DTWM - Patience, it's ok, keeping showing up

DTWM - It's ok to be ok
There’s no denying that life during this pandemic has been distressing. Everyone is feeling an emotional burden and each of us are having a different pandemic experience. At the devastating end of the spectrum are the tragic losses: loss of life, loss of loved ones, loss of job and loss of mental and physical health. There's also the loss of normal rituals and routines. We lost the predictability that we often took for granted. This is a frustrating time of uncertainty.

Acknowledging the reality of our unpredictable situation, we must not demand that all circumstances should be favorable in order to be happy. There are plenty of reasons to struggle with our "new normal" but there are always bright spots in dark times.

While it's "ok not to be ok," it's also "ok to be ok.”
See the good. Be grateful. Celebrate. Spreading joy during sad times doesn't make you a bad person.
The ability to feel multiple emotions is the resilience that helps us navigate through difficult times.
Feelings aren't right or wrong or good or bad. They just are. Whatever you feel at this unfamiliar time is ok.

You aren’t a bad person if part of you feels happy at times. If you can find, create or spread joy in this troublesome time, consider it a gift and a privilege - and most of all, be grateful for it.

DTWM - Patience 

We cut corners and look for shortcuts. We want quick answers to complex problems. We are intensely hungry for results. We love instant gratification. Another reason to love Mother Nature - she’s the best teacher for learning patience.

You may have recently found yourself growing more inpatient - with yourself, with others and with the current circumstances. Impatiently wanting to get back to normal life, as quick as possible.
With money to spend, work to get done, warm weather to enjoy and vacations to take, your impatience may be getting the best of you. You may feel like you’ve sacrificed enough and you can’t continue to live like this for any longer.

No matter how much you desperately want life to return to normal, this virus will not dissolve just because you are so over it.

We are all potential victims. We are all possible killers.

The sacrifices we make can save a life. As it relates to this virus, if there’s nothing to spread, there’s nothing to catch.

We all have the right to be impatient about our current situation. The virus is no less dangerous and the cure is no where in sight.

Patience requires that we are willing to forgo present satisfaction for future benefits. Indirectly or directly, your behavior and choices can protect yourself, your loved ones and the rest of our nation. Even if the odds are against you that you won’t die from this virus, you still have a moral obligation to protect your fellow community members and citizens.

During these unprecedented times, we must be patient, disciplined and selfless as we voluntarily curb our freedom and make smart choices, all in the interest of the common good.

Keep showing up

Life often throws unanticipated challenges at us. Although a challenge may cause disappointment, anger, frustration or sadness, you are ultimately the only one who can choose how you decide to react and respond to the challenges that life presents to you.

Much of the “unfairness” in the world is not within our control. Too often, the situations we get the most upset over are situations in which we have no control over. Step out of the victim mindset and view yourself as a survivor.

This doesn’t mean you should ignore current situations and pretend bad things don’t/won’t happen. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t feel anger or frustration over devastating injustices that are happening in this world.

It’s important to control your emotions in a positive way. Otherwise, negativity and unfairness can overtake your thoughts and control your emotions - making it difficult to feel good about the world and your role in it.

You can’t change someone else’s decision or behavior if they aren’t willing to change.
You can’t change the tragedies that have occurred in our nation but you can support causes that will help prevent future affliction.

Don’t assume society will magically change. The real change comes when you go within and do the work of inner transformation.

You can’t predict the future but you can increase the chance for success by being persistent and consistent.

Sometimes we need to accept that life will be unfair. And sometimes we will have a strong intuition to fight for what is right.

Life is a mixture of devastating loss, baffling experiences and joyous occasions. Life is a hodgepodge of unpredictable moments.

With the past behind you and the future still unknown, enjoy the present. Gratitude is always an option.
Your current situation may not be what you planned or wanted, but you must accept what is, keep showing up and do what you need to do to be the best human that you can be.

Long workouts/weekend training reflections

Resilience and mental toughness come to mind when summarizing this past weekend of training.

Here's the run down:

Saturday:
Bike: 4:05 ride (70 miles) with 5700 feet elevation gain and one tough 4.5 mile (35 minute) climb up Sassafras mountain. Prior to that climb, we did a hard effort up to Rocky Bottoms - around 4 miles of climbing.
Run off the bike: 2 x 15-20 min smooth effort running with 6 x 30 sec of hill bounding (with 45 sec rest) in between the intervals (total: 48 minutes, 5.64 miles, 407 elevation gain
PM run: Smooth running for 43 minutes, 4.94 miles, 276 elevation gain)

Sunday: 
AM Run: Smooth endurance on rolling hills for 1:45, 12.7 miles, 617 elevation gain
PM group swim: 1 hour/2800 yards

Prior to this weekend, I had a solid week of training - a lot of frequency workouts. As the week went on, I was carrying around a lot more fatigue and working through a bit more niggles than normal but that's all to be expected at this point in my training block. Strength continues to be a focus in all of my workouts (including strength training) so I am feeling very fit and strong right now, but not so fast....and this ok!

Thinking back on this weekend, it's not surprising to see endurance athletes training with this much high volume at various points in the season, especially in peak training before an endurance event. However, I feel it's important to recognize that higher volume training is not a guarantee to athletic success on race day. Many athletes check off long distance workouts on the weekends that involve little structure or specificity or lack the necessary consistency in training to gain true physiological improvements. Instead of gaining fitness, confidence and race readiness, the athlete ends up exhausted, burnt out, injured or sick. In other words, just because you are an endurance athlete, you don't need to be collecting a massive amount of miles/hours over the weekend just to prepare for your upcoming event. Long workouts make sense if you are have prepared yourself to absorb the longer time spent training.

While endurance workouts are a component to preparing for an endurance event, we must not forget that it's the work you do prior to these longer sessions that help you better prepare for race day. Without the right foundation, you may be piling training stress to a weak and fragile body. Although the work that is done in the early part of the season is not as glamorous (or epic) as the longer sessions that make one feel hard core, like an "endurance" athlete, these workouts should be seen as your criteria for the longer sessions. Do your homework in the early season so that your body can better withstand the higher intensity/higher volume training when it's appropriately planned in your training.

Every athlete has the ability to work hard all season long but some choose not to apply the work ethic until there is some type of pressure of an upcoming race. Falling short on the preparatory work prior to the more specific race sessions is not the formula for athletic excellence on race day. While you can still check off those longer training sessions in the 4-8 weeks before your race, these sessions will do little to change your physiology or will allow you to dial in the many components that make for successful racing - like nutrition, pacing and mental strength - compared to if you did these sessions with months of previous work behind you. While I know injuries/sickness/life happens, you can't skip steps in building your foundation. There are no short cuts or quick fixes when it comes to the work that needs to happen to properly and safely prepare your body for an endurance event.

Nearing the start of my 12th consecutive season of endurance racing, I've always been one to embrace the grind and appreciate the process of preparing for a half or full distance Ironman event. Training is also a needed escape to reduce stress, give me energy, boost endorphins and let my creative thoughts flow. But on top of the joy I have for training/exercising, I think about my workouts of the day as a way to move me closer to my season goals. It isn't within one workout that will get me fit but instead, it's the accumulation of consistent workouts that allows for continued growth and development with my athletic skills and fitness. At 35.5 years old, feel stronger, fitter, healthier and more resilient now than when I did my first Ironman at the age of 24. Throughout my journey as an endurance triathlete, I've learned that success on race day doesn't come from checking off weekend long workouts in the 8-12 weeks before a big event but instead, nailing the basics every single day while building the strongest foundation possible to withstand future training stressors.

I am very excited to see what this season has in store for my body. I am bringing 12 years of learning, exploring and challenging my body - along with setbacks and obstacles that have helped me become a smarter and more grateful athlete. I am proud of my body for where it is right now in my training and I am extremely thankful to my body for letting me do what I do with it on a daily basis.

And to finish off my weekend recap, I can't forget about my new furry friends that I met during our shake-out spin on Friday afternoon/evening.

The power of patience in your athletic journey

Do you call yourself a hard working athlete? If you answered yes, YAY! You are already on your way to reaching your athletic goals this season!

But now you need to answer an even more important question - are you a patient athlete?

If you find that your hard work isn't paying off quick enough, you may loose motivation to train because of the long journey ahead of you with a race so far in the future, especially when faced with an obstacle or setback. Or, your high motivation to work hard may cause you to want to work even harder in order to speed the rate of improvement (especially if you are crunched for time with a rapidly approaching race) - Rest days become a waste of time, you give an effort harder than planned, sleep and diet are pushed aside in order to train more and you rush each workout in order to see faster results.

While you may be a hard working, motivated athlete, hard work only works if you are patient enough to embrace the slow and steady path ahead of you.

Far too many athletes suffer from the "I need results now" syndrome which is one of the biggest reasons why athletes fall short of their potential. Not to mention an increased risk for injury in the inpatient athlete as the muscles, tendons and ligaments need a lot of time for adaptation. 

In a world of instant gratification and real-time tracking/data, it's understandable why athletes seek quick fixes when they "need results now". Although we know slow, steady and consistent work pays off, many athletes don't have the mindset to be patient and diligent when results are not quick to accomplish.

Success isn't quick and it doesn't happen overnight. It can take many months, if not many years, to become better, faster, stronger or more resilient/durable. To experience success, you have to put in the effort day after day, month after month, year after year. Even in the face of "no improvements," trust that you are improving and you are getting closer to success.

As we welcome the start of the 2018 Winter Olympics, I encourage you to take inventory of your 2018 athletic goals and feel motivated and inspired by the performances made by the Olympic athletes in each sport. While these athletes are genetically gifted, the only way to reach "Olympic" status is with hard work, discipline and patience. Countless hours of training when no one is watching, staying disciplined through adversity and overcoming countless setbacks makes an athlete great. In other words, don't focus on in-the-moment results but instead, focus on what is happening in the moment to foster future success.

Hard work only works as hard as you do and hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. 

The patient athlete - it's not easy!

A few days ago, Karel and I registered for the 2018 Ironman Austria. If you didn't know, this is my absolute favorite course because I love everything about this race. The mountain views, the silky smooth pavement on the bike course, the crowd support and the overall race atmosphere. This will be our 3rd time racing at Ironman Austria and I have a few big goals that I hope to achieve at this race which will be years in the making.

With a two year intentional break from Ironman racing, I can't wait to complete my 12th Ironman in Austria next July 1st.

To be honest, it has been incredibly difficult to resist the urge from signing up for an Ironman over the past year. Even now, I am itching to race a 140.6 mile event and there were a few times that I debated to sign up for IM Lake Placid and race with Karel. BUT, I have remained patient as my intention for taking a break from Ironman racing was to fully develop my skills, resilience and fitness so that when I return back to Ironman racing, I will be more prepared than ever before.

As an athlete, I thrive off goals. But sometimes, goals take a while to achieve. It's easy to be inpatient, especially when it's so easy to sign up for a race, anytime. Racing for a 140.6 mile event is no easy accomplishment and it requires a lot of time, money and energy. Although big Ironman goals will get me out of bed when I lack motivation or energy, I have been reminding myself over and over that sometimes a goal takes longer than you want it to and I must respect the time that it takes to reach that goal. Instead of spending so much energy on obtaining my goal as quickly as possible, I am dedicated and focused on the process that it will take me to successfully reach my goal.

Every time I have a goal, I am aware that I need time to achieve the goal. Rushing the plan/process will likely leave me injured or burnt out and neither would move me closer to my goal (and both would sabotage my health and enjoyment for the sport of triathlon). Being patient through every training process has allowed me to keep my expectations realistic (and timely) and to keep a positive attitude throughout my individual development. 

Throughout this Ironman-break, I have been training hard with Karel as my inspiration. As he prepares for Ironman #8 (IM Lake Placid) and Ironman #9 (IM Chatty) this season, I am extremely motivated by his hard work ethic and his determination to reach his personal goals. Even though I am not training for an Ironman right now, I get to share the "Ironman journey" with Karel and it is extremely rewarding.

Karel is a very hard worker. He will be the first to tell you that there are no shortcuts or quick fixes to athletic success. To experience athletic success, you must have determination, motivation and a strong desire to go after a goal, and never ever give up until you reach your goal.

It's been exciting to see Karel's development in the sport of triathlon over the past five years. Success is not an overnight kind of thing and for Karel, he has made so many swim/bike/run improvements over many months and years. I don't think Karel will ever feel satisfied, too successful or that he knows enough about the sport of triathlon and that keeps him trucking away. He truly loves the process of athletic development and this mindset has helped me remain so patient in my individual athletic journey.

Even though we both have different athletic goals, with different race schedules, we both wake up with an inner drive to be the best that we can be and with every workout, we trust that we are a little bit closer to reaching our goals.

Every athlete is different. What drives you, motivates you and inspires you may be defined differently from your training partner or another athlete. Every athlete has his/her own path to success with a different type of work ethic. Every athlete has his/her own obstacles to overcome and a path that is not always smooth and straight forward. Although almost every athlete wants to experience athletic success, it is those who are patient, willing and determined to do what it takes, for as long as it takes, that will reach long term goals. 

To accomplish something great with your body, you need time and patience. Hard work works when every day somethings add into something special on race day. Stay patient with your goals and the journey that it takes to reach your goals. Great things are destined to happen to you - stay patient! 

Workouts fueled by patience and Trimarni blueberry coconut muffins

I knew it was going to be a tough weekend, mentally and physically. 

But through our "train smart" plan, I knew that the timing was right and that I was ready for this weekend's workouts (after a challenging week of training).

 I had worked really hard for several weeks in order to execute this weekend.

With our "train smart" approach to training, one of the most important characteristics that is required is patience.

With a masters degree in exercise physiology, I feel I have a good understanding of how to develop a practical and effective training plan. However, with so many variables to consider with training - intensity, frequency, duration, recovery - the athlete that wants to succeed must be patient with a well-formulated plan. 

This is also true for any individual who works hard for results. 

Karel and myself, along with our athletes, love to work hard. We are all very disciplined, we manage our time well to keep life balanced as age group triathletes/runners and we also are committed to our task in order to achieve our goals. However, the athlete who is patient through all phases in training will enjoy the journey from start the finish. And because there are always challenges within a journey, you do not only need to be patient but also very mindful of progress (which is not always told by a pace or speed).

As athletes, we all have goals. Typically, a long term goal is the driving force to maintain motivation to train hard for a specific amount of weeks/months. But even for the most hard working athlete, if he/she is hindered by impatience, that daily hard work ethic may not pay off. This may seem impossible because we have always been taught that hard work always pays off but progress requires a step by step process. And because we often thrive off instant gratification, it's very easy to fall short of your potential if you are not patient enough to wait for results to happen when they are suppose to happen. This means not getting frustrated if things are not happening right now, not setting too many goals at once that you feel overwhelmed by focusing on too much too soon and not constantly searching for a better, faster or easier way.

Training, exercising, racing or working toward a personal health, nutrition, fitness or life goal. 

Celebrate the milestones as you maintain patience throughout your journey.
-Is there something you can do now that you couldn't do before?
-Is there something that comes easier to you now than before?
-Is there something that you enjoy doing now that felt like a chore before? 
-Do you feel better than before? 
-Are you enjoying certain parts of your life more than before?

WEEKEND TRAINING

Saturday:

4 mile Run + 2 hr Bike + 1 hr T-RUN (7 miles)

(did the bike on the trainer to control my watts for the Z4/Z3 with our resistance controlled Cyclops fluid trainer)

4 miles (or 30 min) run up front. Just a comfy form focused run

Bike: 15-20 min steady then MS:

4 x 5 min @ FT (functional threshold) w/ 3 min EZ spin in between

10 min steady easy pace

MS2:

8 min @ Z4 + 12 min @ low Z3, 2 min EZ,

10 min @ Z4 + 10 min @ low Z3, 2 min EZ,

12 min @ Z4 + 8 min @ low Z3, 2 min EZ 

10 - 15 min SESP (steady effort still pushing) and then T-RUN.

15 min steady run. Walk a few minutes to stretch out.

Then 30 min of alternating: 5 min Strong/5 min steady

Stop and stretch. 

CD: EZ run to finish the workout.

Sunday

4:00hr Bike (84 miles) + 30 min T-Run (3.75 miles)

(biked with Karel. We rode out to Penny Farms in Florida and did 2 loops in Penny Farms on gently rolling hills for our main set)

Bike: 1st hr just ride 

MS: 8 min @ low Z4, 2 min EZ

12 min @ low Z4, 2 min EZ

16 min @ high Z3, 2 min EZ

24 min @ mid Z3, 2 min EZ

30 min SESP 

2 x 15 min @ high Z3/low Z4 w/ 4 min EZ in between

 Then SESP for the rest

T-RUN: 10 min EZ run, 3 x 5 min (descend 1-3) w/ 60 sec walk in between

5 min EZ CD.
(did the EZ run with Campy - who made me run a bit faster than I wanted! 7:44 min/mile pace for 1.44 miles with Campy. Then descend - 7:50 min/mile, 7:28 min/mile, 6:58 min/mile for the 5 minutes)

Blueberry coconut muffins

1 cup flour (I used Bobs Redmill gluten-free all purpose flour)

1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup blueberries (I used frozen)
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk (I used organic skim milk)
Unsweetened coconut shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray non stick muffin pan with cooking spray (you will use 7 muffins tins)
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a bowl.
3. Lightly beat egg in small bowl then whisk in milk.
4. Stir in egg mixture into flour mixture. Then fold in blueberries.
5. Divide batter among 7 muffin tins (about 1/4 cup). Sprinkle with coconut shreds (about a tsp or two per muffin)
6. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until muffins are light brown on top or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Nutrition facts: (without added coconut)

Servings: 7 muffins
Serving size: 1 muffin

Calories: 114
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 23g carbohydrates
Sugar: 9g sugar
Fiber: 1.4g
Protein: 3g
Sodium: 136 mg

I feel ya Campy!!

Tomorrow is NO ALARM (no morning workout) Monday to give my body a huge thank you for the last few weeks of consistent "train smart" training!

The patient and mentally strong athlete - revisited

Do you want the perfect life? 

Life is not perfect. Healthy individuals get cancer, cyclists are an annoyance to drivers, employees who work less get paid more than you and when everything seems to be running smoothly, life happens and you feel unbalanced. 

So what you can desire in life, is the ability to want the most out of your life. You can define your own definition of the perfect life by one that is consistent and involves a lot of hard work, growth and reflection. 

Today I officially registered for the 2013 Ironman World Championship in Kona Hawaii. This will be my 3rd experience on the big island, racing amongst the best (and most inspiring) age group and professional triathletes in the world. I will be arriving October 7th and departing October 15th. All the logistics of traveling are settled and all I have left to do is prepare my body and mind for my 7th Ironman. Nine weeks of another Ironman journey.

Thank you body.

One of my favorite parts of sharing my journey of life with others via my blog and facebook page is being able to revisit a few blog posts that describe my thoughts and philosophy of training and living a great life.
I feel we must all be patient in life, no matter what our fitness level.
We must always be mentally strong (and stable) to accept the demands, the outcome and the process in between.
And lastly, there are inspiring people all over this world. Although it is very important that we take care of ourselves in order to be able to take care of others, recognize that there are many people out there who don't get your good days and maybe even wish for your "bad" days. We all experience life differently and at the end of the day, we can only go to sleep wanting  more out of life yet willing to make the changes to make those things happen.

Patient athlete

mental training

Inspired by Kona

For your viewing pleasure (and happiness): (thanks Courtney W for the link)-
Dan Gilbert: the surprising science of happiness

The patient athlete

First Triathlon  2003

Ironman Wisconsin 2010

Ironman World Championship 2011

Are you a goal setter? Do you keep your eye on the prize day in and day out? My life functions the best with goals. I wake up excited to see what the day may bring and I go to bed, anxious for another opportunity tomorrow. I would assume that if you read this blog, you are motivated and passionate about health and fitness and I hope that you are spreading your wonderful energy to your friends and family in order to inspire others to live a more balanced active and healthy lifestyle.

In the case of making progress as an athlete - such as building endurance, speed, confidence, mental toughness and skills, it takes a lot of work and much like studying for an exam, you can't cram for a race in 1 week and expect great results. You may be able to fake your performance (unlikely in longer distance races) but the body is not going to retain much after the race. You have to be patient and not always do things happen when you'd like for them to happen.

There is a lot of continuous work that goes into great race day performance and the work is not always achieved in one season or in a few months. It takes a lot of effort to reach goals and many times, impatience keeps athletes from reaching what is very possible in the mind and in the heart.

We all know how to push when we are about to break and often times, we make progress this way. But then there are times when we push and make no progress and instead, move backwards. Not sure about you but I wouldn't want to be in a marathon and move  backwards when everyone is moving forward. The same thought applies to training. We each have our own ways to move forward but get caught up with rushing the process as to the "best" way or being like others and so, while others move closer to their goals by doing things their way, you may find yourself struggling to keep up. The mind may be strong but the body is tired, exhausted and burn out. Does too much too soon come to mind? Or perhaps, fear-based training?

Every athlete and fitness enthusiast will have set backs in life, set backs with fitness and set backs with goal reaching. Much like the satisfaction you get when you have a fantastic workout and physically feel yourself pushing to a higher limit, this same enjoyment should come from overcoming obstacles when you never thought that you could not succeed. By being patient, not only will you enjoy your great workouts even more but you will not feel overwhelmed when setbacks come into your path.

In training for 6 Ironmans (Placid being #6 in 6.5 weeks), I have learned that there is no "perfect" way to train for an Ironman. At the end of the day, you have to be patient with the process and most of all, you have to enjoy it. Many athletes, regardless of sport or distance of choice (racing or participating) have been limited in personal success because rather than accepting the progress that has been (and is still being) made, they search inside and out (thanks to social media/blogs/books/articles) for a faster, better or easier approach. New equipment,  a different fit on the bike, different nutrition, extreme changes in training...just a few that come to mind.

I think many active individuals (runners, triathletes) would feel comfortable using the title "type A" at times when it comes to training, racing, the diet, work and life.

" Type A personalities may have traits that lead to better performances in life and sport. Type A personalities generally have higher need for achievements and their behavior pattern is often associated with the success of an entrepreneur.

(Reference here)

Since I started competitive swimming at the age of 10 or 11, I have always lived my life as an athlete. My brain is trained to perform daily and because of that, there is not struggle to workout everyday (or move my body). I don't consider myself an athlete who stresses or over analyzes races, for my competitive spirit often desires the opportunity to be beat by those who are faster than me in order to help me push myself to be better. I try to look at the positives in every race rather than determining my success based on a finish place or time.

Because of my natural desire to be challenged in life, I have learned to enjoy the journey of reaching goals. The best journey is when you have your eyes set on a goal but you enjoy the journey more than the thought of even reaching that goal. Reaching the goal then becomes a bonus.

 If you know me well, I am an open book when it comes to goals and I am not afraid to talk about my goals and how hard I am willing to work for them. I've blogged about wanting to qualify for Kona at my Ironman's and other personal goals with my career.  I firmly believe that life has not been easy for me. Sports, school, life....I have encountered many struggles, obstacles and set-backs while trying to reach my goals.

So, therefore...patience is the most powerful weapon that I can carry with me in my journey of life.

If you are impatient and wish time to fly by, it's likely that you will struggle with reaching goals. Accumulation of hard work leads to great performances. Life, work, sports...even if you work hard but are impatient you will find yourself trying to take short-cuts or too many risks to try to progress too quickly.

You don't have to be an athlete to carry the unfortunate trait of impatience. Want to lose weight quickly? The fitness/supplement/diet industry can help you with that. Quick fixes and extreme efforts sell well. Instant gratification is what our society thrives off of as very few people desire to be the tortoise when you can be the hare. When people want results yesterday, it's no surprise that something that can be accomplished quickly is much more fulfilling than something that takes time to achieve.
Some progress is better than no progress. But if you have a goal and don't see extreme results in a week or two, how long will it take you to forget your goal and move on to another method to see if "that way" will be faster. Bouncing around from attempt after attempt is nothing more than feeling defeated by a challenge without realizing your true potential to achieve success.

There are no short cuts in life. I learned this about a year after obtaining my Master of Science degree in Exercise Physiology.
Wanting to do more with nutrition for active bodies and desiring to take my passion for public speaking and writing to the next level, I was told by many that I would need to obtain a Registered Dietitian credential to be qualified and licensed to "practice" nutrition.

For three years, I was forced to be patient. You can't rush time, especially when it comes to education. Unlike sports, doing more and wanting it now was not going to happen. The saying quality of quantity could not have been more true than during my 10 month dietetic internship. I learned more than I ever imagined and my initial dreams of having my own business and taking my passion for speaking to the next level were combined with a new love of clinical nutrition.

Throughout my dietetic journey, I also realized the true value of patience. Hard work in both sport and life will pay off but you can't expect results tomorrow if you haven't put in the time to learn lessons, to overcome obstacles, to feel defeat and perhaps, become someone who you never imagined you could be.


Life is not easy. I see nothing wrong with "I can't" being part of your vocabulary because you are acknowledging that something may not be possible that you are thinking about trying. But...how do you know it isn't possible if you don't try and get started now?

I have never allowed can't (for I have said it many times) to override "I can."

If there are any takeaways from this blog post, my hope is that you will never give up on your goals. Its much better to achieve a goal in 1,2 or 10 years than to think to yourself in 1,2 or 10 years....."what if I only tried a bit harder to be more patient with my approach and never gave up."