Month one done!

The month of January has come and gone. I have four solid weeks of training and one amazing recovery week in the bank. I feel like I made great strides in my fitness level in January despite starting a new job, re-starting two classes and adjusting to a new schedule. O yea, and I have been more social than ever. OYE. I have changed a few things this year on my journey to Ironman. Second time around, bigger goals, more tools, and that much more experience.

New things in 2013 that I *LOVE*:

1. I am in love with my new coach at TriHard, Will Kourosis. I love the training plan and all that encompasses it. The nutrition advice is more acute than in years past. I've been instructed to do a mental exercise every night. AND I get a rest week. REST WEEK people! I was allowed to do 3-4 workouts the whole week. (I know crazy, right?) I also got to pick what days to do them on. I felt a little off kilter on swim today, but I also had not been in the water in a week and worked 50 hours this week. I think I have a pretty strong mental game, but can't wait to see how this changes with the addition of a focus specific exercise. It has already helped with the meditation part of yoga. I am not longer making my grocery list at the end of class. HA! And volume is clearly going to be larger, it already is.

2. Another change this years rode to Ironman is my commitment to having a massage at least every two months, every month if I need it. I am thinking it will be at the end of my rest week. Today was the third time I saw the same therapist at JP Massage. He is getting to know all my tight and problem areas. He found spots today I did not know where tight: pec major/minor, some weird spot on my TL spine, and released some radial nerve tension. O and I had my psoas muscle worked on the first time. THAT was weird and kinda awesome! I really think this will be a great supplement to my training down the line when I'm really training hard.

3. Cambridge Masters. I have more swim endurance in January than I did same time last year and same time two years ago for sure.

4. I know whats coming. I got my Feb training plan today. Volume (therefore time) increases significantly over the next 30 days. I remember the first month I received with high volume in 2011 sent me into panic mode. How the heck am I going to do all of that AND work AND maintain a social life..o and I need to sleep and eat too?! This year I look mostly at one week at a time. I'll get it done. Somehow. And that somehow will make be stronger and will help me when I am tired around mile 80 of the bike and mile 18 or the run. If I can do a 12 mile run at 4 am or after working 8 hours then I can do it on race day with a good nights sleep and rested legs. If I can swim for an hour after running 12 miles and working 8 hours, then on race--->look out. One day at a time, one arm in front of the other, one pedal stroke at a time, then one foot in front of the other. All with a giant smile on my face. 'cause I am one lucky womyn.

5. YOGA. I am making a public statement that I intend to do home yoga once a week. I am ordering a DVD in the next weeks and will complete it. My hips will thank me in the coming months.

I am feeling good and super excited to start pushing myself harder. I am crazy excited to start riding outside and hope I am able to do so SOON. We've had some warm days, but they have not fallen on days that I've been riding. I know all these hours in my dark basement on my trainer will make me stronger. I tell myself that nearing the end of those longer workouts in the Pain Cave. Big thanx to Mary Workman Eggers who I stole this term from. It is totally just that---darkness, me and my trainer, pop or techno blasting my ears! I am focused in a way that I was not two years ago. Two years ago I was worried about finishing the distance. I know I can do 140.6 miles on my own power. It is a matter of how fast. What will I discover about Kristi Lynne Paradis in these next 6 months. Only time will tell.

I am ridiculously happy right now with my life. It's amazing what can happen when I focus. Is it a coincidence that its happening in the same year as training for IMLP. My last amazing year came in 2011 when I did Vineman 140.6. The drive and focus correlate not only to triathlon but also to my "other life". My confidence is amazing right now. Work is going well. Friends, family, etc are out of this world good. If January is any indication of the year to come its going to be a good one!