This little quote landed in my lap and has been tip toeing through my perspective a lot, almost every night actually. I am really learning to manage 24 hours better, more productively, as if on a mission to cross all the little and big things off my bucket list. Not because they have an expiration date, they don't. It's because they matter to me...

Life, love, and sport is all I've been up to lately. Every morning it still puts a smile on my face that I'll be racing Ironman Hawaii. It motivates me to get going, get training, and keep believing. I'm still so thankful to have qualified and have not been tempted in the least to take it for granted. Motherhood is still keeping me very grounded and at peace with reality when being any sort of a professional athlete begins to entertain me...humbled at its finest. Love still finds it's way to remind me just how strong yet fragile it is, I can thank Masuda for holding my had through those lessons. And paddling is still so darn fun! My life needed fun on this level. An attempt at explaining that would take forever, for better sake of words, I am crossing off many, many bucket list goals all because of it...and that is so very satisfying.

Miles and miles have been swam, biked, and ran lately. Motivation is still high and it gets even higher when people ask me how in the world can I wake up and do it again and again, mostly alone, everyday. How can you not wake up with a purpose? Hawi has never looked so gorgeous lately and I can hardly wait to arrive on race day!

I've been fortunate to rally a couple days worth of training partners. Even went a few days ipodless! Had my fair share of flat tires, mixed a few bottles with sport drink that had caffeine in it leaving me in a lesson I hope to not repeat. Ever. Again. And I even scored myself a new Zoot race kit for the big day...it's being made as we speak! 

Hmm...what else? Been inhaling a lot of food. Wanting to sleep a little more. But feeling good other than that. Must admit, it's nice to know the body is stronger and more capable than we give it credit for. 

Running has been the best part for me in all of this journey to Ironman. Quiet special how lacing shoes can save a day, make pancakes feel rewarding, and land you amongst such pretty places while mentally overcoming ugly places. 

And the paddle. I am loving it for many reasons. I think without knowing it I was suffering from some sadness with missing Kainoa a lot when he's at his dads. Thankfully Kainoa has a great father who wants to spend time with him and we have been able to share him very well, but I always miss him to an extent that makes it all to easy to cry, especially on weekends. Landing on the water keeps me focused on my bucket list, better make good use of my time and not cry over spilt milk kind of feeling. And so, this weekend I got to paddle my first ever Lilio. It's 18 miles long, for 12 years I've wanted to do it and yesterday I crossed it off my list. Think of it as the Ironman of paddling, lots of people from all over the world and we start in Kailua Bay! I was in the Koa with 5 amazing women, we took 1st Koa across the line! I was beyond emotional with pride and joy. This morning after my bike ride I lined up again for a 5 mile race in the OC1, took 3rd girl and had more fun than the position I finished. It's really nice not worrying about finish position like in triathlon, truly just fun times.

No post would be complete without food, so let me just tell you, I am consuming enough green smoothies for everyone with this load of life, love, and sport! Have a nice Sunday! Bree

Cha-ching!

A couple days ago I landed in the big city, on Oahu.  It was a little moment away from life over here, maybe vacation with a splash of Ironman miles tossed in.  It was a mood changer, an attitude adjustment, a tiny bit of sponsor obligation (team Bioastin flew us over to learn more about the green stuff that I LOVE).  Mostly it was one of those times in life when you step back, take a look with hopes of gaining a different perspective, then come back to your regular life feeling like you learned a lesson that will be good for you…

I ran along new beaches, rode cruiser bike,  swam with Oahu friends, and surfed a few different beaches on my friend Tiffany's board that I secretly wish was mine.  I loved all my big city moments…

But today the best part of all happened.  My Ironman Canada payday came.  We live on a pretty tight budget over here, unless I teach more, but then I train less…so you know, my balance isn't always beautiful to the bank account.  Most always Kainoa and me walk into the grocery and walk out with only what was on the list.  Thankfully he is such a good kid, rarely if ever asking for treats or snacks, or those tempting aisle candies at the checkout.  Today was all different.  I told him to grab a snack, take an after school drink, get something special to pack in his lunch tomorrow, to have anything in the grocery he wanted.  And so, thank you Ironman Canada for giving us my most enjoyable grocery shopping experience yet!

Bree xo

Back to it...

You have no idea (okay, maybe you do) how excited I am each morning I wake up and lace shoes,  put  air in my bike tires, or squeeze into a swim suit.  Don't get me wrong, training for a race usually has it's glamorous, nearly as exciting moments, but this one is just so much more fun for me than all the rest.  So happy to feel this feeling again.  In fact, I drive to swim practice in just a swim suit, I am that excited, forget waisting time to put clothes on top these days.   That (above) was the last Ironman Hawaii (2010) moment I remember. It's that magical part, the one right before you cross the finish line, where you are having to navigate your way through the final mile of spectators flooding Ali'i Drive.  Oooooh I am so excited, butterflies are already starting.  I never went to my Senior Prom, but I am imagining how I feel must be similar to that special night...

This weekend I tried very hard to lay down, take my final super rested weekend, and just chill out.  It was enjoyable, even fell out of my lawn chair having such little experience chilling out these days.  Come today, it was back at it. And tomorrow I get to run twice in a single day, it has been FOREVER since I remember doing that.  I just rolled out my legs like a woman on a mission in anticipation of the miles awaiting me…

My final week away from a pool has come to an end too.  Tomorrow it is back to black line following and chlorine.  I'm actually okay with that, I really want to gain a little more confidence in the distance.  It's easy to spend a day in the ocean but I want to be able to move through it faster. For me, the only way is with the Kona Aquatics crew and that accountability Coach Steve brings, I just don't find my speed frolicking with dolphins.  Let me tell you, I will be eagerly awaiting those recovery swims though, when the ocean calls me home…

As with all Ironmans, I have a good habit of looking back at what worked in the training, what built up my confidence, and of course what I could do better.  After double and triple checking out the last race build up into Ironman Canada, I can tell I completely fell off the yoga, stretch, strength wagon.  Okay, not entirely, but I could tell I was missing it.  Sunday I began it all again, nice being reminded how good it makes me feel to give a little extra attention to the small things that matter big.  And maybe that's what Ironman Hawaii is all about, paying more attention to the little things…

One thing I was super impressed with was my eating habits.  Oh, I fell off the wagon during my recovery, but leading into the last few Ironmans I was pretty good about having at least one thing "raw food" a day.  It was usually a treat.   That said, I better share this one for my chocolate pie.

Crust, grind up mac nuts, dates, and a spoonful of coconut oil.  The middle, blend up 5 frozen bananas, as much cacao powder as you want, and maple syrup to sweeten (you decide how sweet you want it).  That's literally it!  Keep frozen.  It's my favorite breakfast treat on the way to the ocean swims!

Have a nice week,
Bree

Thursday Showers...

Gentle, gentle, gentle.  I am having to grip so gently, having punched my ticket to Ironman Hawaii.  You know when a child gets a puppy for Christmas and just squeezes it's guts right out holding him so tight, that happiness is how I feel.  But I'm grown up enough to know that squeezing anything too tight, hurts.  And so, I am being gentle with holding this ticket to race Ironman Hawaii. My little lessons are...

Not rush back into training, recover

Keep my family closer than the run shoes

Enjoy eating, drinking, & a lack of gel consumption for the moment

Be happy taking a break

Last weekend I got to pack my bags again for a race of another kind, paddling.  What started as just taking Kainoa to the pier for practice, cheering for Mike and his boys at regattas, soon turned into something I felt like our little family could share if I went back to paddling too, and I did.  Over the season our boat did pretty good, winning the last 6 (I think it was 6) races here on the Big Island. We qualified to race States over on Oahu, with the big dogs island wide.  Let me tell you packing a paddle is so much easier than a bike!  We showed up and took 3rd. 

Our boat is #50, so close!  I just love anything and everything in, on, and under the water.  Paddling has been a really nice addition (I don't want to say break or escape from triathlon, because I don't need one), but it has been something special I can share with Mike and the boys.  I mean, they all get it, do it, and understand it.  In some small way it made the Summer just a little more special to me having a "family sport". Not to mention is brought out a lot of competition and I admit, I could use a bit more competativeness since I find myself on triathlon start lines wishing I could pratice being more fierce. 

...And the team.  You have all heard the quote, "Women build each other up, girls break each other down". There honestly has never been a time in my life when I could use a handful of great women around then these days. Let me tell you, triathlon is 99% of the time a solo sport when you live on an island, having training partners, a team, some competition has been valuable beyond just the boat.  Anyways, regatta season is now over, focus is full time shifting to Ironman.  As for the boat, I am sure to land there when I can, because sometimes life allows a couple dreams to collide at the same time...

What else?  Oh yes, those of you ladies that read my blogs over morning coffee, you will like this.  Those of you tri-geeks only reading for the pool temperature, run splits, and how far I rode my bike, you will be bored.  Mike and me made 3 years!  I am double fist pumping over here, high fiving, counting blessings, and happy.  I pretty much celebrate everyday I get to share with him, I am a girl in love with her best friend.  It has taken plenty of tough love lessons to understand that love is more than flowers, pretty words, and other story book moments.  I've humbled through patience, forgiveness, and French kissing. While he has been through the thickest of my storms, I have been more appreciative than I knew I could be to have someone in my life.  I'll wrap up the mushball in me, but it has been pretty amazing and while I try to keep his life less posted on my blog, I would like to shout about him often.  I mean, it's not everyday you hear about professional athletes having someone by their side, so I don't take that for granted, just hope and pray for another day, every day...

Sadly, this is not my heatlhy diet at the moment.  I sort of gave up on eating super squeeky clean during my recovery.  I don't know about you, but when I get up early and get my groove on, it is so easy to eat heathy and suck down green smoothies and funky stuff from Earth.  Well, guavas have been my attempt lately.  Today I chucked the last of them over my sisters brick wall, then grabbed chips and salsa for the hurricane party...I do believe Saturday I get to get back on the wagon. Oh, one more effort was made, rainbow beets!  I roasted them and literally ate almost every single one of them...

Alright, that is all I have.  The rain has just begun over here.  Buckets and buckets falling from the sky with the hurricanes on the way.  It was a beautiful morning to begin and I am standing in hopes with the rest of the island that after these storms pass it will be another beautiful day on the way...

Bree xo