Inspired by the Impossible...

If biking is your weakness like it is for me, then finding ‘The’ Bike is not going to step up your game.   In my personal opinion, confidence is the foundation in biking.   Last summer, I hated biking.   I dreaded each weekend we had long rides and hardly ever road during the week (mainly because I had 12 hour days away from home working clinicals for school).   Needless to say, I had a love/hate relationship with my road bike, which was a Marin Argenta .   I have to admit…it was an AWESOME first road bike.   He was way faster than my 7.3 Trek hybrid I used in previous triathlons.   Now Trekkie is a commuter bike and fun for leisure rides and Marin is being handed over to my husband so we can ride together.   How did I gain so much confidence this summer and why am I loving to ride so much?!   I pretty much credit those long, torturous and boring hours on the indoor trainer (a refurbished Cyclops Pro) in the winter and even during those...

and then I don’t feel, soooo bad .   Sound familiar? I loved watching the Sound of Music growing up and this song is fitting for the list of my favorite things when training or racing.   It’s true, these favorite things make me feel better some way, some how for LONG days and workouts.   I truly believe the key to the long journey of endurance sports is to be comfortable.   Well, there’s nothing comfortable about 50+ miles of riding or going through a 140.6 mile course, but at least some things make it more tolerable.   It’s a personal opinion, but if you’re going to go LONG, you really need comfort and to pace yourself.   No need to rush, get your heart rate up and shorten your energy bank.   When training, you can mix up your intensity but for long racing days, it’s not a time to sprint.   After doing a new sport you learn patience by pacing yourself and reap the rewards of meeting new personal goals. Regardless if you’re a newbie to workin...

Some people think of ‘blood, sweat & tears’ as a metaphor while to others, it’s literal. For me…it’s both.   I like to think of this phrase as one putting all their energy, effort, and heart into something – academically, physically, emotionally.   It’s the determination and will-power one has to succeed and accomplish their dreams despite facing daily challenges or scrapes and bruises along the way. These past (nearly) 3 years, I have put a LOT of time into school.   Just over the past year and half, I’ve added triathlon training to the heavy mix.   For some it sounds like a disastrous recipe, but for me, training is my sanity, my saving grace and keeps me focused.   Academic life : Let’s just say…I worked my booty off these last three years and I’m SO glad the major course work and research is done, although not completely, more research needs to be done in order to have my part published. Nonetheless, NO more grades!! Yes, I still have 7 more months ...