2015: The Year Of...?

2014 was supposed to be my #YearOfBigThings and even though I didn't hit all my goals, it was still a pretty awesome year. 

As I mentioned in my 2014 recap, I didn't really have any solid plans for 2015.  That is slowly changing.  My running is coming around.  The knee pain is subsiding and my legs are starting to feel better.  So much so that I actually registered for my first race of 2015:  The Frosty 5km.  I had told G last year that I wasn't going to run any early season long distance races in 2015.  My body needed a break from the high mileage.  My plan was to race short distance for the early part of the year and I'm sticking to that plan. 

I'm going to continue working on my bike and my swim.  I've been bumped up a lane in the pool so I'm back with my old speedy group.   Earlier this week I started laying out the ground work for a training plan to get me back on the bike on a regular basis.  Things are starting to come around.  I'm starting to feel like I've turned the corner so I'm going to lay down my athletic goals for 2015.

1.  Break 20 minutes for a 5km.  My current 5km P.R. is 20:07 and that was off the bike at Toronto Island in August this year.  I know I have a sub 20 5km in me.  I'm not sure where or when I'll aim for this but it will happen this year. 

2.  Do another 70.3.  Again, not sure where or when but it's going to happen.

3.  Reclaim my AG title in the Recharge with Milk Triathlon series for the third year in a row.  I'll be 44 next year (!!!) so I'll be at the top end of the 40-44 y/o AG.  I'm going to have to up my game big time this year as I'm sure a whole slew of younger fast ladies are aging up.  I've got my work cut out for me for sure.

Other Goals:

I've never done a vision board but I've started gathering images and I plan on spending a large part of tomorrow putting things down on paper.  Literally.

In addition to my athletic goals, I have a few other things I want to work on for 2015.

4.  Learn more.  Specifically in regards to coaching / health and wellness.  I feel like this is a path that needs more exploring.  It's a huge part of my life and it's something I'm very passionate about.

5.  Give more.  I get so wrapped up in work, training and racing that it's hard to find time to do this.  Whether this means volunteering at a race or elsewhere, it's something that I need to do more of.

6.  Work on cultivating my friendships.  I have met so many amazing people through blogging and triathlon and we see each other during race season and sometimes we train together but when it comes to just hanging out, that doesn't happen often.  Sometimes it's too easy to say I'm tired or I'm busy.  Friendships, like marriages, require some give and take and effort to make them work.  I find that when I take the time to get together with people, I'm a much happier person.   I may be tired or busy going into it but afterwards, I'm always in a better mood.

For once I can actually say I'm looking forward to the "unknown".  I don't have much planned and normally that would kind of a freak a planner like me out, but I've slowly become ok with this.  It's kind of liberating to not be too committed to anything.   I don't know why but Monty Python's "And Now For Something Completely Different" keeps running through my head.  Perhaps that's what 2015 will be all about.  Who knows.  One thing I do know is that I'm up for the adventure.

Wishing you all a healthy & happy 2015! 

Free Falling

This Saturday marks my last triathlon of the season.  I'm not counting the Real Deal Showdown at Barrelman because all I'm doing is running, even though it's "technically" a triathlon.   After Barrelman I think my season my very well be over.  Mentally I could easily keep going but I think I'm going to have to let my body decide what it wants to do and I'm going to have to make sure I listen to it.  I had hoped to be able to do the Niagara Falls Half with my run club but the jury is still out on that because my knees are still causing me problems.  Not as bad as earlier in the season but they are definitely still an issue.  I have some weeks where I'm totally fine and then I go and either push it a little too much on a run or at the gym and then they hurt again.  Can you say overuse?

I went in to see Peter yesterday for some A.R.T.  I've been working on addressing some issues in my left leg (it doesn't fully extend it's so tight) with stretching and foam rolling and it's gotten somewhat better but I needed a little extra help.  Peter asked me if I had any crazy adventures planned for next year and was genuinely surprised when I said "No".   He asked me how I felt about that and I answered "Weird".  His response was "Just go with it".   He's right, but I'm struggling.  I find having a concrete goal keeps me motivated and focused over the winter.  That's one of the reasons training for Boston was so great.  I'd come off my season, rest for a couple of weeks, do some easy running or whatever I felt like, then roll into Boston training the last week of December.  Not this year.  I'm watching all the Boston 2015 talk on social media and feeling a wee bit sad.  I re-qualified but I've decided not to go back.  I can't put my body through another winter of marathon training.   It needs to rest.  It needs less running mileage.  I never thought I'd say that but after all the aches and pains I've had this year, I have to listen to my body if I want running to be a part of my life for the long term.

I normally love this time of year.  Fall is my absolute favourite season to run in.  Nothing beats heading out on a cool, crisp fall morning with the leaves changing colour and the sun shining.   But this year I will probably spend those days either in the pool or foam rolling in my living room.   Hopefully there will be some time in the saddle as well but we'll see.  Knees are an integral part of cycling too and if I'm going to take time off, it may have to be across both sports.   Cue the tears.  I am going to be a miserable cow.  I apologize to everyone I know in advance for any crankiness that may happen as a result of this self imposed exile from sports.

Needless to say I feel like I'm free falling a bit and I'm not sure how I feel about that.  I always have some kind of a goal.  But, I feel like right now is not the time to be setting goals that I may not be able to meet.  I've pushed this body a lot over the last 3 years and I think I need to slow the eff down.  Despite what my brain thinks, this body is NOT 22 any more.   It's time I start to adjust my expectations a little and learn to be ok with more rest and recovery and maybe, just maybe, slowing down a bit. 

Hmmm.....Perhaps that will be my 2015 goal?