The Inner Athlete Returns

Let's just say that it's all ISABELLE's fault!




Isabelle suggested we sign up for the first ever SEBAGO CHALLENGE OPEN WATER SWIM, and, because I love Isa, I agreed. Late last Friday night and early on Saturday morning, I was regretting my choice, but since I knew she'd be there, I had to go.

And it was a BEAUTIFUL morning for a little 1K swim (they also had a 3K and a 5K)! Lots of little kids in swim clubs swimming very quickly to the finish.... but I still did well and even won my age group (does it matter that I was the only one in my age group??). It was a blast and I was so glad I did it. And Isa and I are going to do it again next year - the 3K next time!





In between our swim and the awards ceremony, there were many hours of waiting for the 3K and 5K swimmers to come in. So Isa and I talked and talked and talked.... and I was encouraged to try again. See, I'd lost about 50 pounds when I first started Spark... and ran a bunch of 5Ks, and then a 10K, and then did two triathlons... and then hurt my knee, and then kept eating like a triathlete, and then just put back on all those pounds AND THEN SOME. So I totally lost this sense of myself as an athlete and felt pretty icky all around.

But the swim gave me hope - and it was fun - and I remember how much I liked competing and challenging myself and striving for more.

So it's back to a 5K training schedule for me - along with other getting back to everything that I'd loved and dropped (as I gained the weight back). Saturday was the swim. On Sunday, I rode my bike. On Monday, W1D1 of the 5K plan. On Tuesday, a morning swim in the lake. On Wednesday, W1D2 of the 5K plan. And today, because I'd written about the swim on facebook on Tuesday, a friend joined me at 5am and we did more lake swimming. What fun!! My body feels good, my heart feels good and life is GOOD!!!

I still need to steel myself to get back to food tracking, because as much as I hate it, that's the one thing that has always worked for me when trying to lose weight. I'm not freaking about eating this week. I'm going to slowly bring back GOOD FOOD into my house (far too many chips still in the cupboard, sigh....).

Overall, it's been a wonderful week! And a great way to approach my 52nd birthday this weekend. ONWARD!!!