The Post Ironman Struggle Is Real, BTW.

How do you put into words the best feeling you've ever had in your life?

It's been 4 weeks since Ironman Madison, and I am still struggling to find the words that can accurately describe those 13 hours of my life. Sure, I could go through my whole race report and tell you how nervous I was, or how my pacing turned out, or even what happened with my nutrition plan, but those were just pebbles in the gravel on a giant mountain of a day. Don't worry, I will still go over that, but I think Ironman recaps are so much more than a data recap. They are a chance to analyze and interpret all the ups and downs and emotions that a race can bring.

Let's go back to 5 years ago. When I was a pack a day smoker. When I worked in a nightclub and spent my days sleeping until 4, only to wake up, get ready, and go get a beer and shot of Jameson before my shift at 10 pm that night. It was a vicious cycle, but it was all I knew. After spending 12 years in the service industry, drinking and sleeping were the two things that were just part of the deal. But about 4 years ago I made the shift into a healthier lifestyle, which included quitting smoking and eventually becoming sober.

And now my life is full of early morning swimming, long bike rides on the weekends and running at every chance I can get. I have also surrounded myself with a crew of people who have similar goals and aspirations, and I must say, life is great. I feel more mentally strong than I ever have before, and the physical transformation was a happy byproduct of this change. Which brings me to where I am today.

This time last year I decided I wanted to do something that most people would never dream of doing. I wanted to complete 140.6 miles in under 17 hours. Call me crazy, but that sounds like one hell of a dream.

Now, because I think I am somewhat of a glutton for punishment, I decided to compete at Ironman Madison. A notoriously tough course. But, as Jimmy Dugan would say, "The hard is what makes it great."
Woof. And what a fricking course it was.

The swim in Lake Monona was long, mostly because it really was. The 3rd buoy led me to believe I was making progress, but lo and behold, I was merely starting into the longest stretch of a swim I have ever had in my life. However, with the wave starts I was pleased to find that it didn't feel like as much of a washing machine as everyone had described. While I still got a few good elbow jabs to the head and one or two kicks to the chest from my fellow athletes, I actually felt pretty serene in the water.

Once I was out, I got my wetsuit stripped by a very nice gentleman, then I was off to sprint the helix and get to the transition. I am being one hundred percent honest when I say running up that helix was the coolest thing on the planet. I even turned to one lady and said "It feels like we are in the Olympics!" She didn't like my joke, but I thought it was funny and really accurate.

As I got onto my bike I had settled in and started to prepare mentally for the day ahead of me. As a not so strong cyclist, I knew this leg would make or break me. But when you start the ride by passing a house with free puppies in front of it on mile 10, you just know its going to be a good day. It took all my willpower to not get off and go play with them.

So the bike went as expected. Hills, great spectators, more hills, lots of farms, some cows, another hill or two, etc. However as I approached mile 40 I had to make one of the bigger decisions of that day. To walk Barlow or not. I had ridden it twice in training, but I felt like I had the energy of race day to get me up that beast. Plus when I got there and saw my coach in a foam cowboy hat and gold jumpsuit at the top, I knew I had to rally. And rally I did. Getting up Barlow, and the high that followed kept me going until about mile 75. And then things got dark. I was getting nauseous. My legs were getting tired. And I no longer wanted to be on my bike anymore. I literally at one point had to force feed myself a Lara bar and choke it down with some water. I knew that if I became underfed and dehydrated, this would be the beginning of the end. And as I hit Midtown for the second time, I saw Jeff and Kendra, the two best cheerleaders I could have ever hoped for. And they got me up that hill and over that mental slump I was in. It was a lifesaver, and I don't think they even realize how crucial they were to me finishing that bike ride.

The amazing thing about Ironman is that in the middle of things, when you feel your worst, you somehow pull out things that you never thought you would be capable of. As I rode into transition, I had a second wind that was pushing me onto the run course. It didn't matter that 20 minutes ago I thought I was going to throw my bike in the corn field, or that I thought I was going to puke up all my uncrustables and Huma packets I had consumed, or that I had no idea how I was going to tackle a full marathon. I was onto the next part of my day and I was ready to crush it.

I was off the bike and into my happy place. Only this was not like my normal happy place. I was immediately in the mind set of telling myself to "just move forward". There was no warm up. No build. I was thrust into my marathon and had to keep telling myself over and over this was my fucking day, how bad do I really want it? Luckily I saw my coach, Mike, right as I got out of T2 and he yelled "This is yours. GO GET IT!" And I knew I could do it.

Every mile hurt. Every single damn step was a challenge. Now don't get me wrong, some portions of the run I felt great and like I could run a million miles. But then there were many moments where I couldn't fathom how I was going to get through 26.2 miles. But I had the support of everyone I love. And each high five and cheer was enough to push my ass forward. Plus, State street was one of the most exhilarating crowd spectacles I had ever seen. You will never feel like as much of a rockstar as I did that day running by all those bars. I don't care if those cheers and support were fueled by Miller Lite and fireball, I was absolutely floored by that kind of love.

And special shout out to Coca Cola. That shit is liquid gold. Every aid station I took a swig and it was like when Popeye eats the Spinach and all of a sudden grows biceps. While I had told myself initially I was going to wait until mile 10 to drink Coke, I knew immediately that wasn't going to happen.

And as the sun began to set, and I made my way back towards State Street that day, a huge sense of sadness actually hit me. It was all over. Those 13 hours went faster than any minute I have experience prior. While some of those minutes may have felt like years, the day as a whole went by in a blink of an eye. It was the best day of my life, and I wish I could go through it again times a million.

The most poignant moment of my day came at the end. I rounded the last corner by the capital and could see the finisher chute. But before I got to it, Mike ran up next to me and said the words that finally made me cry my first tears of that day. He looked at me not only as a proud coach, but I could see that he was even more proud of me as my big brother. And he said the words that I will never forget for the rest of my life. "You did it. Everyone is waiting for you." And the flood gates opened, and I ugly cried harder than I have in a while. I was an Ironman. I had become someone who I never thought I would be. And I was someone who was worthy.

I had finally found who I was meant to be and how to be truly happy. And it only took me 140.6 miles to get there.

All Dressed Up And Only 140.6 Miles To Go

One whole year has passed since I sat down and put my thoughts into words about why I am training  to become an Ironman.

365 days since I woke up at 5 am, got a cup of coffee, grabbed my credit card,  and stood in line with my fellow aspiring athletes to sign up for Ironman Madison 2017. One year since I took a leap of faith and made a vow to become the best version of myself that I can be. It feels like it was only a few weeks ago that I thought I had all the time in the world to make my dream a reality. Now, lo and behold, here we are 51 weeks later, and I am staring down the barrel of my taper week into the loaded gun that is Ironman.

In the last few weeks I have had AMPLE time to reflect and think about the last year, and how my life has evolved. Funny how when you are on a 6 hour ride, your mind will wander to all sorts of previously unexplored places. While I usually have a few songs I like to sing to as an effort to keep my thoughts at bay, sometimes I can't help but have deep, existential ponderings while rolling through the countryside all alone.

Let me start by saying this last year has been hard. It has royally sucked in a lot of ways. But it has also been a year of the most personal and professional growth I have had in my entire 32 years. I kicked 2017 off by filing for divorce and moving back to Minneapolis. I felt like there was a whole life out there that I hadn't even begun to tap into. I had the itch to do bigger and better things. I wanted to accomplish things that I had never in a million years thought I could do (ahem, Ironman). And I knew it was a life I was going to have to traverse alone.

My heart is full with the amount of support I have received from everyone throughout this year. My coach and big brother, Mike, has made me into an athlete that I never imagined I could be. For all the times growing up that I resented him for being better at sports than me, or for being smarter, or for just being an overall great person, I see now that I was always just a jealous teenager. And now as an adult, I look up to him as a fellow athlete, and as a man that is truly a hero of mine. Despite him having a sick sense of enjoyment with his torturous training plans. And by that I mean making me do sets of a bazillion 200's in the pool, or 5k repeats, or the dreaded FTP testing. Despite all that, he is one hell of a coach, and the best brother a girl could ask for.

Ladendorf family State Fair outing. 

I may never eat a mini donut again. 

On top of both ending and beginning relationships, I found myself being thrust into a new role at the bar I work at. I was now the General Manager, and my responsibility and accountability had now skyrocketed. No longer was a I "just a bartender". The fate of the restaurant, the jobs of people that work there, and the success of the business model had now become my sole purpose. Holy shit. What a scary thought. Sometimes I still look at myself and wonder how the hell they trust me with running a business. I still see myself as the chaotic, frazzled, unsure, and anxious person that I have been in the past. But as I continue my career, I see that I am no longer any of those things, and I am fucking good at what I do.

However, as my professional obligations grew, so did my time requirements for training. Any semblance of "free time" had fallen off the wagon and tumbled into the proverbial ditch in my list of priorities. It was becoming hard enough to balance working, training, and sleeping a decent amount. I had to make the choice between eating/sleeping or seeing friends more times than I can count.

Believe me though, I am fully aware that I have been nonexistent as a human for the last 4 months. Thankfully a good portion of my friends and loved ones are fellow triathletes, so our quality time has been spent training or at races. And my family has been understanding about having a ghost for a daughter this year as well. I think I have told people I will "be a normal human in only a few weeks" at least a hundred times.

Mini golf with my favorite ladies. 

I am still thinking of a way to thank everyone in my life for putting up with the craziness that has been this year. Every step of this journey has been made possible because the people I love are helping push me to succeed.  Someday I will find a way to thank you all for being the guiding light in a lot of dark times.

Despite the personal struggles I have had, this year has been filled with lots of confidence building workouts. I have done mileage and times that I could have never imagined my body doing before. It's a great feeling to accomplish things that you didn't think your body could do. Especially for someone who spent years drinking and smoking and basically killing myself slowly.

Don't get me wrong though, with all the highs I have hit, there have been plenty of lows. I will never forget the first trip I took to Madison in July to ride the course. I woke up early, got on my bike, and tried to follow my handwritten directions. Which is a nightmare for someone like myself that has the worst internal compass on the planet. But I persevered, and headed out onto the loop.

And as I got 30 miles in, it started to get hot, I had royally screwed up some of my nutrition, and the course was beginning to take its toll. I got off my bike, and I sat down and cried. A lot. I had no idea how I was ever going to be able to do this loop twice, and then some. My legs were fried, and every hill I came up to made me want to curl up in a ball and quit. I had no clue how I was going to even come close to competing in an Ironman. I had never doubted my abilities more than I did in that very moment. I texted Mike and he assured me that I was ok, and this was normal. But it still felt like garbage.

BARLOW. My nemesis. 

And after a few short weeks, a century ride, and another two loops around the course in August, my confidence had returned. (That is until tapering began, but that's a whole different story)

In the weeks that followed that first trip to Madison, I found that when I wasn't working, I was either eating, sleeping or training. I guess it really is 100 percent true what everyone says about training for an Ironman. It is not for the faint of heart, nor the half assed. I gave my entire summer to this dream, and frankly I have given every day of the last year to one specific date; September 10th. I do not regret that choice for one instant. The long Saturday rides, followed by running in the heat. The early morning and late night swims. The brick workouts and two a days. It was all for something bigger.  It was for me to see what I am really made of, and what I am truly capable of. If you knew me 5 years ago, you would never believe that I would become the woman I am today. I train to prove all the preconceived notions of who I am wrong. I persevere to show other people, and mostly myself that I am capable of incredible things. The pain is what lets me know that it is real. The pain is what makes it great.

But in the end, all of the pain, all of the suffering, every drop of blood, sweat and all the tears will float away when I make my final descent down the red carpet to hear Mike Reilly call out, "Erin Ladendorf, you are an IRONMAN."

In 6 short days, I will see you all at the Capitol.

Chasing PR's and Petting Puppies

Well. Here we are again. Post race and I have all sorts of thoughts and feelings that I should probably get out of my system.

This last weekend was the Toughman 70.3 Tri in Chisago, and what a day it was! This race was actually my very first 70.3 distance race last year, and I was incredibly excited to make a triumphant return to this course in 2017.

I was especially excited since I came into this race last year under some not so stellar conditions. I had a brutal DNF at Liberty, and then rolled right into a cancelled swim and shortened course at Ironman Racine just one week prior. Those were my first two attempts at a 70.3 distance, and by the time I got Chisago I was exhausted both mentally and physically.

But 2017 is the year of Erin, and you better believe I had been doing every thing in my power to make sure that I was ready to give this course hell. While Ironman Madison is my ultimate A race for the year, I had my sights set on a PR for Chisago. I have even recently gone so far as to cut processed sugar out of my diet as a step into the more "healthy" and "no more dinosaur chicken nuggets" type of lifestyle. However, let the record state I still miss strawberry frozen yogurt and SMore's pop tarts and all things delicious. But luckily enough for me, I have included Uncrustables into my long course bike training. So, long story short, I found a very delicious and very sugary loophole in my diet. Queue menacing laugh....

Back to race day. It was a beautiful morning on Sunday, and conditions could not have been more perfect. The water was calm, and extremely warm. So warm that it was no longer wetsuit legal. Which to me was not a surprise, since last year it was the exact same scenario. Getting in the water was like stepping into a warm bath. Except with the addition of an aggressive amount of weeds. Like I spent a solid quarter mile of the swim with a giant weed stuck on my timing chip. I like to think that was the reason my swim was a bit slower than expected at 41:00.

The bike course is relatively flat on the first portion, so I made sure to take advantage of that speed right away. The course was clogged up with all the Sprint race participants, so it was hard to dial it back those first few miles out. I had the urge to race some, ok, all of the people I saw, but had to remind myself several times that I had 30 more miles to go than they did and that I should calm the f down.

I made it back in at 3:06, which was a significant PR from my bike portion last year. I was elated going into transition. I think I completely floated through T2, which showed because I was in and out of there in 1:03!

As I made my way out of the switchback and onto the run course I felt amazing. So good that I was clipping along at sub 7:00 the first mile. Which I knew was WAY too fast out of the gate, so I dialed it back right away. I was trying to hold onto 8:00 minute miles, which I had no problem doing on the front half. I had a some crazy positive energy that came with me those first few miles. I had a decent swim, I crushed my time on the bike, and my legs were feeling good off the bike.

I do have a theory that my run started so well because I had the support of my very fast, and very enthusiastic friend, Miss Nicole Heininger  there to support me after she raced and absolutely CRUSHED the Sprint course. Seriously, Nicole is such an inspiration. When I grow up I want to be as fast as her on the bike. I count myself lucky to have met this awesome and badass woman. Her and Nicole Kilgo are the coolest Nicoles I've encountered in my 32 years. :)

I really have gained a pretty fantastic group of friends through this sport, and every race is a testament to how great the Minnesota Tri community is.

Back to the run. As I rounded the last corner in the neighborhoods, heading back into the finish line, I thought about how grateful I was to be out there. Not only was I having a great day, but I was with the people I love and getting to do the sport that makes me happier than anything on the planet. BUT WAIT GUYS, THE BEST PART OF MY DAY WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. As I was starting to feel like the wheels were coming off, a super majestic golden retriever came tearing through one of the yards and ran right up to me. And he was so sweet and so excited to see all of us runners out there. So, of course, I stopped and pet that adorable doggo, and got the endorphin boost I needed. Also, one of the aid stations had grape Freeze-Es, which once it got to almost 90 degrees, was a fricking life saver. While nothing about that run really ever felt easy, it was legitimately one of the funnest races I have ever done.

With a finishing time of 5:35 and a 40 minute PR under my belt, I now felt my confidence coming back as I approach the last few weeks into Ironman Madison. Sometimes all it takes is a day of going out there and having fun to really see how succesful I can be when I put my mind to it.

Or maybe the secret to my success is Grape Freez-E's and puppers.

Next stop. Madison.

The Most Intense Balancing Act On The Planet

Balance. It is a tricky thing.

No matter who someone is it seems that having a balanced life is the most elusive, sought after unicorn on the planet. Chaos reigns supreme in this day in age, and I think my life is a prime example of that.

There are things in my life that I believe are a priority. Trying to have a successful career, staying in touch with friends, getting to spend quality time with family, and maybe even getting to spend some quality time with a significant other of the male variety. (God bless any man who has the resolve to put up with me during Ironman training.)

I mean, it makes sense. 

But ultimately, above all else, my number one priority for 2017 is to complete Ironman Madison in September.

How does one juggle all of the "normal life" things alongside the grueling and relentless training that comes along with training for an Ironman? How do you become the unstoppable swimming, biking and running machine that you know you can be, all while still having some semblance of a life outside the spandex?

Lake Waconia Tri 2017 with two of the most amazing ladies I know!

While I am still just outside of my peak training weeks, I have already begun to try and formulate ways to compartmentalize my life so I can achieve my goals. All without becoming a crazy recluse, shut in, cat lady, who only leaves the apartment to train. Which, is a pretty eerily accurate description of my perfect life, but that's a thought for a different day.

Here are some things I believe are helpful in the "I need a real life" department as I train for Ironman. They may not necessarily be helpful for all, but maybe they will give people a glimpse into what it really means to chase a huge dream.

1. Schedule one night a week to relax ALONE.
No distractions, no errands to run. Just a time to do whatever the hell you want. I usually end up watching a movie (let's be real, we all know I am watching Harry Potter or LoTR for the millionth time.), sometimes I read, other times I write. But all that matters is that I have a night to not be somewhere, having to socialize, and that I have time to actually unwind and relax.

2. Stop flaking out on plans.
 We've all been there. You make plans with a friend for a week out, and you are both so excited to hang, since its been forever! But as that day rolls around, and you have a long swim in the morning, plus a bike ride after, its easy to want to bail on that early dinner date with your bestie. And maybe this is a just a "person in their 30's" problem, but it happens more often than it should. My friends are the most supportive, loving, hilarious and impressive people on the planet, and I need to remind myself how lucky I am to get to spend time with people like that. I spend hours alone in the pool, running or on my bike during the week, so being social for a couple hours is probably good for me. I mean, until I become that weirdo who starts talking about my favorite electrolyte drinks or gel packets, and I start to see my friends immediately regret asking me about how my training is going. :)

These girls are my heart. This was my bday weekend in Arizona this year. 

3. Use a journal to make to-do lists.
This is something that I use for both my personal and professional life. And what a difference it has made. When it comes to my training, I am meticulous with the planning and completion of my workouts and I am always working to make sure that I get everything done that I need to. The same should also go for my work and personal obligations.
Writing a list, and then getting to cross things off as you complete them is one of the most satisfying things on the planet. Even the most mundane things seem like a huge accomplishment once it has been crossed off a list. Like I seriously write things like "take the laundry thats been sitting in the dryer for a week and fold it" or "call your mom" or "take an epsom salt bath". Things that seem common sense, but I need to see them to make them a reality.

4. Take a deep breath, chill the fuck out, and enjoy the journey.
Life is incredibly short. And as I get older, I realize how fast each day zooms by, and every time I wake up and look back, it seems like another year has passed in the blink of an eye.
I want to make sure that all my days are filled with things that make me happy and that make me a better person than I was the day before. But along with that, I always want to make sure I am savoring the moments I get to experience, because that is all that matters.

So sometimes, I just need to take a step back, embrace the chaos, and remember that my life is pretty damn amazing and I am going to enjoy the hell out of this ride.

"If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you." -Fred DeVito

Ladies and gentleman, my family. 

And the most 90s picture of all time. 

Countdown To The Capital

Holy crap. It's already race season again.

I feel like I literally just got done running Twin Cities Marathon, and now, boom. I'm going back out into open water. And into uncharted territory with my 2017 multisport race plan. I will be doing the big show. A full Ironman.

When I signed up for Ironman Madison last year in September, it felt like this season was still lightyears away. And now my countdown calendar is informing me that I only have 99 days to get my shit together and to race a full 140.6 miles.

I have been slacking on the blogging for the last year, which was partially intentional, and partially me just putting it on the back burner. And if you know me, you know that this year was a real doozy for me.

Filed for divorce. Check. Moved back to Minneapolis. Check. Started a job as bartender/general manager of a bar in the cities. Check. And then to cap it off, started training for the longest race I have ever done in my life. Check.

To be honest, training has been an absolutely amazing distraction amid the swirling chaos that was my life for the last 6 months. I don't know how many other people feel this way, but going out and hammering out some miles on the bike is always the fastest and most productive way to clear my brain out. I mean, it's more productive than going to the bar and slamming a few beers at least.

And that brings me to a change I have made this year in my training. While I have always had that nagging devil on my shoulder we call addiction, this is the first year that I can with absolute certainty say that I do not need alcohol or drugs to make me happy or to satisfy anything in my life. Which for a person who has worked the last 15 years in a bar to say, is shocking. Most people don't realize how much addiction of all varieties runs rampant through the service industry. We do such a hard job, with long, thankless hours, and a lot of the time we find that the best way to self medicate is to take advantage of the product that we have so readily available to us. But this year, with such a large goal looming in the near distance, I know that my mental and physical strength is going to be what gets me through that day. And I don't need anything getting in the way of that accomplishment. So now I have chosen to spend the summer being the person who is clutching a LaCroix or coffee instead of the gin and tonic or Deschutes Fresh Squeezed I would have previously had, while out and about. Which I am totally cool with. Because I do still let myself have fun and let loose from time to time. But lets be real here, with all the training I am doing (and will be doing) I rarely get a moment to go out and socialize.

Now this coming weekend will be my triumphant return to the Graniteman Olympic Distance Race out in Buffalo, MN. This was actually the very first race I ever did back in 2014. I did the sprint distance that day, and I knew from the moment I walked through transition that morning, that I was hooked. Now looking back, I can laugh at the fact that I was racing on the heaviest, most ridiculous aluminum monster of a bike imaginable. Or that I struggled so hard to get my wetsuit off, and literally thought I was dying on the run. It's crazy to think about that first race you ever do, and how far you really come as a person and an athlete from that time on.

That day in 2014 I did a 1/4 mile swim, 12 mile bike ride, and a 3.1 mile run. And I would have never in a million years thought that only 3 years later I would be training to do a full Ironman Race. I remember even saying to my coach Mike, I will never do a long distance course. That just sounds terrible.

And to be fair, 140.6 miles still sounds terrible. But it sounds exhilarating. And terrifying. And exciting. And so damn gratifying. And every single emotion I can think of. Because doing an Ironman is going to be one of the single greatest accomplishments of my life.

So this year as I embark out on the Minnesota multisport race circuit, I am feeling strong, hopeful and ready. I have done the training and put the miles in. I have even changed my diet a full 180, and I am down 20 pounds from where I was at that very first race in 2014. Which may not sound like a lot, but as someone who has struggled with eating disorders and body image issues since I was in my early teens, this is monumental for me. I am comfortable in my skin for the first time since probably ever. And it doesn't hurt that I am a little lighter on the bike, and my running has never been better. I got to feel the effects of that at the Gear West Duathlon 2 weeks ago. I knocked a full 6 minutes off of my 2016 race time! Despite the mud and rainfest that we endured that morning.


So thank you to my coach, Mike Ladendorf. Who is always looking out for me, and guiding me to be as great as I can be. And who always has poignant words of wisdom like, "Party till you puke." and "Go really fucking hard." Which those things actually are my favorite mantras to remember on race day. He has made me the athlete I am, and I am so grateful for him and the support I have from Final K Coaching services.

I also want to say thank you to my friends at Flyfeet running, and the amazing family I have been accepted into over the course of the last 8 months with them. I am stronger than ever, and I can do things I never would have dreamt to be possible. I mean, I still hate burpees and the dynamic mode on the treadmill, but I'll be damned if those things didn't make me ripped as hell this year! I even knocked out a 5:55 mile at the Twin Cities One Mile Race.

So with only a day away to get ready for Buffalo, my mind is clear and I have my goal for the day set.
I am going to go really fucking hard and party til I puke.

I'll see you all at the finish line.

Taking on the Flyfeet 21 Day Challenge

Happy New Year everyone!!

And with that comes every single person resolving to eat better, sleep more and train harder. I am guilty of this thought process as well. And as cliche as this will sound, I am going to totally kick 2017's ass.

I mean, cmon, I have PR's to crush, Half Ironmans to dominate, and one big A Race called Ironman Madison in September to finish. I have no excuses as to why I can't have my best performances this year. I am committed, focused and super motivated. But year after year I come back to that nagging sensation that I am missing a giant piece of the multisport puzzle. Nutrition.

Like most of us who are athletes, I think sometimes we fall into a mentality that, because we spend hours biking, running or swimming, that we have somehow earned the right to put total garbage into our bodies. Over the years I have absolutely made this justification time and time again. Every race was followed up with a burger, lots of beers, and some sort of sweet to top it off. Not exactly the best recovery tools. Unless you count chocolate milk. That stuff is liquid gold after a race.

And don't get me wrong, I am never going to be that person that is capable of having total self control all the time. I believe that this life is short, and if I want to eat a cupcake, I am going to eat the damn cupcake. And I am going to enjoy the hell out of it. But there has to be a balance in life. I want to optimize my performance, which means it's time to get serious.  By no means does that mean I am cutting out cupcakes completely, but there will be a time and place for those sweet, sugary, amazing, frosting covered cakes that dreams are made of. (Ugh, even talking about sweets makes me crave them. ADDICTION ALERT!)

This year I came across a little business in Minneapolis called FlyFeet Running. And oh boy, they have changed the game for me. The mix of high intensity running, coupled with high impact strength work, I have made gains in my strength and speed that can only come with going to a group fitness class that pushes you past your comfort zone. I have always found that strength training on my own was never as successful as I would like it to be. I get distracted and bored very easily. Especially if I am doing the workout in my home. Cue the magicians at Flyfeet. The instructors are knowledgable, and supportive. And one of them is even a MN Record holder for the 10k!! How badass is that? I want her to teach me allllll the things.
 And now, to add a cherry on the proverbial sundae, they are hosting a 21 Day Challenge within the Flyfeet community. It will include recipes, workouts, and the support of all the members and staff.

So since I wanted to try and switch my nutrition game up anyways, I figure now is as good of a time as any! I will embark on my no dairy, grains, sugar and processed food journey on January 8th. I will be posting recipes as I go, because as I have found in the past, there will be many successes, but just as many trainwrecks.

Stay tuned to see what happens! I will post a recap as soon as it is done as well. Then time will tell if this change will bring about all the podiums I am hoping to top this season.

Cheers!