Off Season.

Off Season.

Last year my kind of Off Season was sneaking in runs. Adding on, say... 25 extra miles to an already strenuous venture through the Grand Canyon. An occasional 'oh whoops, I have no idea how I ended up biking that many extra miles.' Guilty!  


This year, as hard as it is for a stubborn-always-on-the-go-do-not-want-to-slow-down-hard-headed-do-it-my-way-girl, I truly took time OFF.

Like off off. Like absolutely nothing. ZERO. and guess what...

I liked it    > HA!, HATED every second.  But I did survive :)  


T continues to help me see... 

'Training hard is easy; recovery takes courage and confidence.'  

↑ Maybe that is why I have such a tough time with the whole recovery thing.  Confidence is hard to be had.  It is for me anyways.  I was reading on another blog that said many people see 'training hard as a sacrifice.. but for me that is where I thrive.  Sacrifice comes when I'm asked to not do the things I love and RELAX.'

Relax. Recover. Rest.  Really, it is pretty damn simple.  This whole process is actually pretty dang easy when you have the confidence to follow the rules.  

♦
♦

Step 1. 
Work your ass off.  Build your body up! GO GO GO. Harder harder harder.  Push the body past your limits... 
            (side effect→ broke down)

Step 2. 
Rest. 
Heal.
RECOVER.

Step 3.  Repeat. akhilandeshvari 

♦
♦
... you know what is not included in THIS chain of events? Injury.  I plan to keep it that way too.  Anyways: 

Fitness was lost.  
Weight was gained.  
My mental sanity was tested.
Body rejuvenated, rested, and ready.      BACK TO STEP 1! 

Few things I've been up to

T-3 Turkey 5K

Winter Sun 10K

Some good things to come in 2015!!

xoxox

Carving my path: Mt Nebo - Triple Summit Report

“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” 

― Henry David Thoreau

The past couple weeks I have found myself in a funky mood.  I think between post 'Ironman Blues'  (yes, it is for REAL) and some unexpected changes with friendships, I've been having a hard to being the positive Christie that I usually am.

So-   Being 'off-season' I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take Sr. Thoreau's repeated 'single footsteps' advice and revisit the highest peak on the Wasatch Front.  

Mt Nebo is comprised of 3 main peaks.  In order to complete the 'Triple Crown,' you need to summit each one. Elevation range 6500-11,900, 7700 gain, ~19 miles   

'South to North Route'

We started bright dark and early at Andrew's Ridge trailhead.  

The trail leading up to the south peak immediately starts out steep.  We were with headlamps for the first few miles and managed to wonder off the trail for ~.5 mile.   

This meant hacking through some scrub trees and thorny bushes.  (Hate that!!!)

Yes I am still sporting my IM Wristband :D

Once we worked our way up the switchbacks to the ridgeline, all three peaks were in clear view.  Summiting the south peak is not technical whatsoever but it is steep and you can feel the lack of oxygen.  

Signed our names in the book at the top and headed for #2. 

We traversed along the west side of the ridgeline.  This area had a few scree-covered slopes to ascend/descend... nothing too bad.  A little bit of snow here and there as well.  

I remember back in 2012 being pretty dang scared of falling down the cliff on this section.  This time I was nowhere near as nervous.

 At the top of #2, we spotted a group of massive mountain goats.  Sweet!!

Last year, we took the west trail to reach the final summit.  Today, we decided to make our way to the top of North Peak staying right on top the Ridge/slight East side.  

It felt great making it to the top of the final climb!

 Highest point on the Wasatch Mountains

After having a lunch break, we started our descent.  It is a little rocky.  

Nothing difficult enough to be called 'scrambling' though.  

 Once down that initial drop off, all the hard work was done.  It was just clicking off the miles back to the car... step after step after step.  

After we hit the Monument Trailhead, we walked under a mile on the road before dropping down (more bush beatings to the body, yikes!) to the river bottom where there is a well defined trail (Salt Creek). This area along the river is freaking gorgeous!  Full tree coverage, saw several deer, quiet and peaceful.

  

Really great day! Finished off with a huge high five with my dad!!  I think it is funny how drained you can be after something like today but also recharged at the same time.  

..I approached the bottom of this massive mountain feeling small and down.  After several steps forward and several positive thoughts, I left feeling optimistic and higher than Mt Nebo!

xoxo 

Off Season and Fall Fun

Lets just start this post saying coming down from your peak... simply sucks. 

Post-race depression is for real. Teresa prescribed a schedule to kick off the 'OFF' season that left me with some major training withdrawals... antsy, annoyed, bored, cranky... IN A MAJOR FUNK.  

It took a lot of trust in her to listen.  I didn't like it one bit (Hello Christie Control Freak) 

but I got through the rest phase that in all reality, my body NEEDED. 

(Do yourself a favor and go read this post over and over for a reminder of the importance of rest) 

and now...we are back to base building for a whole new level of racing in 2014!

In the mean time... some off season Fall fun 



Supporting friends
St George Marathon

Absolutely fantastic day!! The St George Marathon snapped me right out of that funk and rejuvenated my spirit.  Rachelle and I had so much fun pacing people throughout the day.  Watching the leaders pass at mile 23 with such focus was crazy inspiring!  Walter, Janice, and Julia let me share in the last few miles of their races which was incredible. 

I ran (and screamed) the last 3 miles with Walter who finished with a 2:36... NBD, right?!  Janice was flying when I found her and finished so dang strong earning herself a nice PR.  And Julia PR'd and BQ'd. SO PROUD.


Park City 5K Pink Series

Laura was nice enough to let me spend the night with her before the race in Park City.  It is absolutely stunning up there this time of year! Fun race... but a whole lot of ‘girlieness!’  When they say PINK they are not kidding! :)  Got a fun prize for 2nd overall. 
 

2 products I am OBsessing over right now...  both from Zoot 

There are no words to describe how AWESOME these recovery tights are. Seriously. After you eventually get them squeezed on, the lower half of your body is in pure bliss. For a week  post Worlds/Big Cottonwood weekend, I may have only taken them off to shower :) Worth.Every.Cent.

Kiawe's - Mad crushing over these shoes lately.  I love my Brooks Pure Connects for road racing, but after Boise 70.3, I decided to look for an alternative triathlon specific racer because of all the blisters I was getting. Major score. 

 

Race Pacing - Moab Other Half

 
This past weekend I went with the American Flyers Race Pacers to help pace the Moab Other Half.  I had the biggest group I have ever had in a race stick with me.  It feels so great at the end of the race when you are able to help people achieve there goals.  Almost all of them came in under goal time too!

While we were down in Moab, had to take advantage of the beautiful scenery and did a short hike up to Delicate Arch before heading back home...