Super Pants! My review of the Lava pants and shorts

So I told you all I had some exciting news for you and this is the start of it!  I have been blessed to become a part of a great brand Xterra Wetsuits.  I have been racing in their suits since I started and they took really good care of me so I jumped at the chance to become part of their team.

With this I have had the opportunity to test and review two of their awesome training/ racing products their lava shorts and lava pants.  I would like to offer my thoughts on both in order to help you make up your mind on which would be best for your swimming abilities and training.

The Lava Pants

I first got my hands on the lava pants about a year or so ago when I came on with the Xterra team.  I was one of those people who used to pull on a wetsuit about once a week just to get used to have in on, swimming in it and taking it off before my main set.  The pants will ALMOST eliminate the need for that.  I say almost because it is always good to practice in your full suit, especially as a new athlete.  The lava pants however provide a great amount of bouncy when swimming in them.  They really mimic the feeling of swimming with a wetsuit on.  In my training the pants are good for about 10 seconds or so faster than just a normal swim.  They give you a great feel for what is going on with your upper body and move your hips into a nice position.  These are great for a cooler swim when the temps are lower but not quite cool enough for a full suit.  They are also great for active recovery swims where you are taking it easy.  

Two things I will say about the lava pants. 1. I find that I do not kick nearly as much when I wear them.  This is OK if I am training for a wetsuit swim but I do not use them during every swim.  2. They are the bottom half of your wetsuit so if your pool temps are on the higher end of the spectrum keep that in mind.  I felt it a few times when swimming indoors.

The Lava Shorts

On to the lava shorts.  I just got my hands on these a few months ago and I really enjoy these for day to day swims.  They elevate the hips very well and are super comfortable.  I feel like I am putting on a pair of jammers when I pull these out of my bag.  These are great for indoor swims, elevating the hips but not interfering with your kick.  They are definitely made for a more experienced swimmer however.  When I first put them on and jumped in I could feel a significant difference from swimming without them but there is also a difference between them and the lava pants.  I like them because I can do my longer sets inside with them and not get hot.  I still get all the benefits of the bouncy factor with them, without getting on during hard working sets.  These however do not mimic the wetsuit position nearly as much as the lava pants however and I would not use them in a race situation.  I would elect to either use the lava pants or my full suit personally.

Xterra has two great products here that both have different purposes but if they are used correctly can really benefit swimmers and triathletes in preparing for their race.  I love both products and use them in my training throughout all different situations.  I cannot say enough about how much I love these two products and how I really appreciate what Xterra has done for me as a customer first and now an athlete.  

Another piece of exciting news is that Xterra has opened up a chance for me to share my personal discount code with any athletes who are interested in purchasing these, or any of their products.  If you are interested please do not hesitate to contact me to receive up to 50% off their products!

Hopefully you have found this useful and if you have any questions or you are interested in purchasing please follow the links below to get in contact with me!

All for now
Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself





I don't post on here daily but feel free to find me else where!

A Weekend at the Mirra Compound

This past weekend I had an incredible opportunity that fell together through what I can only describe as good karma.  I had the chance to go visit and train with Dave Mirra who is a legend in the BMX industry and has begun to make a name for himself in triathlon.  I got Dave's attention on Instagram and we traded comments and likes back and forth for some time.  I had mentioned that I wanted to ride with him and we went back and forth about the idea.  After awhile we decided on a date and things were set for me to head down and ride some bikes with him, I couldn't believe it.

I can remember my times watching BMX highlights from the X-Games and him being in every single one.  He was and still is an icon in the sport.  I remember going to X-Games in Philly and he tore the vert ramp up, it was an incredible sight. But this was not about X-Games, this was about triathlon and now I had a chance to meet with him and share some knowledge and love for the sport.  I can remember looking up to him in BMX and thinking how he was on a level that not many knew, but this weekend, we were closer to equals, sharing a love for triathlon.

I left early on friday morning after Thanksgiving.  I was eager and anxious to get the weekend started and really wanted to get on the road.  The states and miles ticked by and it was a smooth drive.  I remember turning on a road near Dave's house and thinking "wow look at that building all the way back there!" I soon learned that "building" was actually his house.  I pulled into his driveway and dave almost immediately came out to great me.  It was surreal and routine all at the same time.  Surreal because I was meeting someone who seemed so untouchable to me at one point and time yet routine because we had talked many times before this and I felt as though I was pulling up to a friends house.

After I was greeted by his mom, we got some things out of the car and adjusted my brakes, it was time to hit the road for the first time!  We had a nice short ride just to shake out the legs.  I remember looking down at my Garmin a few times and we were holding 21-22mph, so much for easy! It was a nice ride though and we wrapped it up and hit the showers.  We decided to go grab some food and beverage for dinner.  When we got to the store I walked down the beer isle and went to reach for my wallet, only it wasn't there.  I felt like such and idiot!  How did I leave the grocery store and not bring my wallet?!  We forged on and grabbed some things and headed back to the house.  We hit the hay pretty early because we were doing a big ride the next day.

Saturday morning we were up and at em pretty early.  We mixed our bottle, got changed and hit the road.  It was pretty cool because we were actually riding over to the group ride.  I am not able to do that here in PA so it was nice shaking out before things got under way.  We got to the shop and I met up with some of the local guys.  One guy in particular that I can remember was Justin.  He was also on a beautiful P5 and he instantly came over an introduced himself.  Everyone was very nice and welcoming, I loved it.

We departed from the parking lot and headed out on to the road.  This was my first experience riding in a group and that took a little getting used to.  We were about 10 minutes in to the ride and one of the guys had a flat so we pulled over.  I remember Dave asking if I wanted to go with the other half of the group and they would catch up, I politely declined but probably should have.  Once we got moving again I knew these guys weren't out just to joy ride.  I was holding on for dear life at 25+ mph for the first hour until I got spit out of the back of the group and caught up with the slower half.  I was a little upset but knew I would never be able to hold that kind of pace for 60 miles.  I ended up putting in about 50 miles with the crew that I caught up with and it was a beautiful ride out on country roads.  Part of me didn't want to look like a fool and "fan boy" so I decided to leave the GoPro at home for the day.  Looking back I wish I had brought it with me and lived out even just a small part of that "fan boy" that was excited to ride with such a legend.  Oh well, you live and you learn.

Post ride we grabbed some lunch at a local spot and then went back and had a nice nap.  Saturday night we were just hanging enjoying some burgers and brews amongst the boys.  I was glad to see that Justin came over to hang with us for the night, he's an awesome guy and I really enjoyed sharing some laughs with both him and Dave!  Next thing you know someone mentions heading to the "Buc" which is a local bar and I found myself listening to a southern cover-band and enjoying some brews.  It was an awesome night at a local spot and I really enjoyed seeing this side of Greenville.

The last thing that sticks out in my mind from saturday night was when I was chatting with another guy I met Thomas.  He told me that Dave had mentioned I was coming down and he heard my story a bit but didn't get the full thing so I gave him the short end and we shared a few laughs back at Dave's house.  I remember him saying to me that Dave was talking about me coming down almost all week and he was really excited for it.  What an incredible feeling.  At this point I was exhausted so I turned it in for the night.

Sunday I woke up and grabbed some coffee. I knew I had a long drive ahead and I needed to get on the road.  I grabbed some lunch with Dave at Mellow again and then we said our good byes.  It was an amazing weekend and I really can't thank Dave enough for inviting me into his home and allowing me to tag along for the whole weekend.  There were tons of laughs shared and everyone I met down there was awesome.  I feel like I made some friends that I will never forget down there and I hope that I get the chance to go rip it up again with them down in Greenville.

I would just like to close by saying thank you to Dave, I had a great time hanging and riding bikes and just relaxing over the weekend.  Thank you for inviting me into your amazing home and allowing me to share some great memories with you.  I look forward to doing it again.  Thank you also to Andy and Justin for sharing some laughs and brews with me on Saturday night, you guys really made me feel welcome in Greenville.  Lastly thank you to Thomas for your kind words and support in this continued journey, it is greatly appreciated.

Lastly I will share a picture that I snagged before packing up my stuff, it was one of the only ones I grabbed from the weekend.  Like I said earlier I didn't want to look like a fool so I didn't take any pictures but looking back I really wish I would have.  Maybe next time..

All For Now
Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself






I don't post on here daily but feel free to find me else where!

Escape The Cape 2015

Hello all you beautiful people! I am currently sitting in the airport on a 4hr delay thanks to Spirit (never again) but thats another story for another time.

In just two short days I will be toeing the line of my first 70.3!! Challenge Atlantic City half is on sunday and I am a ball of nerves/excitement.

The race season does not begin there however, it began two weekends ago at the Escape The Cape triathlon down in Cape May NJ.  Many of you may have heard of this iconic race where the start is from the back of a ferry boat! Its pretty sweet, a little scary and a ton of fun all at the same time!

I was wondering how this race would go because I have been training a lot different that before.  For one I had a plan, normally I would just swim bike and run three days a week and rest one but it wasn't really structured.  The other thing was that I was training for a half and that was WAY different than training for short course racing.

The morning started a little rough with a down pour.  I was in transition and I remember saying to myself this sucks and I started letting it get to me and I stopped. I knew I couldn't let myself get that negative on race morning so I just embraced it.  Unfortunately we had about a 30min delay getting out of the terminal.  When it comes to the swim I made two key mistakes again this year.  Mistake number 1 bring more food.  I had breakfast at 4:15 and then one cliff bar 4 hours later.  For me that isn't enough. Number two get off the boat early. Once the international athletes start jumping I need to be down low on the dock and ready to go (more on that later). Either way, amazingly fun way to start a race and you honestly cannot beat it!

Now for the bike.....eh is my feeling on my performance here and it is mostly due to rain and crowds. Because I was in the back of the pack on the boat, most people were out on the bike course along with the international athletes.  On top of this the course was wet. I am not a risk taker on the bike, its just not my style. I race, I push but I will always reach for my break going into a turn and there were people who didn't want to do that.  I remember this guy specifically who would pass me on the outside at every turn and then I would get him on the flat.  Coming into one of the final turns he took it way too high, lost control, crossed into the on coming cyclists and then into the guardrail he went.  Just not cool and that made me hold back on the bike a bit more than I wanted to.

On to the run and I'll be honest with all of you about this run course because I love you....It SUCKS!  There are two sand runs for the sprint course and I am not talking nice flat hard sand runs, NO! soft sand, high dune, full suck runs.  I was holding a good pace on the flats but those sand runs just punished me.  I could remember looking down at my watch and just thinking man this isn't gonna cut it today.  The owner of my company has a house right along the run course though and it was super rad to hear him yelling out there.  I could remember hit the turn and heading back and thinking I couldn't let him see the struggle! Pull it together!!  I got back on to the road and I knew I had 800 meters to go and I just dropped it and went for it.  I almost collapsed after crossing the line and that's how it should be.

Once I handed in my chip and got some water and settled it was time to hit the results tent.....Well it was time for someone else to hit the results tent.  For whatever reason I like the element of surprise so I have someone check it for me and let me know if I need to stay for awards or not.  I knew I had to stay but I had no idea where I stacked up against my field.

They went through the international awards first and then went from oldest to youngest.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.  I knew in the back of my head I was going to get my time on the stage but I just wanted to know if I was going to get to step on that RedBull podium for top 3! Finally my AG came up and I made my way towards the stage. They started with 5th, not me, then 4th not me and I knew right there I would get to stand on the podium. I took 3rd overall and I was happy.  I wanted to have times closer to 1st and 2nd but I had to tell myself that training for long course is way different than training for the short course. I was satisfied with my times but for my later season short course stuff I really need some speed work and hard runs off the bike if I want that top spot!

For now it is on to Challenge Half in a few days and like I said at the start I am just a ball full of all kinds of emotions.  There are a lot of unknown factors that come with a new distance but I am sure that I followed my plan and it will just be another day at the office on Sunday.  If you are interested in tracking me you can find me on the other social media forms!


Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself!

Back At It!

There has been some time that has passed since my post after the radio show and I apologize. Things have gotten busy post graduation and with the holidays things just got out of control, but I am really trying to find more time to post here when I can(I feel like I have said that before).  That being said, let's get down to it!

The holidays were insane here.  It was a constant go with seeing various family members, remember those who aren't with us, etc.  I love the holidays however, because you get to see and connect with people who you haven't seen in forever.  Most of my family is pretty local but some live over an hour away so we only get to see them a few times a year.  When I was sitting talking with one of my relatives, she told me that she had found my blog.  Now most of you know my rule, if you read this, we don't talk about it, because then I will know who reads it and I may write differently or leave things out, however I let this one slide.  So she told me that she had found the page through a mutual friend.  They had commented on something and as she followed the trail, she landed here.  Even better, as she thumbed through the posts she thought, man this is awesome, this guy is doing great things!  The kicker, she had no idea it was me!!  She hadn't seen me for some time so she didn't recognize the pictures.  Once she figured it out, she was amazed!  I love that people can come to this page and find things that inspire them, no matter what it is in!

During the radio show and after, I received some advice from my athletic trainer to take some time off from running and cycling.  At the end of last season I was battling some issues with my IT band and instead of taking it easy after the race I continued on with my training....Not the best idea on my part.  So he shut it down for two weeks and I was only allowed to lift and swim.  For the first few days I went insane.  I walked into the gym and looked at all the people on the dreadmills and thought I could just go for a little, who would know? But I didn't and I am glad I didn't.  After some rehab and lots of foam rolling, I was cleared to start easy runs again!  For the first time in my life I actually missed running, I never thought I would say that.  I have done a few runs since then and I am feeling good so let's hope this carries into the season because things are going to start picking up again.

During this time of no running, I knew I had to do something.  One of my friends lifts everyday and since I don't have to go to school anymore, I figured I would ask him if I could join.  Working out with a buddy makes everything so much better.  They push you and you push them and you really leave the gym feeling like you gave it your all.  Last weekend we were hitting chest and as we got started he said to me "Let's really get after it today and help each other out."  This hit me, I was really helping him and he was really pushing me in order to get that edge and better myself.  Having someone there to support you in whatever it is that you are doing makes all the difference in the world!

Last weekend when I was at work, one of the clients mentioned they had two tickets to the Eagles game that night.  Eagles playoff game? Um yes please, but wait it gets better, not only did they have tickets but they escorted a friend and I to the game in a limo, we hit a tailgate party before hand at the ballpark and then went back home!  It was an incredible experience and we saw an awesome game!

You may be thinking well why is he bringing this up? He rarely talks about his personal life...there is a method to the madness.  When we were walking over to the game we got to talking.  One of the guys said you know I have been working out and I am bettering myself, but I want a goal to work towards.  I thought hmmmmm, that sounds familiar.  So I shared with him that I started in the same place.  I started with one goal and now that has transformed into much more.  I find myself in the weight room trying to get stronger in order to improve my sport.  I am running 400's, 800's and tempo runs in order to get better and I am holding myself accountable.  I have a goal of what I want to do for next season and I know that if I don't do what I need to I will NEVER reach that goal.  Once you set a goal, no matter what it is, you need to do the same.  You need to fight and fight until you have no more and then....you need to fight some more.  It is not going to be easy, but if you want something bad enough, you will stop at nothing until you get it!

As for now, I am just in a maintenance phase.  I am building strength in the weight room thanks to the wonderful help of a friend.  Today he really pushed me on the dead lift, which I haven't done in forever.  He pushed me to try a weight that I was unsure of and the last thing he said was "hit it man, I got a hand on your back if you need it!"  THAT'S what is is all about!!!  Forget the triathlons, the training, the sweating, all of that....that is what life is all about, good friends who will have their hand on your back no matter what.  I thank my friends and family for teaching me that and showing me all of the unconditional support they show me everyday.  I leave you with one last thought....How are you helping the people in your life? How are you supporting the ones around you? Whose back are you putting your hand on and better yet, whose hand is on your back? Hold on to those people in your life, because you may need them when you least expect it....


All for now
Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

You had flappy jacks hanging off of there....

It's Monday December 16 and it's a day that I will never forget for as long as a live. When I started commuting to school I found a new love...The Preston and Steve show on 93.3 WMMR. They grace the radio waves of the Philadelphia area with their antics weekday mornings from about 6-11am everyday. I remember the first time I tuned in, comedian Todd Glass was on and I literally found myself doubled over in laughter listening to the show and 2 years ago I instantly fell in love.

You may be thinking well what does this have to do with your journey.  Well about a month or so ago they were talking about nutrition. As I heard the conversation I instantly thought of my journey and how my focus on nutrition has fueled my success. I also remembered their segment they do on "not so average listeners" who live in the area. I thought to myself you know I should write in to the show but I brushed it off and thought no way. 

Fast forward a bit and something changed, I don't know what but I decided to send an email to producer Casey. I have them a short version of my story and told them I would love to share the full story with them in the studio. A few days later I received an email from Kathy asking me to come in. I excitedly agreeded and we set up a date, December 16th I would go in. 

Sunday hit and I couldn't sleep. I had realized that I would actually be on air and not just in the studio to meet the gang. I also learned that I would be at the mercy of the listeners that day to decider whether I was worthy of the prize of $250. 

I awoke around 5:30 Monday morning and jumped in the shower...I was actually going to do this. I grabbed a cup of coffee and some breakfast before it was time to hit the road. As I was driving in I heard Preston say my name and I was beside myself. I was supposed to be there at 8:00 but thanks to hitting every traffic light on route one I was there a bit after 11. I signed in and sat patiently waiting for them to call me in. Casey popped his head out and called my name...it was time. 

I sat in front of the mic and the music filled my head phones....here we go. Preston cut in and started to talk about me.  My hands were probably twitching at this point. He addressed me and I began telling my story. I went through the highlights of the story and they asked me a few questions just about how I got started etc.  After sharing my story it was up to the listeners to decide. I received a ton of texts and messages from friends saying that they had heard me. It was so incredible knowing that they were listening and supporting me all the way through. 

I hung out for a better portion of the show and then it was time for the results...the listeners had voted and they were very kind to me. 78% of the listeners that day had decided that I was "not so average!" I was thrilled and beside myself and just overwhelmed. After Preston delivered this news he asked me about the inspirational aspect of my story. This was the climax for my visit to the studio. I shared with him and the listeners that to me, the most rewarding aspect is inspiring other people. Helping them see that anyone is capable of doing this, anyone can reach a goal they set, I am just here to show people that. 

This experience was absolutely incredible and I can't thank the gang at WMMR enough for inviting me on the show. Hugest thanks to Preston, Steve, Casey, Nick, Kathy and Marisa for having me. I also owe Pierre a huge thank you for his kind words after the show. 

Here I am, post show with the whole gang. 

Although I gained 100's of views on here and Instagram and even gained some more followers, it's not about that for me. Yes I also won a cash prize thanks to the listeners, but again that isn't why I went on. I went on to share my story. To show people that YOU can do this. Whether just starting or hitting a plateau after losing 100+ pounds, keep going!! At the end of the day I don't care about the numbers, I want people to say, because I saw that page, because I saw that picture, I kept going. 

I can't thank everyone enough for the support. From the listeners, to my followers and most importantly my friends. One of my friends said in a text today "congratulations man, you deserve it!" THAT is what it's all about. It's about supporting one another in order to reach a goal. Today I attained a goal of reaching thousands of listeners and if I inspired  just one of them, then I will sleep happy. Thank you...thank you to all of you. 

This is just the start as one of my friends put it and I am not stopping here. Tomorrow is another day and I plan to do everything I can to inspire those who find this page to keep going. 

All for now. 

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

The end of the beginning

It's here....it's finally here! Tomorrow marks the end to the beginning. Does that sound backwards? It kind of is and it kind of isn't. Tomorrow is the first day of the last three days of my undergraduate career at West Chester University. It literally feels like just yesterday I was walking into the welcome day for student teaching and now I am beginning my last three days. It will be a bittersweet last three days for me. I will miss my students from both schools and the relationships I have built with all of them. I am excited for what's to come next and where life will take me. 

In the final days and hours of student teaching I still have things to take care of. I have to apply for my teaching license, renew clearances and get on sub lists. My goal is to start subbing soon after students arrive back in school after their holiday breaks. The threat of graduation is looming and at times overwhelming but I am excited as well. 

As for my training, it has taken a backseat in order to complete the things I have needed to complete. I still train but my runs are shorter and my swims are less challenging. I am taking the advice from my mentor(who has been absolutely amazing) and taking things easy for now. There is no sense in going hard right now when my first race isn't until June. One thing I have noticed is I feel like complete CRAP when I miss workouts. When I make the time to workout my days and my attitude are 100% better! Things are going to pick up after the new year and I am excited. I will start a 21 day cleanse and hopefully work to shed these last few pounds and really get into race shape for this season. I am excited for this season. I will be doing a few Olympic distance races along with a few sprints. I talked to the owner of a local bike shop today and I think I will be racing for their team next season which I am super pumped about. It's going to be a great season and I am so excited for the things to come. 

The last thing I want to share with you is something that I have been kicking around for awhile but I will finally start pursuing. This summer I have a goal to become a motivational speaker who will speak at kids camps in the surrounding areas. My plan is to share my story with children and adolescents who are just getting started or looking to get started on a weight loss journey. I have been exploring ways to give back to a community that has given me so much and I think this is a great way to start that journey. With the childhood obesity epidemic at an all time high, there is no better time than to reach out to children who may need some help. I am looking forward to taking on this challenge and embracing it to it's fullest. This is not for a monetary gain on my part, I plan to speak for free. I just want to reach out to children who are in the same shoes I was once in. This will take hard work and dedication but I'm willing to put in the 110% necessary in order to pay back this community. 

Along with this journey, I wanted to share another group that is on their own journey. Two guys I graduated from high school with are going on a cross country journey to spread the word of being who you are. They are a dynamic duo who both have faced their own challenges. Check out their site and first video. Keep it up Jon and Levi!! You guys are going to do incredible things together. 

http://jonandleviadventure.com

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=cq7Sj6Eqhkk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dcq7Sj6Eqhkk%26feature%3Dyoutube_gdata_player

I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone. All of my readers, all of my Instagram followers, my Facebook followers. You are all absolutely amazing and I would not be able to keep plugging along without you. The more important thank you goes out to my friends though. The ones who have been there from day one, the ones who have texted me on race days and random days. The ones who say congratulations and the ones who say hey keep on keeping on. You're amazing and you all are my immediate support system and I can't thank you enough. I will repay all of you I can promise that. 

As for now it's off to bed so I am well rested for tomorrow. Thanks again for reading. 

I leave you with one of my favorite pictures from last season. Most importantly don't ever give up on your dream and don't ever let anyone stand in your way. 

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself. 

One day at a time

When things start to go your way there will always be someone who jumps in and tries to mess it up. It's just part of life and that's part of the challenge or journey. How you handle those things will be what defines you. Do you accept the challenge and face it or do you turn around and run. Take the easy way out, find another avenue and take it because at that time it's just easier. If that's the case, when you look back do you wish you would have not hung up your towel and continued to fight. When it comes to fighting do you fight for something regardless of what's going on? Or do you turn to something or someone else because it's more convenient in that moment? Make your choices carefully. 

For me I am still fighting a fight. I look in the mirror and I am still not where I want I want to be. I want to change things more. I want to cut more here, build more there. I feel like this will be a constant battle though and anyone will agree. As for racing I want to race. More and NOW. With wind chills around 15 degrees here though it's evident that winter is here and it's time for things to officially move inside, so inside I am. I need to continue to tell myself that race season will come and there will be plenty of warm weather to train outside. 

This past weekend I did 800's on Friday because I have a 5k coming up and when it comes to running I LOVE the pain when it comes to doing speed work.  When I first started running I was looking at well over 10:00/mile at least and it was a mix of walk jog even before that. Today I can pump out sub 8 with no problem. But I want MORE!! It took me almost a year to get there...it's going to take time. On Friday when I was done someone asked why I was doing 800's and I told them I had a race on Thursday that I was shooting to do well in. Their response? "I don't train for 5k's I just go out and run sub 22's and I'm good with that." Mind you this is a track and field person. Which is fine and I understand people don't look at races all the same. For me though it's a race and I want to do well, I always want to do well or better my last time even if it's a minimal gain....that's my goal, yours may be different and that's fine. I just don't like when people belittle what I am doing. But hey it happens. 

This 5k will be the last of the year with the temps and weather shift. From there everything moves inside. Today I had a nice run inside, some on the track and some on the treadmill. It frustrates me that I can be such a newb when it comes to training still and determining what I should be doing. I am thankful for the people I have in my life though who help me through every step of the way. 

Nike+ report from today. 

And of course it wouldn't be a run without chocolate milk after!

After my race in AC I was on a bit of a race high still and I decided I wanted to apply to become a part of a team. I thought my journey and solid finish at AC would be enough to just walk on to a team. Unfortunately that was not the case. I have been denied from a few teams already and it was a bit of a reality check. I am not ready for that yet and I got a little too big for my britches. Yes I have a fantastic story but I need more races to prove myself. The one team that I was accepted to made me an offer but unfortunately it's $135 a month to be apart of their team and right now just isn't the time. I'm taking it one day at a time though and keeping my hopes high for becoming a member of Wattie Ink. 

I am excited for things that are coming up and I can't wait to see where this road takes me. I do not post on here daily but if you would like to follow things further I post on twitter, Facebook, and Instagram daily. Links are on the right side of the page. 

Thanks for reading!

All for now. 

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

When does a dream become tangible?

Dreams, goals, ambitions...we all have them. They are big or small. They are personal or fitness related. They could be family oriented or something we are doing for ourselves but my question to you is when do they become tangible? When do they become something that we can actually reach and attain?

Most of my current goals are in relation to triathlons or racing. I have races lined up that I want to do and specific time goals or effort goals for those races. I know that I want to step up and complete an Olympic distance next season( 1 mi swim, 20 mi bike, 6.2 mi run). I have signed up for the Delmo Sports Escape the Cape Triathlon at this distance and with the help of my friends and tri community I will complete this race. 

Going further into the season I have a few other races I want to compete in such as Jersey State, Bethany, Cape, and some others. My A priority race for sure next year will be Atlantic City again. I have no trouble telling you that I will be training to take first place in my age group for this race. It is an attainable and realistic goal after looking at the times I put up for last year. 

Looking further into the future I want to land a teaching job so that I can continue to impact the lives of children everyday. After my experiences student teaching I know for sure this is exactly what I am supposed to be doing.  Even further into the future I know that I want to compete in a half Ironman and I want to complete a marathon. These are all attainable goals that can and WILL be reached. 

Now to the real story behind this post...I am going to share something with you that I believe only one person knows...if you're reading this you know exactly who you are.....here goes nothing...

I have a dream to move to California...

There I said it...yes California, all the way on the other side of the country. When I went there I fell in love and I have wanted to go back ever since. Some people say I saw a different side of this place...it's nothing like I saw when you live there...why would you ever want to do that? Etc. 

I have a few reasons...one I hate the cold, I love the climate there...why not go to the south? Because I loved that there was no hustle and bustle in California aside from in LA which is not where I want to live. The second reason is that I never went "away" for school...I have grown up outside of Philadelphia in the country and it's a very small town. I want to get out and see what it's like away from here for awhile. This brings up my second question...is this selfish? People ask if I want to get away from my family or if I would miss my friends? YES ABSOLUTELY I would miss them. I would miss all of them terribly. I love my family dearly and they have been amazing throughout this entire journey. I would have never made it here without their support. As for my friends...I can't even think about life without any of them. They have been equally as amazing as my family with their support as well. This is something that I have always wanted to do though. Then there is the group of wonderful people in the Tri Club who I would miss. It has been something I have thought long and hard about....and yet it is still in the back of my head everyday. So again, when does a dream become something more tangible? This becomes a quiet reality as graduation rapidly approaches in December. I still haven't made up my mind and I have told myself I am going to take the wait and see approach because I will not go anywhere without the safety of a job. It's just something I need to share with all of you. 

Lastly I would like to thank you, the readers for all of the support. Whether big or small you have absolutely made a difference. So thanks. If you're a new reader feel free to connect with me on twitter(@Foryourself15) instagram(@doing_it_for_yourself) or Facebook (Facebook.com/foryourself15) all links can also be found on the blog!

Thanks for reading!

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself    

Congratulations....for what?

Monday 4am and cue the worst wake up call ever....after an extremely incredible weekend with friends I was rudely awakened by a raging ear ache from out of no where. For whatever reason as of some time last year every once and awhile I'll get water stuck in my ear from swimming and it will be annoying but I'll use swim ear stuff and it will go away. Not this, I inew this was something different and I knew I needed to see a doc ASAP. More on that later though. 

I was excited to go to the doc because I knew I hadn't been there since my journey and they would have an accurate account of my progress. When I got there the woman at the desk finally noticed me and said "oh my god you've lost a ton of weight!" I said yes I have and I just gave her a short story and she said congratulations. I was just a little confused.  She didn't have any idea how far I have come, so why would she say that. 

Normally I wouldn't even think twice about this, but my mom brought something up recently and it got me thinking...haha go figure. She asked me how it made me feel when people said things like "you look amazing!" She chuckled and said "what because I lost weight I'm all the sudden a different person?!" And she is 100% right. It's a comment that I have grown to love and hate. I hate it because most people who say it, just say it because they don't know what else to say. If they knew the WHOLE story and it was heartfelt then I would love it. That's one of those times I do love it, when it comes from someone who really knows. 

I don't want to sound like a total ass to those of you who don't know me all that well because that's not the case. I love the compliments, but this woman had no idea what I went through to get to where I am. I do appreciate her compliment but I don't feel as though it was heartfelt. 

Anyway rant over, bottom line I just wish people were either actually truly interested or sometimes didn't say anything at all. Back to this ear ache...it's the second speed bump I have hit since the off season started. First I have my foot all jacked up from these stupid k-Swiss shoes. They were marketed as a "stability" shoe.  Little did I know that they were none of the sort. They didn't have anywhere near the stability I need and it started to cause me pain so I haven't run in god knows how long. Now on top of that I have this ear infection and I can't swim. I am stuck in this rut right now and I can't seem to dig myself out. I am super siked about next season and I can't wait but I gotta shake this funk and I don't know how. 

It's a weird funk, I feel like I am losing old friends yet gaining new ones. I love all of the people that I have met through this amazing new community, I feel like there are some people who don't understand this new "obsession."  I never really had a passion before and triathlons and helping people is it now, without a doubt. I am not saying that everyone should jump on board and go crazy and do a tri, I'm just saying I don't want to lose old friends. Who knows it could just be me, overthinking things.  

Aside from that life is just moving a long here. Student teaching is flying by and I can't believe I only have a month left of school. It's my last month of school ever....until I go back for more. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. 

Regardless of what's going in I thank everyone for the constant support. You guys are my foundation and you keep me going so thank you. I know that I wouldn't be here without any of you. 

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

It was just supposed to be for fun...I swear!

It was just for fun, not a race, we were just going to run and have a good time....well we were supposed to at least.

It was 5k4Gray at the club.  Nothing huge, just a small local 5k for an amazing foundation.  I was there for Gray and nothing else.  Or so I thought.......I got there around 7:45, registered, got my bib and hung out with some people from work for awhile.  One of the girls joked and said "oh good you made it so at least I will have someone to chase during the run!" I reassured her that there was no way I was going to have a run like I did at my try and there was no need to worry. 

Before I get in to the race itself I want to tell you about the foundation and what the race was for.  There is an amazing family who is a part of the club where I work.  Their son has an inoperable brain tumor and I feel like I have a connection to them, although I have never even introduced myself to the family.  I have supported various different events for them in whatever way I could and when I heard they were doing a run I knew that I would be there.  Like I said I just feel connected to this family for some reason and I will do anything that I can to help them.  When I saw the mom come in with Grayson I immediately wanted to run over and give them all hugs and tell them how excited I was to see them, but instead I just looked from afar.

So as I was standing at the start line I start to chuckle at the people who were running before the race and doing all their crazy stretching...we were just there to have fun!  I did some dynamic stretches, took my spot on the outside edge of front of the start line and waited for the horn.  It blew, I crossed the mat and hit my garmin, we were off.  The course was a route I run literally 3-4 times per week.  I was just cruising along like it was an afternoon run before work.  Before I knew it we hit the first mile mark and I checked the pace.  7:40....uhhhh what? I figured ok let's just go with it.  We hit the hill on Limestone Rd. and no matter how many times you do that hill.....it sucks, bottom line.  So this guy was pacing right next to me up the hill and I wasn't going to let him pass me.  I just kept picking someone in front of me and trying to catch them. Once I caught them I would move on to the next, still keep this guy right on my hip.  I hit the top of the hill and into the neighborhood for the turn around.  I looked to my left, guy was gone, looked to my right, nothing...So I just kept running! The beauty of hills is that once you get to the top, you get to go back down.  I was cruising down the hill, unfortunately there was no one with me coming back but I did get to see all of the people who were going up.  I hit the bottom rounded the corner and headed back into the park, I was on the home stretch!  There was one guy who came out of no where and he hit the gas pedal, I did my best to not let him pass me but there was no stopping it. I looked down at my watch as I hit stop and crossed the finish....I couldn't believe my eyes....23:17 ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

It was just supposed to be a fun easy race and I PR my time like that...I am not sure whether to be upset or excited! It felt great, I definitely pushed it but I loved it and I wouldn't trade it for anything when I saw my time.

I ended up taking second in my age group and when I went to get my little trophy, the guy who took third was the guy who I lost coming up the big hill.  "Damn maybe I should have stuck with you and I would have done better" This made me chuckle. It was great to see some folks I hadn't seen before, to have a great run and to support such a wonderful cause for such a great family. 

This is me getting my pint glass for a second place AG finish!

All of us post race, what a great morning!

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

One week...ONE WEEK!

It's Sunday, September the 8th and in exactly 7 days I will embark on the biggest journey of my entire life. Yesterday I woke up and and was just ecstatic, absolutely beside myself with excitement. I can't wait for next weekend. 

Last weekend when I was at the beach I had two great rides down there and I was super stoked on both of them. I can back on Monday and was ready to take on the week. Wednesday was open swim night with the Tri club. My last open water experience didn't go so hot and this time I was around a bunch of people from the club. I got there, blew up my buoys and waiting for the other coach to arrive. She got there, we went down the the waters edge and she swam the first mark out. She came back and and told me I needed to check the knot just to make sure... I slapped on my cap and goggles and started walking into the water. I took some deep breaths and tried to stay as calm as possible. I jumped off the bottom and took my first few strokes. I WAS DOING IT!! I was swimming like I was in the pool...nothing different. It was so awesome. 

We had such a great practice and I helped a few of the athletes with some starts and sprints and I was having such a great time. When I left I had such a boost in my confidence...the boost I needed for this weekend. 

When it comes to chasing your dreams there are times when you sometimes need to make sacrifices, you need to give things up or do things you don't want to do. When there is something that you want so bad, more than anything, you're going to have to do something you don't want to, I guarantee it. I am not going to sugar coat it, you just gotta suck it up and focus on what you could and will have at the end. Just keep that in your pocket. ;)

Just this past weekend all my friends got together. I was exhausted from training and had more training the next day. I knew if I went to have a drink with them, I wouldn't get up to train and I could afford that. So instead I sat at home. Finding this balance has been tough for me, I don't always choose to stay in, I do go out, I'm not a lame....well not totally at least. 

This is going to be the longest week ever and I can't wait for Friday afternoon to get here. I can't wait to get to my hotel, I can't wait to race and I can't wait to see everyone who comes to support me along the way. I wish that I could have every one of my readers there, every one of my followers and one person in particular who said they would be there....I have a feeling they won't be there though and that sucks. But I don't know that for sure...maybe they will, I will find out on race day. 

I am in the works of submitting my video for got chocolate milk team and I will need your help when I do. I will need every vote that I can get to help boost my video and spread the change that I want everyone to have!

Other than that I have a taper this week. My bike is in the shop getting tuned. I found out that it is actually a little too small. I need a longer stem but a workout from the race isn't the time to start messing with that. I have one last swim on Wednesday, maybe a light easy run on Thursday and sprinkle some transition practice in there when I get my bike back! Thank you all for your continued support, you're amazing quite frankly and I wouldn't be able to do it without you. Next post will be from Atlantic City NJ!!!!

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

Summer is officially out....

The weather has changed, temps are cooling off. Before longhairs will change color, the days will get shorter and I will inevitably trade my iced coffees for pumpkin flavored hot lates(not that, that's a complaint).  I will trade my afternoon rides in the sun to indoor trainer rides. 

With the season change comes more change in training. Next summer I am stepping my distance up to the Olympic distance as my goal. Ultimately I would like to complete a 70.3(preferably the Miami!). On top of training changing I no longer have to get up and drive to West Chester anymore(again not a complaint in anyway!). 

My race is exactly two weeks out and I am getting super excited. The hotel is booked, bike will be tuned and fitted this week, the only thing left will be to get out there and kick some butt!! After a taper next week of course....

After my pull-up adventure on Tuesday I decided to do it everyday since then just because I could. When we were getting ready to change classes last week a student said to me "hey are you athletic? You look like you're athletic." I told him I was pretty athletic I guess. I wasn't really sure how to respond to that.  For years I was never considered athletic. Now my students look up to me and tell me that I look athletic, to me as a teacher of health and physical education that is the ultimate reward!  If you are a regular reader you may remember the post from a friend who told me that I would inspire my students and this would further my passion.... Well she hit the nail on the head and I saw it here first hand. 

I was so excited about the pull-up extravaganza that I complete forgot to include my little story from last Sunday. I was leaving the club and one of the maintenance guys was freshening up the locker room. I stopped to chat with him because I haven't seen him for awhile. We were catching up just shooting the breeze when he stopped and said "hey man I gotta ask ya something...that is if you don't mind." Naturally I didn't care in the least bit. He wanted to know how much weight I had lost and etc. He proceeded to hit me with something I was not ready for. 

"You know man, they have all these hot women in that magazine, forget that, they should put you in there! You're an employee...somebody real!"

I would have never thought anything about it but he was the third person who said the club should do this...that's pretty crazy that three people who don't work in the same department all feel the same way. It made me smile. 

As for this weekend, I packed the buildup and headed to the beach. I went for a beautiful ride this morning and this post is being brought to you from the sand of Sea Isle City, NJ. It is bittersweet, one I will be back in two weeks for my race, but it is the official end of summer. When I was driving down it was late at night and I had my windows down and the music up. I thought man I am going in to miss these days in a few weeks. But will fall comes changes and I am excited to see where things end up...where I end up. 

I hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend whether it be with family or friends, new or old. I thank you, as always, for your continued support. Until next time...

All for now. 

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

Life is moving fast...

Life as you know it can change drastically, either for good or for bad, right in front of your eyes. If you blink or close your eyes for even a second, you could miss it or be completely off guard when you open your eyes. 

Today is August 27th...my birthday has come and gone right in front of my face. Things are speeding up by the month, day, even minute....

I have worked myself out of the rut I was in last week. I am not back to where I was but I am enjoying my workouts once again as opposed to dreading them. My turning point was last Friday. I worked a long week and a long day but I knew I needed to hit the weights because I skipped on Monday. It was hard and there were times where I wanted to quit but I forged on and felt 100 times better when I finished. Maybe I should just listen to my own advice every once and awhile huh?

Since then I've jumped in the pool and gone for a run, both of which felt great. My race is literally right around the corner and the anxiety is building by the day. I am excited, without a doubt and I can't wait to feel as I did on the day of Broad Street. This race will be much different though. It will have its own challenges, just as the run in May. The transitions, the possibility of a windy bike and of course the dreaded open water swim. I have accepted these challenges though and I can't wait to take them on!

Today I got to school early and there was no one in the gym. My school brings back dreaded memories of middle school, the warm up exercises we were forced to perform, etc. I looked around to survey the gym. I put my bag and cooler down and everything was quiet, I had a minute to myself to reflect and take it all in. I looked over and saw the pull-up bar. Something so small and so simple, yet something that has haunted me for years and years. As I glanced at the pull-up bar again all the memories of Presidential Fitness testing rushed into my immediate memory. The haunting fleeing of classmates laughing at me, the teacher shaking their head in disgust...everything. I glanced at the bar as I started in its direction. I stood under it, gazing up at it haunting me and I said to myself, not today. I jumped up and grabbed onto the bar. I closed my eyes and just hung for a second. Taking it all in and acknowledging the challenge that I was about to accept. I opened my eyes and pulled upward with all me might. Before I knew it, my eyes were level with the bar and then they gradually made their way above the bar....above the challenge. This may seem small, it may seem petty but to me it was so much more. I overcame something that had haunted me for years. In one moment, maybe 10 seconds at length, I summed up and entire year of hard work. It was such a small step and yet such a large one all in the same breath. 

Tonight I go to sleep conquering one  challenge and being prepared for the next. That of which will occur tomorrow when I take on an open water swim. I am anxious, but again, excited to take this on. This attitude is much different than that of before. In previous situations I would run and avoid these challenges at all costs, yet today I find myself taking them head on. This has taken months and months of hard work. It isn't something that has happened overnight, however this time around, I want it and I will stop at nothing. 

As always I thank everyone for reading, for the continuous support and love that you give me. I wouldn't be able to do this without any of it. I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend and did something that truly makes them happy. What's life if you aren't smiling?  Goodnight world and thank you. 

All for now.  

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

Where have the days gone?

There was a time not long ago where I was so sure of everything. I knew where I was going what I was doing and why I was doing it. As I round the corner and see the finish line however the questions have begun to arise and my feet get colder by the day. 

Some times when something gets so close that you've wanted for so long, you start to find yourself questioning things. My race is right around the corner, I am about to start the fastest semester of my life and yet it feels like things are not right. Well in fact I know they are not right. 

There's been a number of things going on, pushing, pushing, pushing me right up against the wall. I can't exactly pin point what started it(that's a complete lie, I know preciously the who what when where why and how...down to the min) I am just not ready to come to grips with the fact that it actually happened...twice...  For whatever reason though it has me questioning the big things in my life right now. 

Is this tri, this race, this thing I've wanted for so long the right thing? Am I going to finish or will I freak out in the swim and not even come close? Will I let everyone down, including myself? Will I finish top 10 or will I just look like an idiot. Not only that but I've lost interest in training. I have to force myself into every session and I dread it. 

Along with losing interest in my race so rapidly I have lost interest in teaching. I now dread student teaching, something for which I've looked forward to. I am questioning if this is something I really want to do for the rest of my life. Am I going to be good at it? Will my students like me and enjoy class? 

I would challenge any of you reading this that training for a triathlon or any type of endurance race is 10% physical training and almost 90% mental. This training is taking a huge toll on me mentally and I really need to fight it and get back with it here soon. With student teaching starting next week I will not be able to train in the afternoon or middle of the day as I freely could before. I will have some very early mornings and some very long weekends. It's time to dig deep now, really deep and find out if this is what I really want. Along side training I need to dig deep and bust my tail during student teaching and get every ounce out of it that I can. Friends family and mentors are going to be an even bigger part now.  More than they ever were before. Wish me luck!

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

It's not always rainbows and butterflies...

I find myself reflecting as I lay down here in bed.  I find myself going back in time, far back in time.  Not just weeks or months but a few years back.  A time where things were very different, I was very different.  I didn't have a care in the world, about anything.  I was a teenager, I enjoyed simple things and I loved life.  I was so naive about life, love and the pursuit.....

As I lay here I wish I could go back in time and talk to that person I was.  Tell them(OK maybe scream in my face) that there are bad people in the world, bad things do in fact happen to very good people and yes you can and WILL get screwed.  People are going to talk about you, people are going to look on and judge like they know you when they probably don't.  There are more bad people than good and there are going to be times where it feels like there is a rain cloud stuck right over your head.  There will be times where it feels like the world is crashing down on your shoulders.  There will be times where it feels like no one understands. There will be times where it feels like people treat you like dirt and you just won't understand how they can do that.  It was a time where I thought I was on top of the world and nothing could ever possibly happen.  I was very wrong and I think  had I gone in knowing that these things could happen, it would have been different.  Maybe things wouldn't have gotten so out of control so fast, maybe things would be different.  Then again if if's and but's were candy and nuts, everyday would be Christmas right....The person I was is not the person who I have become however...

Things are very different now that is for sure.  I am certainly different than I was both inside and out.  I wouldn't change things for the world.  I have come so far and learned so much over the past year.  Things are turning around and beginning to become different, but it is a good different.  I find myself getting excited about things I would have only dreamed of in the old me.  If I have learned one thing that would sum it all up it would be that nothing is going to be handed to you.  If you want something, you are going to have to go out and get it.  If you sit around and wait for things to happen, it won't, bottom line.  When you work for something so hard though and you get to where you want to be it is quite possibly the most rewarding feeling in the entire world.  The last thing I learned is that there are going to be people who come and go in your life.  There will be people who come though and never go.  Those people will be there day in and day out.  Those are the people who will ALWAYS be there.  The trick is finding who those people are and hanging on to them for dear life.

If you are reading this, you probably found it via twitter, facebook, or instagram.  We also probably share some of the same interest, from swimming, biking, running, or all three.  Eating healthy or working out to better yourself.  Regardless of why you are reading this I would like to say thank you for one.  People like you are the reason that I can keep going.  Support from people who read and like my posts means everything in the world.  The second and last thing I want to say is that everything isn't always going to be rainbows and butterflies.  Although I would like it to be, as I am sure you would to, its not.  When things get tough, you have two options, you can throw your hands up in the air, quit, walk away and say screw this I am not doing it anymore.  OR you can step up to the plate, bat in hand and give it your best swing.  If you never try though, you'll never know whether you could do it or not.  So why not step up and try?  No it is not going to be easy, yes there will be times that suck more than anything, but it's a fight and when you win that fight you'll be so happy!  On top of that, you'll be ready for your next fight and whatever that may be. 

I thank you all for reading and if you are in a place right now where you don't know if you want to fight or flight, I highly urge you to fight on.  Things will get better and that sun will come up to push that rain cloud away I can promise that.  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and have a productive week!

All for now.
Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

It's a New Day...Embrace it and be happy

Good morning all, or evening, or afternoon...whatever it is to you. As I sit her in the cool breeze and soft morning sun, I decided to enjoy my little outlet before things get nuts. 

This weekend was an eventful one that's for sure! I went on a trip to the beach with my buddy to see our friend who is living down there for the summer. I was pumped to see him and to get away for the weekend. Last Friday it seemed like everything that could go wrong did. I got up and made my breakfast and was out the door by 5:00 on Friday morning. Walking down the driveway I dropped my oatmeal and just knew it was going to be ugly from there on out. I got to work and the drain cover had some how been knocked off one of the drains in the pool. This chick was all up in my face asking me questions and talking to me until my ears were ringing and I hadn't even had a cup of coffee yet. Luckily I some how made it through the rest of the shift and got out of there alive. 

I headed home and had one of my clients at the house and then it was finally over! I packed up my stuff, made sure I had everything for my bike and headed out. My buddy is one of the few who understands the burning passion I now have for this triathlon and he was kind enough to squeeze my bike into his car. He didn't have to do this and I am grateful that he did.  I was super excited to ride on some flatter ground. 

When we got down there Friday it was go time and we went out and had a great time. No I didn't stick to my diet and no I didn't only have one drink...come on did you read about that day?! Plus there is no such thing as only one orange crush!! I was going to ride Saturday but we went on this tour of the town trying to find breakfast so I decided to just go chill on the beach for awhile. Saturday we went to jam which was pretty sick and the music was good. When we were standing at jam we jumped up on the ledge and claimed some prime real estate to listen to music and people watch. As I was standing there I thought you know it's funny, I probably wouldn't have done this last summer. I wouldn't want everyone to be able to see me like that.  I am still not 100% comfortable in my own skin but I am getting there. I can still see the cowardly lion every now and again, but this summer is different though and I'm getting there! 

Sunday I woke up and I HAD to ride my bike. I wasn't leaving the beach until I did. We went and got breakfast much easier this time. I came back and it was windy and I knew I was going to have to cross a bridge and I wasn't excited. Just as I was gearing up I said something about the bridge, a guy Coop said "oh yeah didn't you hear about the lady who was run off a bridge like two weeks ago...?" Seriously, not what I needed to hear. I embarked on my journey however and it was a tough first leg out. The wind was blowing directly into my face and it made it really tough. I got to the bridge at the inlet and there was an older guy in front of me just out for a little joy ride. He took his sweet time getting over the bridge and in the midst of that sweet time we got passed by two, not one but TWO rv's...seriously?! Nonetheless I made it to Bethany and turned around to start heading back. My ride ended up totaling 21 miles and I did it in 1:11...I was stoked. 

After that we just hung around for a bit longer. Everyone at the house was fighting off their hangover but me I felt great! 6:00pm rolled around and we headed out. 

I got back to my buddies house and we were talking with his mom and she asked when my race was. I told her and she said ok I'll make sure I have off. I said its all the way in Atlantic city, you don't have to do that! It was an argument...they will be there and I am ecstatic. I wish I could have every single person who is or was important in some way there to give me a high five. I had no idea that they wanted to come and I'm overwhelmed! When I got back to my house, my neighbors from across the street were here. They told me that they were telling their neighbor at the beach about what I am up to. They told me he said he was proud of me for what I was doing. I only met this guy a handful of times but for him to say that is absolutely astonishing.  The race is getting really close and I'm getting nervous and excited all at the same time. 

I've been trying to just live everyday the the fullest and not look back on what happened yesterday. Everyday is a new day with new challenges and I don't even have time to look back on the past. Happy Monday everyone! Have a wonderful week. 

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

and AGAIN!

Today I was in the pool teaching some of my clients.  I felt like I was pulling my shorts up a little more than often.  Between clients I stood up on the pool deck and looked down at my shorts....they were practically falling off!  I just bought these shorts at the beginning of the summer.  They are a size 36 and they are falling down and loose on me.  It's insane.  I remember when my size 40 shorts were tight on me.  I am seeing so many changes and feeling so different than I did a year ago at this time.  This time last year, I was happy, I was having a good time and it was summer.  This year I am feeling 10,000 times better and it's simply INCREDIBLE.  I feel energized, I feel satisfied and I feel happy, but this time it is both inside and out.

When I was at work today a guy came in to swim before his race this weekend.  I have been watching this dude train for months and he is doing something that is still unthinkable to me...the IRONMAN Lake Placid race, which is this weekend.  I looked at him in awe for many reasons.  One was because I have so much respect for him.  He is going to compete in one of the most physically demanding things there is on the face of this earth.  The second reason was because I cannot imagine the feeling he is going through right now.  He has to be excited out of his mind.  I remember how I felt the night before my Broad Street race and it was a feeling I will never forget.  I can tell you right now I can't wait to feel that feeling in Atlantic City again the night before my race in September. 

I thought my body would be feeling the demands of my training much more at this point but I have been trying to train smarter not harder.  I have been doing my research and homework and talking to a lot of people.  At this point my focus has changed from shedding pounds to being successful in my race in September.  By successful I mean I have looked at times from last year and been tracking my progress and I want to be a top 10 finisher for the 20-24 year olds and this is completely attainable.

It's funny because today as I was sitting outside at 5:30 this morning I started to reflect.  I found myself focusing on two things.  One was that when I started I remember telling a friend "I will never look like him, I just want to be happy with who I am" and two was "I know I am not going to win but I just want to finish."  It's funny because these two things have changed drastically since I started.  For one I am certainly going to finish my race and I have a focused goal at this point.  I am not willing to stop at anything until I can attain that.  Two is I am going to look however I want.  I have the power, as do you to do anything in this world that you want.  Whether it be fitness related or anything else, you have the power and only you can make that happen.  It is an emotional ride and as I sit here and think about the ups and downs I am getting emotional too.  There is no reason in this world for me to give up on what I am focused on and you all should be doing the exact same thing!

I am doing my best to post on here as things come in to my head instead of waiting to do it in one long post.  I know I finish every post by thanking everyone who reads this, but I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart.  There is no way in the world that I would be able to do this without all of you reading this and the continued support I receive from you.  Whether you know it or not YOU are helping me every single day and I really thank you for that and I owe you more credit than I could ever give you.  Don't give up on what you are doing...

All for now
Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

Back to Reality

Well vacation has come and gone.  With a bit of a rocky start getting down there we lost a few beach days.  This also meant a few days of riding for me, but I still got out.  Overall we had a good vacation.  It wasn't one for the record books by any means, but we had a great time.  Our "neighbors" were two women we met in a previous trip there and they are absolutely amazing! So glad we had a chance to see them again!

I believe I wrote a post on Tuesday Wednesday when I was down there.  So Thursday we woke up and played a round of golf with my Dad.  It was a little chilly in the morning but ended up being a very nice day.  We came back and unfortunately the weather did not cooperate with us and I lost another day on the beach so I went shopping with my grandparents. 

Friday I woke up and I was just delaying the inevitable.  I knew it was our last day and I didn't want to waste a minute on the beach.  As much as I didn't want to I geared up for a ride.  Boy am I glad I did!! I had a beautiful ride through the town of Myrtle Beach and back totaling just under 23 miles according to my Strava! It was a beautiful ride and I am so glad that I went.  For the first time I felt like a "real rider."  What is that feeling, well don't ask me because I can't tell you but I sure did feel it!  I was just cruising along with cars going right next to me, which was the one thing I was nervous about.  For those of you who don't know the town of Myrtle Beach well, there is a very high population of campers.  The first time that HUGE truck went wizzing by with a camper right next to me I was definitely a little nervous!

I came back from my ride and headed straight to the beach and stayed there for as long as I possibly could.  For those of you who don't know me well, I am a complete beach bum and I LOVE the beach! We came back and had dinner and then I went back out Friday night.  As I was leaving my little cousin Nicholas asked me where I was going(he is only 2).  I told him I was going shopping and asked if he wanted to come, I promised him ice cream if he was good.  So of course he jumped at the choice, LITERALLY, he jumped off the steps into my arms!  So off we went.  We got to the stores and I plopped him up on my shoulders.  He was an absolute angel the entire time so of course I bought him ice cream. 

Here's the little dude digging into his Ben and Jerry's.  He carried that silly little drink umbrella around all night!

Our return trip Sunday was much better than the trip down.  No blown tires or craziness to get there.  We got home and unpacked everything and had some dinner.  My mom asked me what I wanted and after that week I just had some chicken and salad.  There were QUITE a few cheat meals down there!  After that I just went to bed, I was exhausted.

Today I got up and went to church as I do every Sunday.  I actually saw a neighbor there and she said "You look amazing! I saw you running the other day!" Then after church one of the ushers stopped me and asked if I had been working out so I explained I was training for a triathlon.  He expressed that he thought that was great and said how he always feels better when he works out.  I agreed with him and said there was no better feeling!

I came home and was back and forth between texting so friends to go down to the river or go out and get bike shoes.  I decided after my rides at the beach that it was time to bite the bullet and get some new shoes.  After riding down there I realized that I really need to get my shoes and clips on so I can get the most out of my rides.  So I changed out of my work clothes and headed out.  I went to a few bike stores before I ended up at Performance Bike over in DE to get shoes.  When I left the house I put on a tank that I bought down at the beach and went and looked in the mirror.  For the first time I felt comfortable going out in public in a tank.  It was absolutely INCREDIBLE!  Before this, the only time I wore a tank was walking to the beach and back....that's it.  Today for the first time I actually felt comfortable going out in public and walking around in a tank and I felt so awesome.

Here I am in my Ron Jon tank!

 

When I left today I did not really have any intentions of buying shoes.  I have never worn tri shoes or any type of bike shoe for that matter.  I was just going to try some shoes on so that I knew what size to order from the internet.  When I tried on the size I thought I was they were too big.  This was good and bad because the shoes I found online were only $60 but they would have never fit.  So of course I walked out of the store with a pair of shoes.  I can't wait to get my cleats and turn into more of a "real rider!" I also order my first ID bracelet from Road ID and I can't wait for it to get here! 

My Shimano Tri Shoes

Aside from getting my new shoes there weren't too many exciting things going on today.  I wanted to go for a ride and or run but the weather was just not cooperating with me.  As for tomorrow it is back to work.  This is also the last week of my summer class.  It will be the last time I put paper on pencil for a written test and it is REALLY weird to think about.  It did not hit me until writing this that it is the last time I will take a written test as an undergrad.  It will be bittersweet for me because I cannot wait to graduate and start my next chapter but I will also be lost not getting up and going to class!

As for now I am going to listen to a little more of this new Sublime album, Yours Truly and fall asleep.  If you haven't tried it yet I highly suggest you check it out, it's a really great album and I am liking it a lot.  My training is going very well and I am getting super excited for my race.  I am hoping that there are a few more people who come to give me a high five a long the way for this race.  This will be my biggest accomplishment to date and there are a few people who have been here through every step that I really want to be there to witness it with me.  Until next time thanks for reading and remember whatever fight you are fighting, DON'T YOU EVER GIVE UP!!

All for now.
Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

Yes we do have that size!

Today, oh today how it was so small but so huge at the same time for me!! It started as an other day, I woke up, cooked breakfast and got ready for work and I was on my way. The weather here then decided to strike again. It thundered as I was walking through the parking lot and so I knew I wasn't going to be getting in the pool on time. Little did I know walking into work did I know that I would not get in the pool at all today. Our club lost power at about 9:15 or 9:30. Mind you when the power goes out all hell breaks loose. People were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. People were bossing each other around and it just turned into one giant pissing contest about who knew more than the next person. I took my spot in a nice comfy chair and just sat back and laughed. This was all well and good but I began to get restless. I'm like a little kid and I can't sit in one spot for too long without going CRAZY. So after awhile I started to wander around and attempt to keep myself busy. I looked outside and saw the weather clearing and thought we were going to resume our swim lessons. Again I couldn't have been more wrong. One of the grounds keepers pulled up an app on his phone from Delmarva which said we wouldn't have power back until some time between 2-8pm. Apparently there was a slight problem with one of the transformers. So I called my lessons and ended up leaving work incredibly early. 

On my way out I saw a guy who I work with who I have looked up to since I started there. He has been into this triathlon business for awhile and he said he wanted to check out my new ride. So we broke out the Trek from my trunk and we messed around for awhile. I showed him the pedals I had and he said forget that man, come over here, I have some better pedals for you. He pulled out a new looking set of pedals and said here just take these. AGAIN!  The people in this community are so giving I can't believe it! I am so grateful to all of them!

After we put everything away I thought what next? Well I'm leaving for the beach tomorrow and I have no beach clothing that fits. Mind you I am an absolute beach bum so I can get away with wearing boardies 24/7 while I'm down there and not playing golf. So I decided to head to the mall to get some new threads. I hit my first store and I felt like I was right back where I used to be. The stupid store had shorts all in sizes 29 and 30. Seriously. What real person wears that size. I was so pissed. 

I moved on to my third store feeling extremely frustrated. But then it happened....if I could jump through the computer screen and hug you while you were reading this due to excitement I absolutely would!!  I picked out two tanks to go try on because they were BOGO. I went into the fitting room and tried them on....THEY FIT LIKE A GLOVE! Size large tanks and they fit absolutely perfect. I was jumping out of my skin. At one point and time I was probably pushing 2-3XL shirts and could never find anything. Today I walked in, picked out what I wanted and it fit. I wasn't done there though, I decided to push my luck again. I found PBR boardies that I really liked and so I decided I wanted to try them out for size too. So of course I had to ask for help to get them down. The anxiety built up as the girl pulled off a bunch from the extremely high rack and I'm standing there thinking great here we go again. So she found my size and I went back to try them on. Yup you guess it! Another perfect fit! Twice in a row. The shorts were a size 34. So I went from 2XL shirts and 40 waist to size larger shirt and 34 shorts. I put on one of the tanks that I picked out and just stood there and looked in the mirror for a second. I couldn't believe it. For once I went into a store, found clothes I liked and thought I actually looked GOOD in. It was such a huge moment for me. I could see all the hard work right there in front of me. Clothes that ACTUALLY fit and it felt INCREDIBLE! I have never left a store so satisfied before and it was just insane and weird to me. I had never felt like this before and I loved it. I can't stop!

I came home on cloud 9 and decided to do a swim. I'm blessed to have a pool right in my backyard so I grabbed my gear bag and jumped in. Since our pool isn't 25 yards long I decided to start my watch and just go for 30 minutes instead of going for yards. After my swim I dried off and jumped right into my running gear. Then stupid Mother Nature hit again and it started to rain. So I headed into the basement to try and do what I could. It wasn't cutting it though. I REALLY wanted to run. So I was doing my circuit and I remembered that my neighbor had a treadmill! So I sent him a text and he told me to come over. I jumped on and just started going. For whatever reason it felt like one of my best runs to date. I don't know if it was because I was still on cloud 9 from my mall trip or if it was just me getting better. I'll go for a mixture of both. 

Today was so huge for me in so many ways although to the on looker it may seem so small. The old me would have given up after the first store in the mall and just stormed out. But I continued on and I am so glad I did. Second when I got out of the pool the old me would have just been satisfied with the half hour swim. But that wasn't enough, I need MORE!  It is becoming a common theme and I don't hate it at all. The feeling when I get during and after such a good workout can not compare to anything else in the world. When I do something for myself though such as go get new clothes it's something that I can't compare to anything else. The results and hard work and everything are right there in front of my eyes. After my race last weekend the guy I ran with told me you need to set rewards for yourself and allow yourself those rewards. I thought of that today in the fitting room and I did just that. I'm still on cloud 9 and I thank him for giving me that small yet so valuable piece of advice. 

Tomorrow is an early morning for me. I am opening the club at 5:15 am and that is the only thing standing between me and vacation! I can't wait. I don't think I've even been so excited to go to the beach. Finally I can enjoy the fruits of my labor! It's time for me to sign off. Remember that hug cause I'm jumping through the screen and giving you that huge for reading. Thank you, you're helping and you don't even realize it. Good night all. 

All for now. 

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself