I HATE BIKING...

Today my dad took me on a bike ride- to help me practice cadence and get stronger for the biking portion of the triathlon. Well, lets just say that since I was about 5, I have despised biking. I always somehow fall or get launched off. Story of my childhood- and the story continues.

We began on a dirt trail that warned, "Be aware of rattlesnakes" which freaked me out and made me concentrate on the sides of the trail rather than what was in front of me. If you have never been mountain biking before, there are usually a ton of rocks up the trail, as you can imagine, me looking around for snakes and not paying attention to the rocks in front of me posed a serious problem. I racked myself several times and fell off into the prickly grass- my dad tried so hard not to laugh and to keep encouraging me but I kept getting more and more frustrated which made me more and more unstable on the bike.

The thing that sent me over the edge was the last hill of the trail- which I was not aware of. I was coming down the hill and shifted my gears to a higher gear thinking there was more downhill- stupid move because you need lower gears to get up hills. So I hit the hill in high gear and literally stood on end of my back tire and then plopped smack down on my back- and yes, the bike followed suit and smashed down into my ribs. I was so upset that I cried- Its not that it hurt as much as I was frustrated because this was so hard for me.

My dad pulled me back up and said, "Sometimes you gotta just get some speed and keep pedaling- no matter what is in front of you." This hit me in a special way because it applies to everything. True, I am not the best at biking but if I would have focused more on just pedaling and gaining momentum rather than being bad or weak, than I probably would not have fallen as much. In sum, athletes must understand that a deliberate and slow cultivation is the only way to success. Every day you just need to keep at it- this mind set will not change the difficulty of your situation but it will make it a heck of a lot easier to get through it.

Bitches and Sophisticated Bitches

Okay, I am not one to start a fight but I can finish them. To set the stage for this little story let me first tell you what my grandma said to me, "Alexa, all girls are bitches but there are sophisticated bitches and regular bitches. The regular bitches are just out to hurt people- the sophisticated bitches stand up for what is right and do not take crap from anybody."

I always liked that saying and was able to apply it today. I was at the rec talking to one of the female triathletes and just asking advice. Soon another girl on the team joined our conversation...uninvited I might add. The uninvited one looked at me and said, "Do you work?" and I replied, "Yes, I start on Monday." She retorted, "What are your hours?" I replied, "8-5...why?" she proceeded with this answer, "Oh, you're done then- you will not be able to get in the training that you need to. You might get enough in to just do it for fun but you will be too tired to train and most facilities will be closed to the public when you actually get off due to high school swim practice."

Okay, maybe it doesn't sound that bad to you but to me, this was like a slap in the face. How does she know that I still can't get in the training? And also, maybe I will not have the time to do what she does but I know that I will do what I need to do to put in quality work and have the competitive drive to COMPETE and not just do it for kicks like she thinks.

Do you have people that doubt you? Do you doubt yourself? Get rid of any doubt in your life now because those are roadblocks and will keep you in your comfort zone. It is hard to see past doubt but when doubt arises you have to be a sophisticated bitch and stand for what is right... The right thing is to know that you are capable. Sometimes you are capable of achieving things in a different way than others and at different paces but that is not to say that it won't and can't be done.

Let's get out there and show them that it can be done....I hope that girl is in my first race...

This is a wrap for this week- tune in next week for more information regarding nutrition and more updates!!!

Love,

Alexa

Discipline is the thing!

DAY 1 Poolwork for Alexa's Triathlon Training: This is probably a sight that you all would have liked to seen- I am NOT a swimmer. I went to go to watch some triathletes at my local pool and they were making it look so easy. So I, like an idiot, asked if I could join in one of their lanes and complete the last set with them to get experience...Let's just say that they blew past me about three times and the waves that they created from their power and speed almost drowned me because it got in my mouth when I came up for air.


Afterwards, one of the girls was nice enough to tell me what I was doing wrong. She said that I really need to work on technique and form- two things that are so simple but crucial to executing the actual swim. Form for swimming is so precise- every finger, arm, and leg movement must be concise, strong, and straight. It is a lot harder than it looks to maintain good form and technique for an extended period of time. If I want to get good at swimming, I have to master these small things first.

 Mr. Miagi from Karate kid states that "Discipline is the thing"  We all hear about discipline but do we really understand what it means or the power that it has?

Steve Pavilina compares self discipline to a muscle, “The more you train it, the stronger you become. The less you train it, the weaker you become. Just as everyone has different muscular strength, we all possess different levels of self-discipline. Everyone has some... but not everyone has developed their discipline to the same degree.”






I obviously do not have the same amount of discipline as the triathletes I went to watch but I will get there someday. One day I will not even have to think about my strokes but right now I do and I have to know that being a novice is my state of being right now. This is something that I have to be okay with and make sure not compare myself to the experts...yet. Regardless of my emotional state whether it be wanting more or frustration because I am not where I want to be- self discipline is what will keep my emotions out of what I have to do and focus.

Picture yourself saying to your body, “Run up this 800 m hill eight times as hard as you can,” or "Complete this project by next week" Without self-discipline that intention will not manifest. But with sufficient self-discipline, it’s a done deal. The pinnacle of self-discipline is when you reach the point of making a conscious decision of doing something- once this decision is made it is guaranteed you’ll follow through on it...not allowing ANYTHING to stop you.

Self-discipline is and will be your key weapon to accomplishing anything you want in life; if you learn how to leverage it to your advantage. Self discipline can help you accomplish several things like getting a PR, completing a hard workout, improving technique, getting a job, starting a company- or it can wipe out internal problems that no one else but you can fix like: procrastination, disorders, and ignorance. 


So let's get out there and apply self-discipline to shift our present state of being to something even greater.

 

L.O.V.E

"Love speaks out for justice and protests when harm is being done. Love points out the consequences of hurting oneself or others.

Love allows room for anger, grief, or pain to be expressed and released. But love does not threaten to withhold itself if it doesn't get what it wants.

Love does not talk directly or indirectly-it is open and simple.

Love does not say, "If you want to be loved you must be nice, or do what I want, or never love anyone else, or promise you'll never leave me."

Love cares what becomes of you because love knows that we are all interconnected. Love is inherently compassionate and empathic.

Love knows that the "other" is also oneself. This is the true nature of love and love itself can not be manipulated or restrained.

Love honors the sovereignty of each soul.

Love is its own law."

Today is my grandparent's 53rd anniversary- looking at them makes me truly believe in love because it has lasted for more than half a century. Through good times and bad- through mistakes and lessons learned, love sustained itself because they had no choice. Love had set its claws in them and as the saying says above, it is its own law, nothing can stop it or control it.

In the same way that my grandparents' love for each other sustained, I think that love for our sport, dreams, jobs, and our own individual purposes can be sustained as well.  However, love is not easy- it has its ups and downs but it always provides satisfaction and happiness in the end. This is why it is important to realize WHY and if YOU REALLY love what you do because if you truly love it you can get through the highs and the lows of the present and past and pursue a bright future.

It seems as though you might not love running anymore if you get injured- it might feel like you don't love your job because you are new and you don't know how to do everything anymore or it even might feel like you don't love the people around you because they are making bad choices or are acting unjust. But deep down you know how much you love your sport, how much you love to apply yourself, and how much you love being interconnected with those around you- Once you are in love you have no choice but to fight through the challenges that the external environment might present.

LOVE what you do- if you don't its not worth it. Find something that you truly love and never stop- Press forward like Cupid on Fire and you will always find grace, happiness, peace, and companionship in the end.  

A Cinderella Story...Dreams Come True

Tosha at the Olympic Trials 2012

"A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep
In dreams you lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling thru
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
the dream that you wish will come true"
- Cinderella

There may be no better feeling in the world than the joy of accomplishing a dream that no one else ever expected you to. Just ask Natosha Rogers- she came in second in the 10k at the Olympic Trials this past June 2012. At the time of the trials, Natosha was a middle to low pack qualifier which means that the other runners in the race had entered with race times faster than hers. Barely anyone had heard of her because (1) This was only her 4th time racing the 10k and (2) Previous to this past track season, she had few successes to her credit.

During the first mile in the race- Natosha went down and hard. She was tripped, trampled, and at the back of the pack. No one thought she could get back up and maintain a second place pace when she got back up and pressed the leaders at the beginning of the second mile mark. As she kept pressing the pace, the crowd began to roar- people started asking, "Who is she?" especially when she started to take the lead. The commentator of the race expected her to fade- he even announced it but Natosha never did. Somewhere in her heart she found the courage and stamina to finish strong.

Natosha achieved what others thought was the impossible- but she did it by committing herself day in and day out- never stopping her dream engine and always believing in herself. She wanted to be one of the leaders in that race and she did it. But it took her 3 years to get to this point- it was not easy. 

Does it seem like the road to your dream is a grueling race? Keep Natosha in mind before you give up or think achieving your dream is out of reach. Believe in yourself like Natosha did. We all enjoy achieving a dream but sometimes we forget that we have to do the small things to get there and that it takes a strong and patient mentality.  Being faithful in doing the small things like rehab for injuries, drills, strides, ice baths, recovering, being healthy, and resting...are all ways to gain, maintain, and demonstrate the strength needed to accomplish something great.

Watch these links to learn more about Natosha and how awesome she is:

http://www.flotrack.org/speaker/10820-Natosha-Rogers/video/643436-Natosha-Rogers-finds-inner-spark-this-year-for-huge-breakthroughs-at-2012-US-Olympic-Trials

http://www.flotrack.org/article/13137-Natosha-Rogers-Shocks-the-World-Day-1-Performance-of-the-Night

Goal Setting

Starting over is something we all have experienced. I have been out of running shape for 10 weeks so my plan is to walk 5 minutes and run 10 minutes 2x a week and increase the duration of running time by 5 minutes every two weeks if I do not feel any pain. Eventually I will run every other day and then if all is well, I will run every day. Obviously my plan is slow and gradual so it will take some time to get there. Through this time though, I have discovered some new goals for myself- this is what I LOVE about starting over...the opportunity to set new goals and get after them.

My goals are to:

1. Small Goal: Be able to run 30 minutes every other day by the end of August

2. Training Goal 1:Be able to jog a 5k with my mom and dad September 1st! Its called the Devil Dash and looks really fun- its basically a mud run/obstacle course so I will not be running the whole time. Also, to keep increasing my minutes and mileage at a slow gradual pace.

3. Training Goal 2: Begin training for a Sprint Triathlon- Early season begins in January and the big races start in May/June

4. Big Dream: Complete a 1/2 Iron Man by the end of next summer

(I always have to see my dream to remind myself of what I am here to do so I printed these out and put them on my mirror)

Starting out at 10 minutes is hard considering that I used to be able to run 45-80 minutes no problem...10 minutes-I have to start out small and then work toward bigger things as I get stronger and wiser. I learned that making unrealistic goals only brings frustration and opportunities to give up. Unrealistic goals should be steered away from but BIG DREAMS should be strived for- BIG DREAMS= hard but doable. It is important to keep in mind that one should never underestimate oneself; by this I mean to make small goals but small goals that are challenging and goals that call you out of your comfort zone.

You will never go anywhere or feel any satisfaction if you do not get out of your comfort zone and allow yourself to be challenged. Don't be afraid of failure! Incremental small goals are the best because they help you keep track of your progress. If you do fail, than the solution is simple:make adjustments to your plan and continue to press forward- Small incremental goals serve as stepping stones to the big dream.

For many of you it is the beginning of a new season, a chance to start over and make some goals for yourself. Map out your goals- challenge yourself and make them incremental- understand that with big dreams come big challenges but with every challenge there are new opportunities to learn and to get stronger. Do not fall susceptible to low expectations of yourself or low expectations of other people- this will cause you to stop pushing yourself. Continue to hold yourself at a high standard and believe that you can do anything. If you work toward your dreams with faith and endurance and allow room for adjustment, you will become extraordinary.

Goal Ideas:

1. Have a better mentality during races- I will practice strong mentality every day at practice and come up with several methods to keep myself in check

2. Place in the top _____ in the first race _____ at the second race and ______ by the end of the season. I will ask the coaches which practice groups I need to be in in order to get strong enough to accomplish this goal.

3. Figure out a good training plan that will sustain my health and stamina for the whole season- I will understand which days to push myself and which days to take easy. I will take ____ as a recovery day to re-energize.

There are so many more- if you want to share yours please do so- we can all support you and give advice to help accomplish your dream. Also, my friend Kyle Rewick designed a dream website. Its AMAZING and it helps you keep track of your goals and other people support your efforts. Check it out! http://www.dreamengin.com/index.php

Oh for Poops Sake!

"When you hit and run to first
And you feel you're gonna burst
Diarrhea, diarrhea!
And off you run to second,
You can't wait another second,
Diarrhea, diarrhea!
You make it on to third
And you feel a squishy turd,
Diarrhea, diarrhea!"


Alright, Alright- admit it we have ALL had it. You know what I am talking about....The infamous runner poops! hahahaa I just laugh every time because its hilarious. Like I said, getting back into running brings back some good memories but not so good feelings. I had one of those feelings today...here is my story:

Today, I went for a ten minute jog around my block early in the morning. I was so excited because I LOVE the mornings and I was running! I was having a nice little jog and enjoying the beautiful Colorado scenery when all of a sudden a little drop in my stomach jolted me out of my zen. Not only was there a jolt but also a little rumble. I told myself that I would not run under 9 minute mile pace until I was running 30 minutes continuously without any pain but that rule had to be broken on this day. Thank the LORD that I was only five minutes out from my house because I had to MOVE IT back in order to prevent my old neighbors and the wild animals such as deer and rabbit from witnessing a horrendous scene. I was pretty much sprinting down my street and my sweet neighbor tried to make conversation with me but I just blew right past him- I did not have one once of energy to waste-not even a head nod.

I finally got to my house but my mom had locked the front door- the feeling was just getting worse- growing more and more unstable. So I leaped off my porch and slammed into my garage code thing and quickly typed it in.  Just to let you know, I made it just in time! Share your famous poop story below! You can be anonymous or not but I want to see who has a better one!