on a bit of routine with my nutrients

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am definitely one that likes a bit of change. I love having something new and exciting to look forward to- which seems to conflict- especially when having a routine (with my schedule) is the only way to get everything done in my day.

I feel a lot of people that I interact with that work full time jobs alongside training for endurance racing have those days where your 4:35am alarm isn't the most welcoming of morning sounds (but routine says do now or not today)- and the empty fridge after a long work-training day leads to- well whatever sandwich place is closest- (or my favorite---- microwave popcorn and microwave oatmeal----great).

Now that work has gotten into somewhat steady of a routine- and training has been getting checked off the list I wanted to write about the most controllable of routine planning that has helped keep my days running smoothly.

FOOD- AND CONTROLLING MY ENERGY (through my FOOD----fancy that).

Water: All DAY

I think one of the BIGGEST changes I've made in my new diet is the amount of water I'm drinking. I am stubborn. I have had people tell me for YEARS to drink more water. It's not that I didn't want to- I think I just needed to make that decision for myself. Water intake went from roughly 2 of these babies a day----to I would guesstimate around 14 of them. Living in a desert + being an athlete + being a human....this has made such a big change. I've found that I don't even crave my afternoon caffeine fix---saving me that $2-$3 an afternoon. I'm all about it.

AM ROUTINES: 

Breakfast between 7am-9am 

Another huge change I made was cutting out gluten. Being an athlete I thought this would be the biggest challenge of this new diet- i could survive no sugar and no dairy....but no bread? Crisis! I told myself just 3 weeks...I could do 3 weeks---and even if this gluten thing is a fad....I DONT CARE---I feel so much better.

Switched: Bread (love sourdough- biscuits- tortillas- pastas- pancakes- more sourdough...)

For: (this rice cereal- gluten free pastas- brown rice- quinoa)

Tea- ALL DAY

I definitely one that LOVES coffee. I will find excuses to stop by Starbucks- "oh we had a good brisk walk around the grocery store- lets grab a coffee"- and it doesn't help that Fall is here......I tried switching out my PM coffee for teas. Getting up at 4:10-4:40am every morning I won't cut out my super early cup- but I have definitely noticed that it is not the first thing I stumble to upon getting out of bed.

Switch: (4:30am Coffee, 9:00am Coffee, 2:00pm Coffee, 5:30pm Coffee)

For: (4:30am Coffee, 9am WATER with chia, 2:00pm Snack with water and Nuun or Vit fizzy, 5:30pm MAS AGUA)

Morning IRON: 7:00am

Another huge change is my attention to my nutrients. I literally used to say "Yeah I'm probably low Iron....and I should do something about it....but I'm just too tired to go to the vitamin store"

Note: taking Iron with Vit C helps it absorb better-----SO I take this is the AM with my Fizzy multi drink (and breakfast)

Mid Morning Chia: 9:00am

CHIA. I feel like Chia has been a fad also...and I love it. I'll admit I read Born to Run and I immediately went out and bought some--- they ARE chia pets- seeds really- (and yes if left in a water bottle for a couple days will sprout)--- they kind of become gelatinous after about 5 min of being in water and i love the texture---reminds me of mini bubble tea.  

From what I read: Chia seeds reduce hunger (hmmmm), lower blood pressure (hmm), and are rich in Omega-3s (ding ding ding)

Nuun Hydration (or All Day Hydration plus vitamins): 12:00-1:00pm pre or during workout

Nuun has been a good addition since I've been drinking so much damn water. I love it because not only do you need a bit of electrolytes- but I love having somewhat of a flavor in my water- my favorite right now is the Nuun All Day (includes vitamins along with electorates) Grapefruit Orange flavor

Magnesium-Calcuim: (7:00pm Post dinner)

The last routinely supplement I've been taking is this Magnesium-Calcuim drink my mother picked up for me from the Vit store- I'll be honest- She gave it a GLORIOUS review so I just took her word and have started taking it. It tasted good- and just was a good addition before bed. According to WebMD (haha)

Magnesium is required for the proper growth and maintenance of bones. Magnesium is also required for the proper function of nerves, muscles, and many other parts of the body. In the stomach, magnesium helps neutralize stomach acid and moves stools through the intestine.

 Well there you go. 

A big change for me has been just not having snacks foods around the house. This is definitely what my fridge has looked like for the past couple of months.

And being smart at the grocery store- this brussels sprout tree cost $2.50 verses the pre-cut bag two steps away for $6.50. OKAY.

My new splurge meals look like this (potato, mushroom, onion, spinach, salt)

I am loving my time spent cooking lately. Cooking for one at first seemed like a waste of time----but I am totally enjoying the process---and it just FEELS better to be eating this way. (Rice noodle with spinach, cranberries, pumpkin seeds...)

My Sunday Routine-----making a big pot of soup- (for ALL my dinners for the week)---that and a big batch of some grain (either brown rice, quinoa...)

My favorite Soup i've made so far. Spicy Tomato Chichpea.....mmm

The cat and I are LOVING fall....and the start of our indoor afternoons together.

My good friend Zach and I last weekend at a swim meet in Ellensberg- weird to be on the other side of the coaching tables-----Zach was coaching his first meet as the Walla Walla Head Coach---freaking awesome!!!

Love, Erin

On My Motivation

Where I do a majority of my dreaming. Love me some Starbucks.

I was sitting in a personal training consultation about a year ago with a new member of our gym. The gal had never had a membership to a club, had about 50 pounds to lose for her goal weight, and a worried look on her face. After a 30 min overview of the tons and tons of options to get her to her goal we came upon the deciding factor of what will ultimately get her to where she wants to be. "_____what is your motivation? What is driving you to get in these three to four workouts in a week?" She looked at me like I had just turned into a space alien. "Motivation?"  was her emotionless response.

This seemed like the WEIRDEST thing to me. I am a dreamer almost to a fault- seeing that I truly believe I could be the next Olympian, Doctor, Astronaut or famous painter (maybe not singer I put the line there...) (obviously with a TON of dedication, hard work- and some stubbornness)- I could not believe that this is the one question that stopped her in her tracks.

She asked me simply- "Where do you find your motivation?" And after thinking about it for awhile- I just answered that I like the challenge and pushing my body and mind to finding a limit. But- you can't convince someone to want this, I realized. To merely enjoy "hitting the wall" doesn't motivate other people?

We finished out our appointment, showed her around the gym and closed our one hour meeting- however even a year from this appointment that question still burns in me.

Being a swim coach, I am constantly trying to find ways to motivate the kids when they are staring at a 3k yard main set (after they have already put in 4k of varying speeds)- but really, how do you find that motivation- if you just don't have it?

I thought at this point in my season it would be appropriate to write about MY motivation- and yes, this is a long, but all equally as important, list.

My Motivation:

My Mother

My mother is my motivation.

She is always having the best time ever- and is the strongest person I know. She worked 48 hours at the hospital last weekend with 3 hours sleep- and still wanted to meet me for coffee (on those 3 hours) to plan out my life plan of attack.

This is her after finishing Rev3 Portland last year- she had that smile THE WHOLE WAY.

This is her at Ironman Canada last year (12:05...cruising pace...)Whats scary is that she has decided to RACE Boston this year (coming for the girl that cruised a 3:42...with her longest run pre marathon being 12 miles.) She just has fun.

Motivation #2 My Coach, Hillary Biscay

Not only has Hillary Biscay competed in 60 full distance Ironmans- but she has one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen. Hillary really believes in her athletes.

She has an amazing story- (and an even more amazing work ethic)- (theres a reason why she is featured in Chrissie Wellington's book as the chic that was taking off on a 6 HOUR TRAINING run.) If you have extra time I definitely recommend listening to Rich Roll's podcast: (its perfect if you have a 1.5hr plus trainer ride---ill be honest when I first listened I listened to it twice in a row)

http://www.richroll.com/podcast/rrp-37-professional-ironman-triathlete-hillary-biscay-60-ironmans/

I am also way motivated by basically every pro woman triathlete. I found myself split cheering for 5 different woman watching the live stream of Kona on Saturday.

The Team HPB girls in Kona. They seriously kicked ass- it totally motivates me and makes me super proud that I get to be a part of this amazing crowd. I have yet to take off on a training run without my SMASH visor proudly on my head. Ive been idolizing and following Alyssa's http://www.alyssagodesky.com/ journey for a couple years and was SO EXCITED watching her run across the line at a 10:14 10th in the 25-29AG. Also, another one of Hillarys girls, Maggie Rusch who finished in a smoking 10:23 with body temp of 108- she had mentioned not remembering descending Palani or running the last 1.5 miles. That girl is TOUGH- definitely tried to channel some of this on my treadmill run this am.

Motivation #3 My kids, Tri City Channel Cats

I love working with these kids more than anything. I could be totally defeated headed to work- and leave practice ready to train my ass off. 

I asked one of our top girls a couple years ago what motivated her in practice to always be on time, in the pool, and swimming as hard as she could. She replied with simply wanting the hardest workout possible from the head coach. She's a dreamer- and it shows (she got 13th in the 200 backstroke at the last Olympic Trails and is a senior in high school visiting Texas A&M, Georgia, Auburn to name a few...)

Whats amazing to me about this group of kids is that they never question the workout- they are there to work as hard as they can...then go home. They NEVER complain- or get too cocky about their accomplishment (of just FINISHING some of the practices they are given).

Not to mention- how much fun they have. Most days my biggest struggle coaching the little guys is getting them to stay above the water and hold still long enough to explain what we are doing.

Motivation #4 My friend, Adrienne

Adrienne has been my hero since before I owned a bike. Since the first time my mother told me about her completing 140.6 miles in one day- I idolized this quiet, humble worker. She is someone who we would run into on a Sunday morning at 9am as we're getting started on our long run- she's just finishing up a 20 mile solo training run. What's amazing is how NBD she would be about it- she would almost rather ask you what you are doing over tell you how awesome her workout just was. 

The finish of Cable bridge 10k last year- I guess I thought something was funny.

One day I took the time to just see what she had on her athlinks. I just hope to someday be as badass (and humble) as her.

I draw a ton of motivation from our whole 3rrr training group. They truly are my family.

Robyn Poulson is another person who I've idolized since before I started my first race. She has this amazing ability to believe in other people. I still remember my first bike ride with the "amazing robyn." I simply couldn't believe she would want me to join her on a ride- and although I was being dropped at every little elevation gain she would come back for me and keep me pedaling forward. 

Motivation #5 ME

I draw a lot of motivation from other people, but a huge part of my personal motivation is trying to find my limit. I have been asked quite a few times the last couple of weeks of what I'm training for- and my best answer is "life." I LOVE the challenge of looking at a workout with awe and wondering if I can finish it. I love the feeling that I get when I DO finish the workout and all I want to do it throw my arms up in the air as if I just won a race. 

These are challenges I have been putting myself in since I was a little girl. This is a picture of my at Zones in Hawaii when I was 12. I just remember being so serious about my first final at a higher level meet. It was a big enough deal making it to the competition- but these races are what my 12 year old self had trained for- and I loved the challenge. I've been practicing dreaming since before I was 12.

I also love dwelling in the possibility of reaching my dreams. I am constantly dreaming of either the process of my next upcoming training session, or the feeling of exiting the water, dismounting the bike, or running through the finishing chute. These feelings seem to motivate me through any training session.

I also seem to enjoy the hurt. :)

And that..."done" feeling 

But also, a bit of my motivation- is genuinely enjoying the process. It might take me some visualization (or chocolate somedays) to get out the door, or into the pool- but within 5 minutes I am LOVING every second the training. Crowie said it really well one time about loving the challenge and alone time of triathlon training. The time with myself to let life slow down. 

What is your motivation?

Love, Erin