Hard Choices

Yesterday I finally got back on the bike. I didn't get permission from the Doctor but I don't see him for another week and I needed to do something. First I walked for half an hour and then I got on the bike for another half hour. It felt so good!

I wanted to run yesterday but when I tried things jiggled in places I hadn't felt before and I decided not to push it. I'm feeling really good and the incisions are healing nicely. No need to push it too far as I really want to get back training sooner rather than later.

I've been reading about Triathlon while I've had this time off from training.(If I can't train my body I may as well train my mind.) I've also been eating because it's the Season, but I will curb that in short order. I'm learning that Nutrition is the fourth sport in Triathlon. It's something that can haunt you on race day but it's very important during training(or lack there of)as well.

I'm ready to get back at the training and I want to start right now. However, I'm grateful that I can't because it's forcing me to take a hard look at my life and how I want to balance it. Training can take over your life. Especially when training for the longer distances and I am hoping to complete to half Ironman's this summer. I am also hoping this training will help me with my larger goal of finishing a Ironman in 2010.

I have three young children, a job, a partner and lots of friends. I am very blessed. However, I need to train and not sacrifice my relationships and the more I read the more I realise I have to work at balance.

BALANCE.

Balance is not something that comes easy to me. Perhaps it's my ADD or some other flaw in my personality but I'm not good at it.

However, I realise that my children are my priority. I want to model a healthy lifestyle for them. But I want to be sure that I'm not modeling a fit lifestyle and rarely around. I struggle with being a single parent and still finding time for everything. I do have support with my training, but my kids are my responsibility when they are in my care.

I have read about many athletes who get up at 5 am, 6 days a week to train before the kids are awake. [sigh...I'm tired just thinking about it ]

The thought of me waking up at 5 am everyday exhausts me. I don't think I can do it. But, I want to do an Ironman. It's NOT easy. And training for the sport isn't always easy either. It means making hard choices and adapting to obstacles. If I can't get up at 5am for 16 weeks, how am I going to ever finish an Ironman?

The simple, yet demanding act of getting up earlier each day adds more balance to my life. It's a fact. I can't fight it.

If I get up at 5 and do most of my workouts in the morning, I will have more free time to be with the kids in the evening. Besides, every other week I can take more time for training when they are at their Dad's.

I'm not looking forward to it, but that's what this sport is all about. Hard choices and consistent training.

So I say, "Bring it on!".