What I Did On My Off-Season Vacation

I could not WAIT to get to this part of the year during the last three weeks of training.  In fact, I was COUNTING DOWN the swims I had to do.  I was sick, sick, sick of the pool!!

Trust me when I say, I have thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the relaxed schedule, sleeping in, not sitting on a bike for 6+ hours, not being sore (due to training), and/or running around trying to keep up with the house stuff while keeping up with the work stuff etc.  However, what I have found is I am exactly where I need to be after three weeks of virtually nothing (ie. ornery, tired of not having a schedule and developing a little pot gut).  Coach's orders demanded two weeks of no working out, period after IM AZ.  This started to get to me by the second week, so I added in a hot yoga session just for kicks and sanity!  Man I love hot yoga.  If you haven't done it, you should!

After that, it is two weeks of 3 hours per week (30 min per sport total).  Three hours of workouts don't take me that long, especially if I end up doing two things in one day.  I've been trying to spread workouts out a bit in hopes of not feeling like a total sloth.  It's not really working!

The good news is I have a full athlete load and feel much more prepared for each athletes' upcoming season.  Over the weekend after Thanksgiving I worked 6-8 hours on Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  Pouring myself into work has been a good strategy, but I definitely could use some training to break things up a bit.  Races schedules are shaping up for me personally and for my athletes, and everything is looking wonderful for a great next year for Fuel Your Passion Sports Nutrition Counseling & Endurance Coaching!

So besides complaining about my back hurting for no apparent reason (seriously, I think it's from lack of activity / sitting my butt on the couch more so than usual), what have I been doing?

Funny you should ask!

I've three things to report in that area..

#1  Setting up for next year - Locked and Loaded

I headed up to Boston to see my coach Jesse K. with QT2 Systems last Monday.  We spent 1.5 days (despite him feeling a bit under the weather) going over this previous year with me, what I did well, what I needed to work on, race schedule for next year, bike fit, run mechanics etc.  We talked about long term plans and what to expect if I do EVERYTHING right this next year in terms of my progress at Ironman.  He actually said my year was "surprising" in a good way.  He said he rarely ever underestimates people, but I was actually one of those.  Well, well, well!  I'll take it!

We had a great visit and it re-affirmed to me exactly why I have full confidence in his abilities.  He expects a lot of me, and he will expect even more next year.  There were some areas I definitely didn't nail once we hashed through them together.  If I want to get to the next level I will have to get more serious on those (aka missed swims, missed core, not perfect recovery, nutrition etc.).  It's hard with basically a full time job along with training (you all know this - so do I!).  Sure, I have more flexibility than most in working for myself.  Believe me - you, running your own business is a 7 day a week full time gig.  I will not be a poor coach at the expense of my own endeavors so the balance of all these things is key!  This girl is going to have to learn some new tricks to pull all this off!

#2  Kyle and I attended a rockin Christmas Party that was actually "costume only" for those that attended!

We had a blast!  I do some nutrition segments with the morning anchor on WPXI, Jennifer Abney (Cindy Loo Hoo below) and we were invited to her home to share the Holiday spirit and partake in a fun gift exchange (white elephant / dirty santa / whatever you call it where you steal the gifts!).

We debated long and hard about our costumes but we finally came up with some good ideas.

I bet you know who he is!  This is one of our favorite movies!!  We just laugh so hard when we watch it.

#3 Visiting!

Beth, Oscar (her husband) and I visited our college cross-country PSU teammate Krista & her husband Tim.  They have three adorable little girls and a new 6 week old baby boy named Timothy.  Here we are with her precious children!

It was so nice to catch up and see her little ones. I definitely would have to get used to a whole new level of chaos if I was going to have that many little people running around. Wow.. she said you get used to tuning them out!  They played well together and we were so happy we got to spend a little time with someone so special to both Beth and I.

With that said, my house isn't clean, my car has not been washed.. hey, plenty of things on the list of "To Do's" have yet to be taken care of (and may not be!!), but you know what.. I could care less!  Life is not about having everything perfectly done.  I'm ready to start training again.  I'm already starting to dream again about next year and darn it, I'm tired of feeling like this!  I am ready (I think, ask me on Wed of next week when I'm sore and tired and complaining about all that again).

Let's get this party started (on Monday, after I drink a bunch of wine and dance on coffee tables Saturday night at one a good friends party!).

Yeah - Monday!!

Have you been enjoying your off season?? Whatcha been up to?  Did you get to do everything you wanted to do??

God Bless!