2017 Season Goals

I'm not sure why sharing goals is so hard for me to do. I remember back in high school, I'd write my goals for just me to see on a note card and keep it on my bedside table. In college, I wrote them down and posted them on my bulletin board behind my computer, so that every time I sat down to do homework or use my computer, I'd see them staring at me. What I've come to realize is that if I don't share them, they could always change and I could settle for a time that's not quite what I wanted to go, but it would do. By sharing my goals, I am keeping all of you accountable for me; I can't change them once I publicize them, I can only train hard (the right way!), stay focused on my goals and if they're meant to be, they'll be achieved. So, this year, I have some big goals I'm going after, and I hope that each and everyone of you will continue to support and challenge me, the way that I do for most of you. Let's begin.

1) Stay Healthy
     This was my first goal that I set for myself last year and I think it's really important, especially for an accident and injury prone athlete, like myself. This goal is broad, so I'll break it down.
       A) Knee: Sometimes I think that because my knee doesn't hurt when I run, I don't have to do physical therapy, then weeks later, I get pain and realize, oops, should've done PT, then have to play the catch up game. I want to make the time to do PT AT LEAST 3 times a week. I can't use the 'I'm too tired' or 'I have to do homework excuse.' I can easily do my PT while I listen to a lecture or electronic reading. I can't sacrifice my hard work for something I could've prevented.
       B) Nutrition: Dan tells me I can't go as far as I want if I continue to eat the amount of sugar and sweets that I do. So, I have worked out a great plan that I've done well with over the past few months. I don't eat sweets during my block, but after each and every test/race, I get to reward myself, the Monday after, with a Pearls cupcake. One cupcake every month, I can handle that.

2) Be the motivation and inspiration that my friends need me to be
My athletic career isn't dependent on my success; a lot of it is driven by being there and being an inspiration and help to my friends who are in it with me. They have supported me when I have needed it most, so I wish to do the same thing to them. :)

3) Ride Sub 2:38 in 56 miles
This goal is back in action. The closest I got in the 2016 season was 2:46, so I have my work set out for me, but I'm up for the challenge. With my power based strength workouts, as well as steady Z1 rides, I am excited to see what this season brings in bike improvements. I've felt that I've only made small drops and improvements the past few years and am ready for a solid performance on the bike.

4) Run Sub 1:40 in Half Marathon
Without believing I could, I ran a 1:44 at the Richmond Half Marathon. With the same training and the confidence and belief that I can, I'm excited to see this goal come to life.

5) Qualify for 70.3 Worlds
It's a lofty goal, but I believe if I get my training right and my head in the game I can get close enough to one of those spots. First chance will be in April, not a lot of time, but just have to trust the process, trust the coach and put in the work. Dream big, right?

6) Compete an Ironman 
Clearly it's a big season, but I'm prepared for everything that it has to offer. I want to continue to build on the awesome season that 2016 provided and not only try and qualify for worlds, but also compete in my first ever Ironman...nothing says dedication like a late season Ironman of Florida!

7) Be the best Student Athlete I can be
Not only do I work full time and train 18-20 hours a week, I am a full time student. I'm crazy busy but if I wasn't, I wouldn't have the grades that I do. Whether this means I make

time limits on when workouts must be done with before starting homework, or giving up an outdoor ride so that I can camp out on my trainer while I listen to hours of lectures, I will do it. I don't just want to be the best athlete that I can be, I also want to be the best student that I can be. The two marry very well, if you have the patience and time management for them, and that will be a challenge, but I'm up for it!

Conclusion
I have a long season ahead, but I'm going at it as smart and as hard hitting as I can. I mean business with my athletic, student, and friend goals. I want to be the best version of me and even if I don't accomplish the goals listed here, I will know that I tried my hardest and I gave it all I had. But for now, we have four months until Ironman Florida 70.3. Giddy up!

End of the Season Reflection of Goals

It's taken me a long time to get to the point of being able to write down my thoughts of this past season. It's been a long one, a challenging one, an emotional one, an amazing and successful one, so I find it's hard to write everything into one, so I decided the best thing to do was to review the goals that I had set for myself this time last year. I think that this season broke down my fear of sharing goals to the public because I don't think I ever let my friends or my coach down, and that's my biggest fear when I publicize my goals.

1) Get Healthy
        1a) Knee: I would say that this was a raging success. This time last year, I was running stairs in place of road running because my knee was not in a place to be running. However, with the help of Lori Strobl, and Dan, I was able to get to a place where the stairs simply became a distance between up and down, and I was full on running long workouts on the road. Although I faltered sometimes I knew if I went back to basics, my knee would strengthen on up.
        1b) Nutrition: For those of you who keep up with my blog, you know that this is a struggle for me, both in self control and my body rejecting nearly every kind of processed food. The list, of my allergies, grows all the time so I have to always be on top of what I consume and what happens when I consume it. Nutrition will always continue to be a struggle with my allergies but as long as I stay diligent about checking the labels, and properly fueling, I should be okay.

2) Run a 10k without stopping
Prior to this season, I had never run anything over 5 miles, without stopping, in my life. Typically swimmers aren't great runners, and I never had a desire to go out and try to run more because I was slow and I hated it. With the "get healthy, knee" goal, I was able to not only run a 10k, but run several training runs that were more than this, and ran two half ironman races and a stand alone half marathon. I would say that's pretty well accomplished!

3) Run faster than a 1:50 half marathon
Attempt 1: 2:34:32. My first ever half marathon was that awful race called Eagleman. I knew when I saw my sister, walking, on the course, I was in for a rough go and that it was; I cried, several times during it. 
Attempt 2: 1:59:32. Rev3 Cedar Point. The goal for this race was to run sub 2:20, and I ran sub 2:00, it was amazing! 
Attempt 3: The Richmond Half Marathon. It was a rough few weeks leading up to this. My friends and teammates were all in overload as they were tapering for this, and I wasn't. I was just resting, and not to mention, my final exams were the week before. I was stressed and I thought I wasn't going to do well because I wasn't tapered. My goal was to go 1:52 because that's the best I thought I could do with everything and my doubts. I took it out more conservatively than I usually do in running tests, but saw that my first mile was a 7:40. I panicked, that was a little quick for my preference, however, kept going. I held that pace for the next 8 miles and just held on tight for those last 5 miles. Attempt 3, when I thought I couldn't break a 1:50, I went 1:44:49. Not only did I blow my goal for that race out of the water, I also did my goal for this season. I was so happy, and it just makes me think with this training, what can I do next year?

4. Sub 2:38 Bike Split for 56 Miles
Attempt 1: 2:48:52 Eagleman 
Attempt 2: 2:46:09
Despite not achieving this goal, I still count is as a win. I was able to shed two minutes off a characteristically fast course at Eagleman for a hillier version up in Sandusky, Ohio. I believe that through hard work, I can get this goal in the 2017 season. 

5. Work on My Stubbornness and Trust the Process
I'm a stubborn person, I always have been, but this year I tried really hard to work on it as I know it hurt, offended and annoyed a lot of people. Stubbornness will always be with me, however, for someone who once doubted the process, I can say that I now fully trust the process. Dan's coaching philosophy works...and works very well. This time last year, I was running stairs, and now, I'm running long distances and faster. For the Richmond Half Marathon, I was training in HR zone around a 10:30/pace but was able to hold my max, or near max, HR for 7:59/pace. The process works and I will trust it no matter where or what I am racing. 

Summary
It's been a great season and I have come so far, both mentally and physically. I, of course, couldn't have done any of it without GrnMchn Coaching, and Dan Szajta, my awesome friends and teammates and those who support me in all I do. I think for having this be my first year ever to complete an olympic and a half ironman triathlon was just the beginning of something awesome and I look forward to continuing my journey in the sport that I have come to grow and love. I look forward to setting new goals, being a source of motivation for my friends and continue to make them and coach proud.