November… the journey begins

The Ironman journey and training plan officially began in November.  I must admit I find comfort in routine and satisfaction in marking a workout complete in Training Peaks.  I think it could be easy to get overwhelmed with my goal of completing an Ironman so I’m working on breaking it down into small manageable pieces – one workout at a time.  What do I need to focus on today?  What is the purpose of this workout?  So far that mindset has been working for me.

My coach also has me setting quarterly goals and here’s my goals for this quarter:

1. Get strong: focus on consistent strength training
2. Swim: technique
3. Relax and have fun: don’t get overwhelmed with IM goal
4. Meditate regularly: aiming for 3 times a week
5. Check out IM Arizona: volunteer, spectate, learn and observe

So far I’m doing well on these goals.

1. I’m at the gym with a trainer a couple times a week and my triathlon coach has also given me some additional exercises to help with leg strength – I’m determined to see some improvement in my run this year!
2. Coach has us working hard on body tone in the pool this year and after 6 weeks I’m seeing improvement – definitely feeling more strength in my pull and I’m actually looking forward to another time trial in December.
3. Relax and have fun – so far, so good!  I haven’t gotten overwhelmed yet and I’m making sure to not take life too seriously.
4. I started meditating just over a year ago and got out of practice in the summer so it has been great getting back into the habit over the last few months.  I prefer to meditate in the evening – it helps me let go of the work day and refocus on the rest of life.  I use the Headspace app and love it.  There are targeted modules and I’m working on the “Balance” series right now but I will sometimes use the daily sessions or even the mini exercises which are only a couple of minutes.  There are so many benefits to meditating but the biggest difference I find is that I am more “even” and I can’t really describe what that means accurately.
5. Volunteering and spectating at IM Arizona was an amazing experience and I’m planning a separate post as I learned so much that day!  Big take away… anything is possible!

As music and reading are a large part of my life and how I like to unwind and relax…

What I’m listening to… Pink’s latest CD, Beautiful Trauma.

What I’m reading…  The Champion Mindset, An Athlete’s Guide to Mental Toughness by Joanna Zeiger.