This Week in Numbers
Swim:  3850 yards
Bike:  35.13 miles
Run:  22.29 miles
Brick:  104.06 (Bike: 97.21/Run: 6.85)

After a couple days of recovery on Sunday and Monday, I think I felt the real Ironman work begin.  Check out those figures above and consider that was completed in a 5 day training week!  There is definitely a shift that has occurred.  No longer are workouts counted in minutes, nor a single hour nor single sport.  They are long and I KIND OF LOVE THEM!  I keep thinking that maybe, just maybe, I might be built for these longer distance events!  The training is not easy, by any means, but my body is responding to the training and handling it well.  Even when I feel hammered, I recover well.  Of course, most of this might just be due to the fact that I have AMAZING coaches who know what they are doing!  Love HT Training!

The beginning of the year is such a fun time in my profession!  Especially February!  You might think that everyone decides to get in shape on January 1st, but that just isn’t the case.  Maybe they make the resolution to get fit, but they give themselves a few more weeks of procrastination until they actually “bite the bullet”.

This February is especially fun because our yearly Big Loser Competition didn’t only kick off, but it got HUGE!  Instead of choosing 10 individuals to pit against one another in a Biggest Loser-type weight loss competition, we created a COMMUNITY CHALLENGE….not just for weight-loss……not just for people needing to lose 50 pounds or more……This competition is for EVERYONE!  We invited 100 people to join teams led by a Washington City Community Center trainer.  These teams of 10 will compete for points earned from staying fit and being healthy.  Sure, weight loss and improved body composition is being promoted, but it is not what it is all about.  We want these 100 people to GET WELL AND BE WELL!  We don’t want to just change 10 lives for 10 weeks.  We want to change 100 lives for a LIFETIME!

So I introduce you to TEAM LIME GREEN!  Kortney, Madi, Annie, Amanda, Kathie, Michelle, Micah, Mona, Lori & Sandy!  THE BEST TEAM IN THE COMPETITION!  I’m not just saying that because they chose me as their trainer ;), but because these individuals sat outside in a line waiting for their chance to register for this challenge!  They wanted to be first!  They didn’t want the risk the chance of not stepping up to this challenge.  They are serious and they know what it takes to get healthy and get fit!  I’m just excited to be along for the ride.

This week begins the first week of our team challenge.  We meet together for training each week whether on a Tuesday night for a killer workout or at the end of a week for a TEAM COMPETITION.  If you want to be inspired you gotta follow along with us.  I’ll post updates as we go and you can follow along at www.planet941.com.

You may think that I don’t have a lot in common with the members of my team, but I would disagree.  I feel like I can really understand them.  I ask my body to do hard things all the time.  I know what it feels like to push my body beyond feeling and struggle against a goal.  Sure, my goals are different, but a goal is a goal.  I honestly believe that when you take the challenge to be a fit and healthy person, you are training for an Ironman.

There is no rest in the journey to a healthy life.  You don’t just say one day you are going to have a recovery day from being healthy…….you work for that goal every day.  Some of the individuals on my team are scared and anxious.  They have never tried to do such things as they will be asked to do in the next 10 weeks.  They are afraid to be judged.  They are afraid of failure.  They are nervous about the unknown.  Don’t we all understand these challenges?  I do!

To the members of my team……………..YOU CAN DO THIS!  You can do ANYTHING!  Trust yourself!  Trust your body!  Put faith in yourself that you can rise to this challenge………….ANY CHALLENGE.  For those of you still on the “coach”……….Get on up and join us!  Let’s all set a goal and achieve it this Spring………….I KNOW I WILL!