It’s September and that means one thing – CMT Awareness Month. During the month of September I will be using my blog to play a part in raising Awareness with an “alphabet challenge” – blogging a letter / key word almost every day. Today is brought to you by the letter G. I hope my month of blogging will help you to learn more about CMT – the most common but least well known hereditary nerve disorder. And I hope this will also help to raise funds for the Charcot Marie Tooth Association to support its efforts to find a treatment for CMT. You can join me in learning more about CMT by clicking onto www.cmtausa.org and of course a donation would be wonderful too!
August summer holidays. My time to think, eat and relax. Also to do a little soul searching while on long walks (or short runs) in the warmth of the summer sun.
It was on holiday that I decided that my 2014 triathlon season was over. I had enough, and let my fitness level drop off. I knew in my heart that doing another race in 2014 – especially one in September – would be too soon. My triathlon season would not be one of endless racing. It was done.
It didn’t stop me from feeling a twinge of “what if” this morning when I realised that I could be racing in a few weeks time, in Madrid, once more for Team USA. But I have to remember – actions must align with goals for there to be success. This was one of the key things that enabled me to build a healthy active lifestyle following my diagnosis of CMT in 2004 – embracing my goals and making them a part of my everyday life. Aligning my choices and my actions with my goals.
My actions since August have not aligned with my goal to represent the USA again at a World Paratriathlon Series race, to the best of my abilities. So as much as I have blue carpet dreams, and a bit of race envy now that I know that a spot would have been available for me – I have to face the truth. It is not right for me to race right now. In fact, it is not right for me to talk about racing right now. Instead, the time has come for me to refocus and to realign my actions with my goals.
The past week I decided (sorry coach for not letting you know in advance) that I needed a break. Time off. To make sure that I am ready to start the push to 2015. To start to build up to my blue carpet dream. I think I am ready now.
It is time to start to put the excess behind. To refocus on fitness. To fine tune my diet. To prioritise my health.
Small steps to big dreams.
Some of my short term (September) goals:
– get back on my bike trainer, to start to build a solid base for 2015
– begin the process of choosing a bike for 2015 (hello TT bike!)
– reach out to Dorset Orthopaedic and to see about a new orthotic solution for 2015
– get medical testing done to have a solid foundation from which to approach my nutrition
Amongst the small steps not listed? Frozen grapes.
When I was little my mother always had a bunch of frozen seedless grapes in the refrigerator. A healthy snack alternative for us to grab. I rediscovered the joy of frozen grapes when we were in France in August. Cool. Sweet. Perfectly refreshing.
Planning and having food on hand – especially healthy snack food – is really important for me. I am not a big snacker, but I know when I ramp up training I like to have plenty of quick snack options on hand – especially for that in between time – the time when I get home from work and jump on the bike but before I eat dinner. Frozen grapes fit my needs perfectly – a refreshing snack that doesn’t fill me up but that satisfies that “I need something to eat NOW” feeling.
Here’s to actions aligning with goals, and to frozen grapes.
It’s CMT Awareness Month. Today’s post was brought to you by the letter “G” – Goals, and Grapes. You can learn more about CMT and donate to support the search for a treatment for this (at present) incurable progressive degenerative nerve disease at .Thank you!