My First Worlds

I just wrapped up my final week of peak training in Austria and now I get to enjoy a recovery week before race week. During these past few weeks, I have been reminded of just how amazing the human body is. I mean, I already knew a lot about its awesomeness from studying it to be a doctor, but from a performance standpoint and pushing its limits, it has been an exhilarating time for both my athletic and student mind.

The roads here are great and the scenery is breathtaking (especially when climbing up the Alps!)

What you and your mind can will the body to do and how it responds is pretty incredible. When coach posted my training plan to prepare for Worlds two months ago after I got cleared from my concussion, I thought there was no way I could possibly complete some of those peak training sessions, but I brushed that thought aside and said I wouldn't worry about it until the time comes.

The water in the lakes are so blue, it's ridiculous!

Despite feeling really out of shape from doing nothing for the month of June, it was really easy jumping back into training mode. I was more relaxed than I had been all year, putting less pressure on myself to perform at a certain level since I knew I needed to take it easy to protect my brain. 

Austrian country side. Views like this goes on for miles and miles!

Who knew that the secret to getting better was to not care? ;) As each week passed, I felt stronger and more confident and actually started looking forward to the harder workouts so I could challenge myself. I was always hungry for more. More power, more strength, more sweat, more miles, more fun. I was also hungry for less. Less stress, less doubts, less pressure, less negativity. My appreciation and passion of all the little things I love about this sport and what I do, even to what may seem like the trivialest of reasons, all grew daily. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and yes it has. I feel more like a kid again -- care-free, in awe of everything, and nothing has limits. With a lighter mind and heart, I've been able to perform at a level I knew I was capable of but could never manage to produce.

Hitting my stride on both the run and the bike the last few weeks :)

The last three weeks have been so thrilling to witness as my mind and body worked in harmony to bring me to the best shape I've ever been in since the old glory days of junior olympics. I know for the past two years I've been preaching about believing in yourself, and I have been to some extent, but right now, I'm believing in myself with every molecule of my being, and I must say it feels freaking fantastic! This past weekend I was flying up and down the Alps outside of Salzburg without suffering (or maybe because I was having too much fun and it masked the pain) and I normally dislike/suck at climbing. :)

Hellooo Alps!

I feel like my entire life journey has molded and built me for what's to come in the coming weeks and I can't wait to see what all the hardships I've been through and all the hard work I've put into myself will produce. The little kid in me is so giddy that any outcome will be a dream come true.

Shooting star gazing on our first night abroad. Making wishes and finding dreams.

They say you find your truest self in your most peaceful moments. Well, this is certainly one of those moments. Breathing the fresh mountain air and spending most of the day doing what I love in some of my favorite scenery inundate me in an unbreakable sense of calmness. When your body, mind, and nature all become one, you feel pretty invincible. I sense an extra power in me; it's quiet but still loud in its presence. I feel like I can do absolutely anything I set my mind to, and that's a very dangerous power to give me. Race week starts tomorrow, and I cannot wait to use this quiet power to make a loud impact. :) 

:)

HUNGRY!

I was angry. Angry for getting hurt and being out of commission due to someone else's negligence. I was hurt because headaches hurt and I had goals, big goals. But being angry and upset made me hurt more, so I learned to let it all go.

Bye bye anger.
Bye bye goals.
Bye bye fear.

Hello contentment.
Hello happiness.
Hello hunger.

Nearly 8 weeks post concussion, I am happy and hungry. I'm hungpy! I'm so glad to be back in training full force and having been away from training and racing made me very hungry. I thirst for power, I hunger for strength, and I greed for speed. I've been approaching every training session with extra fire that was just embers not too long ago.

The hunger has kicked in right on time as I enter into the final peak training block before the 70.3 World Championships. The next three weeks are going to be rough as I push my body and mind to be the best that they can be, but I am ready for it.

I am very hungry. Hungry for championship cookies.

Can you hear me roar?

Nega+ive (The Positives in the Negative)

Last week was my first week back of regular training, and it was awesome! :) Did it make up for the four weeks I missed while recovering from a concussion? Almost.. it was that good of a week. :P

I am one of those people who truly believes that everything happens for a reason, even if it puts me through a ridiculously miserable and horrible time. Luckily this time around, it was only slightly miserable and I was able to use the time to practice what I've learned and to keep growing.

The last four weeks I have been reminded of/learned:
1. I have the best friends and family. They kept calling and texting to check up on me and to remind me to listen to the doctor's orders so I won't prolong healing. Normally I dislike talking on the phone, but I had no problem answering the phone the first few weeks since I was inundated with love each time, and it broke the monotony of laying in bed all day.

2. For someone who is self sufficient and always has a long to-do list, being asked to do nothing was beyond hard. My roommates tried to wait on me hand and foot despite my best efforts to ignore their pleas. I had to be chauffeured everywhere, and even then, sitting in the car was unbearable and causing headaches. I wasn't allowed any screen time and I had to helplessly watch the inbox count increase daily -- that was the worse! I love getting stuff done, and stuff was not getting done.

3. Sleep. We have not been the best of friends, but we definitely got closer. The first week alone after the concussion, I ended up sleeping as much as I did the previous two weeks combined. Crazy! I've definitely picked up more good sleep habits from this stint and restarted a proper circadian rhythm.

4. Not being able to exercise or train bothered me the most because of the goals I have for the year. The fear of losing too much fitness and not being able to get it back was a huge stressor the first few days, and it made my headaches worse. But after accepting what had happened and that brain recovery was the newest and highest priority goal, everything got easier. I learned to let go and was willing to not be as competitive at Worlds if it meant I would be healed and able to return to doing what I love.

5. By the end of the fourth week, I actually started to enjoy doing nothing, which is something I've been trying so hard to learn the last decade. As life ramps back up, I need to remember and cherish this lesson by socializing more, sleeping more, doing less, and letting go. Chillaxing like a pro. I'm going to be ice cold!

Stop, collaborate and listen.
Ice is back, I got a brand new invention
Something grabs a hold of me tightly
Flow like a harpoon daily and nightly
will it ever stop? Yo - I don't know.
Now turn off the lights and I'll glow..

..Ice Ice Baby

Everything happens for a reason. There's no point in getting mad or stressed over it. The sooner I learn my lessons, the better, right?