What I’ve achieved during my two weeks of rest and recovery:
Recharge and Reflection
Well, today, on my last day of my 2 weeks off, I managed to get stuck in the mud! Literally. I live in the forest and our driveway is slim with mud in the center and off either side. I got a little off track and boom, I was stuck. I quickly got overwhelmed and cried, I didn’t know what to do but after failing to fix it myself, I had to get my amazing housemate, Chris, to come help me. He managed to get me out of the mud and calmed my fears of being scrutinized for a mistake I didn’t mean to make. He was very kind and understanding. I think a lot of the fear I felt of him being mad at me was in my head, like a lot of things.
But about what else I’ve been up to:
Monday, the day after my race, I just relished the fact that I didn’t have to stress about fitting a workout into my day. I didn’t have to worry about what I was eating, the time when I was eating, when I went to bed, and how I felt when I got up. I didn’t have to stress all these things that I have been so focused on to be able to perform and train well. I didn’t even realize how much triathlon has infected my life until I got a break from it. I was really just able to go with the flow of the day. Which lent quite nicely while being in San Diego with my family. We went to the beach, went shopping, and went to kids’ sport games. We were busy but it was all low stress. I also started to reflect on what I wanted to do with my life. After celebrating my 25th birthday, I realized that I am not getting any younger, but that I do have time to make lots of decisions .After talking with my uncle Steve and aunt Lindsay about it, I decided to meet with a coast guard recruiter in Vancouver before heading back up to Bellingham. I was very sad to leave my family because I love them so much and their So Cal vibes. I cried on the plane and various other times. When I made it back home, I met with the recruiter, and then headed up to Bellingham. I thought about what the recruiter said and got words from my Uncle Steve about what he thought. I value his opinion.
Hanging out on the beach with my mom while Uncle surfed. Camp Pendleton, CA. Photo by Sarah Ellis
When I got back to Bellingham, Andy and I celebrated my birthday with dinner and dessert. It was a lovely treat! I dog sat my housemate’s dog, Briar. It was really nice because she’s generally pretty chill and very cuddly. This is when my rest and recovery took full effect. The weather was extremely stormy and made for a very cozy environment to stay inside. I watched a lot of Bob’s Burgers, read and got ready for my book club meeting! The weather also made me feel extra thankful for not having to train. I just laid down and did what I wanted.
I was so full I only had a bite of the cookie, but it made a perfect breakfast the following morning! Pure Bliss, Downtown Bellingham Photo by Andy Dewey.
I read two books within my 2 rest weeks. I read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. The latter of which was for my book club. I always find that when I take a break from triathlon, I always lean further into creative activities like reading, writing, or drawing. It feels so healing to be able to do that every once in a while. I also cat-sat for a friend within my two weeks off and got to hang out with her cats in her gorgeous, quirky home with a wonderful view of Lake Whatcom. I got so many cuddles from her cats, it was glorious! I hung out with friends, not in a sport setting, and drank beer more frequently than normal. I also took a couple extra shifts at the pool which was perfect to make up for work I missed in San Diego.
On the couch, cat-sitting while reading Legends and Lattes. Photo by Sarah Ellis
I have been particularly grateful for is the women in the water aerobics classes that I teach at Arne Hanna. I invited them to join my blog to support me and get more eyes reading what I’m writing, but it has turned into so much more than that. What I didn’t expect was the extremely warm welcome when I got back to work at the pool. I didn’t expect to feel so supported and loved by these women! I received hugs and lots of words about how proud they were of me. How I was in their thoughts, and their encouragement for what I am doing. They have all led long lives and I love it when they share their experiences with me. Their support makes me feel so warm and cozy inside. I have never felt such compassion from people who I see twice a week for 2 hours. Their kindness made me realize that I do have a lot to be proud of and that sharing my story, while whole-heartly being myself, has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. And even if I am not performing quite how I’d like to YET, all these things I am doing are building blocks that are stacked year after year to reach my goal of becoming a professional triathlete.
You really never know unless you don’t try. Going forward, I am finally looking forward to training again. I will start training nice and easy doing lots of gravel biking. I have already planned out and registered for most of my races this winter! I am going to be doing 2 10ks, 3 cyclocross races and ending with my first half marathon in February or March. I need to get better at running if I really want to win these races. I am also going to continue to research and explore the option of going into the coast guard as I believe it would be a good option for me right now.
Thank you for being here. XOXO