only were there sheer drops off the edge, but because of consistent rain the path itself was extremely muddy, wet, and slippery.  After about a mile Niall and Sean headed back with Eoin because it was really not safe for a six year-old.  Siobhan and I decided to do the two-mile trail to the beach and back, but this was honestly one of the most difficult four miles I have ever hiked.  I cannot tell you how many times Siobhan and I slipped, and Siobhan and I each ended up flat on our backs once during the hike.  Once we got to the beach at the halfway point, it was completely worth all the hard work to get there.  However, because it took us so long to get to that beach and we also had zero cell reception, we hurried back because we were afraid the boys might be worried about us.
           Once back at the bottom of the trail, we looked like drowned rats because the rain never stopped falling on us for the entire hike. Luckily the boys had secured a spot for us on the adjacent beach, and we were able to spend the rest of the afternoon snorkeling and sun bathing--just the way I like it.
           I think that the theme of my kind of vacationing is balance.  I made sure not to deprive myself of any of the amazing Hawaiian cuisine, but I balanced that with a daily dose of some kind of exercising.  I also balanced  more decadent food choices with the fresh fruit and vegetables that we purchased from the farmer's markets that were available on a daily basis in Kauai.  And while I did make sure to move my body for at least an hour each day, I balanced that with tons of relaxing, site seeing, and spending quality time with my husband and three children.  I think that vacation and periods of rest are essential when you work and play as hard as Sean and I do every day.  I love that even while on vacation I am able to find that balance that continues to move me forward on the road to maintaining the more flabulous version of me that I can be.

           In spring four years ago I decided to begin training to run my very first half marathon.  At that time I had never run more than a 5K (3.1 miles).  In order to prepare for running the half marathon distance of 13.1 miles I had to slowly build up my running distances, so on July 4, 2010 I ran my first 10K distance of 6.2 miles. I had a  slow finish at 1:24:12, especially pushing Eoin in a jogging stroller, but I was so happy to complete my longest miles to date at that time.  
           Every year since that one, I have run this same course around the lake and dam in Scripp's Ranch to celebrate not just our country's independence but also my independence from the unhealthy habits that had caused me to balloon to over 230 pounds.  I think the important part about my change is that it has become a habit.  I got the best piece of advice back then that has helped me to remember to stay on the road to flabulous.  My assistant principal was a big supporter of my goal to complete the Disney Half.  One day he pulled me aside and shared, "Please don't be one of those people that just completes one race and goes right back to sitting on the couch."  These words motivate me to this very day.  I don't want to be the old me that ate tons of unhealthy food, and I never want to go back to being a sedentary person. In order to keep moving forward I am constantly trying to find ways to stay motivated and strategies to improve my running, biking, swimming, and even eating practices.
           Because I am a teacher and have more time in the summer to read, I have finally been catching up on the last six months of my running magazines.  I find that these magazines provide me with encouragement and tons of ideas.  The January 2014 issue of Runner's World was packed with articles that were exactly what I needed.  One article gave suggestions for building up my core, which is one of my goals for this year.  Another one gave suggestions for great destination half marathons--this one is now filed in the birthday book my son gave me, The Runner's Bucket List by Denise Malan. There were also two incredible stories about runners overcoming great odds to continue running, but the article that inspired me the most in this magazine was a regular column by Marc Parent called The Newbie Chronicles. He shared in his month's article entitled "How to Change for Good" that as we get older if we do not change our eating or activity levels we will gain over a pound a year after we turn thirty. He decided to address this statistic by beginning a running program, but he was determined that this change would be a permanent one.  He mused that, "No one begins a plan saying, "I'd like to start this as a silly, desperate grab at temporary health that I'll one day look back on with embarrassment. No one says, what I'd like to do is lose 10 pounds in a month and gain it all back with interest by way of midnight pantry-binges in two weeks."  But unfortunately the odds are against us making these changes permanent.  And that is why my assistant principal's words were so crucial to my journey--I wanted to be free of that extra weight and those unhealthy habits forever.
            So on this day that we celebrate our great nation and its independence, think about what is holding you back from being the best you that you can be.  Do you need to drink less?  Do you need to start making healthier food choices?  Or is it exercising that you need to add to your routine that will finally break the cycle of yo-yo dieting?  Whatever that change is that you need to incorporate into your life, make a pledge to yourself to not only make those needed changes but to make those changes permanent. Marc Parent shares that you will know you have finally succeeded when you can say to yourself, "I'm in. This is me. I'm always going to do this... Do it, claim it, never stop."