Today I Will Eat the Bee

The Morgan Hill Sprint Triathlon was this Sunday. I LOVE this event because it is practially in the backyard of where I grew up, is a beautiful course, AND really sets the tone of the beginning of triathlon season AND summer. Sunday's race was the 5th year I have done this event. I have done the full event, and also as a relay. I did Sunday as a relay and did the run portion.

Doing just the run of a triathlon is AMAZING. No bike to lug around. No wetsuit to squeeze yourself into. I showed up to the event with my running shoes and a starbucks drip coffee the size of my head. I was ready to go.

My other teammates dominated the bike and swim and I headed out to my run. The run is 5 miles, and I haven't ran that far since the San Diego 10k in February. Since I am all about the bike right now, I have decided to not stress about running. I decided not to wear my watch and just find my natural pace that was still challlenging. Part of me felt kind of funny passing people because, hello, I didn't bike or swim. My legs were fresh. Well, compared to people doing the full race.

The 5 miles felt good...challenging, but good. I checked my time when I got home.50:50. I would have liked to have been under a 10 minute pace, but I am very happy with this time. Out of curiosity I checked my run time on previous races of this course. This was the second fastest I have done this run (which includes doing relay AND full course). And then I looked at my time in 2008, when I was a triathlon junkie. Here are my results:

swim ( 0:25:46.1 ) t1 ( 0:04:17.0 ) bike ( 0:57:30.5 ) t2 ( 0:02:39.1 ) run ( 0:48:21.7 )

Ouch. I did that run in less than 10 minute pace AND I did the swim and bike.

Who the heck was that girl? Or rather, WHERE the heck did she go?

OK, so here comes the moment in any weekend warrior triahlete's life when she has to decide if this is the moment to reframe the past. One option is for me to beat myself up for not being strong like I was before. Then I can give myself permission to be all "whoa is me...I am lame...blah blah blah pity party time."

No.


That is not an option. There is no self growth in that pity party.

So I decided to step back and do something that we should all do from time to time.

Admire yourself.

I tore that triathlon up. That is awesome. Looking back it was a stressful time as well---we had a busy event filled month at work and hubby and I just put an offer on our first place. I was racing every week. I was on fire! I know this sounds all big headed though it's not tooting my own horn--- it's more looking at myself in an objective way.

2009, 2010, and 2011 I was not that person. And that's ok. I still did great things--Seattle to Portland, 3.6 mile swims, attacking a 1/2 ironman again.

This year I am in a different place. Trying to balance the intensity of my 2008 self with the realities of my 2009-2011 self. The real reality is, I did weigh less in 2008. So, I am back on track with the weight watchers --the last 3 weeks I fell off the wagon. But now I am back on track. Not sure if I will be my 2008 weight, but that is not the point. The point is I am working hard and focused. From now on with every big workout I wll tell myself, "Today I will eat the bee."

"Eating the Bee" is my new phrase inspired by Jens Voigt, an awesome cyclist with even awesomer catch phrases ("SHUT UP LEGS!"). He was riding a stage of the Tour of California last week and a bee landed on his lip. He decided to leave the bee alone and be peaceful. But then the bee stung him. So what did he do? He ATE the bee! Show that bee who is boss!

Yesterday I decided to eat the bee. Hubby and I did hill repeats at Mt. Eden.Of course, before we even started the ride I noticed my front tire was flat. Fine. Let's fix it and get on with life. I rode hard. That is the point of Hill Repeat Monday. For all 3 times I rode Mt. Eden I maintained  93% heart rate. Each time when I hit the top I nearly had a breakdown like this.

But I did it. I ate that bee.And hopefully it will make me a stronger rider.

What bee will YOU eat today.?