2016 was a good year in many ways. I finished my MBA (finally!). Ben and I made the move to Denver for a great career opportunity for me...and for him when he finishes PA school in March. Ben and I had some fun trips to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. However, 2016 was not a year for triathlon accomplishments. With a nagging calf strain, I pretty much sucked at running all year. My work/travel and school schedule got in the way of of training and I just didn't get enough hours in overall. My race times were slower and I ended up not starting at Ironman Racine 70.3 because of nasty weather (and, frankly, lack of drive). I also gained weight to the tune of 13 pounds over last year, and last year I was already 10 pounds more than I should be.
And so I begin 2017 in Denver, CO, the epicenter of healthy living. The beginning of the year is a nice time to cleanse, purge, start anew so I'm going to start with my eating habits. I've tried a number of diets and not much sticks, other than calorie tracking. My real problem is that healthy, non-emotional eating is not really part of my routine. I do well for a while and then eat a ton of junk. I often make excuses: no time, I'm on "vacay," I deserve a reward, etc.
I had heard about The Whole 30 through friends and decided to read the book. The concept is the "change your relationship with food"...exactly what I need. It focuses on whole, non-processed foods - no added sugar, no dairy, no alcohol for 30 days to "reset" your eating habits and end the cycle of poor eating, sugar/carb addiction, binging, etc. During the 30 days, you also have to eliminate grains and legumes...no bread, no beans, no peanuts. It's going to be intense, but I'm going to give it a shot. I'm going to try and document my progress at the end of each week. My Whole 30 experiment starts tomorrow, Jan. 2. Send your willpower vibes my way - I will need them!
As for 2017 racing, I'm hoping this nutrition reset will also result in stronger results on race days. One of the awesome things about Colorado is, the weather is fairly moderate throughout the year allowing for relatively comfortable outdoor training year round. Man, I love this place. I have already taken advantage of winter cycling, hiking, snowshoeing and running. I also get the opportunity to train at higher altitude than where I live. Denver is around 5000 mi elevation and one can easily get to 7500, 8K or even 10K elev. within 2 hours. Have I mentioned I LOVE Colorado?! Because I live and train in the triathlon mecca, I plan to do all of my 2017 racing in Colorado. I also plan to get a power meter this year and really build on my cycling progress, which was one of the only positive things about my 2016 season, primarily due to the purchase of an awesome bike. So, without further ado, here are my plans for 2017:
2017 RACING SCHEDULE
Sunday, April 23 - Cherry Creak Sneak 10 mile run - Denver, CO
Saturday, May 27 - Sky Sprint Triathlon - Ann Arbor, MI
Saturday, June 3 - Colorado Triathlon (Olympic) - Boulder, CO
Saturday, June 25 - Tri the Boat (Olympic) - Steamboat Springs, CO
Saturday, July 9 - Tour de Ladies (metric century [62.5 mi] bike ride) - Parker, CO
Saturday, August 5 - Ironman Boulder 70.3 - Boulder, CO
Saturday, September 9 - 106° West Triathlon (Olympic) - Dillon, CO
Stay tuned!
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