The Peaceful Warrior

We have resurfaced into the prettiest days of winter here in Rochester. Temperatures are in the mid 20's to 30's, the snow is perfect form snowball fights and snowman making. The roads are clear and the earth is covered in a beautiful blanket of white.

If you look towards a forest at night, it no longer looms dark, the brightness of the winter snow illuminates the earth under a stunning full moon.These are the days that I relish, and these are the times I adore living in upstate New York. Those minus zero days can be difficult, but we have roofs over our heads and fireplaces to snuggle up in front of. Come the weekend and thirty degrees there is snow fun to be had, whether it is sledding, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, down hill skiing...... you name it and we can do it.

As I completed the fortieth mile of running this week I soaked up every inch of winter crisp air that I could. No longer the annoying bitter wind, but the stillness and beauty of winter. In just a few short weeks our attention will turn from staying warm to staying hydrated. From bundling up to stripping down. From gearing up to tapering.

We've even had a new arrival here in my gadget training land..... the Garmin 305. I am now able to track, GPS, graph and preplan and program running workouts into my Garmin, no excuses now. Now not only can I create graphs of all my workouts, I can graph my heart rate when I grocery shop and pee too! Talk about geek squad, I have fallen in love with data. Don't tell my physics teacher in high school!I

have had a wonderful week of training, and as I arrive here at the end of it I find myself feeling very good. Soreness has escaped me, which I will forever credit to yoga. The 90 degree room and the constant flow not only help strength but the flexibility issues we all face. Last weekend I taught to a group called Moms in Motion. They told me that I legitimize yoga.I can't explain it, I can't articulate it, but yoga has brought me more than flexibility. So much more.

Swimming is feeling great, even though I had to swim alone this week. My friend Susan was in Hawaii for her yoga training, as I was last year so I subbed her am yoga classes. Swimming alone gave me good alone time. Good technique time. Good pace time.

I am loving the Vasa Trainer.

The four hour ride came and went. Actually 4:10. And it was effortless. My intensity rose and fell as I focused on different things for different parts of the ride. Cadence, wattage, zones, pace..... my head was in a peaceful place. I had no difficult moments, it was like this ride and I were destined to be together. It came and went quietly and it was then, at the end of 4:10 that I felt grateful for the previous debacles and bad workouts. I knew this day would come. There is something about the Lake Placid course, whether it is on the Computrainer or in real life... it mesmerizes me.

Coming this week we develop into more hills, with tempo tucked into the middle of it all, blending together for some intensity and mileage that will take me to the cycling heaven that I dream it will.

I hit 40 running miles for the first time in a few years without incident. The long run was in the middle of the week, with a middle distance run on the weekend. Just remaining in one II-III as I work on cadence and hills. Nice and steady. It's a great place to be compared to where I was a year ago today.

Strength is still coming along, as I have completely fallen in love with functional strength training. And did I mention how much I love the Vasa Trainer?

Nutrition, falling into place. The next 3 weeks will rob my body of the final 10 pounds, as the focus becomes not losing them too quickly. Good food in = good performances out.

Not all weeks will glide by with ease. Not all workouts will feel light and easy. The intensity is gaining, the hours are at 16. I look forward to days of challenge and more focus. I look forward to the sun shining down, I look forward to the taste of salt water in 2 months.Here at the end of the week I am analyzing the collected data, with the collected notes of how I felt.

My inner awareness is heightening, strengthening, honing in.My wings are spreading and I am preparing to fly. With a recharged heart, a recovered body, and a mind that is clear.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for your kind support.:-) Mary Eggers