Good morning Ladies
Don't bother checking your calendars as it is not January but it is a new year ..... For teachers, students and tridivas! This is the time of year that I take stock, re-evaluate my goals and look ahead. I have had a slight hiatus (bit of an exaggeration) but I am back thanks to a recent reading (ok this morning) of another blog that basically put TNT under my butt to get writing.
As usual, I want to leap ahead and plan every post for the next few months. Most times, I think this is what holds me back from sitting down to write. My brain says " MUST HAVE A PLAN" and my heart whispers "Just go with it". Who wins determines the length of the post and possibly its quality.
Ok Divas. What will be the topics for the coming weeks? Fall is my favourite time of year to train and generally be outside. The rumours are true....I am officially out of retirement and I am anxious to see what this 'seasoned' triathlete can put together (it may take more than a village!) in order to race next year (or maybe this year). I will be sharing my training successes, failures and everything in between There will definitely be a post on my amazing summer and all the classic 'Norma' escapades (some scary stuff, ladies!)
I am sure my following has dwindled but I will do my best to win you back and keep you interested (WOW, sounds like a lame online dating profile.....). So let's begin Fall 2013 - The Season of Authentic Training
Train Hard . . . . . Have fun out there!
Norma
Monday, 2 September 2013
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Endings and Beginnings
Hello Readers,
This topic has popped frequently of late as 2013 has launched.
How you handle endings and how you address beginnings speaks volumes about how you operate in your life. Are you someone who considers all the possibilities? Do you divide a page in half and make the two lists: one for and one against? Maybe you are more of circle graph/data gatherer. . . .or the anecdotal approach where you drive all your friends nuts by surveying their opinions. What is it about endings and beginnings that put us into such a tizzy. Well people, it is because it is change!! When considering whether to end something or to begin something else, it is basically change.
Personally, I tend to dive into change head first. I don't check for a safety net. I simply jump and deal with any emotions I may have on the way down. I would, however, not recommend this. Someone said to me recently, enjoy the limbo. Huh? That sounds really uncomfortable. Well I feel I have been in limbo since my last post (about a month) and even though some things will remain in limbo for me (will I race anymore. . . is near the top of the list), I have made a few moves that could look like endings and/or beginnings.
I am using this post to inform this great TriDiva community (if you are still out there :) that I am starting a new venture. It is something that started with this blog 18 months ago. The tag line for this blog is about supporting women in their lives in a balanced way. I live an active life by training and, sometimes, racing in triathlon. This has brought me great joy and an amazing sense of accomplishment. My new venture incorporates this important aspect of my life along with my passion for empowering women to be a beautiful gift to the planet.
The company, Work In Progress: balanced lifestyle coaching for women.
The vision: For women to reach their potential personally, professionally & physically through empowerment, inspiration & connection.
The plan: Weekend of Wellness in West Kelowna June 7 - 9
I have partnered with Mel James, a personal trainer and yoga instructor, to offer a great getaway for women. For those of you that joined me before on Lake Okanagan you know what a great location it is. More detail on the weekend can be found at the link on the right side of the blog (in the links section!)
I hope that you seriously think about joining me. There will be several activities to choose from: running, swimming, yoga, paddle boarding and walking. I will be leading some goal setting sessions to assist women in getting clear about the next step; whatever that is!
I am excited about this next phase for myself and I invite you to join me on the journey.
This topic has popped frequently of late as 2013 has launched.
How you handle endings and how you address beginnings speaks volumes about how you operate in your life. Are you someone who considers all the possibilities? Do you divide a page in half and make the two lists: one for and one against? Maybe you are more of circle graph/data gatherer. . . .or the anecdotal approach where you drive all your friends nuts by surveying their opinions. What is it about endings and beginnings that put us into such a tizzy. Well people, it is because it is change!! When considering whether to end something or to begin something else, it is basically change.
Personally, I tend to dive into change head first. I don't check for a safety net. I simply jump and deal with any emotions I may have on the way down. I would, however, not recommend this. Someone said to me recently, enjoy the limbo. Huh? That sounds really uncomfortable. Well I feel I have been in limbo since my last post (about a month) and even though some things will remain in limbo for me (will I race anymore. . . is near the top of the list), I have made a few moves that could look like endings and/or beginnings.
I am using this post to inform this great TriDiva community (if you are still out there :) that I am starting a new venture. It is something that started with this blog 18 months ago. The tag line for this blog is about supporting women in their lives in a balanced way. I live an active life by training and, sometimes, racing in triathlon. This has brought me great joy and an amazing sense of accomplishment. My new venture incorporates this important aspect of my life along with my passion for empowering women to be a beautiful gift to the planet.
The company, Work In Progress: balanced lifestyle coaching for women.
The plan: Weekend of Wellness in West Kelowna June 7 - 9
I have partnered with Mel James, a personal trainer and yoga instructor, to offer a great getaway for women. For those of you that joined me before on Lake Okanagan you know what a great location it is. More detail on the weekend can be found at the link on the right side of the blog (in the links section!)
I hope that you seriously think about joining me. There will be several activities to choose from: running, swimming, yoga, paddle boarding and walking. I will be leading some goal setting sessions to assist women in getting clear about the next step; whatever that is!
I am excited about this next phase for myself and I invite you to join me on the journey.
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Here we go . . . .Again
Hello Divas,
Helloooooo out there! I can hear the deafening echo of no followers for this blog. Yes, Norma, this is what happens when you don't write for awhile. If you have been checking back regularly to see if I am still writing, thank you! If not, I guess I will work to get you back :)
What do we do as women when we drop habits? Granted, dropping bad habits is probably beneficial but what about the good ones? What does the road back to these good (ok well better) habits look like? It is a topic we don't broach often. Hmm. . . .I wonder why
The road map back is not well marked if it even exists. I have chosen a theme for 2013 as The Year of the Authentic Me. I invite you to join me on the journey. . . I may not be the best guide but one thing sure. . . .it will be fun!
Helloooooo out there! I can hear the deafening echo of no followers for this blog. Yes, Norma, this is what happens when you don't write for awhile. If you have been checking back regularly to see if I am still writing, thank you! If not, I guess I will work to get you back :)
What do we do as women when we drop habits? Granted, dropping bad habits is probably beneficial but what about the good ones? What does the road back to these good (ok well better) habits look like? It is a topic we don't broach often. Hmm. . . .I wonder why
The road map back is not well marked if it even exists. I have chosen a theme for 2013 as The Year of the Authentic Me. I invite you to join me on the journey. . . I may not be the best guide but one thing sure. . . .it will be fun!
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
The Tour for Dummies
Happy Wednesday!
The beginning of July debuts my favourite time of year to hunker down and live in front of my TV. I am sure you have some shock and dismay as I share that I am actually a couch potato in July. Don't get me wrong. . . .I am still swim, ride and run but the rest of my time is spent absorbing, obsessing about the Tour.. . . . That would be the Tour de France (henceforth referred to as the Tour). One of my training buddies suggested that I write a blog about the Tour and in thinking about it, I thought, "I don't know enough about to speak intelligently on the the Tour." It reminded me of a comment a coach made when I asked him if I could try road racing (on a bike). I was ready for the inevitable feedback:
You are not fit enough.
You don't train enough.
You don't have the right bike.
You are too old.
All of this, I had rolled over in my own head so it came as a shock when he said, "You are not smart enough." I had three letters for him, first one W and last one F (you get the picture). How is it possible that I am not smart enough? It is cycling, for gosh sakes!!! If you hadn't noticed my handle (email and car) is mathdva! I may be old, slow, and ill-equipped but low IQ, I think not! After that, I took it upon myself to get educated about cycling and there is no better place to get schooled than watching the Tour.
If you have always wanted to know how it works or at least, sound cool at your next dinner party, here are some basics:
The most important aspect of professional cycling that most people miss is that it is a TEAM SPORT. In the TDF (the Tour), teams have 9 cyclists and each has a role. Some some are sprinters, some are climbers, one is the team leader and the rest WORK! For today, let's focus on the overall race. it is easy to get caught up in the many classifications but, in simplifying the race, I think you will see how important the team is.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
The overall winner of the TDF wears the yellow jersey (le maillot jaune) and it is revered in all pro cycling. It is the Stanley Cup, the Grey Cup, the World Cup, the World Series, I could go on but I think you get it :) It is earned by the rider with the fastest accumulated time over three weeks of racing through France. The race is divided into 20 stages with a prologue (at the beginning). One year they ride clockwise around France and the next, counterclockwise. I tell people all the time that you must watch from the beginning in order to keep everything straight but it has already started so let's see if I can catch you up.
Teams that have a GC contender (GC = general classification) will work only to get this one guy to the top of the podium. In my estimation, this really is a gentlemen's sport. How many athletes do you know will ride 150 to 200 km everyday so that the 'alpha' (my word) can get the glory? Was Lance a great bike rider? Cadel Evans? Alberto Contador? Absolutely but they needed a great team to get there.
Ok let's back things up a bit, look at these results from this week:
Your TDF homeward until the next blog is to follow le maillot jaune and watch for any changes in the GC. I follow the Tour on twitter @letour. It is free and supplies you with all the stats you need. I have added the main website for TDF (check the right hand side of the blog)
Next time, I will be looking at the race within the race within the race.
Vive le Tour!!!!
The beginning of July debuts my favourite time of year to hunker down and live in front of my TV. I am sure you have some shock and dismay as I share that I am actually a couch potato in July. Don't get me wrong. . . .I am still swim, ride and run but the rest of my time is spent absorbing, obsessing about the Tour.. . . . That would be the Tour de France (henceforth referred to as the Tour). One of my training buddies suggested that I write a blog about the Tour and in thinking about it, I thought, "I don't know enough about to speak intelligently on the the Tour." It reminded me of a comment a coach made when I asked him if I could try road racing (on a bike). I was ready for the inevitable feedback:
You are not fit enough.
You don't train enough.
You don't have the right bike.
You are too old.
All of this, I had rolled over in my own head so it came as a shock when he said, "You are not smart enough." I had three letters for him, first one W and last one F (you get the picture). How is it possible that I am not smart enough? It is cycling, for gosh sakes!!! If you hadn't noticed my handle (email and car) is mathdva! I may be old, slow, and ill-equipped but low IQ, I think not! After that, I took it upon myself to get educated about cycling and there is no better place to get schooled than watching the Tour.
If you have always wanted to know how it works or at least, sound cool at your next dinner party, here are some basics:
The most important aspect of professional cycling that most people miss is that it is a TEAM SPORT. In the TDF (the Tour), teams have 9 cyclists and each has a role. Some some are sprinters, some are climbers, one is the team leader and the rest WORK! For today, let's focus on the overall race. it is easy to get caught up in the many classifications but, in simplifying the race, I think you will see how important the team is.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
The overall winner of the TDF wears the yellow jersey (le maillot jaune) and it is revered in all pro cycling. It is the Stanley Cup, the Grey Cup, the World Cup, the World Series, I could go on but I think you get it :) It is earned by the rider with the fastest accumulated time over three weeks of racing through France. The race is divided into 20 stages with a prologue (at the beginning). One year they ride clockwise around France and the next, counterclockwise. I tell people all the time that you must watch from the beginning in order to keep everything straight but it has already started so let's see if I can catch you up.
Teams that have a GC contender (GC = general classification) will work only to get this one guy to the top of the podium. In my estimation, this really is a gentlemen's sport. How many athletes do you know will ride 150 to 200 km everyday so that the 'alpha' (my word) can get the glory? Was Lance a great bike rider? Cadel Evans? Alberto Contador? Absolutely but they needed a great team to get there.
Ok let's back things up a bit, look at these results from this week:
|
The cyclists (otherwise known as the peleton) have been riding 817 km and the leader (yellow jersey) has covered that distance in a little more that 20 hours. Everyone else is compared to him . . . .+7 sec or +2:05. Every day, as they race, his competitors will try to be faster than him. It means that to move up the GC (see above), you need to make up time on the leader or the guy ahead of you. This is why the terrain of each day is so critical. If it is really hilly, (or rather mountainous), riders have a chance to attack and gain time on the leaders. This is the smarty-pants part. The great cyclists are always on the lookout for an opportunity to gain time. Anyone who is serious about winning has already ridden every critical stage a few times in training. They have probably already ridden the entire course!
Your TDF homeward until the next blog is to follow le maillot jaune and watch for any changes in the GC. I follow the Tour on twitter @letour. It is free and supplies you with all the stats you need. I have added the main website for TDF (check the right hand side of the blog)
Next time, I will be looking at the race within the race within the race.
Vive le Tour!!!!
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Words make all the difference!
Happy Thursday Readers,
Summer has certainly taken hold in my neck of the woods and I am sure you are knee deep in mid-season training. You have scheduled all your bricks, hill sessions, swim training (open water, of course), massage appointments and strength training workouts. Seems like every body part is cared for, obsessed over and scheduled. Have you considered one of the most important muscle groups?
Yes, people, I am talking about your brain!!!
Mental training can make or break your race day experience. Now, like you, I have heard that a million times and although I think of myself as a wordsmith (or least, wordsmith in training), I am always astounded by the power of my thoughts. Even now, are you running a positive tape or negative tape in your head?
What is your self-talk like?
In my earlier years of training and racing, I used affirmations to help me get over any negative chat. You know how this works, you choose a statement and repeat it to yourself until it becomes a part of your vernacular. It sounds airy-fairy but I have a concrete example that still impresses me. Back in the day, in my classroom (yes, my math classroom), I happened upon a homeroom that were dismally unorganized. High school students arriving in my space with binders askew and papers following them like Linus' dirt trail in Peanuts (look it up!). It drove me nuts! I tried to punish/encourage them by assigning marks to neater notes and structured duotangs but to no avail. Major intervention required!!! One morning I posted signs all over my class and I mean ALL OVER saying:
I AM ORGANIZED
I only mentioned it when asked and left the signs for 6 months. The results were amazing. Although I never gave them specific ways to improve their organization, across the board everyone had better notes, less wayward paper and a new respect for how structure improves learning.
Ok, enough pedagogical rhetoric. . . How can I use this to be a better triathlete? Read on!
The challenge is in the wording. So often we use statements in the future. "I will place top 10 in the swim portion." You won't ever get there. . . this is what I call the 'hope' plan. Try "I am top 10 after the swim" Much more powerful and confident. "I fuel every 15 minutes on the bike" "I race within myself" "My transitions are smooth and easy" and my favorite "I finish strong and I have fun".
The other thing to consider is what are you telling yourself day-to-day? Self-talk during training is equally important. Recently, I saw a promo of Julia Wilkinson in the Give Your Everything (Check out the Video) campaign for London 2012 which read "My best swim will be my next swim". Although this is in the future, it also exudes a subtle confidence. This is really saying that my next swim, my next training session, my next brick will be my best ever. I am getting fitter, stronger, faster every time I pull on my runners, pull out my bike or slip into my speedo.
If you follow this blog regularly, you know I have mentioned Julia before and I do so with an awareness of how mentally tough she is. A great model for us mere mortals to emulate.
All right readers, you are up. . . . .find an affirmation that will work for you. Try it for 10 days and just observe and, of course, report back!
Here I am going first: "I write an amazing, informative, inspiring blog"
Cheers :)
Summer has certainly taken hold in my neck of the woods and I am sure you are knee deep in mid-season training. You have scheduled all your bricks, hill sessions, swim training (open water, of course), massage appointments and strength training workouts. Seems like every body part is cared for, obsessed over and scheduled. Have you considered one of the most important muscle groups?
Yes, people, I am talking about your brain!!!
Mental training can make or break your race day experience. Now, like you, I have heard that a million times and although I think of myself as a wordsmith (or least, wordsmith in training), I am always astounded by the power of my thoughts. Even now, are you running a positive tape or negative tape in your head?
What is your self-talk like?
In my earlier years of training and racing, I used affirmations to help me get over any negative chat. You know how this works, you choose a statement and repeat it to yourself until it becomes a part of your vernacular. It sounds airy-fairy but I have a concrete example that still impresses me. Back in the day, in my classroom (yes, my math classroom), I happened upon a homeroom that were dismally unorganized. High school students arriving in my space with binders askew and papers following them like Linus' dirt trail in Peanuts (look it up!). It drove me nuts! I tried to punish/encourage them by assigning marks to neater notes and structured duotangs but to no avail. Major intervention required!!! One morning I posted signs all over my class and I mean ALL OVER saying:
I AM ORGANIZED
I only mentioned it when asked and left the signs for 6 months. The results were amazing. Although I never gave them specific ways to improve their organization, across the board everyone had better notes, less wayward paper and a new respect for how structure improves learning.
Ok, enough pedagogical rhetoric. . . How can I use this to be a better triathlete? Read on!
The challenge is in the wording. So often we use statements in the future. "I will place top 10 in the swim portion." You won't ever get there. . . this is what I call the 'hope' plan. Try "I am top 10 after the swim" Much more powerful and confident. "I fuel every 15 minutes on the bike" "I race within myself" "My transitions are smooth and easy" and my favorite "I finish strong and I have fun".
If you follow this blog regularly, you know I have mentioned Julia before and I do so with an awareness of how mentally tough she is. A great model for us mere mortals to emulate.
All right readers, you are up. . . . .find an affirmation that will work for you. Try it for 10 days and just observe and, of course, report back!
Here I am going first: "I write an amazing, informative, inspiring blog"
Cheers :)
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
More four letter words
Hello Readers,
I have two more four letter words inspired by our trip to France. I hesitate to use them but there is no other way to describe the theme that developed throughout our week in the saddle. I give complete credit to our avid cyclist/physician. . . she gives the term real street cred.
FOOD PORN
Our resident foodie took it upon himself to photograph pretty much every meal we had!!! At first, I thought, "Seriously, who cares what the food looks like, let's just eat!" But as the week wore on, I wondered if my entrée, my menu choice would rate a photo. Did I choose something that was not only savoury but photogenic? I began scanning the menu for a picture-worthy meal. As a side note, this is one of the main reasons I love a cycling holiday: total guilt-free eating!!! After all, it is technically fuel.
Why Food Porn? . . . . because everything looks like it should be illegal somehow. So beautifully put on the plate and served with care and pride of workmanship. Ok, on to the main event. . . . Please be kind as my description may leave you wanting more but that really is the point, isn't it?
Remember when we had to eat in the kitchen and they clad the table with rose petals?
Now one would think that we only ate really well in the evening but, mes amis, that is not how it is done en France. Every meal was amazing.
Lunch:
I am sure you are thinking that we ate like kings and queens (or popes) all week long. In fact, we actually had a picnic one night as our guides told us we had to rough it at least once on vacation:
I have two more four letter words inspired by our trip to France. I hesitate to use them but there is no other way to describe the theme that developed throughout our week in the saddle. I give complete credit to our avid cyclist/physician. . . she gives the term real street cred.
FOOD PORN
Our resident foodie took it upon himself to photograph pretty much every meal we had!!! At first, I thought, "Seriously, who cares what the food looks like, let's just eat!" But as the week wore on, I wondered if my entrée, my menu choice would rate a photo. Did I choose something that was not only savoury but photogenic? I began scanning the menu for a picture-worthy meal. As a side note, this is one of the main reasons I love a cycling holiday: total guilt-free eating!!! After all, it is technically fuel.
Why Food Porn? . . . . because everything looks like it should be illegal somehow. So beautifully put on the plate and served with care and pride of workmanship. Ok, on to the main event. . . . Please be kind as my description may leave you wanting more but that really is the point, isn't it?
Remember when we had to eat in the kitchen and they clad the table with rose petals?
 |
| A lovely veal shank with spaezle |
Lunch:
 |
| In a word: CHEESE |
 |
| Yes, those are scallops! |
 |
| A beautiful gallette à la brétagne |
 |
| Finally, a simple salad at Chateauneuf de Pape (oh, and the wine was good too :) |
 |
| Yeah, it was rough! |
It took me quite a long time to post this blog as I kept questioning myself, "Is this related to the spirit of the TriDiva network?" Cycling and eating through the south of France doesn't seem related to supporting women in their fitness goals and then I realized that women in sport and in general, are much more complicated that sets, workouts and race goals.
At some point, our souls need nurturing not hard-core training. Friends, family, scenery, good food and great wine nurtured me and supported me. I look forward to a summer of great training and great blogs. I leave it to you to decide, do we look happy?
Thursday, 24 May 2012
Four letter Cycling Words
May 20, 2012
Day 2
WIND
Our group felt great satisfaction at the end of the trek today as we experienced one of evils of cycling: the wind. It is the one weather condition that demoralizes me because I know that I am working for nothing. I am flipping my pedals around as if I am climbing a 9% grade and yet the terrain actually flat. Wind is unyielding and unforgiving.
It reminds me of Aesop's fable in which The Sun and the Wind compete to see who can get the traveller to remove his jacket. The moral being "Gentle persuasion is stronger than force." This can guide us in determining the best way to ride in the wind.
Your optimum course of action is not to fight it. You will not win. Choose an easy gear and spin as if you were climbing. Even in a crosswind, you will have better control over your bike if you spin at a high cadence. By doing this you will minimize the lactic acid production in your legs and you will be ready to go for it when (or if) the wind eases.
Ok!! Enough advice!
So, how was the group? I guess it can be summed up by the numbers:
Km rode: 54
Daily espresso: 6 Yes readers that is just my consumption!
Dinner courses: 5 (including a top 5 lifetime dessert for me)
Total riding time (hrs): 4
Flat tires: 2 (myself and one other guy)
Bottles of wine at dinner: 2
Riders voted off: 0
I guess the wind did not prevail in our french fable either.
Cheers :)
Day 2
WIND
Our group felt great satisfaction at the end of the trek today as we experienced one of evils of cycling: the wind. It is the one weather condition that demoralizes me because I know that I am working for nothing. I am flipping my pedals around as if I am climbing a 9% grade and yet the terrain actually flat. Wind is unyielding and unforgiving.
It reminds me of Aesop's fable in which The Sun and the Wind compete to see who can get the traveller to remove his jacket. The moral being "Gentle persuasion is stronger than force." This can guide us in determining the best way to ride in the wind.
Your optimum course of action is not to fight it. You will not win. Choose an easy gear and spin as if you were climbing. Even in a crosswind, you will have better control over your bike if you spin at a high cadence. By doing this you will minimize the lactic acid production in your legs and you will be ready to go for it when (or if) the wind eases.
Ok!! Enough advice!
So, how was the group? I guess it can be summed up by the numbers:
Km rode: 54
Daily espresso: 6 Yes readers that is just my consumption!
Dinner courses: 5 (including a top 5 lifetime dessert for me)
Total riding time (hrs): 4
Flat tires: 2 (myself and one other guy)
Bottles of wine at dinner: 2
Riders voted off: 0
I guess the wind did not prevail in our french fable either.
Cheers :)
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