Tuesday, August 26, 2008
I figure if I say this on my blog, it will mean that I'll have to do it. So, consider this my formal announcement, and commitment to do the Mistletoe State Park Triathlon in July 2009!
This triathlon is called a sprint--it's the shortest distance triathlon there is with a 600m swim, a 12 mile bike ride and a 3 mile run. I can do each of those things separately, so we'll see if I can build my endurance enough to do them each back to back!
This decision came partly from the peer pressure of friends who did the race this last July, and partly as a recognition that the fitness goals I set for myself are finally coming to fruition, and I want to continue to improve endurance and overall health. Having a goal will hopefully help me do that, once my schedule gets way busier!
As for those other goals I wrote about at the beginning of the summer:
1. Pray. Still have a ways to go on this one, surprise, surprise! But, I will say that meeting with my spiritual director has been really helpful, and freeing. The poem she gave me, 'falling in the grass' allowed me to connect with God in an authentic way like I haven't in awhile. so that is a definite signal to me about new ways to pray.
2. Reading was really fun this summer. It was the summer of Barbara Kingsolver, Ann Patchet, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Cormac McCarthy. I joined another book club, and hope to continue reading one novel per month for fun. We'll see!
3. Exercise has been the most rewarding in terms of attaining goals. I was frustrated in June after I had been working out 6 days per week with almost nothing to show for it. But now that it's August, I'm seeing some of the rewards of my labor. I provided myself incentives for meeting my weekly goals (mostly pedicures!) which were instrumental to my motivation. I'm now lowering my weekly goals to exercising 5 days per week (instead of 6). I find that when I have two days off, my workouts are more successful and I perform much better. We'll see how I do with school!
And, as school is starting again on Tuesday, it's time for a re-evaluation of goals.
1. First, I want to continue exercising.
2. Praying, too.
3. Good time management. I know by Spring of last year, I was not the most efficient studier. This year, with a relatively demanding job and a demanding course schedule as well, there will be no room for time-wasting. I need to be better about setting aside time for studying and not letting distractions like email, facebook, work and phone calls interfere. I am not a very disciplined person!! I need to get better about that.
I would LOVE to do your triathlon with you. It looks like a blast, even though I have no conceivable idea of how far a 600 meter swim would be. That would definitely be the most challenging part for me, and the run would be second.
Glad to hear you are making progress on the goals. Especially the prayer. I'm struggling a bit with that myself lately. I think God is trying to help me live by faith, not feelings.
Love you, Mom