Crossroads

Its been a while! 2017 has kept me rolling in a lot of random directions, and crossing many different roads.  Many good things and many challenges. I'm a scientist, tons of biology anatomy, physiology, calculus and more to get into and through PT school and complete my job every day. Most science type people don't like to write, but I do ( or maybe thats the Pisces in me). But I love to write and still do regularly in places no one sees. Sometimes it keeps me as sane as running fast or biking so hard it hurts. This blog has been around for awhile and used to be much about racing training and the athletes I coached and all the ups and downs along the way. But this time its about the many crossroads of 2017
Many of them I knew were coming for me, like a kid moving on to high school, and some completely unexpected. 

What I've come to realize is no matter how hard you try, work at it, control it, develop the perfect plan, the universe can sometimes throw you for a loop. It's Kona week and the 8 or 9 times being a Kona sherpa, as well as many years of racing and coaching athletes, I've seen the perfectly planned out race can go completely off course no matter how hard you trained and were ready. The garmin dies or falls off, the nutrition bottles fly off, everyone is racing so fast, or too slow or its way too HOT or windy, or it decides to pour rain with thunder and the start gets delayed, or a flat tire.  No matter how hard you try to control it, plan it,  the universe can certainly mix it up.   This entire year has been a continuous course re-direction. I firmly believe you can only walk through the doors that are open to you.  Kicking them down and busting through closed doors with a sledgehammer forcing things to happen usually doesn't work out too well.  

Ive gotten really good at dealing with the changes of course.  All roads I set out to follow at the start of the year took a different turn and I found myself pedaling down a different path. 

Crazy Crossroads of 2017....

~  Boston Marathon 2017 : qualifying for the first time I tried, registering, training through the winter to find out my Dad's lung cancer has spread to his brain and needed surgery.  No doubt about it in my mind, I go home to west coast for Easter, instead of East for a marathon. No regrets, and this is  1 of my favorite trips home. 

Home /Easter 2017

~  My 14 year old graduates from 8th grade with straight As, and is preparing to start high school. How is that for crossroads slap in the face, I knew was coming but still cried. 

now a freshman

~ At Jacks state championship rugby tournament, I got a little crazy cheering (it happens), and I sprinted down the sidelines cheering for him as he was trying to score and "popped", not pulled my gastroc (calf) stepping in a weird hole as I was sprinting) It was torn, couldn't walk push off for a few weeks, wore a boot and said so long to summer running. 

boo :(

~ 3 + years ago, I re- financed my house in my own name, a crossroad that was scary but it happened. 1 year of keeping the house myself turned into 3+.  Never did I think I would manage this big house myself for this long, but I did all by my big girl self. Now after a really big effort, it sold.  Not in the time frame I'd planned for,  or wanted to be able to move home to move back to Oregon. But it still sold and downsizing when your kid starts high school instead of college is tons of work, but not all that bad. 

~ sending Jack off to homecoming as you watch your friend get married and another proposed to all in 1 night. You can't help but smile, celebrate, and love all the happiness and smiles, and of course being dressed up and girly for a change. 

1st Homecoming

Celebrating so much happiness

~traveling home to Oregon recently for a visit that was very difficult, but trying to stay positive and loving my amazing family and beautiful part of my world. It was a tough trip but I love the beauty of Oregon where I can go run and find some peace.  I had wanted to move home to be close, to be there more often. Instead, Ill be racking up some air miles. 

Tough as Nails

Enjoying Oregon Sunshine 

Try as hard as you want, you can't control some things. You can plan it out, do all you want and sometimes the universe has a different plan. Its not easy, and Im not perfect at it, but have gotten much better at trying to accept it not question it and just go with it and the right thing will happen around the corner. 

Mastering the 40 +

I've spent more than just a few years in the 40's now, and have experienced enough adventures (good and bad) to fill a blogpost on mastering the 40+ in training, racing, motherhood, PT professional and more! I'll be coming out of my 40s in a  few ( ugh over a year) …couple years…, and will be leaving them incredibly stronger, smarter, happier, than I could have ever imagined than when I was starting out in my 40s. Some bumps in the road, and course corrections can knock you down for a bit but lead you to more strength, better opportunities, happiness, than ever imagined.  I confess I am not a gold medal champion at mastering the 40 +,  have failed a bunch, but have gotten pretty good at dusting the dirt off, and climbing higher than I thought possible.

RACING

In my late 40s, I can happily say I still love to train, race, toe the start line, challenge myself, sweat it out, make it hurt, and see how far I can go. After so many years of racing,  there is still enough fire in me to get out of bed at 4:30 in the morning to fit in a workout. I might not race as often, or as big of races. I might not go as fast, but I sure try…… and its still fun.

Bettysquad17, gear is here!

*  Sometimes I wonder why, I bundle up to run in the cold grey wind when it scrapes your face, and makes your eye lashes freeze at this point in life, but here's …why. 

Its my sanity, its for me and its often the only time to myself.

*  Sometimes I wonder if working out for just an hour before work is enough because thats all you have, when you've spent years doing double workouts, and workouts lasting for hours on end, but yes its worth it. Im happier at work, nicer to my patients, co-workers and people in line at the store. I have more energy if I've done something, anything first. And in terms of training, and gaining fitness, you can smash yourself pretty good in 1 hr. And luckily at this point in life I've done all the races I ever want that require an extensive accumulation of training hours a week.

coffee required at 4:30 AM

*  Sometimes I wonder why my neighbors look at me weird from behind the steering wheel as I'm running through my subdivision, or at pick up from practice when Im in a bike kit

But then I quickly shake my head and mumble 

"stare-don't care."  My kid is doing just fine on honor roll, killing it in sports, with tons of friends even though I'm out running, riding and doing some.racing. At 40+ you can just not care what the judgers think. 

this kid!!!

*  Sometimes I wonder why I get so sore, and so trashed after big workouts and races. It takes me so long to recover for a huge effort. But then I realize I have to be more diligent than ever at the pieces of recovery that are so important. This I confess I fail at. Maybe I'd do better if I had more time to prepare the perfect recovery food and weekly meals, get weekly massages, take naps (lol whats that), stretch, go to yoga. I can't don't have time for all that because at 40+ there is so much more going on in life!  But I can do better at some of this and am making a huge effort for now,  at least during Boston training. 

found at new massage therapist worth sitting still 60-90 min for

*  But even though I know all that is important for recovery,  staying healthy, injury free and a successful performance I sometimes forget my age, act like a 20 year old and get hurt. Late last summer I was training for a big half marathon. The running was going amazing I felt so strong and was so close to a great race. I did a very speedy 13 mile run on a Saturday, followed the start of CX season on Sunday and 2 all out fast CX races. I felt my hamstring pull a little going over the barriers (because they are my favorite), but still finished race pushing hard, nearly puking.
 I did manage hard long distance track workout the following weekend and nailed the efforts,

LOVE the track

but then was officially injured, couldn't run, didn't do the half marathon and managed just  a few CX races through the fall. At 40+ I should know better, my legs were tight and not recovered from the big runs,  but OMG long runs and CX are so fun.   Still learning at 40+

trying to maintain balance 

*  But I don't wonder about the importance of strength, core staying strong. I preach this every day at work and since having that set back,  and getting into Boston… 

I've been committed to the strength workouts at my gym,  home and in between patients at work. ……whatever I can fit in. It was important in my early 40s, but its essential in my late 40s.  I go to my awesome personal trainer 1 x week and do 1-2 strengths workouts on my own.  Running and bikiing are repetitive  motions in 1 direction. I work hard on training to maintain proper balance between the forgotten and overworked overworked muscles. These strength workouts right now for me are as important as the running. 

 getting strong at the gym

*  But even though I had a lapse in remembering my age and ended up injured and missing a big race, and half assed it through CX season, I chose to chill through November and December,  even myself out, get strong, rest my body, rest my mental toughness, to get ready for Boston training which requires a good deal of mental toughness. Long runs all layered up cold and frozen aren't my favorite, but getting to the starting line of the Boston Marathon and accomplishing something new makes it worth it 

and more strength

*  But even though Im in my late 40s, & might not get all the training, epic workouts, easy workouts, nutrition, recovery, rest, exactly right, and it might take more out of me, 

I am so thankful to still be out there pushing myself until it hurts in my running shoes or on the bike, attempting new races

I'm a mom to an incredible 13 year old who is doing amazing in school, sports, leadership, and wouldn't miss any of it for a minute 

I have a great job in a busy clinic and help people get back to there life, its tiring and demanding, but rewarding.

*  With more miles to run and more time to think, there might be more to come on mastering 40+ in being a single mom, home ownership, and a professional in corporate health care, and chasing new adventures. Lots going on between the ears during all the Boston miles!  

Until then, be strong be brave and be badass every day

2016….in the rear`view mirror

See Ya 2016. You were a good year,  for the most part.

I'm not complaining, but I'm ready for a new improved, shinier, more epic and badass year.    With you 2016,  I challenged myself to try new things, at the same time challenging myself to stop doing the usual and comfortable routine. With that came some new adventures, new fun, new friends, new memories and new goals. Sometimes letting go of the same old routine and dreams, stepping out of the norm leaves room even more.

My favorite accomplishments of 2016 that were new and epic:

Barry Roubaix: my first gravel road race. I jumped in clueless and unprepared but LOVED this and can't wait for more fun in the dirt. This may have been my favorite race of the entire year.

Pro Men stirring it up

Podium / Founders yum

Big 10k:   just a 10k but, definitely the best post race party!  Who can beat a post race party tailgate style! And my graduate school,  Northwestern Wildcats went on to win the Pinstripe bowl this year!

dance party

Jingle cross in Sept!  the most epic mud EVER. Crazy course crazy mud, and so fun! This was such a fun weekend with my PSIMET team, racing, getting muddy and watching the pros from all over the world tear up the super challenging Jingle Cross course. CX racers love mud, I have grown to like it more over the years, but this was crazy, so hard but fun!

TEAMMATES!

EPIC MUD

Aceeptance  into my first Boston marathon. I spent so many years triathloning and racing and training to qualify for Worlds I never focused on this. But Im in and officially Boston training! Lots of run miles to go, hopefully some more out along this river. Thanks for Jen Harrison my coach keeping me running, and loving it.

Hincapie Gran Fondo: While not a race, this was a team event that left any other training/ event weekend in the dust. Team fun, community service, awesome riding on a hilly course, travel to somewhere I'd never been, and added bonus a photo pic with George Hincapie.

Gran FUN!

Betty Style!

My favorite mom moments of 2016
(i'll just leave it with  top 2)

Watching Jack get 3rd at conference and his team 1st in wrestling. He had an amazing season with 10 wins and 8 pins

3rd at conference

winning

Getting him a guitar for Christmas and hearing him pick up and play songs I recognize while I'm cooking

free concert at home!

But 2016,  you threw some crazy curves at me I wasn't expecting. Thinking you're taking me down one path and before it Im on another.  Luckily I 've gotten good a rolling with changes of course.

Finding out my Dad has cancer put a big darkest spot on you 2016. Little do you know,  he is super strong and fighting it hard. He is the one who taught me how to pick myself up when knocked down and climb higher, fight back and believe. He has amazing Doctors, family and friends. and has made great progress in his fight and I was so lucky to get to spend a good part of the holidays home in Oregon. Being part of this process only reminds me to love hard, laugh hard, let go,  and live life.

No regrets, no looking back, but 2017 is here and I'm also excited for even more new fun, races and adventures.  I have lucky to be spent most of the holidays home in Oregon where I love the mountains green and beauty of the Pacific Northwest. I was able to run, ski, hang out,  and and get ready for and amazing 2017. No specific New Years resolutions for me except to keep moving forward, upward and stronger as I have for the past 3 years. To keep challenging myself to new adventures, stress less, forget fear, and say no to negativity, conquer more, and become more badass version of 2016.

Look out 2017, BettySquad has these amazing sponsors to help up conquer, climb, sweat, get dirty, go fast,  glitter and #doepicshit