The holidays bring so much to do, so many people to see, and a million reasons to sleep in, stay up late, skip a swimbikerun, and every other excuse you can imagine. But I have found holiday balance like no other season before!

1. When everyone decides to plan a beach day, run to the beach! Have them drive out your change of clothes, bikini, some refueling snacks, and of course your surf board.


2. Ride your bike to the picnic.


3. Count a 14 mile hike as your easy run so you can be part of the Mauna Loa trip!


4. Eat the holiday cookies you bake instead of the gels and sports drinks.

Day 2 of running to the beach. A half marathon one day and 8 miles the next. Both days landed me in the ocean with a nice Winter swell, my training was not missed and the holiday fun was enjoyed with my friends...Not only did they drive out my surf board and everything for the day at the beach post run, I had water pit-stops!

The late nighters, I know, those are hard ones for some of us triathletes that go to bed early (insert nerdy me). BUT you can make them happen this Holiday Season.

1. Nap before you go.


2. Let yourself sleep in a little the next day if possible, (then you don't feel junk the upcoming days).

DO NOT keep checking your watch! Such a bad idea, just enjoy, our friends/family put up with us crazy triathletes all year needing our rest, give them THIS TIME this time of year.

During the holidays let OTHER sporty things count as training. Thursday we hiked up Mauna Loa. It is nothing short of breathless, literally. 13,760 ft had me gasping for air, freezing, and the 14 miles up uphill in the dark all for a sunrise felt like an Ironman, (it took nearly 10hrs).

I wanted to hold a sunrise this season, found one...

It has been a great 31 years, 32 is going to be EVEN BETTER!

Stop and smell the snow! Actually, this is the perfect time of year to truly reflect on all the good things that have happened. Reaching goals, overcoming hard times, the people in our lives, and of course setting out some new mountains to climb. Going into the next year it's a good time to see where you are coming from...

In a week it's Christmas, my focus from now till then is to truly let the good times roll. Make way for all the holiday happy, each and every invitation from friends and family will be enjoyed, with of course swimbikerun sprinkled in...

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Hope you are enjoying the Holidays and spending time with the people you usually ditch on Sundays for long runs, the friends you ignore on week nights because you have swim practice in the morning, and the invitations for adventures because your legs are tired from a long day on the bike....go enjoy.

Bree