MINDSET CHANGE

I have no idea who Hazel Hira Ozbek is, but as I was looking for a photo for this blog post, it struck me. It struck because I seem to always be waiting for something to start running again, or waiting for Monday to come around. It's always something, at least here recently. I am waiting for my knee to get better (that's probably legitimate), I am waiting for it to cool down, I am waiting for me to lose some weight first...excuse after excuse. And I have plenty more excuses!  I don't have the time to run like I did, I need the extra hour of sleep in the morning, I will start when school starts and the kids are up...

I do not know how many Mondays this summer I was supposed to start "my training". The latest one was supposed to be August 1, which was the golden date because it was the first day of the month and a Monday! But, it did not happen. Next Monday the kids start school, so everyone will be up and that should be a "good time" to start right? Mindset change.

All in all, I agree with Hazel, it should not matter what day I start, I just have to start. The doctor has cleared me with my knee (although, he said I should look at doing something else because it is a 44 year old knee) and I know it is going to be hot no matter when I start, unless I wait till late October. I realize it is going to be like starting over and I have to understand that it will not be like it was when I was training. My mindset can't be to get it all back in one day. Mindset Change

As of this morning, I weighed in at 205.7lbs. This is the most I have ever weighed in my life. Now I do think some of it is added muscle since I have been going to lift weights for the past two months while my knee was messed up, but still, 205?? This is another reason I need to get back to the pool and the roads. I know once I get into my groove, I should lose some weight. My first weight goal is to get under 200 lbs. My main number one goal is to get back in the 180s. Man, 25lbs sounds like a lot to lose doesn't it? I really don't feel like I eat a lot, I just eat the wrong things. Another mindset I have to change.

I think the draw to triathlon for me in the very beginning was the journey it would take to reach Ironman, it seemed so unobtainable to me. Will I ever get back to IM? I don't know, I would like to one day do a second IM, so maybe I am starting a journey to a second IM...

I started this post like 8 different times because I could not get this post to flow like I wanted it to until I found this quote. Thanks Hazel!

P.S. I Googled hazel and she is some kind of famous poet!

I Asked Myself 3 Questions...

Last year at this time, I was only thinking about heading to Ironman. Everything revolved around Ironman. Right now though, I am having a hard time focusing on a sprint triathlon, and this has me confused.

Maybe it is normal to go through an "Ironman funk". Maybe I am a one timer, I am not sure. All I know is that even though I want to S/B/R, I am having a hard time training, or more like a hard time getting excited about training. I really thought that last weekend would jump start me!

The Memphis in May triathlon was last weekend. Normally I do the Olympic race, I have for 4 of the last 5 years. It is a great race and normally it is the one race to do around Memphis. Everyone is there, and it is a good measure of where you stand in the tri community here in Memphis IMO. I choose not to race, partly because my wife was doing her first sprint race and I wanted to be there to support her and make it here weekend since she has been to many of my races waiting at the finish line! And the other part was that I just could not get excited about training.

Is it normal after a 140.6 to have the mindset of not be able to get excited about a 3.1 mile run?

I really expected me to get back into "it" after MIM and being around the atmosphere and seeing my bride do so well in her first race but I am still fizzling. So I had to ask myself some questions to find out what's up!

Question 1: Do I still want to race?Answer: Yeah I do. I like racing, I love racing. I still have visions of me crossing the finish line, and I still want to get my second 140.6 under my belt!

Question 2: Is it a weight issue?Answer: I know I have put on weight, but it is muscle. I have been working with a trainer for the last 14 weeks. I know I gained 3 pounds of lean muscle and my bidt fat is at 14%. My core is stronger than ever, so it is not a question of being in shape.

Question 3: Why don't you sign up for a race? That is motivation right?
Answer: Yeah, I'm right. That is what I always tell people also. Sign up for a race, pay the money and then you will do it! So I am committing to doing the Mighty Mite Sprint Triathlon in July.

Maybe this is just a down year for me, a year for me to just be, and then to come back strong in 2015! I don't know. I know Goosepond HIM is definitely not a definite race anymore. More to come on this I am sure, but right now I need to get registered for Mighty Mite and go back and see what my old times are and see if I can beat that. I have no doubt in my mind that I can cover the distances now, because I have been training, but man, is it tough to get out there.

So tell me all you Ironman finishers, did you have a "funk" afterwards? And if so, how do you shake it??