As you know, I am an endurance athlete and have been for the past 4 or 5 years. I regularly compete in marathons, half marathons, triathlons, and the occasional cycling event. I am not very good so even though I consider myself an athlete I would hardly say that I am truly "competitive" do to how slow I am. I mainly do these events because I love them. I love pushing myself, challenging my body and mind. I like feeling the passion that racing creates inside me as I line up with others out there. We don't know each other, we don't know names, but there in those few hours we share in something that you can only feel as a participant and competitor. It drives me, pushes me to keep training. To move up the pack, to do better next time. I like it, its very pure and natural that feeling.
Why am I sharing all of this? Well it's because I have decided to take on a new challenge. The IRONMAN. More specifically, Ironman Coeur d' Alene in Idaho on June 29th.
I have been studying exercise science and all of it's neighboring disciplines for the last 5 years now and I love it. I am working on completing my Masters' in Exercise Physiology with an emphasis in Sport Psychology. Competing in this Ironman means a great deal to me. It is a way to prove to myself and others that I can apply the training and knowledge I've gained. I will be self training with a little outside assistance from colleagues. I want to do well. I want to do the best I can out there and it's going to take A LOT of work on all aspects of training and health and wellness.
Along the way to my M.S. I have also taken a significant number of nutrition classes and can say I know quite a bit... but unfortunately, unlike my training, I have a harder time applying the things I've learned from these classes into my life.
When I signed up for the IM I felt an overwhelming pressure that I needed to start making changes if I was to be able to really say I did my best. I knew I needed to change the way I eat. So I went to Jess and Wes with THRIVE. Having worked for THRIVE for the past few months I knew I could trust their philosophies and their knowledge of nutrition. They have a great online program called Eat for Life (E4L). I thought wouldn't it be cool if I enlisted their help to prepare me for the IM? And them being the awesome couple that they are agreed. I was thrilled.
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| www.strive-2-thrive.net/eatforlife |
So here I am. On a journey to better - harder - things. A journey that will teach me discipline, strength, courage, and commitment. I can't tell you how mixed my feelings are between excitement and dread... ha the dread is a little bit of that pessimist ;)
Wes just now has sent me my first goal. Let me back up. E4L takes a slow, one-at-a-time approach to lifestyle change. The goal being that we form habits, not just a temporary change. It is done all online. Wes will provide me with a new goal every Saturday that I will implement the following week. The goals will be small and focus on helping me achieve my goal of competing in an IM.
I will be documenting my experience with E4L and hope that you will enjoy learning from my experiences about good nutrition and a well balanced, healthy lifestyle.
Please feel free to send any questions to either Wes - info@strive-2-thrive.net - my primary nutritionist or myself coach.beckyblack@gmail.com
Have a wonderful week and stay happy and healthy!
Coach Becky
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