Leveling Up

It's been one month since I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia and I went back in to the lab this week to have my numbers re-tested after being on constipatingly high doses of iron for the past 4 weeks. I haven't received full results yet, but at first glance, my blood is looking much healthier. The fun part is that I didn't really need the test to tell me that - my workouts have been feeling respectively better as well and that is exciting. I will find out my ferritin levels tomorrow and hemoglobin, which will tell me the "big picture". Just in time for Napa Valley Marathon taper!

Next week marks the beginning of an exciting tri season - the most challenging I will have met. There is something so intimidating yet so exhilarating about it. My goal this year is to take one race at a time and recognize that not every race is my "A" race. They all have a purpose, as does each training session through every week. Competitive athletes are not good at this, as we all seem to want to go out to win every race, but having a plan and sticking to it so the most important/biggest race is our best one is the key to success.

I continue to hold my head high and lead the best example I can in the local tri community, and in supporting my peers, I support myself. A positive attitude goes a long way, and it's the best way I can think of to start off a stellar season of racing. Here's to reaching the next level.

Vitality and Perseverance

There is a corporate wellness program though Humana (insurance company) that we have in place at work which I have been a very active participant in for over a year now. The program is Humana Vitality and about 1/2 way through last year, I made it to the top level. I achieved that mostly by training and racing for triathlon, but in order to make it to the top, I had to focus on complete well-being and not just athletics. For the first time in a while, I was looking at other ways to be healthy besides exercising. 

Part of the system of earning Vitality Points includes biometrics testing (cholesterol, BMI, Body Fat %...) I have kept track of those numbers for a couple years now and am proud to report that just this past week, I have never seen them healthier. 

Another part of Vitality is a "Risk Assessment" - answering questions about your general well-being, i.e.: how many fruits and veggies do you eat a day, alcoholic beverages, do you smoke? Like many people, my fruits and veggies answer was less than par. However it gave me a new life goal - and a healthy one at that. 

While I continue to persevere through early season and marathon training, Vitality is racking up my workouts and everyday I step that much closer to my goals.

In reflection of this past year, and in looking forward to the future season, I am not only excited to once again aim for that top level of Vitality, but also to improving my overall health- not just my fitness. I believe my training and racing can only benefit from it, not to mention also earning points to spend on items in the Vitality Mall - just another perk of leading a healthier life.

Knocking Down Walls

It's been almost 3 weeks since I had my blood tested and discovered an iron deficiency. The good news is that it's iron deficiency and I can do something about it now in my pre-season. The bad news is that it's iron deficiency and I'm in a constant state of tiredness/lactic acid fatigue.

If I've learned anything in this early part of my season, it's patience. It will take 120 days until my blood is healthy again, and at least 30 before I start to notice a difference in how I feel. I'm also teaching my body to be more efficient during this process. Running at a lower heart rate and slower pace than I'd like has taught my body to recover faster. The 20+ miles I ran yesterday hardly feel like half that distance, however slow they may have been.

Through the frustration of iron recovery, I keep pushing forward with consistency as smartly as possible. The name of the game right now is getting healthy and having fun gearing up for pre-season. Knowing that I'll be rocking my training in a few months if I let my body heal and recover while building my iron stores is incentive enough to tone it down a few notches now.

Train smarter, not harder - more relevant now than it ever has been. I am learning more about myself during this time, but am determined to knock down the walls in my way and become the athlete I know I can be.

Thank you to John O'Neill at CRC for his advice and guidance. And the kicks in the rear.