Well this is copy # 2 of this blog post. I finished a full post a few days ago. I thought it was quite introspective. Then I inadvertently deleted it off my iPad app! So after taking some time to rethink it here is version #2. The online version has draft save so I think from now on it is a safer bet!!

Since my race season was over the day it started I have had to come up with new goals for this summer. This will be the first year since I started running in 1996 and triathlon in 1998 that I have not raced. Even the years I was trying to get pregnant and the year I had my daughter I managed a race or two. So I have decided to use the time to fulfill other activities and goals . My daughter is off to sleep away camp for a month and so I have plenty of time (although it flies by!) to work on them. Here they are: 

1. Reconnect with my husband . This is the most important one. Life gets very busy for most of us. Full time jobs for both, an almost 11 year old daughter ( I can’t even imagine 2-3 kids!) who is involved in a few activities and requires a lot of brain power from us makes connecting daily difficult. By connecting, I mean even just talking about something other than our child. It means sitting down to talk about our days, current events (what are those??!), planning outings (what are those??!) etc. We have decided to have date night at least twice a week and the other days just hang out at home. 

2. Rehab not training. This one is big for me. The reason I am in this injury state right now is because I had not been smart in my training over the winter. Now that I am absolutely forced to stop running and to take it very slowly in the activity I can do following my month of almost total rest , I need to think in terms of rehab not “training”. There are no races on the horizon for 2014. So I need to do what is required to come back stronger. That involves a lot of that “P” word……….. yes patience. Taking it gradually now will only help me for the future. 

3. Read as many books as I can. Many people suggested I start to watch some good TV series while I am laid up or on a sabbatical from real training. I am not one who likes much TV. I find it boring, and I can’t concentrate enough on it to get into it. Too many distractions. But I do love to read. I can read outside in the summer which is what I love to do. I equate outdoors with reading and indoors with the internet. My favourite thing in summer especially at night is to read until the sun goes down. I also love to sit in the sun (yes, I know it’s bad)…and reading goes along well with that too. I have about 92 books on my to read list!! I don’t read quickly, so I better get started! Right now I am into The Goldfinch. It is quite good. 

4. Spectate at races I can’t be at to race. My original big summer goal was to race this weekend at Syracuse 70.3. I was trying to qualify for Mt. Tremblant Worlds 70.3 as it was a close proximity race. The Worlds now is rotating locations. Next year it is in Europe. Not as easy to get to by car:). Because I had to take time off in February for a foot skin issue, (hence the too fast comeback in April) I realized by early May I would not be ready and I had then decided to step back my race distances. The following weekend I raced Sporting Life and sustained my stress fractures. Too little too late. Anyway, spectating is always fun. It’s usually more fun when you are able to race but knowing I absolutely can’t I look forwards to cheering on some friends at their own races. I love seeing others accomplish their goals and the race energy is great. 

5. Learning to just Be. I am the sort of person who normally does not sit still. I feel guilty sitting still. I can really only sit for about 45 mins at a time then I need to do something. Anything that requires me to get up and move. I am really not much fun in a movie theatre anymore! But……this needs to change. Why do I feel this way? Why can’t I sit still? I am not sure. I will take this time to search into myself and find out why I always need to be busy or thinking about what I can do next to occupy my mind and my energy. One of my clients said to me recently, it is so important to just BE. A hard thing for me to learn, but one that is absolutely necessary. 

So these are my big goals for summer 2014. Heal up, get smart about training, plan for 2015. Come back stronger in my athletics and calmer in my mind. Learn from my mistakes. Enjoy this extra downtime with my family, my friends and myself. Be nice to me and empathetic for myself instead of needing to be all or nothing. 

I hope everyone has a great summer and if you are racing, let me know where you will be. I may just be spectating along the way!