Fuel for the Journey

After finishing my first triathlon last June, I got it into my head that I could do the Lake Placid Ironman. Yes, I know completing a sprint distance triathlon does not mean I'm ready for 140.6 miles. I won't be doing an Ironman this year. Instead, I've got my sights set on 2012 - the year my daughter graduates from high school and I turn *gasp* 45. (Oh, and there are some rumors floating around that the world will end, or begin, in 2012, or pot will be legalized that year thus ushering in the Age of Aquarius, or something like that. In any case, it will be an interesting year.)

I'd worked out a plan to get me there - more races and a season-finishing half-marathon this year, a half-iron distance triathlon and a full marathon next year. All I had to do was start training.

Just as soon as I could move.

You see, my body hasn't been very cooperative lately. I've been dealing with fatigue and joint pain, my head has felt cloudy, and I've been in a pretty lousy mood. The colds I've gotten have wiped me out. I haven't been training, nor have I been cleaning, writing, unpacking (no, I'm not finished yet) or anything else I would like to be doing. Even yoga has been painful. I almost quit. I was ready to crawl into bed and stay there.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on the circumstances) I am stubborn. I couldn't just give up. Since we started focusing on my son's food sensitivities I have learned lots about the way food can affect your well-being and I wondered if my body was getting what it needed.

One of my favorite Twitter follows is @holisticguru, a funny, feisty triathlete and brilliant holistic health counselor whose tweets often include tips on healthy eating. In her blog, Tri & Live & Eat Better, she shares some good healthy recipes as well as her triathlon adventures. She really seems to know what she's talking about (and I was dying to find out if she was as funny in person), so I called her.

As a result of that phone call, I have begun a new journey towards a healthier diet. With just a few adjustments to what I've been eating, I am already feeling better. Since the beginning of April I have been able to stick to my triathlon training plan, and I can teach yoga without feeling like I'd like to take a nap while the class is in Savasana.

I have learned quite a bit about food in the past few weeks, and I'm starting to look at what I put in my mouth in a whole new light. What the food can do for my body is becoming more important than how it tastes or what cravings it satisfies. Food is fuel for all the activities I want to jam into my life.

I can't take a drive through the scenic countryside without gas in my tank. How can I run through the the woods unless my body is similarly fueled?

Thanks to some very good fuel, I am excited about biking and running. I can't wait to get out there and move. If I can stick to my training plan, there's nothing to stop me from meeting my goals. You can look for me at the finish line.

Oh, and there are 46 high peaks just waiting to be climbed...