Following Your Inner Compass.

It's amazing what can happen in one week.  Just 7 days ago, I was a confused and overwhelmed mess.  I inquired about a coaching refund because I felt like my motivation for Ironman Lake Tahoe wasn't there anymore.  I was going through the motions but my heart didn't have the same drive and desire.  Looking back in retrospect, it was there all along, but it was just obscured by other responsibilities in my personal and professional world.

In our conversation on Monday, my coach promised, "You will feel better once you are surrounded by your fellow athletes."  I didn't know the truth of his words until I met with them on the pool deck Thursday morning at 5:30am.  

Pool porn for swimmers.

After a year of self-coaching, it feels so good to be coached again.  I dove in the water Thursday morning and screamed underwater out of complete joy.  It was one of the most clear, clean pools I've swam in for so long, and pure joy flooded my body.  There's something about the water that I love, and being surrounded by fellow athletes who  train just as hard is so refreshing. I get direct feedback from the pool deck about my swim stroke.  In two swim sessions, I've heard more tips on how to improve my swim efficiency than I've received in 12 years.  No joke.  And I love it. 

Plus a green smoothie. Then I'm all good.

I've found in life, it is important to follow your inner compass.  My experience with Ironman is there are always two camps- one that doesn't understand and blames the athlete for being so selfish with training.  The other camp is in awe and praises the athlete for aspiring to accomplish such a grand feat.  At the end of the day, those are both other people's opinions, which are dictated by their own inner compasses.  What is important is that you follow your heart.  If training (or whatever else takes time to develop in your life) inspires and invigorates your spirit, the time you spend with your family and friends is even more valuable because you are completely present.  

I'm lucky to have special people in my life who support me, because I can't do this alone.  Coach picked up my bike so I could have it on Saturday morning since I couldn't make it to the bike shop in time before they closed on Friday.  A special snail-mail in the card this week really made my day.  And thanks, PK, for saving me for 3 weeks so I could find my rhythm in double-day training days. 

So far, following my inner compass has been pretty darn fun...

Saturday morning's swim-bike-(water)run brick

Lulu twins with matching Zoot tri shorts! Not even planned.

Walter made some awesome homemade honey waffle Stingers.
He's now the homemade energy bar man...more incentive to keep up with him so he can feed me!

Coach's orders. I'm not complaining.
I'm still getting the hang of water running...the only thing missing are the
geriatric women next to me with loud 80's music!

It'll be interesting to see how this season unfolds.  In just one week, I've received so much hands-on coaching and tips to improve pedal cadence and swim stroke.  Who knows where all this will lead, I'm merely following my inner compass and doing what I love, and of course, enjoying the ride...

Got this yesterday.  It was first going above my headboard...
until I read it again and laughed. It's now in the hallway.