Coaching is amazing

Today we had our first swim GT.  It was a great time up in Nashville, and it was great for me to have a coach there.  I have never had a coach to help me through training.  Even though it's only been a week, I am learning so much already!  There's just something about having someone watch you that does 2 things; and with those 2 things, you have a choice to make.  

The first thing it does, is make you question everything you are doing:  2nd guessing yourself, etc.   Now here's the thing... getting in the water (or on the bike, or running) with someone who is better than you can be a little intimating, but it provides you with an opportunity to push through and improve! Even though I can feel a little self concious about my stroke, or whatever, I love working out with people that are more advanced than I am because it pushes me to do better, work harder.  

The second thing it does is give you a perspective other than your own.  Coaches have a view where they can see all aspects of how you swim (or bike, or run)-  and they can instruct you on how to improve.  I NEED THAT!   

When we receive instruction, we have a choice- we can either turn our cheek and not take it, keep pushing through the same way we always have, and thus not become the best athlete we can... OR we can take the instruction to heart and work on it.  Figure out how to implement it into our workout regiment.  That is how we improve.  That is how we become better.  I had a lot  to work on today, and I have not perfected it (or even gotten close) but I now know what I have to work on, and I will!  I know that as I improve these areas in my swim, it will make me a stronger swimmer and ultimately a better triathlete!  

Proverbs 4:13 says: "Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life."  

Throughout my training, I choose to hold onto the instruction I receive from my coach.  I may not know how to implement it right away, and I may not "perfect it" or even catch on right away, but I will work at it, and I know I will benefit!

Do you receive instruction and coaching well?  If not, it might be something to consider because it will help you not only become a better athlete, but it will help you become a better person!

On the dusty trail... Pixie Dust, that is!

**this post was written out last week but not published**


Hellloooooooooo Glisteners!!

I know. I know. It's been a while. We don't have very good excuses. In fact, we don't really have ANY excuses. We just flat out didn't post. Bad Bloggers! 

2014 New Years Resolution: 

Have more of a presense online! 

Here we goooooooooo! (Off to Neverland!) 

As I compose this, I'm getting ready for a fantastic weekend at my most favorite place in the (small) world!! If you haven't picked up on my not so subtle hints... I'm going to Disneyland!!! 

This weekend is the Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekend!

I'm signed up for not only the Half Marathon on Sunday, but I also registered for a 10K the day before! Craziness, I know! But I'm excited!

I'll have a full blog post up for you to recap the weekend but if anyone is interested in running a RunDisney race, check out their schedule of events at www.rundisney.com  I'll be participating in the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge this coming fall at the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend.

Till then, keep on Glistening!

 

Just a little training update!

Wow, who didn't finish the year out well with blogging?  US!!!  SOOOO SORRY!!!  
While we have been horrible bloggers, we both (Annie and I ) have been doing and are getting ready to do some really neat things!  Annie just got done with a 10K and half marathon (which she is going to post about soon) and I am training for my next triathlon !!!  This time I'm training with Team In Training:  it's a great organization to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I'm so honored to be a part of this team!  

This weekend was the official launch weekend for the tri team!  It has been GREAT!!!  On Saturday, we had our first group training (GT) and Endeavor Cycling.  This is one cool place!  I've been talking about "cadence training" for a long time- or at least thinking about it- but this past Saturday was the first time I actually did it.  I noticed such a difference in my training effort!  Knowing my cadence is so helpful because I feel like it strengthens my training session.  We rode indoors for about 45 minutes, but I was SWEATING FOR SURE!!!  On Sunday, I went for a swim at our local pool.  My day had not gone the best, and I wasn't in the best of moods, and to be honest, I didn't want to go swim.... But when I was having those thoughts, I immediately started thinking about why I signed up for TNT.  I signed up to be a part of something that is bigger than me.  The thought that got me through the beginning of my swim was: "Strickland, you don't really want to do this, but do you think that cancer patients really want to go through another round of chemo, or really want to go through another spinal tap?  NO!!!!  GET YOUR BUTT IN THAT POOL!  DO SOMETHING YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO!  It's not about you!!!!"  Yes, I pep-talk to myself in the 3rd person... :)  Once I got in the pool and started swimming, all my problems "floated" away.  Everything that had been on my mind vanished, and I just swam... 35 laps... Today I went for my first run since Sept.  I was nervous about it, and although i didn't get to do the entire 30 minutes that was required of me today, I did get a mile in... I ended up running that mile in 12 minutes, which I was soooo surprised at (and pretty impressed with myself since I hadn't run since Sept.).  

Through all this, I realized even more, how excited I am to train with TEAM.  Even though I can barely make it through the workouts right now, I know that in 5 months when it is time for my Tri, I'll be able to do these distances with no problem!

Listen to Your Body

Hello all my Glisten Girls! (and Guys!)


I learned an important lesson last week that I thought I'd share.  And that's what we're all here for, right? I love watching and listening to other people's life experiences.

Well, these last few weeks I've started a whole new routine that includes moving around my job, fitness, freelance work, eating, coaching cross country... you name it, I pretty much just restarted EVERYTHING.  I'm not gonna lie, it's been rough!
I've struggled all my life in setting a routine and then actually sticking to it.  I am a PRO at making plans and then not following through. (With myself, not with other people.  I promise, I'm totally dependable! LOL)
So you can imagine it's been a little hectic.  One of the things I restarted that I really want to stick with is my T-25 workouts.  It's important to me, not only because it was an expensive motivator, but because I know I can accomplish and kick butt on that workout challenge! Dude, I have come SO far in the last few years.  I know I can do anything I set my mind to.
 
So here's the problem.

I also have the last 1/3 of my Half Marathon training ahead of me.   This is the point in my training where the runs get longer, the runs get harder, and I have to stay focused.  This also means that I take extra care of my body in between these long training runs.  I need to make sure that I'm fueling and hydrating efficiently each day so that when I step outside that door on saturdays, I am good to go the distance.

After completing 4 days of the T-25 workout plus a crazy week of my daytime teaching job and a night  time freelance illustration job... I was pooped!! In my head I started to hear those negative thoughts;

"You can't do this"

NO! I'm not going to let my brain tell me what I can't do! I've worked too hard to just give up on something and I have set my goal!

That thursday night, I just kept thinking about the dreaded double workout scheduled on Friday.  And then jumped to my scheduled 8 mile run the very next morning.  Was I crazy?! I was so tired.  To make matter worse, the fires up in Yosemite have lovingly sent all its contaminated air down into the valley where its been just sitting on top of all of us down here breathing it in. But was I just making excuses? Surely a fire throat, clogged sinuses, and a migraine is a sign I should maybe take heed to?

Finally, I picked up my phone and texted my lovely friend who happens to be my own personal pocket coach.  I told her how I was feeling and the advice that came back was so needed.

"LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!"

She was very stern with me.  She told me that I needed to listen to the signs my body was practically screaming at me.  She explained, (and I don't know why I didn't come to this conclusion on my own), that the Beachbody workouts like T-25 and Insanity and P90X were all put together for clients who don't usually delve deeply into the fitness world.  Of course there are always exceptions to this and we all have to find our own routine.  Each program is set up to be fool proof with a specific meal guide, exercise plan, and Shakeology to assist those who do NOT have a regular fitness plan.

I do.

I have a complicated training plan for my Half Marathons throughout the year.

Can I do both? Of course! but I need to be willing to adjust. What's most important?

At this point, my race is the most important.  I can't go out on training runs and try to prepared for a distance race if I have physically exhausted my body during the week.  I could try... but that's asking for an injury.  No Thanks!

I had to re-evaluate what my goals were.  Yes, I very much want to continue with T-25, but instead of hitting 2 workouts on fridays, I need to incorporate an active rest day to gear up for my run.  For that, yoga is my best friend.  I can still rest my muscles but I get in some balance and strength at the same time.

After my Half Marathon, I can absolutely start up on the 2 workout fridays because my training runs will be back down to shorter distances.  That's an attainable goal for me!

To drive home the point of this entry... Listen to your body!  Everyone is different.  It's ok to have a rest day even if it's not in your schedule.  Sometimes we just need a break.  Find what works for you.


Hope you guys have an awesome week!! Hit it Hard!

Weekend Motivation

Hey Guys!!

I just wanted to stop by and leave a little note of inspiration for you.

Over the last few weeks I've been talking to a handful of friends about their fitness goals.  Many of these goals have been in place for years but were never fully realized.  Why? Why is it so difficult to get to our goal? Why do we feel like we are constantly fighting a losing health or fitness battle?

Sometimes we lose sight of our motivation and our goal.  Making a change is hard!! If it were easy, we'd all be running around in size 0 pants, munching on celery and no one would have ever heard of the word "Diet".  We all wish it was so simple, but the truth is... it's not.  No big surprise, right?  We have to keep pushing and get through those bad days that will inevitably happen.  Let it go. The important thing is to start the next day fresh.

I want to give you guys a challenge this weekend.  There's no deadline or due date.

I want you to think of your main goal and write it down.  BIG and BOLD.  Get crafty or colorful if you want, add some glitter!! Then I want you to surround yourself with positive inspiration and motivation! Find pictures of HEALTHY body types you want to strive after - sorry, most fashion models are not healthy.  Hang up that bikini or little dress you want to fit back in to.  Find fitness or motivation quotes and put them up on your mirror.  Put them up where you will see them everyday and take a few seconds before walking out the door in the morning to remind yourself that you are worth it and you deserve to feel good about yourself.

When I first lost the weight, it was about feeling better in my skin.  I didn't want to feel my stomach hanging over my pants and the tummy aches I would get in the afternoons from my jean buttons digging in when I sat all day in school.   I refused to look at pictures of myself.  I made a deal with myself that I would never weight that much again. That was my goal.

When I finally hit my weight goal (lost 35lbs!), my fitness goal changed! I wanted to be stronger! I saw what I could accomplish when I put my mind to something.

This weekend is the official Disneyland Half Marathon weekend at the Disneyland Resort.  2 years ago, I saw my first RunDisney race and I was hooked.  That became my ULTIMATE goal! I wanted to RUN in a race that took me through my beloved Disney parks! (Did I mention the running costumes and sparkle skirts??)  I trained HARD for 10 months. Starting from 0 and ending at 13.1 miles.

I leave you with this.  Dream BIG. Find your ultimate goal and believe that you can achieve it!! Surround yourself with positive inspiration, motivation, and like minded people. Stacee and I are always here for you if you need a little extra encouragement.  Call us, text us, Instagram us, tweet us! Now we're even on Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/wakeupandglisten) We've been where you are and we still struggle. And that's okay! :)

My Original Fitness Motivation: To Earn My Wings! 

news and food for thought

Hey guys!  Annie and I have LAGGED on posting, but thanks for sticking with us!  I wanted to update you all on somethings in my fitness life!

A few weeks ago, Annie posted about her becoming a Team BeachBody Coach.  At that same time, I signed up through a friend of mine to join Team Beach Body.  At the time, I just wanted to sign up for a challenge group and see what happens... Now, 3 weeks in, I've decided to also become a coach with TBB!

Here's the deal.  I'm not a professional.  I'm just a gal who is trying to make it on this fitness journey.  Here's the other thing: Annie and I are NOT in competition, but rather partnership!  She's got her sphere of influence, I have mine, and some of our circles cross, but that's ok!  We signed up for T25 at the same time, and started this new part of our journey together.  So, go ahead and contact either of us if you are interested in joining the Team Beach Body family.  We can get you hooked up with a challenge group and start seeing your transformation happen!

The 2nd thing:

I was looking through some photos from the past year, and i found a couple rounds of "before" photos... I realized that I took these photos, longing for a change, but I never committed to anything... I thought I would reach my goals by doing the same old thing... WRONG! (isn't that the definition of insanity?)  But, I compared them to my most recent "before" photo (the one I took at the start of T25) and I can see a HUGE difference.  There is only one word to describe what I was feeling as I took off my shirt to have my friend Sheryl take my before pictures...Humbled.  It was a sign to me, and a commitment to another person.  I have these photos up on my "workout wall" so as I'm doing my daily workouts, and I sometimes have thoughts of "is this really working?  I don't see a difference", I just look at those photos from 2012 and I tell myself- "I may not be where I want to YET, but I'M NOT WHERE I ONCE WAS!!"  And that is encouragement.

So let me leave you with this:
1. just because you may not see daily "results", doesn't mean your body isn't changing.  I don't recommend stepping on the scale but once a week, just to see the fact of what your body weighs...
2. take measurements weekly!  You may not be losing lbs., but i can almost guarantee that you will be losing inches!
3.  find a picture of when you were in the worst shape of your life (or when you weighed the most).  print it out and keep it somewhere that you can use it as a reminder of where you once were, and how you will NEVER go back to that!  It's not depressing, IT'S HELPFUL!!!!

I'm an Independent Beach Body Coach!

Hey guys!

I wanted to share a little news with you!

If you have been following along with my fitness "journey" you'll know that I've been involved in the Tone it Up! community for a while now and following their nutrition program.  It's been an incredible resource in knowing how to make clean meals and learning to make better decisions in my food choices.  I've also been following their workout schedules which are posted weekly on their blog toneitup.com and I've seen great results from them.  I'm definitely stronger than I've ever been in my life!

Recently I heard about a new Beachbody program that has come out called T25.  Beachbody has produced a lot of the popular High Intensity workout programs such as TurboFire, Insanity, and P90X. This one peaked my interest because it's a shorter workout time: only 25 mins.  I'm currently restarting my Half Marathon training and need to make time for my long runs - workouts sometimes overlap and I can't complete all of it.  I'm hoping this will allow me more time to get in that high impact workout and still be able to complete my distance training on the weekends.   I will still be continuing with the Tone it Up nutrition program.  It's been working for me and it's a great tool for eating clean.

While looking into the products I also discovered there was opportunity to become a representative of the company.   As I grow in this quest to become more and more fit, it made sense for me to be able to promote some of what I'm using.  I decided to join up and become a Coach!

I've got a lot of research ahead of me as I have no intention of putting my name on something I'm uneducated about.  Products like these dont come cheap and I want to make sure I'm completely knowledgable about them should anyone need more info.

If you would like to follow along with me as I start a new chapter with the T25 challenge (50 days! eep!), I'll be posting on the blog as well as on my Instagram and Twitter.  Username: Anniemcbeth  If you have any questions about anything I'm doing or maybe interested in a different program, just leave me a comment below with your email.  I'll shoot you a message and we can chat :)

Have a great week ahead!!