30 Going on 20

I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on my twenties as I now have to say goodbye to those years...

It is difficult to define my twenties--a time of growth and maturation would probably fit. However, adventures, love, heartbreak, academic success, failures, moving, fitness accomplishments, travel and many more things made up those years as well. I learned a lot about myself--what is important, what to forget, what to look forward to, etc.

Family = a strong support system. I have had to (from a distance) watch the crumbling of my grandfather's health over a period of 3 years or so. Alzheimer's has literally made him a shell of the man he was--I wish I had been closer to home to help him more, but there is little to do for this destructive disease. My family is so strong to have supported him on their own as long as they could until it was time for outside help. Again from a distance, I have watched my little brother grow from a tiny little toddler into a teenager! Since I was far from my own home, many friends' families took me in over holidays and treated me as one of their own...for that, I am so grateful.

Friends--my major support system throughout college and the years after. My experience at UNH left me with some lifelong friends, as well as some great acquaintances. It has been fantastic to watch my friends make successful career and personal moves. I have also been there for their pain and failures and they have been there for mine. I hope I can maintain those relationships throughout the next stage in my life--it is much more challenging as people relocate, start families, etc. But I am always one to try my best to keep contact!

Finally, fitness deserves some mention since my blog is about triathlons :) So, when I was 20, my major fitness accomplishments were regular gym sessions, some lifting, and some light running. Ten years later, I am training for my first half iron triathlon (70.3)! Though my body is certainly in a different place than in my early twenties (thanks slow metabolism!), my fitness level is completely superior to that of 20 year old me. The process has been gradual...I started age 21 with a 5K, then 10K, and then a 13.1. I took a few years off (back to some gym workouts) and then got back into the half marathon training. It wasn't until I met Mark in 2005 that I took an interest in triathlons--even then it took another 3 years for me to even try one! I started small with a sprint distance triathlon in 2008 (age 27). I started to go to the tri swim workouts at the YMCA and was really inspired by the level of fitness among those training with Sean Snow. In 2009, I picked up my running again by doing a 5K, 10K, and Galloping Gobbler race. Then, in 2010, I decided to start training with Sean. I ended up doing the Big Lake Half Marathon and Black Fly International triathlon last year, but I was ready for more! I finished off 2010 with another 10K and some Bikram yoga. For 2011, I kicked off the year by trying out a new sport--snowshoe racing! It was soooo difficult, but really helped me keep up some level of fitness during those difficult winter months. Now, the tri season is in full swing and I already have two races behind me (Big Lake Half Marathon and the Mooseman International Triathlon) with another coming up this weekend. It will be my first race as a 30 year old and I am hoping to beat my time from last year! Ten years ago, if someone had said, "you will be completing triathlons when you are 30" I would have laughed at them! I did not even like to ride a bike then! Mark was the one who got me into cycling and now I adore my beautiful Felt bicycle and all the great places I have been able to see while riding it. I can't wait to see what I can do with this part of my life over the next 10 years!

A quick recap on Week 15 and Week 16 (Peak Week):

15
Monday: 15 mile bike ride
Tuesday- Track workout
Wednesday- OFF
Thursday- 30 minute swim
Friday- 30 minute swim / 3 mile run
Saturday- 30 minute open water / Black Fly Bike Course (21 miles)
Sunday- 5 mile run

16
Monday- Yoga
Tuesday-Track workout on treadmill
Wednesday- 60 minute swim / 25 mile bike ride
Thursday- 4 mile run
Friday- P90X Abs / OFF
Saturday- 25 mile bike ride (S. Berwick to Ogunquit Beach)
Sunday- 30 min open water swim / 35 mile run (Hothole Pond area)

My training for week 17 begins with a REST day tomorrow which is also my birthday. Happy 4th of July!!!