Reflections For 2008 & Intentions For 2009

I love being a day late and a dollar short to everything so why would I post my reflections/goals for 2009 any differently....I have changed the look around here to reflect upcoming goals. I got a great new personalized masthead with the help of Sumy Designs at a reduced rate still available now. Susan was able to reflect me and my goals all on one sweet masthead. The scale is a constant struggle in my life, triathlon is who I have become; M-dot 70.3 is who I will be.

It is time to be honest foremost with myself and all of you. I know the weight had been coming back on now for a couple of months. I pulled out my spreadsheet where I track my weight weekly. Yep, since late July I have gained back 30lbs. (pounds dropped on sidebar reflects this)The first few months it was a steadily small gain then these last 2 months I blew it out of the water with a 15lb gain. This realization was shocking to me since I had been mostly in denial. I saw the numbers increase but thought that bitch scale has really lost it's mind. I mean I was burning over 1000 calories a day with all my workouts. I could still run. I could still swim. I could still cycle. I could still give the kind of SPIN classes that would have people leaving my class with Jello legs. Yet, my diet( by diet I mean food going in my body) was out of control.

The reality is that my "small" Gap jeans that I worked so hard to get into did not fit. The other reality was that while my endurance in distance was increasing my performance was sinking due to nobodies fault but my own. In July I was averaging in the 10:40ish pace range in my runs. That began to sink back to a comfortable 12ish pace. Sure, I struggled with other issues such as over training/exhaustion. I am no physicist, yet it does not take one to recognize that the more mass you have the more energy it takes to put it an object in motion and keep it in motion. I only have myself to blame. I am on a mission to lose the weight, not maintain and most definitely not gain. This mission is not only what calories are put out but the quantity and quality of calories I put in.

With all that being said, I must take note of what a special year 2008 was. With all accomplishments come failures and unforeseen disappointments, if not I would question who you are as a person. The accomplishments give us the courage to get ourselves through the failures with scars to learn upon. The unforeseen disappointments give us the strength to perceiver and strive for our accomplishments.

2008 accomplishments (linked to posts)

• I had attained enough self confidence to believe I could accomplish a triathlon.
• I took part in one of my dear blog buds Nancy's virtual races (does anybody miss Nanc as much as I do?). At that time it was my longest run at 6 miles.
• Completed my first triathlon.
• Completed my first 1/2 marathon.
• Threw out a couple of goals for the remainder of 2008, and actually accomplished a few of them.
• Got my Johnny G SPIN certification.
• I met Coach Bill who introduced to me to so many wonderful people. He always makes me feel welcome and sees potential in me.
• I began working with an athlete I admire, Coach K.
• Team Strive's group training, especially tri sis has helped me find the athlete inside.
• Completed my first & second Olympic distance triathlons.
• Hosted 2 weight loss challenges.
• Interviewed for Runners Lounge.
• Cleaned out my closet.

2008 failures & disappointments (linked to posts)

• Had a blog breakdown.
• Suffered injuries stress reaction 5th metatarsal; calf tear
• Experienced exhaustion/over training
• TX Man Oly Tri

  Overall the accomplishments surpass the failures and disappointments. It was a great year. I met amazing people. I lived. I learned. I actually took concern about my body, not giving up but persevering on is what I learned most. The old Viv would have never fessed up to the weight gain but avoid the scale and downward spiral back to 265lbs. with a potential of hitting even a higher weight than that. My athletic goals now keep my weight in focus for me. Athletic goals I had some failures, but I kept going. It is too interesting to see my body do things I never thought it was capable of.

  2009 will mean even more accomplishments. If I wrote here failures will not happen then I would be setting my self up for the biggest failure known to me, disappointing myself. I am sure there will be failures but with that will come even more well deserved accomplishments. My goals of weight loss & Ironman 70.3 are set in my mind, and yes I want it all.....