Fall into it.

Since I’m still just working through my PT on the athletic side of things, I think I’m going to keep my comments brief again for this post. I have to admit, while I have been going to PT twice a week, I’ve been trying to swim and bike a couple times a week, but life has gotten crazy lately. So with that, I’m really just focusing on trying to get through the next couple of weeks. At that point, hopefully the bulk of craziness should be behind me and hopefully I’ll be done with PT and back into the swing of things to start ramping into my Ironman training.

So without any further delay… Photo Recap!

Biking the new trail at the parkway – sadly the picture really doesn’t do it justice, it was so pretty!

Enjoying the beautiful fall weather – spent some time at Green Lakes with the pups – Love this place!

Cruising around with Hungry Hank.

Festive pup. Annnnd… Happy 1 Year Anniversary to Bronco joining our little family!

My weekends have included hanging out at Hanehan Pumpkins a bit.  This is my cousin’s stand and I love helping out a bit each year – it’s been a tradition since we were all in elementary school!

 

They do such a fantastic job – and I think you would be hard pressed to find a better selection or variety of pumpkins!!

 

In addition to hanging around pumpkins, I’ve been hanging with the CX scene a bit. Sunday was the NYCross Championships – was so great to watch a few friends as they raced!

Mud, leaves, bikes and obstacles. What could be better?

My newest seasonal decoration – courtesy of Stiches & Time Antique Shop- so cute! (and yes I realize this is not actually an antique…)

Been going through a few home repairs lately… attempting to kickstart my furnace by re-pressurizing with a bike pump.  Unfortunately, no dice.

A package from Poland! I may or may not love Etsy and the custom clothing you can purchase…

Fortune cookie, why are you always so smart?

 

 

 

Running Around…

… except not actually running. Since I’m still on IR. (i.e. undergoing PT) <— let me find a couple more abbreviations for being injured… we like abbreviations in sports – DNF, DNS, PR, RICE, NRR, XC, XT…

Anyhow, the point is that life has gotten cRaZy busy these past few weeks and I have a LOT going on. Definitely more than usual, hence the quieting down on the blog front. Travel has increased, big changes are going down in my life, and I’m working on repairing my poor calves…. oh and starting to attempt to master a new sport! (oh hai cyclocross.)

But, with all of this going on, I have taken a vow: “I solemnly swear I will stretch and strength train properly during my Ironman training…”

Now, someone please just keep me accountable to that! I’m really a lazy athlete, I like to skip the important in-between stuff that I know I should be doing – luckily my coach and my PT (who is also one of our T2 coaches) are kicking my butt right now for that, which will hopefully make me a bit more accountable on this front.

In lieu of the topics that I really want to write about, (I have a number of ideas for entries that I would like to spend time weaving into words but I am pressing pause until I have a little more time to devote to them, letting them simmer a while longer in my notebooks.) I’m going to bombard you with a lot of pictures from the past couple of weeks.

Oh, and this: 31 Dog Reactions for Everyday Situations.

Seriously, you can thank me later.

Photo Recap//

No Ragnar for me this year… so I volunteered!

Post Volunteer Session Bike Ride, had fun going out and cheering everyone on as they ran through the Saratoga County countryside! 

Pumpkin Beer Season is here! Time to stock up before they change to Winter beers… 

He kills me. “Guarding” (or maybe just sleeping with) the toy so Roxie can’t have it…

Stretch, PT, Ice… Repeat the next day…

Someone is super helpful with PT exercises. 

A trip to Washington DC with my LEAD NY Class. So excited for year #2 with these amazing people. A trip to Ottawa and Africa are next up – then we wrap up the program – the time has flown by and we’ve learned so much (and will learn SO much more!)!

Along with the DC theme…. Love Kid President.

Love more, hate less. 

Wednesday night a few of us ate at the Founding Farmers in DC. If you’re ever visiting DC, you should definitely eat here – it was amazing!

Visiting Gettysburg on our way home from DC. 

Bronco is loving this. 

Back on the toy front…

Also, this week marks 1 year of having Bronco as a member of my little family!

He has definitely added a lot of love to my life! 

Friday Night Football.

Well, that sums up some random aspects of the past 2 weeks…  exited for PT sessions this week, the plan is to start some supervised running on a treadmill. I’m hoping I will be given the go ahead to start mixing in some light running again. Although, it has been fun to focus more on strength sessions, swimming, and of course biking!

Backup Plans.

Life has been moving at a crazy fast speed for me these past few weeks. I would have thought with an injury that things would slow down…  and they both have and have not. I have less runs to fit in my schedule (no running until at least November for me), but tons of PT and icing sessions have entered my life. Also, I’m finding lots of value in being a triathlete instead of simply a runner since I have two other sports to “fall back” on that don’t have high impact – biking and swimming – and therefore are approved for my continued adventures. When one door closes… you have to find another to open. Having a backup plan (or sport) is always a good idea.

Speaking of continued adventures, the past couple of years I had been toying with the idea of getting a mountain bike to diversify my biking routine. Well, that’s off the table – for now – I’ve discovered Cyclocross! I’m not sure how I’ve managed to miss this amazing sport until now, but I’m so glad that I opened my eyes and realized what amazingness lies within the world of cyclocross. It’s the best of both worlds – speed and a road bike type frame, with dirt and mud and grass and obstacles and so so so much fun! The handling skills and flying dismounts are so fun to practice PLUS there are tons of awesome people in the sport PLUS it’s a great mental break from the IM base maintenance I’ve been trying to keep up and stay motivated with. Last week was my first exposure to actually riding cyclocross, but I was bitten by the bug pretty hard. Happily, I have a friend that is letting me borrow a bike so I can hold off on the purchase of said cyclocross bike and just have fun this fall. (Although my PT told me no obstacles for a couple weeks – my dang calf muscles just can’t handle it… I really screwed myself up this time.)

Other than my newly discovered love for cyclocross, I’ve been biking and swimming to keep up some level of off-season fitness and work has been down right CrAzY. Seriously, my job ramped up the craziness this spring, set in another level of crazy during the summer, and has layered in even more these past 4 weeks. I’m grateful that I’m in the off season for tri because I would not be able to be pulling the hours that I currently am, plus training, plus being a fully functioning and friendly member of society. I know I don’t normally mention work here, but it’s a part of my life and it’s definitely playing a bigger role right now. It’s all about balance. I’m happy to put in the time, but will be happy when this extra work load lightens up again too!

The one thing I am certain of in life is that things always change. People come and go from your life, there are ups and downs, there is times of craziness and times for rest, and the only thing that matters is your ability to adapt to the changes. Things always work out for the best, one way or another. We all certainly get the chance to help direct the changes in our life by the attitude and the mindset that we face them with.

Change is good. It allows us to grow.

Weekly Workouts//  

Week 1

• Monday – Rest Day/Golfing
• Tuesday – Rest Day/Travel to Reno – crazy meeting day 22 hours start to finish!
• Wednesday – Scheduled for 30 Min on ARC Trainer – No workout due to crazy meeting schedule – a 19 hour day!
• Thursday – 35 Minute on Stationary Bike before hoping a plane to travel back from Reno
• Friday – Rest Day
• Saturday – AM – Pure Barre Class
• Saturday – PM – 1800 yard swim
• Sunday – Endurance Bike – 2 hours/32 Miles

Week 2

• Monday – Rest Day/Start of PT
• Tuesday – Cyclocross!/PT Session
• Wednesday – 2200 Yard Swim/PT Session
• Thursday – Rest Day/PT Session
• Friday – Rest Day
• Saturday – 2 hour/35 Mile Endurance Bike/PT Session
• Sunday – 2200 yard swim/Pumpkin Picking for 45 Minutes

Photo Recap//

First, a few good things (before the pics…)

• I’m sure you’ve all seen this, but Jimmy Fallon is at it again. Making songs better than their original version: I’m all about the bass, no treble.
• And all the Things You Should Know Before Dating An Athletic Girl (or at least 17 of them…) – made me smile, definitely agree with a few of these…

I read this book on my way back from Reno – it’s not currently available in paperback, but if you can you should download and read it. Very interesting and lots of great perspective on no only athletics, but life in general.

My room in Reno. I swear it was bigger than my house! 

View from my room on the 19th floor… 

Eat, Sleep, Bike, Repeat. Love this!

A thank you gift from Ragnar for the extra work I did this year. So sweet!

The view from the top of Sweet Road (Syracuse IM 70.3 course). If you zoom in, you can see the dome to the left… Amazing scenery.

This is how I roll…. #bettydesigns

Had some seemingly bad news delivered. But I’m certain this is going to turn into something amazing. Stay tuned. 

Someone went to critter sitter – I felt like a mom putting her kid on the school bus. He then slept for 2 days…

Cyclocross! Waiting instructions on our next obstacle. 

Dismount and carry – onward and upward! 

It’s all about the tape to tape.

Apples from the best orchard in ENY! Holy giant apple…

And sometimes, they actually get along!

Enjoying the last of the summer weather, top off the jeep, head out the window (Roxie’s, not mine.)