With the invention of the portable car DVD player, my husband and I have the great privilege of listening to just about every Disney DVD movie ever made, but rarely having the opportunity to actually watch them.  I often find myself either making my own pictures in my head of what Eoin is watching, or my mind ends up wandering and creating real life connections to the silly antics on the screen.
          The other day Eoin was watching "Lady and the Tramp" and it made me think of something that has been worrying me lately.  The scene I am speaking about is the one where Lady ends up in the dog pound after she gets separated from the Tramp after chasing chickens on a visit to a farm.  In the jail-like pound Lady is surrounded a variety of different dogs including Peg, a shih tzu maltese (the sex symbol type), Boris, a Russian Wolfhound (the intellectual), and Pedro (the child-like character), a chihuahua.  The dogs begin to speak about the Tramp's multiple encounters with dogs of the female persuasion.  They begin to list all the females Tramp has been with (is this movie really suitable for young children's ears?) when Boris states, “Ah, but remember, my friends, even Tramp has his Achilles' heel.”  At this point Pedro asks, “Pardon me, amigo. What is this 'chile heel'?”
          Now for those of you that didn't pay attention in middle and high school, Achilles is a character from Greek mythology who was born to a nymph named Thetis and Peleus, the king of the Myrmidons. When Achilles was born, his mother grabbed him by the heel and dipped him in the river Styx in order to make him immortal (does this make her mother of the year or would dipping your infant son head first into a river be considered child abuse--ponder that one).  The problem was that around the time of the Trojan War Achilles was killed by an arrow shot to the one place where the river's water did not touch him and in the one spot where he was vulnerable--his Achilles heel.

          The ironic thing about this whole experience is that my left Achilles has been the one nagging injury throughout my brief running career, but this is not actually my "chile heel."  I have been able to keep my heel injury at bay with good shoes, running on softer surfaces (dirt and asphalt instead of concrete), and KT Tape--see picture of KT Tape to right.
          My weakness is actually a herniated disk in my lower back that I injured about ten years ago.  I have been lucky to this point that it has rarely flared up, but after running 16 miles on the Train Run down the coast and then doing the 50 mile bike ride from Yorba Linda to Huntington Beach, my back completely seized up on me.  The funny thing is that nothing else was affected, but my back was so painful that I could hardly sleep and I lost three days of training while I let it heal.  The good thing was that when I went to see my chiropractor, he was not as concerned as I was.  He just told me I needed to stretch more before and after running and biking, and he showed me some specific stretches that will hopefully keep my back from going out that badly again.  And, I must admit, that I have done huge run and bike miles over the last couple weeks, and I have not had the same pain again. 
          I am hoping this means that I just need to be more careful in the future, but it got me thinking.  My back is the one thing that can absolutely keep me from completing my Ironman.  My back is my "chile heel."  I am actually more afraid of injuring my back than I am of swimming--and that is saying a lot.  And as my training ramps up in February, I am going to be able to see right away how my back reacts.  Unfortunately, some of this is out of my control--I have to train, I need to do long run and bike miles, or I will not be ready for July's race.  I will just need to be very consistent with my stretching during this time, so I don't aggravate my back and undo the months of training I have put into my preparation for this endeavor. 
          I will also need to work on building up my core.  Since I put Crossfit on the back burner, I have been doing fewer activities to make sure my core is strong.  Core strengthening  is another key to supporting my back muscles that I will need to add to my workout routine.  The time I put into this will pay out in the end.

          The one thing I want you to learn from this blog is that we all have our "chile heels." For some of us it is physical, for some it is a mental block, and for others it may be time constraint issues.  However, I hope you can see that you can't let your "chile heel" keep you from doing what you need to in order to improve your health and fitness.  I could just throw in the towel and say that my back is too big an obstacle to overcome and that I will give up my goal of completing Ironman.  Instead I have chosen to fight through this and try everything I can to make this a reality for myself.  My hope is that you, too, will have the strength to fight through your obstacles to make your dreams come true.

All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
                                                                                        Walt Disney

          For the last few years, I have noticed a complete change in the way I look at my Christmas wish list.  I have always been someone who enjoys giving more than getting, but I did have a small list of things I would ask for every year: Starbucks cards, slippers, or maybe some new clothes.  Now, when I have something specific on my list it will be something I need for my triathlon training.  But in reality the things I would really wish for this Christmas cannot be purchased at a store or online.  The things I want can't even necessarily be made by hand.  In the spirit of Christmas, I would like to share my list with you.
          Honestly, if I could have just one thing for Christmas it would be that my friend Kay finds out that after all her tests, after her medications, her surgeries, and all her fighting that she is cancer free.  That would be the best gift of all.  Good health is something I wish for all my friends and family in the coming year.  It is one of the main reasons I have committed to writing this weekly blog.  It keeps me accountable, but I have also been able to inspire others along the way.  Get your yearly screenings, eat healthier foods, and commit to moving more so you too can be gifted with a healthier life.
          Along with good health,  I also would love to have an injury free Ironman training season.  The more miles I put swimming in the water, running on the road, and riding my bike, the more chance there is of me getting injured. In February Karrie, Leslie, and I start our official Ironman training, which entails some pretty intense workout days.  I am hoping to avoid any major injuries, because I think that for me the most difficult part of Ironman is going to be mental.  I really need every single training day to make me a stronger swimmer, and I would hate to be sidelined and out of the pool for any length of time before the race.  In addition, I am also wishing for my friends to stay injury free as well.  I will be honest, some of this wish comes from a need to be surrounded by my training buddies, but I do know how it feels to be injured and unable to do what I love.  I would not wish this feeling on anyone.
          I mentioned that my actual Christmas list has really changed over the last few years.  I no longer ask for anything that does not relate to my triathlon training, because it is amazing how many things I have needed to support each leg of the race.  For swimming, I already had many of the training aids: paddles, buoy, kick board, and flippers.  I did have to purchase a second swimsuit, and though it wasn't a must-have item, I don't know how I would do my long pool miles without my SwiMP3 player I bought myself.  For Christmas I am asking for legs that don't sink in the water--this has been my weakness from the beginning, and while I have improved over the last few months, my legs continue to drag when I don't use my buoy to keep me afloat.  You would think with the amount of fat I still have left in my thighs that they would easily float, but no such luck.  So it is my wish that my persistence with swimming will pay off, and my legs will become an asset instead of a liability for me.
          I think that biking has been the most expensive sport for me out of the three.  I had to buy everything including a bike, helmet, pedals and shoes, padded bike pants, and biking jerseys.  Lately Sean and I have discovered that it can get pretty cold riding bikes in the winter, and we have been caught unprepared for the cold more than once.  So my Christmas list did include warmer biking pants so that my legs are not frozen by the end of our rides.  I am also hoping for some courage as I ride my bike down steep hills.  I have never been one that appreciates heights, and when you add barreling down a hill at incredible speeds into the mix, I get terrified.  I am not a skier for just this reason, but I have a feeling I will not be able to avoid hills on my Ironman.  For this reason I am hoping that I will be gifted with an appreciation for the feel of the wind blowing in my face as I fly down a hill.
          Running was my original sport, so I have acquired many of the necessities over the years.  I have summer and winter running gear, I have my running packs to carry my water, nutrition, and music, and I have my support items like knee braces and KT tape to keep my injuries at bay.  The only large expense I have is that I need to buy new running shoes about every three months with the amount of miles I put on them.  I just bought new shoes, so I am hoping that Santa brings me iTunes cards.  It is time for me to create a new playlist for my first full marathon, which I will be running in January.  I will need at least five hours of music to keep me occupied as I run through 26.2 miles of the city of Carlsbad.  While music is important, my biggest wish is that Christmas will bring me the stamina to survive so many miles pounding the pavement.  I actually made it almost 21 miles this weekend, but I must admit that I was pretty exhausted and beat up by the end.
          So Santa if you are listening, please bring good health and a year of injury free training for me, my family, and friends.  And if it is not too much to ask, please help me to be a more buoyant swimmer, a braver biker, and a stronger runner.  Oh, and one more little thing--please allow me to cross the Ironman finish line in under 17 hours, so I can say that not only did all my training pay off, but I can call myself a true Ironwoman.
       
May this lovely Christmas season bring you delights in all possible forms. May you receive love in abundance and joy that lasts throughout this season. Merry Christmas wishes to you and your loved ones!
                                                                                                                    Unknown

          The picture of me on the left was taken more than three years ago when I was training to run my very first half marathon. My Team in Training (The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society) coaches planned a run where we all met at the train station in Solana Beach, took the train up to Oceanside, and then ran down the coast back to our cars.  At the time I remember hoping that I could actually complete all 13 miles successfully...it was the longest I had ever run.
          Today I was lucky enough to repeat this experience, only this time I was not afraid I couldn't finish--I was worried the run wasn't going to be long enough to get all 16 miles in that I needed to.  Coach Brian, my coach from Team in Training, allowed me to tag along on his USA Fit (his new training support program) train run, and I was so happy for the repeat experience.
          One of my favorite parts of this has absolutely nothing to do with getting fitter or with running--I just love taking a ride on the Coaster train with all the eager runners.  I don't care how old I get, train rides are still a fun experience for me. It is also very exciting to ride with a group of people who were doing their longest miles ever like I had three years before. For any of you that are setting a goal of running longer miles in the new year, I really feel like joining a group like USA Fit makes you more accountable to doing the training.  In addition, they do clinics in conjunction with their Saturday long runs that help you with nutrition, avoiding injury, pacing, etc.  I honestly credit Coach Brian with giving me the foundation and knowledge I needed in order to be where I currently am in my fitness journey.  In addition, when I told Brian that I was doing an Ironman in July, he never gave me the look (see blog from 6/23/12).  He just looked proud of me and continues to tell me so every time I see him. (interested in getting coaching from Brain?--go to USA Fit Temecula)

          It is amazing to me how far I have come in three years.  Not only do I look completely different, but I am so much more physically fit than I was before.  The first time I did the train run it took me 2:50:00 seconds to run 13 miles, which put me at a 13:04 minute/mile pace.  This time, even though I stopped to take lots of pictures and chatted a bit at the water stops, I ran 16 miles in 2:56:38. I am so proud of this improvement. All the time at the pool, all the miles on the road biking and running, all of this hard work has really paid off. 
          The other thing that I feel I have improved on is my absolute need to make sure I am never alone.  While I did have Joe and Steph on this run with me, we all have different run paces. So by the time I was at the halfway point, Joe was ahead of me and Steph was behind me--I was really all by myself for the last 8 miles.  However, I did have the most amazing views to focus on for the entire run.  My pictures don't even do justice to the absolutely picture perfect weather and skies we were all able to experience yesterday.  It was slightly overcast at the beginning of the run, and by the end it was warm with light blue skies and patches of fluffy cloud formations.  So what I was able to do today was be happy just enjoying the landscape instead of worrying about the fact that I had no one to talk to.
          I have also improved my stamina over the last few years.  I know that after my train run three years ago, I was pretty much crippled for the next week as my body recovered from the pounding it took on the pavement.  This morning I woke up a little sore, but, and I know this is going to sound weird, after biking 49.5 miles from Yorba Linda to Huntington Beach and back, I am actually less sore than I was this morning.  It is almost like the biking stretched out the muscles I stressed out yesterday.  It was unimaginable to me three years ago that I would even be able to do almost 66 run/bike miles in two days, let alone not have to pay for it over the following week.
         So as we approach the new year, I hope that my successes will help you see that if I can do this, honestly anyone can.  Make 2013 the year that you stop making excuses for why you can't work on a healthier you. If you are fit, shoot for being even more so next year.  If you have a long way to go, remember that all it takes is one step forward to start your journey.  Remember that I am here for you--my wish is for everyone to attain the amazing health, confidence, and happiness that I have been experiencing.

**Before I write my official weekly blog, I really have to get something off my chest.  The sharing of my weekly training just seems so trivial in light of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary.  I don't want to dwell, but please allow me to put down a few of my thoughts before moving onto lighter things.  Thank you!**    
          As a former kindergarten and first grade teacher, and the mother of a kindergarten-aged student, my heart is breaking for the students and their families in Connecticut that were affected by the recent shooting.  I have always been a person that truly believes that things happen for a reason. But as hard as I think, as much as I try to wrack my brain, I know that there can be no reason for a tragedy that tears babies from their families, traumatizes innocent children, and makes students fearful of the one place that should be a place of sanctuary from the evil of the world.  I like to think that when Eoin goes to school that he, his classmates, and his teacher will be safe--but I think that illusion has been taken from us all.               
          While I know that the likelihood of this happening at my child's school is very small, I will still have a little tug at the back of my brain wanting me to hold Eoin a little tighter to me as I drop him off in the morning, and sigh a bigger sigh of relief as I pick him up safely in the afternoon.  I think the hardest thing for me was waking up to such a beautiful morning.  It almost felt like the sky should be crying tears of sadness for all that was lost, but this is the irony of life.  No matter how much sadness you have to endure, the sun always rises the next day, and people go on with their lives. 
          So before we pick up and carry on, please join me in praying for these families to find peace in the tragedy.  May God hold them all in His arms and comfort them in this time of unimaginable sadness. 

          I am not sure what it is about this time of year, but it is has been much harder for me to be enthusiastic about my workouts these days.  I think it is a combination of many factors, but the truth is that it is not even officially winter and I am already suffering from the winter blahs.  I know that I am not the only one feeling this way lately, but I can't really afford to slack at this point in my training.  Come February I will be into my official Ironman training madness, and I still don't feel strong enough in my swimming to keep up with my Ironman training partners.  So today I thought I would look at some of the reasons I might be feeling this way, so I know what it is I am fighting against (and hopefully you, too, can learn from this as well).
          First, despite Daylight Savings Time, it is still dark outside for most of my weekly runs and swims.  On Wednesdays and Fridays I am up by 4:45 am so I can be at the local rec center pool before 5:30 am when they open.  If I don't get there right away, sometimes it is difficult to get a lane to swim in (believe it or not, there are a lot of crazy people swimming at that time of morning).  Also, I have to get my swimming yards in before 6:15 am, because I have to be home in time to get my 40+ minutes of biking in before I have to head off to work.  Often on these days it is dark before I leave, and the sun is barely peeking over the horizon when I am rushing back into my house toward my bike.  On my running days, we leave by 5:45 am, and because of the overcast skies, we don't even get to witness the beautiful sunrise anymore.  Maybe I am feeling blah because I miss running, swimming, and riding into the sun's glorious morning colors.
          Could it be that the change in temperature is making it more difficult? For some of my friends, I know that they can't stand to be cold, so this time of year is especially painful for them to roll out of their warm beds and into the chilly morning air.  Karrie has been such a trooper swimming at an outdoor pool with me--she hates to be cold.  She arrives every morning at the pool with her heavy swim parka, Ugg boots, and ski hat, and there I stand with flip flops and a sweatshirt that I grabbed at the last minute in case I got cold.  The truth is, while Karrie and many of my friends don't like the cold, I am not one of these people.  I actually love the cold and would prefer the coldest days of winter to some of the hotter workout days here in sunny California.  So I can't truthfully blame my recent blahs on the lower temperatures.
          Another factor that I have noticed lately is that everyone around me seems to be carrying one icky bug or another.  Kids, teachers, and parents at school have been dropping like flies, and I have done everything I can to still do my job without getting contaminated.  However, some mornings I wake up and I am starting to feel a little tickle in my throat or a bit of a stuffy nose.  It is difficult to determine so early in the morning if I am actually starting to get sick, if I might be suffering from allergies, or if I might be psychologically just trying to invent some excuse to roll back over in my cozy bed and go back to sleep.  Now if I know someone will be waiting for me at the pool or will be at my door for our run, I ignore how I might be feeling and just get out there and do my workout.  That's what makes my training friends so key to my continued success.  So am I feeling the blahs, or am I actually just fighting some illness that was gifted to me at school?
          My final theory is that, as I have shared in many previous blogs, I just don't like working out by myself.  Because of busy schedules, illnesses, injuries, and other similar reasons, there have been many more days of solo workouts than I have had in the previous six months.  I have tried to look at these workouts as great mental training for Ironman, but the truth is, I just don't like spending so much time without someone else to talk to.  And I know this is going to sound very selfish, but I can't tell you how much I am going to miss Kay as she recovers from her cancer surgery.  She has been one of my most consistent workout partners, my biggest cheerleader, and an amazing listener on our weekly runs.  I am so thankful that she is doing so well after all that she has been through, but I don't know what we are going to do without her for two whole months.  So could it be that the blahs I have been experiencing are really due to the fact that I don't enjoy spending time by myself?
          I am not sure I will ever truly understand why it is always more difficult to work out at this time of year, but at least if I know all the possible reasons, maybe I can talk myself into just getting out there and getting it done. I will have to continue to brave the early morning dark, relish the cold, make every effort to avoid getting sick, but also remember that sometimes I will just need to listen to my body and rest when needed.  Finally, as much as I will miss Kay, she would want me to get out there and go on with my training.  Karrie and Emily will continue to push me and get up at crazy hours in the cold to train with me.  My running buddies will make sure that I don't have to run in the dark by myself, and I always have my husband to bike with and my incredible kids to remind me that they are proud of all I have accomplished.  I will weather these winter blahs, and I hope you, too, will remember that if you can make it through the next three months, it does get easier to stay on the path to a more flabulous you.

          A few months ago (see 8/25/12 blog) I shared with you that one of my good friends and consistent running buddies was diagnosed with Stage 3 Rectal Cancer--no symptoms to warn her, it was just found with her routine 50 year-old colonoscopy exam.  On the day that she shared her horrible news with me, I was not the picture of strength that I would have hoped I could have been.  I just looked at her and burst into tears and could not stop.  At the time I warned her that I would do everything I could to support her, but that she might see a few more tears shed along the way.  It wasn't that I had any doubt she could beat this thing...I just felt so helpless.
          I know this blog doesn't really seem to have anything to do with my journey from flabby to flabulous, but I feel I have learned a few things since August that I would like to share with you.  That feeling of helplessness has gone and this chick has gone into fight mode.
          First, we all worked on creating a sense of normalcy for Kay.  We continued to run together throughout her treatment, so she had something to look forward to.  We also made sure to not dwell on her fight, but we also didn't ignore it and pretend she wasn't up for the fight of her life.  We had an understanding--we would ask her how things were going, and if she wanted to talk, we were there to listen.  If she wasn't up for gabbing, at least she would know we were concerned and thinking about her.  Fortunately, she kept her spirits up throughout the process, and we all learned a lot about what it takes to fight this disease.
          I also learned that it was important to let Kay know on a regular basis how much she was loved and appreciated.  We all made sure to send emails, cards, and leave messages to remind her that she was never far from our thoughts.  I have learned over the last few years that life can fly by if we allow ourselves to get caught up in the busyness. We need to stop to live in the moment and take time to touch base with those we love.  I know that Kay appreciated this, and in turn it forced me to slow down and not let work and triathlon training completely take over my life.
          Finally it helps to have something to focus on besides her cancer fight.  The harder my swimming, biking, and running got, the more Kay would send me supportive messages and push me on our weekly training.  One thing I have learned about Kay is that this girl is a fighter.  Throughout her five weeks of radiation and chemo medication treatment, she hardly missed our Tuesday/Thursday early morning runs.  Even yesterday, four days before her big cancer surgery, she ran 12 of my 14 miles with me so I wouldn't be by myself.  She is one of my biggest cheerleaders, and I am so thankful to have her behind me.
          So now to the true reason I felt compelled to write this blog about Kay this week.  I need the help of all my friends and family.  On Wednesday Kay goes in for major surgery and I need a flood of prayers, good wishes, and love to be sent her way.  My biggest hope is that when the surgeons go in, they find that the cancer has retreated.  So please join me in sending our best wishes to Kay this week for a safe surgery, for good news to come from their observations, and for a speedy recovery.  We love you Kay and we can't wait until you are back on the road with us!