Getting into the Christmas Spirit and 5-week Transition Plan

It feels like it’s been forever since I have had a morning like today to enjoy my coffee on our own couch while writing our grocery list for the week.  For the past month we have been  traveling to Ohio, San Francisco and Tucson all while trying to complete a 5-week triathlon transition plan.  While all of the traveling and visiting family and friends was SO MUCH FUN, it is so nice to sit on the couch with my coffee and plan groceries for a normal week!  But this stress free morning will soon turn into a day filled with training and holiday chores….

All of the traveling and busy weeks has made getting into the Christmas spirit a lot harder for me this year.  Brain storming gift ideas and shopping has felt like a chore, not to mention addressing Christmas cards and wrapping said presents.  Usually, I have shopping done and presents wrapped under the tree the first week of December which gives me 3 more weeks to just enjoy the season and get in the spirit…. Not this year.  I know this all will change as soon as we are in Ohio with family, but having all of these “chores” to do and with such a short timeline, it’s easy to lose sight of what the season is really all about.  (Hint: not gifts or holiday cards!)

What it's all about:

Meanwhile, as I struggle to get into the holiday spirit this year, we are having no trouble transitioning into training for a big year of races!  As I type this, Anthony is down at the gym about  2.5hours into a 3 hour ride on the trainer and after I grocery shop, we will be switching places!  Perhaps some Christmas music for the hour warm-up portion of the ride will help me to get into the spirit!  Today’s three hour ride will end week four of our coaches five week transition plan.  (Highly recommend the plan which can be found on here: www.trimarnicoach.com) 

Replacing some interval runs with some family trail runs in Tucson - SO FUN!

One of the many BEAUTIFUL views from our ride to the top of Mt. Tam in San Fran

We will take the week of Christmas to enjoy the time with our family and head to the gym (hopefully with family!) whenever we find time, who knows maybe I’ll finally get my mom to join me for spin class ;)!! The start of 2014 will kick off IM training with our coach.  I have a funny feeling that the first half of 2014 is going to fly by and that Lake Placid finish line is much closer than it seems!  Knowing just how much training we have ahead of us, I am definitely excited to spend some QT with family over the holidays as we won’t be seeing them nearly as much this year as we have in the past couple of years.

         And so I will try to stop stressing about gifts and wrapping and sending cards out “on time” and I will shift my focus to what the season is all about: family, love, giving, gratitude, laughter…. Not holiday cards, wish lists, or pretty wrapping (although these things do make the season a little bit better, they are not what it’s all about!)

“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” –Roy L Smith

“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” –Burton Hillis