The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new

Time to get a move on!

CHANGE.  All change. The past few weeks have been all about this.  It's crazy how fast things can change. But as they say, whoever, the f**k they are: 'You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.'

Life has to move forward because everything has its time and everything ends. So with all these clichés in mind and without airing dirty laundry via my blog - with some magical memories and a pang of sadness I end one chapter, to begin writing my next.

Bridget Jones on a bicycle is back. The past few weeks I've been fuelled by Vodka and a lot of it! But. The. Fun. Must. Stop. Letting my hair down before IM mania kicks in - is acceptable - but come December 28th the road to dry-IRONMAN begins.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that one part of your life starts going okay, another falls spectacularly to pieces.  @BridgetJonesQuotes was another #epic Twitter discovery. 

Good. Old. Bridge Thankfully the Ironman training is going great guns.  My coached prescription training plan started two weeks ago.   Thanks to @P_Coach_Me I have been working on setting Heart Rate Zones through a series of TT's (Time trials) and tests. I'm learning more about myself and exactly what my body is capable of. Physically I am #feelingfocused. Mentally and emotionally, however, I'm #feelingabitfrazzled

Too often us TRY-athletes fall guilty of keeping exceptionally busy to bury our feelings.  I know, I'm guilty of this - but I believe that taking care of our emotional self is just as important as our physical well being.  Have you ever gone to do a workout/training session when you're angry, sad or just feeling empty and it's gone completely tits up, or resulted in a crash and burn out?

Without throwing a pity party blog - I took some time in-between training to think and reflect.  With the help of my good friend, Google- we researched the idea of Emotional Fitness. I've hashed together some waffle to help compliment my IM prescription. Think of it as weight training for brain - so, if you're ever experiencing an emotional dip - dip out from training and try these 12 Simple exercises to #Fightthefrazzle

 

1. Embrace what you have Look around you - look at everything you have in your life.  I don't mean possessions. Although my shiny Specialized bike makes me smile every time. Whether it's bright and bouncy nephews, a hilarious mad aunt - a friend who's full of life.  Make time for these people. Scoop them up in your arms.  Inhale. Write down a list of the things you are grateful for. Forget about what's lost and gone, It's now in the past.  Look forward - not back. embrace life with every breath.

2. Remember your mission Whether it's to create harmony and peace in your life, paint a masterpiece, run an ultra-marathon, become a mother - or create the family you never had.  Keep this in your mind.  Always.  Having a purpose and goal gives you a sense of who you really are and want to become or achieve.  I want to be an Ironman, did I mention it?

3. Be with Beauty  Without sounding image conscious - learn to surround yourself with things which make you feel beautiful . Beauty comes in many guises.  If you love flowers, surround yourself with them.  If you love art, immerse yourself in it. If music makes your heart dance - listen to it - loudly...If you love men in lycra, go on your local club ride (ha ha -jokes - you get the picture) Only be with things that make you feel great. Remove toxic people from your life and avoid the things which make you feel bad.   

4. Move your body  Anything from walking to power lunging.  Do more of what makes you feel alive! Get those happy Dolphins circulating around your bloodstream (endorphins).  Nothing will happen if you just sit around waiting. 

5.Remember who cares Phone a friend.  Ask the audience.  You are everything to someone.  Remember who these people are and make an effort to keep them in your lives.

6.Practice kindness This is one of my favourites.  Must. Be.  Sincere.  If you love what someone is wearing or how they are smelling - tell them.  Shout it from the rooftops.  A small compliment could mean the world to someone. (But don't say it if you don't mean it)  If you see someone stranded at the roadside with a flatty - offer to help.  Talk to everyone.  I do! Making one person smile can change the world - maybe not the world - but their world.

 

7. Laugh, play, have fun  Easy when you can surround yourself with children. Happiness really is child's play! The simple things in life.  Growing up - I wasn't surgically attached to my phone or social media - there's nothing more fun than a game of hide and seek with the nephews (except when they can't find you and your stuck underneath the bed for 30 minutes). Laughing is such a tonic. Make sure you do it often. I'm grateful for all the magical friends in my life who continue to keep me laughing and smiling.

8. Create  Yes, lets make and do My sister and I had a great book while growing up and we made all sorts of things from it.  Kept us quiet too. Simple tasks also quiet the mind. Jewellery making, drawing, Christmas card writing...knitting.  Writing!  How could I forget writing.  Blogging - so cathartic.  Life isn't about finding yourself - it's about creating yourself.

9. Indulge in healthy pleasures  I won't put what my initial thoughts are.  But you can probably guess. If you like chocolate - a little bit of what you fancy does you good.  What we learn with pleasure we never forget. (Oh sadly, isn't this just so apt)

10. Forgive and let go  Don't harbour on to negative feelings or jealousy either.  Remember when you forgive you heal.  When you let go - you grow. 

11. Forgive yourself  We. All. Fuck. Up. FACT. Realise what's done is done and move on from the experience! Dwelling on past bad decisions only allows those decisions to keep defining yourself.  Forgive yourself and MOVE ON!

12. Be grateful Again goes back to the start. EMBRACE everything in life.  We just never know when our time's up! The happiest people do not have the best of everything - they make the best of everything they have.

 

Training week Monday 1st - Sunday 6th December

 

'I absolutely believe that people unless coached never reach their maxiumum capabilities.'

 

And so now my real coached journey begins.  Hello Training Peaks. Hello @P_Coach_Me I place my trust in you! Thou shall promise to follow your instructions as much as I can.  In return, I expect you to get ME (said, old Dobbin) race fit and chomping at the bit for #AustriaIM2015. I'm ready and I want to be the best I can be!

 

Swim Not the most adventurous or energetic of swim weeks. But coach did warn me that the first couple of weeks were about testing, testing 1, 2, 3.  In true typical numpty Sam style I forgot to take my HR monitor on my work trip to Cancun  which meant a few of my run sessions were jiggled about and a swim session forfeited. however I bashed out a couple of cool down technique sessions at the beginning of the week.  I had hoped for an open water sea swim in Mexico, sadly, the red flag remained up for the whole five days. Mad, yes, but I didn't fancy my chances of survival! Swim time: 1hour 5 minutes Swim distance: 3500m

 

Bike A good solid TT test on Monday on the Watt Bike. I felt I'd pushed hard enough and was thrilled with 10 miles in 28:02 minutes.  Perhaps there is hope for me next year when the road TT season kicks off. 17.2km covered in 30 minutes. With an average HR of 139 and a 30 min warm up and cool down each side. Job done. Then a blowy and wet two hour road ride on Tuesday dodging the wind as much possible banking a respectable 50km                                             Bike time: 3hr 3 mins Bike distance: 95.2km

 

Run Mexico. I love you.  You gave me my running mojo back.  Whether it was the heat, or the stunning surroundings, yes, even the Chavlar Cancun strip was mildly inspiring - it's back! I ran confidently free and happy! I had a few 'go girl' moments and a Mexican who High Fived me (my running appreciation dream come true) - which gave me an instant boost #Runninghappy Run time: 2hrs 55 minutes Run Distance: 29.3km 

 

Other activities: Strength and conditioning in the gym, barefoot walking on beach in sand,  Two pump classes, a Bodybalance class and a Partridge in a pear tree!  More than 11 hours of training but I still don't feel it was enough! #Mental Thanks for reading