Out of Shape

It's been a few months since I stopped training and I feel so out of shape these days.  Still, most people would probably look at me and think I'm in great shape, and if I told my coworkers I wanted to drop a few pounds they'd probably laugh at me. 

I also used to eat really healthfully.  Like super healthfully.  But when I stopped working out I stopped caring about what I put into my body.  I still probably eat better than 90% of Americans and if I mentioned to my coworkers that I thought I needed to start eating better they would definitely scoff at me.

But, I can feel the difference.  Before I was like a finely tuned machine, everything oiled and running smoother than Roger Federer's shiny hand-crafted Swiss timepieces.  My cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems worked effortlessly and harmoniously in tandem, fueled by plants and water.  Training was hard, but easy at the same time if that makes any sense.  Now I just feel rusty.  I can't find a rhythm, my body feels tired, and I'm afraid I'm always one mis-step away from injury.  I feel like I'm physically 10 years older than I really am and I can't stand it!  I want to feel the silky feeling of fluidity again. 

At this point, I'm transitioning into running with a goal of getting up to 70-80 miles per week, a PR half marathon, and a sub 3 hour marathon in 2014.  I've decided to continue my blog and write about the process, as well as other musings that pop into my mind and the day to day minutiae of my life.  Plus, I realized that I really do enjoy writing and blogging.  Like health, fitness, and nutrition, it has become one of my hobbies. 

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I wrote the above post a few months ago and before publicly publishing my blog again wanted to succinctly add this.  I've been going through a really tough time personally over the past 6 months, which is why I've taken a hiatus from triathlon & social media.  I've had to take a hard look at myself and my decisions and how they affect others.  Sometimes its not fun to look in the mirror and see where we fall short of our ideals.  As someone wiser than myself put it, "introspection isn't for the faint of heart".  At the same time, I do believe that life's lessons are the impetus for positive change, as they provide opportunity to grown and to learn more about ourselves.  And one thing I know for sure is that even if it's not all sunshine and rainbows, there is no facet of my life in which I ever want to stop learning.