Head above water

As I decided to would sit down and write a post after being so remiss these past few weeks this song came on and I felt it was apt.

Sorry for being MIA these past few weeks, as you can appreciate the Christmas season is a bit busy, throw 4 kids and a new job into the mix and well... CHAOS!

I have been feeling really tired lately, and a little unfocussed. I started a new job which I have had a lot to learn in a short period of time which has at times left me feeling a little drained mentally. I am happy that I am now getting to a stage where I am feeling like it is all making a bit more sense, and the training wheels are coming off a bit.

My health has been up and down, I have yet another cold.. which started Christmas Eve.. Awesome! The wet winter weather has meant that my EDS has flared up, which has also meant that when I have trained (which hasn't been nearly as much as I would like) I am having to try and be conscious of my limitations. This, if you know me, is not something that I used to be very good at. I would push myself as hard as I could, because anything less felt like it was a waste of time, and then pay the price and become injured and knock me out for several weeks because my body heals very slowly. Now I am learning to respect my body, and listening to its queues so that I can continue injury free. This has been challenging and does make me a little sad that I am not like everyone else. It also makes me a bit frustrated when people who mean well tell you what you should be doing to be better, to get faster etc and you know that it wont work for you because your a little bit different, and a little bit broken and have to do things differently. It feels like I am making excuses and can be disheartening as I am sensitive, a bit proud and a touch competitive... ;)

But it is December 26th, Christmas day is over.. and I am finally turning my mind to Ironman! It has always been there, but until I got Christmas out of the way, it was kind of a background noise rather than the main focus. I am feeling like I am getting some clarity and maybe just maybe getting some motivation for some training now, though I say that as I sit on the sofa in my jogging bottoms eating chocolate nursing a cold.. So we shall see LOL.

There is roughly 27 weeks till Ironman Austria, I am beginning to look at training plans and seeing what is going to fit in with my life as well as what I think is going to be enjoyable because lets be honest if it isn't going to have some stuff in it that I want to do then I am less likely to stick to it. Amoungst this I have a spring marathon planned, either Manchester or Paris I have yet to decide, and a half ironman that is likely to be Marlow in May. I am hoping that by planning my mojo will slowly return to me...One thing is for sure.. I need to swim more and learn to be more effective in the water.. one thing that will make me more effective for certain is getting in the water in the first place... This is usually where I fall short in the first place!

I promise I will be better at blogging every week as I had planned it has just been a rough few weeks, but I cant tell you how much I appreciate people coming to me and asking when I was going to blog again, as they look forward to the instalments. It means the world to me knowing that there are people out there who find value in the ramblings of a chaotic, slightly insane Mom who just wants to do something a bit more and finds satisfaction in the challenge and the gobsmacked looks of people who I talk to. * also I really want the tattoo..*

Those reading this who have done an Ironman, if you have tips or ideas of what worked for you please do pass anything you think might be helpful on.. I am always open to suggestions of how to do this better or more effective!

I have read blogs of others who have done Ironman with EDS, so I have hope that this wont beat me... it just might not be the way others do it.. but I will do it!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas.. and you have a Happy New Year! 2020... its going to be Epic!