I'm Back... and finally listening to myself...

I can hardly believe that it is August and I have only posted once this year!  Quite a few things have happened, so let's jump into some photos, then chat about some new things that are happening...

I FINISHED MY FIRST 70.3!  I could write for days about this

amazing day, but this moment, with my friends and family

cheering as I'm running down the finishing chute... so incredibly happy,

and so intensely emotional... THIS is what it feels like

to finish a half Ironman!

This has been a remarkable Gold Medal year for me, placing 1st in

each triathlon I've raced in so far this year (except Oceanside, of course!)

Summer vacation brought time at The Lot and a fraternity

brother reunion...

... a weekend in LA at Jessica's place

and a trip to Universal Studios and the new

Harry Potter Wizarding World (AWESOME!)

24 years of annual family vacations, this summer was the
last family vacation to Campland on the Bay.

... and just like that, it is Back to School time!

We have had a great and packed summer, but there has been something going on behind the scenes that was causing some issues.  Last summer, for the first time in (5) years of training, I decided to take a small break from training.  I was TIRED and figured both my body and mind needed a little down time.  Although I backed way off, I still trained about 5 hours a week and enjoyed the break.  In October, I was back at it, ramping up to start my Oceanside training with my new Coach. 

Months of constant training, long weekend workouts and, as expected, I was tired, but about two months before Oceanside, I became constantly exhausted.  I figured that was to be expected as I was training (6) days a week, weekend workouts were now hours long each day, and I was working full time and taking care of a family... of course I was tired!

I decided that I was going to take another break right after Oceanside.  Although, spring and summer is the regular race season, I felt I had to get some rest.  I took one entire month off with NO training at all, but what was weird was that I found I had even less energy after that month and my body started feeling really bad.  Made sense to me... my body was missing the activity and wanted me to start moving again.  So I started doing 2-3 half hour runs each week, which is almost like doing nothing compared to my normal schedule, but I wanted to see how I would feel.  Not only did I have no energy at all, I was now putting on weight like crazy.

After (3) months of this, I decided to listen to my body as there might be something wrong, and I scheduled a physical.  I trust my doctor and knew that when I explained how I had been feeling, albeit seemingly understandable effects of taking a training break and, let's be honest, being an Athena and getting older, that she would take me seriously, and she did. 

The results recently came back and I'm severely deficient in Vitamins B12 and D.  I did some research and as I was sitting here reading about the effects of these deficiencies, I started crying because all of the lack of energy, the body hurting (tingling in feet, tender calves, weakness, heart palpitations), lightheaded, memory loss, and more... all of the things that I had been feeling were listed there in black in white.  Several of these things I hadn't even mentioned to my doctor, because as stand alone symptoms, I could explain them away, but put together, they add up to these deficiencies.

A week ago I received my first of my new monthly B12 shots and have started taking Vitamin D supplements.  I'm very optimistic about starting to feel good and getting my energy back.  Looking back, I'm sure these issues started more than a year ago, and have just gotten worse as I ignored the signs.  I can't believe that I finished a half Ironman and have done so well in this year's races while having these issues, and I CAN'T WAIT to see how this will effect my training/racing! 

Next post... the start of two new journeys... :-)