6 Days 'Til Vineman 70.3!

It's almost here. 6 days! I am SO thrilled! SO excited! AND it looks like the weather will cooperate!

Thank you THANK YOU THANK YOU to Mike & Matt DeAsis of Lombardi Sports who are lending me a pair of Zipp 404s. I called Mike D. and said "hey, the Race Day wheel rental place is all rented out. Do you know where I could find some Zipps to rent?" Mike's response: "Sarah. Why rent wheels? We have wheels!" Mike & Matt - YOU ROCK. Even though I am no longer officially with the Lombardi Sports Triathlon Team, the support I still receive from those guys is incredible. If you're ever in SF and need a good sporting store - Lombardi is it. I will always be a Lombardi Tri Team member at heart. :)

Throughout this week I'll be reflecting on the people/companies that are supporting me and thanking them as well as reviewing the products I use.

Triathlon, in spite of what you might think, is not an individual sport. It is not something you go at alone. You need support; from your family, your friends, your boss, your co-workers, your teammates and fellow triathletes. It takes the effort of everybody to get you trained and out there ready to race come race day. On race day, your competitors can also be some of your biggest supporters. A little cheer or push from a fellow racer can go a LONG WAY. I have had numerous finishes with another triathlete that came as a result of pacing together near the end and pushing each other.

It really isn't a sport you take on alone. You do it and bring everybody in your life along with you, hoping they'll enjoy the ride, too. I guess that's a little bit of what this blog is about - sharing my experiences, lessons and love and hoping people see how much I appreciate the support. I really couldn't do this alone!

I was at a yoga retreat this past weekend, where I was reminded of how important affirmations are; the idea is that you continually repeat them, especially during meditation, and eventually, you really begin to embody them. The important thing is to find affirmations that work for you!

I think this is really important, especially the week before a race; we begin to be flooded with self-doubt, worry, anxiety - negative messages that we keep repeating throughout our days and internalize (and thus BELIEVE) without even really noticing. E.g. "Oh wow, he did that for training? I should've done that. I trained all wrong. OMG I am totally not going to be ready for this race! What have I done?"

By taking a few minutes several times a day to simply meditate and repeat some positive affirmations, we are training our brain to not only be positive, but if we say them with conviction, we come to truly believe these thoughts as well. One key: Affirmations should be positive, in the present tense, and use everyday language. Always focus on the state desired, and leave out the negative aspects of what you seek to change

Here's some I thought I would work with this week:

- I radiate confidence and relaxation
- I approve of my training and feel great about my fitness
- Everyday and in every way I am getting better and stronger

Okay! Have a wonderful week!