Mile Markers of Life

I finally finally got a laptop!!!

No more dinosaur desktop for this girl. No more people peering over my shoulder wondering what I’m divulging on tumblr.

I can now document even more of my life…haha I hope you are all prepared for some photo spamming ;)

I am finally getting a moment to sit down and write about our vacation. I had a really good time..we saw some really beautiful beaches and ate some deliciously sinful food, but I am really happy to be home.

This reminded me what I was coming home to..working towards. Yes, I took a picture of another mans leg. Sorry, but I’m not sorry.

Enjoying a corona on the beach in Cozumel. This was a private resort, all you can eat and drink. Came back and bit me in the butt, though that’s for sure. I may or may not have puked in a trashcan, on the side of the road..while border patrol were laughing at me. This might have happened.

All in all we had a pretty fun time. I always do like vacations and relaxing by the beach, but I am such a home-body. I love my home..I love Colorado..I love my friends and my gym and my routine. I am always ready to come home by the 3rd day or earlier. I know I know, I’m pathetic. But I am sooo happy to be back home and hitting my workouts hard again. Even having that week off, I can feel the difference in my fitness. I did a spinning class today and then a bootcamp class back to back..it was so hard! But I am glad to be back and I can’t wait to kick off the 70.3 journey! wooohoo!

It’s been a pretty crazy whirlwind 2 weeks. I left last Friday for Florida for a cruise and we got back yesterday. I mentioned it yesterday, but I have never been happier to be on the ground, in my home, in my state, with my people..safe and sound. Our flight yesterday was really pretty scary…there were some shady guys and they alarmed everyone, or at least me and several others, when they insisted on sitting in the front of a Southwest flight, which isn’t assigned seating. Basically the flight attendents kept a very watchful eye on them and they checked their bags when they weren’t aware to make sure no weapons were in them..and they stayed in the front of the plane the entire time. Even though it wasn’t an actual threat, it sure felt like one and it really made me reflect on my life.

It sounds pretty silly as I type it, but being so far above the ground and feeling like you could possibly be in danger is really really scary. I’m not trying to overreact..but it sure did make me think.

I thought about a lot…but the first thing that came to my mind was my friends and family. Shortly after that I started thinking about training and my upcoming races. I thought about how I would fight back, how I would use the rage and passion I have to fight and not give up. I wouldn’t have gone down without a fight, that’s for sure.

But it made me think a lot about a lot of different things. I thought about why I do what I do, what makes me so in love with training and racing, why I am so dedicated, how I got this way, where I cam from.

So why do I do what I do? I still didn’t really find the answer. But I did find some insight in my own heart and soul. I just have such a passion for health and fitness and I think it’s something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. I love pushing my body to it’s limit, discovering new territory, new strength, new motivation. I am 18 years old and I have so much life left to live.

I’m so in love with life…and even though everything is fine, that experience put some more fire in my belly. It made me so thankful to be alive and it made me thankful for everything I have. It put a lot into perspective and made me even more hungry for a packed life, full of excitement, adventure, and laughter.

 What would you do if you knew your time was limited? If at the end of your road you wish you would have done something, followed through, taken the next step…would you be disappointed? Would you wish for something more? Or would you be satisfied. Would you be happy with the way you lived your life..making sure to drink from the overflowing cup? I know I will.  

I’m a Colorado girl. I’m an athlete. I’m passionate and committed and motivated. I’m dedicated. But mostly, today I am thankful.

Thankful for the opportunities placed before me. Thankful for my healthy body, my strong muscles, my heart and lungs, my sight and sense of hearing. I’m thankful for my arms and legs. I’m just really thankful.

What are you thankful for?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH

Never been so happy to be home in my life!!!!!!!

Vacations are nice and all, but I am really a home-body. I’m such a Colorado girl!!!!!

I CAN’T WAIT TO WORKOUT!

I CAN’T WAIT TO GET BACK TO EATING HEALTHY!

I CAN’T WAIT TO START TRAINING FOR IRONMAN BOULDER 70.3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yayaaaaaaaa Colorado!!!! :)

I’m already having dreams about Ironman…hah

It started early…I always have recurring dreams about whatever fills my life, but right now it’s only filling my thoughts. I’m only doing a little swimming and biking with my usual running…it hasn’t exploded into full blown training mode and yet it’s already etched into my brain apparently and I am already having detailed dreams of victory and stress. haha yay.

I don’t remember a whole lot but I guess I rocked the swim and I remember rocking the bike. I caught up to my friend who I’ll be training with and passed her..which is unlikely but my brain does what it wants. The transition for some reason was very odd…we had to take like, a fork lift thing up to this freaking hot tent up in pretty high..it was one of those small metal things you know that you see in Sams when they change lightbulbs? Haha Anyways yes we took the fork lift and for some reason I wasn’t breathing hard haha also unlikely. We ran to our transition area and I went to get my shoes, which were separate from my other stuff I guess and then I went for my bag which had all my guu and stuff in it and I couldn’t see it so I started throwing bags off the table haha in a quest for mine. They said to describe it to them and that they would find it but I didn’t have time to just waste while they found my bag. AND then they brought out a fricken form that they had to fill out with all my information and the stupid chick asked me if I wanted to pay an extra $20 to make the process go faster or to join cycle club? Weird. But then I woke up…so I never will know if I finished my race. haha I assumed the next order of business would have been taking gu off the table right behind the bags, which I don’t know why I didn’t..it’s a dream I guess. ha

Anywho…I am sorry I left you with this gem for a whole week. I am off to Denver to fly out to Tampa and then get on a party boat! Happy Thanksgiving guys!

Don’t ever save for tomorrow what can be done today…and don’t wait around for someone to get something done for you when you can bypass their lazy butt and get it done yourself!! I’ve been harping on the stupid guy I signed up for Lifetime with that I haven’t gotten my ltbucks—free money basically. If you signed up over the summer you got $200. Obviously what you can use it on is restrictive, if it were up to me I’d want that much of my membership paid, but I did look up what I can buy….MASTERSWIM. Yep. That’s happening. I called Lifetime and got transferred like 4 times but I got it under control..my freaking bucks should be in within 5-7 days…

In other news, I do believe it’s gunshow Thursday. Throw em up…

ALSO I think I definitely forgot to mention something pretty huge. We are leaving tomorrow for Tampa..we are going on a cruise and we get back Thanksgiving day!!! The rates were pretty cheap because we got it fairly short notice and my family did it on the spur of the moment..awesome. So I will not be posting until next Thursday, starting tomorrow! SO I hope you all have a wonderous Thanksgiving full of family time, games, and lots of full bellies. Run a few miles…have a few beers…eat some turkey…run a turkey trot. I hope your next week is wonderful :)

Having real issues staying on the healthy eating bandwagon today. It is not going well. At all.

Started out okay with a protein shake for breakfast…but then I may or may not have had Chipoltle for lunch and am now indulging in friggen puppy chow.

CHEX!!! WHY YOU GIVE DELICIOUS RECIPES?????

Anyways. OOPS. Tomorrow will be better.

I feel as though I’ve turned a corner.

Everything appears shiny and new.

I can do anything I set my mind to.

Today I went to the pool with a mission. Okay, I said, buck up buttercup it’s time to get better and see what you’re made of. Focus on your form, I said to myself, head down, butt high. Float, don’t drag. Twist, glide, reach, slice, pull, breathe, relax. Don’t hold your breath. Break it down. The water is not your enemy. Work with it and it will work with you.

Breathe, Relax, Glide.

I broke it down into 100 meters at a time…for me that isn’t so hard. It’s less daunting. Okay, I say, just 2 full laps, focus. Get this done and you can take a little break.

It’s not supposed to be comfortable. You’re here because you want change. You’re here because you want to get better. You didn’t come here to leave the same.

Today I swam a quarter mile with minimal rest between each 100 meters. It may not seem like a lot or mean much to you…but it means a lot to me. I have a long way to go but today meant something to me.

I can do anything.

I got better today.