SPRING IS NEAR

I love sleeping with the windows open.  I woke up with a little chill in the air and to the sound of birds chirping.  It was amazing and means that spring must be near!

BUSY BUSY BUSY

Did someone accidentally hit the fast-forward button? 

Between work being crazy busy, an intense training schedule, everyday life chores and responsibilities, and (gasp) trying to squeeze in some social activities I've been going 100 miles an hour...and I don't see anything changing anytime soon.

Whoever said "Idle hands are the devil's workshop" must not have had to move through life at breakneck speed just to stay above water.

I need a vacation.

HOT OR COLD

This time of year is tricky...today for example has a high of around 60 but it was just below freezing this morning.  So, do I wear a coat to be warm in the morning at the cost of having to carry the coat after work?  Or, is it better to not wear a coat in the morning and be comfortable and hands free after work?

I have decided to be comfortable after work.  I'm very near swearing off coats for the year but I'm sure once I do the temps will plummet. 

No worries, when I have decided I'm done with coats for the year you'll be the first to know.

NEW COFFEE MAKER

The coffee at my office is pretty bad.  So, instead of only drinking the 1 cup of coffee I bring from my house, I bought a cheap little coffee maker.  My days have been much better since its purchase.  Was this the best $11 I've ever spent?  No.  But it is up near the top of the list.  

It's all about small victories!

TRAINING UPDATE

So far I'm really happy with the way the training has been going but a few tweaks need to be made.  Mainly, I need to change my running time.  Running before work isn't going all that great.  I get the miles in but I feel stiff and unmotivated.  When I'm running I feel like the Tin Man...not a great feeling. 

I am going to try swimming before work and running after.  I'll let you know if it helps.

311 DAY

Happy 311 Day!
Do yourself a favor and listen to some of their songs.  Your ears will thank you!

NEW EXPERIENCES

Last year my bro-in-law told me about a TED talk he listed to where the speaker tried 1 new thing each month for an entire year.  I really liked the idea then and I really like the idea now.   Last year was full of new experiences...moved to a new state, started a new job, met some new friends, went hiking in the Rockies, and tons of other firsts.  But...I was terrible about blogging about them.

It dawned on me that I was doing another awful job of sharing this year's new experiences too.  So, here is a quick update.

January
Learned to ski.  Well, the basics anyway.  Although I've taken some tumbles (and banged up my ribs a bit) I'm happy to say that I'm still enjoying the sport.  My goal is to go at least once a weekend until the slopes close on April 15.  Each time I go (knock on wood) I seem to be improving.  I'm not where I want to be yet, but I think I'm on the right track.  Fingers crossed for no major injuries.

February
For the past 2 years one of my resolutions has to been to break out of my style comfort zone.  Early in the month I got a new hair cut (I figured after a decade of the same style it might be time for a change) and bought a few new clothes.  Nothing crazy drastic, just some options that can take the place of my standard hoodie.  So far I'm happy with the decision.

March
Since I was in grade school I have always wanted to compete (and by that I mean just finish) a 1/2 ironman triathlon.  March 1 marked the start of my training program.  I've ran a marathon, 1/2 marathon, and competed in a tri before, but never have I paired the training with an overall healthy lifestyle.  So this month I'm trying to pull out all the stops and use a holistic approach to the training--healthy eating, sound mind, and strict training.  Hopefully by the end of the month these will all be habits and will continue throughout the year.

Now I think you're pretty up-to-date on this year's new experiences. 
Lucky you.

TRAINING AHEAD

While I've been running and biking for quite some time its about to be taken up a notch. My 1/2 ironman training program officially starts tomorrow.

To try and make the training go as smoothly as possible I'm going to try my hardest to eat as healthy as I can.  Typically I'm good during the week but the wheels fall of during the weekend.  Here's to changing the status quo and to overall healthy eating.