Adjusted Reality

I truly love adventures and travel and new experiences and generally just “doin’ stuff”.

However, all of those things throw me off routine. And sometimes that’s great! But… routine is absolutely key for me to lose weight. So, yeah. I’ve traded life (and food) experiences for progress in the last month and a half. I don’t regret it, but it’s time to get back to it.

#1 The Unwanted Kettlebell

The good news is I haven’t really done much damage; I just haven’t really continued my momentum downward. I also have been absolute shite at weighing daily and inconsistent with tracking every morsel during travel (I even took a break from it whilst on the 4-day cruise). So, it absolutely makes sense.

My overage for the month of October was 1624 calories. I’m also sure with an out-of-town race and Halloween shenanigans and a week at a convention didn’t help me do the most accurate tracking in the world. But, at least by tracking the best I could and seeing the overage more days than not, especially later in the month, I wasn’t super surprised by no progress.

November is already better, trending downward (slightly – instead of the .16 lbs gained per week it’s .56 lbs lost, which is something). Even with a cruise. I have one more trip, but this one is camping, and I’m in full control of what I put in my cakehole and excited to cook (for the most part) yummy healthy food. So, getting back to legit balancing my calorie intake vs expenditure starts again now. My rest of the year goal is to not use the holidays as an excuse. Thanksgiving is one day. Christmas has a few “days” with parties and such, but totally manageable with increased activity. And now that it’s gorgeous outside, running is a pleasure, not a chore, so that helps too.

#2 Sporty Spice Things

No problems here. Even after the race, I didn’t feel like I needed a break from activity, but what it was got more optional.

Weights – perfect 3x week. It helps that my work convention hotel had a REALLY nice gym and I made it a priority in my head to get up early to work out before the panels started. Weirdly enough, it also helped that all the cardio machines had solitaire. Have you ever played solitaire while running? I highly recommend and found the 3 miles went by in the blink of an eye (or 3 wins in a row the last day!)

Speaking of running – I did a lot! I went on 16 runs at 54 miles total. I am loving running lately!

Biking – 11 bikes (not counting the double bike count on race day) at about 100 miles total. Not bad for someone who no longer “has to bike” because I’m not racing. None of these (besides race day) were outside, but the trainer is a really nice easy way to get some activity when I can’t be arsed to do anything else.

One swim. During the race. I’ll do that again… sometime.

Continued with a least 1 mile per day of walking, more (lots more) some days. 48 walks for 85 miles total. While those total activity hours on the calendar look impressive, I’d say about 1/3 to 1/2 of the time is walking, which is absolutely great. I just have to remind myself that while I have been logging 11-16 hours a week, which are some peak Ironman totals, I’m not overworking myself because a lot of it is really low impact fun stuff that gives me energy and boosts my mood.

And, uh, I raced a triathlon, finally, and won my age group. 🙂 That was fun.

November and December goals are really just to keep up the activity, continue to prioritize recovery, and lengthen my long run. I’m comfy at 10k right now, I’m trying to ramp up to 15k by the end of the month and would like to do a double digit run or two in December. I’ve got my eye on a half marathon in early 2026 for no other reason than it sounds like fun and will motivate some training. If it ends up not being a good idea, then I’ll just keep happily wearing a path around my neighborhood in whatever distances make me happy. Weights 3x week non-negotiable, but that’s like now until I’m 100 years old or I can’t no more. Cycling will happen, cycling outside MAY happen, and if I get in a pool and swim laps we will all be shocked and celebrate together.

#3 Adulting

Not a whole lot of time for adulting, but we did meet with and are going to work with some financial planner people who will take care of many of the things we SHOULD do but just don’t have the spoons to deal with right now. I did manage to get my hairs done and I need to do this once every six months minimum, not every year. I’m so much happier without the stupid grey streaks and it being 5 different colors. I returned the things I needed to return (minus one sports bra which I will either see if Under armor will help me out or I will just donate it somewhere). I still need to do the Dr appt, but I still have 2 months of pills left, so I will probably just schedule for late Dec/Jan when things (hopefully) will be calmer.

With what’s left of November, I don’t think I have time for adulting goals, so we’ll reset in December with my holiday break list. My plan is to try to spend 1, maybe 2 hours max most days doing projects (with some complete slack days so I don’t drive myself crazy) so we can get things done but also not feel overwhelmed. I’ll make my list, we’ll tackle whatever we can each day and then quit when the time is up. We don’t have anything major, just little things like cleaning out some drawers, closets, garaage, shelves, etc, so this should work well.

#4 Hobbies

I have continued to take a break from Book 3… by writing Book 5. Wait, wait, let me explain. Fork has come back for an appearance in a new D&D campaign, which will probably be a “dream” sequence after Book 4. I’ve always wished I could write these things while the material is fresher, so I’m going to take this opportunity, at least for the first draft. I still aim to continue to edit Book 3, but that will take back burner for now.

Been cruising on the photo editing – I got all the Spookywalk pics done by Halloween weekend and then resumed Bonaire pics. I’m exactly halfway through now, and I’m guessing I’ll finish these early December. Then I have to decide which of the other sets I want to start – Krause, New Braunfels, Seattle, San Francisco, the Cruise, or the upcoming Oklahoma camping trip (just a few short trips in the last 4 months!). I may start small and knock a few of those out before taking on something bigger.

The guitar picking continues, at least lazily. I have played it at least 1-2 times a week for a song or two. Better than nothing. For Christmas, we’re fixing the electric guitar which I assume will motivate me to play more!

Everything else… I’m looking forward to late December hobbymas. 🙂

#5 Work/Life Balance

I think it’s going ok. I kind of realized that some of this means drawing boundaries at home, since my husband is also my coworker. And, that he can complain about things at work without them being digs on me, even if I can take it that way if I was feeling vulnerable, because I’m responsible for everything. We now have the agreement that he knows I assume he is blowing off steam unless we specifically talk about the topic being something to solve. If I tried to solve every “problem” that came across my plate at work, I would need 5 clones running 24/7 to accomplish that. Instead, I need to be better at categorizing things as “talking about the nail in my head” (just being a rubber duck, listening), “strategizing how to pull the nail out of my head” (advice, but no action myself), or “helping pull the nail out of my head” (actually taking action myself to help solve or just solve the problem).

So, yeah. Keepin’ on keepin’ on and doing the best I can, either making what progress possible or just keeping myself from backsliding, until I can arrive at the promised land – holiday vacation – and get a nice long winter’s nap. Well, between the running and projects and hobbies. 🙂

I tend to post about these things on social media first, but I like having them here for posterity. Especially when I have a good day!

In September, I was supposed to race a triathlon. The truck died and we ended up DNSing. Thankfully we had another one already on the plan in October 12th. My mindset wasn’t great but, it was what it was.

From the day before:

Time to tri again at the triathlon thing tomorrow, Wurst Tri Ever edition.

My enthusiasm to race sort of fell off after the Cal Tri situation. Not that I’ve been training any less, but just going out there and smashing myself against a clock? Idk. Sounds like a next year thing for me after a whole lot of time to build more fitness and work on body composition.

Or, it may be the fact that I’m feeling a little intimidated about some of those crazy hills on the bike out there, one that I’m actually kind of worried I might need to walk? That’s entirely possible too.

However, no matter who shows up tomorrow – the me who is ready to eat this course for breakfast or fall over trying, or the me who just wants to go play triathlon – I’ve spent the last 6 months establishing great habits training regularly. And after the last 5 years, that’s a whole freaking victory in and of itself.

Food shoutouts today –

Granzin’s BBQ. That sandwich will be on my mind for a while.

Montana Mike’s- A chain, I know, but a super tasty version of my pre-race chicken, potates, and salad meal.

Weird to be in a hotel, not the camper, but much better for just one night. Time for tea, reading, massage boots, and early sleeps.

Heh. Famous last words. On the sleep, at least. And it was telling that I was almost more concerned with the food than the racing prep but damn, that BBQ was really good.

Wurst Tri Ever? Maybe not.

Really terrible sleep last night but that’s always hit or miss the night before a race. Hotel coffee. Half a bagel right as they opened breakfast at 6am which was later than we should have still been there. Was still in line when they were supposed to close transition so was a little rushed setting up (but so were a 100 other ppl so not reaaaally our fault).

In a true reckless maneuver, I wore a new kit that I haven’t even ran, biked, or swam in. This is an absolute normally but it just felt right, new race, new vibes, been a whole year since I raced one of these, etc so new kit. Why not? I liked it. At least as much as my old one.

Swim was a cluster $#^@ because it was a snake swim in a pool but for 300m no one is winning or losing there so I swam on some feet and didn’t raise my heart rate about it. (about 7 mins)

In T1, I had forgotten to put any nutrition on my bike, so I took a few extra seconds to do that then off I went (about 3:30)

In the first half mile, you reach an incredibly steep hill, the one I built up in my mind that I might have to walk, but I summoned all the effort and heavy breathing and even passed people and was done before I knew it. I mean, it burned a match or three on the legs and lungs, but I guess my bike fitness was better than I thought. That was not that last hill though. I’m not sure how they found so many on a 6 mile out and back course but hooo boy. Let’s just say I was thrilled with over 16mph and 46 mins and normally I’d be pissed about going that slow. On the way out, I was telling myself this was a “one and done” for this race. On the way back, I found myself wanting to see if I could do better next time.

Some things I want to work on for next year’s cycling:

More riding outside. I have been able to build good fitness indoors but my handling has gone to crap. This means I didn’t pass when I should, and I was too cautious on the downhill and corners. I means obviously some caution is wise but not this much. And… I need new sunglasses that don’t fog. They went down the shirt right away because I couldn’t see and never got used. Seeing is kind of important on the bike.

T2, I tried (with practice beforehand) quick laces with no socks on my running shoes. Worked great and saved me a ton of time. 10/10, will do again. (1:15ish)

On the run it took me a little bit to get my legs turning over but they did and I felt something I haven’t during a tri run in many years… Great! I was clipping along at under 10 minutes per mile and passing people. I walked 10 steps up a hill but otherwise kept a nice pace. I kind of forgot to kick it at the end, which I bet would have taken me in the 9-something mins/mile range, but I’m very happy to have been close. (10:07/mile for about 2.5 miles). Something to remember for extra time.. if you actually feel good at the end, go empty the tank. I’m usually in survival mode my the last half mile.

1:24:xx and what’d ya know-first in my age group! And there was even at least 3 people since 3 awards were given. I was joking earlier about wanting a piece of plastic to justify my triathlon worth and I earned myself this most glorious 3D printed (unusable) beer stein. First first in my 45-49 years and with more work, hopefully not my last.

So yeah, it was a good day. I’ll take it!

After some time reflecting on this day, I realized that what I can work on for next year:

• Body composition, obviously. Though I’m in pretty good shape in terms of strength and a good base, I really could shed some fluff to sharpen the stick. At 165, I was much more easily running 8-9 min miles as my race pace. I’m stuck at 10 now at 184. VO2 max work is… working slowly but I know dropping some weight will help.
• I need to ride outside more. All the fitness in the world doesn’t help when I get skittish on the bike and don’t pass people and start riding my brakes when I get above 20mph and have no confidence on hills. That takes doing. I just don’t like doing it. 🙂
• Speaking of confidence, it was such a mind*$&% to be running sub-10 pace and feeling great that I didn’t know what to do with myself. The correct answer is speed up until you feel like you’re pushing yourself, which takes some practice that I haven’t had that much of lately.

But, hey, I got to race a new race, I bombed up some hills and didn’t have to walk, and I came in 1/5 in my age group and top 1/3 in my gender. None of that sucks!