Good morning!
Spring is in the air:) The winter months have been very hard for me to be honest..the cold is just not good for depression. But..I am feeling really good. My cross training is starting to pay off and I feel strong in many ways.
Sunday I was able to ride my bike outside for over 3 hours, today I will be able to get out again.
April 15th I will take part in Ironman AZ and at this point I know I can go the distance in all 3 sports.
Those of you who know Colleen who works for us here at Dreamchaser's is also doing the Ironman. I think it is time for me to brag a bit about Colleen:)
Colleen has lost over 30 pounds since I started coaching her and she now work's for us.
She has gone through many stages in her training but the one thing I can say is watching her have a best time in the NYC marathon, run the RR 50 mile race, about to toe the line at IM AZ and then one week after this run Desert Springs Ultra.
Determination don't you think:)
It has not been easy to train for an Ironman living in the snow, we are on spin bikes most of the time but I can tell you this..the lean mean Colleen Woods is going to knock the socks off the Ironman course.
She has gone from an ok swimmer in the pool to one who glides through the water. She has gone from an ok on the bike to a push it Colleen your not working hard enough to on the run she can keep up with me!!! Needless to say..we are very proud of Colleen.
Below is great information. It is writen about deciding to compete in rowing but it also says much about what I try to tell all my students..!!!
Deciding to Compete
Marlene Royle, OTR
Racing is hard work. It requires discipline, dedication, risk-taking, and mental toughness. There are many reasons why scullers race or train for performance. Knowing why you race is part of setting goals and better prepares you for achieving the goals you set. Here are a few reasons to consider if you are making a decision whether or not to start competing:
Racing can be very satisfying. The more effort you have put into preparing for an event, the greater rewards you receive for sculling a well-executed race.
Effort equals achievement. In sculling, if you apply yourself, train wisely, and stay healthy you will improve and get faster.
Racing is fun. Being part of the racing scene is an ideal way to enjoy camaraderie with other scullers your age. Although competition is often fierce, scullers share great respect for one another.
Testing the unknown. Unless you enter a race and go down the course you won't know your potential. When you sit at the starting line, you never know exactly what's going to happen between the start and the finish. You have to row the race to find out and gain the experience.
Finding your personal limits and striving to do your absolute best.
Setting Goals
You must have an overall plan and an idea how you are going to achieve what you want to do this season. Your goals and visions are what fuel you during those tough moments in training or a race when you have to push your limits. Take some time to evaluate your goals and write them down. Goals can be stated in simple language and be based on your past performances, rate of improvement, competition dates and priority of training factors (physical, technical, tactical, or psychological components). Set subjective goals and objective goals.
Subjective goals are more open by nature such as:
Improve bladework.
Develop better sense of rhythm at higher stroke rates.
Learn to focus on one stroke at a time-better concentration.
Objective goals are distinctly measurable such as:
Improve 2k erg score from 8:00 to 7:50 by April 01.
Decrease body fat percentage from 17 to 15% in 4 months.
Write your goals down in your logbook. Define three subjective goals and three objective goals for the upcoming season. Always begin your goal with a verb such as: improve, develop, decrease, or learn.
Draw up a plan. You need to make a road map, generally and specifically, how you will get from where you are today to where you want to be.
Setting short-term weekly or monthly goals will help you break your goals down into achievable steps. Review your goals and determine what you need to do for each. Set yourself up for success at each stage to build confidence and reach your long-term goal. To row a 2k erg in 7:15 you need to accomplish 7:19, 7:18, or 7:16 first. Put one foot in front of the other at every stage.
Collaborate with a coach or come to sculling camp.
A good coach can give you valuable objective advice combined with a more informed perspective. Helping you determine realistic goals and outlining a plan together are other benefits of coaching. Written materials and the Internet provide good training information but may not be specifically tailored to meet your needs. Try to talk to an advisor that can review your personal situation.
Be flexible. Once you outline a plan realize that it is simply that-an outline. At times outside stresses may interfere with your plan or your response to the volume of training may be different that you anticipate then you'll need to make modifications. You may need to incorporate more rest or more work depending on whether you are making positive adaptations to your training.
Make wise daily decisions based on your goals if you have limited training time and must prioritize your training elements. Spend time on the elements that will improve your sculling the most.
Marlene Royle, OTR is the co-author of Skillful Rowing
**You need to check out this photo of one of my students feet at her last race!!
http://www.mcrrc.org/photos/20070303_gwtm_muddy_shoes_dl-1018.jpgHave a great day
Lisa
Aran and Rob!
I guess some people still find a place for calisthenics in the desert!
Hanging out together!
The Ahansal Brothers! 
Becca - Ready to Rock 'N Roll!
