Day by Day

I'm a loyal Grey's Anatomy fan and last night was the show's season finale. Some people think the show has been lacking lately, but last night the writers and actors of this show proved their critics wrong. It was a serious tear-jerker and delivered a great surprise at the end.

But what I loved most about last night's show was the message it conveyed -- take things day by day and live in the moment because you can't predict the future. I often take advantage of time, and the show reminded me how valuable time is.

Sometimes I feel like I spend too much time training and not enough time with my husband, dog, family and friends. And I'm sure my husband would agree with this statement!! But honestly, I need my training!! It is my time to release frustrations from the day, be at peace with myself and recharge for what's ahead of me. It's a time for me to reflect on my efforts and discover my strength and determination. And a good workout shapes my mood for the rest of the day.

There are moments during a workout where I feel like giving up and I wonder why I do this, but then I remember how much harder things could be and that I've been through worse. I think about my toughest race and how I managed to keep pushing after 13 hours of exercise to cross that finish line. Or I think about how badly I wanted to train while I was injured and how lucky I am to be healthy and active. These thoughts help me get through the last five minutes of a run, up that hill on my bike or finish one more lap in the pool.

People ask how I can train and participate in an Ironman-distance triathlon and my answer is: take it day by day. While I can, and often do, visualize the end result to my training, I spend more time focusing on just getting through today's workout. Just get through today. Because what you do each day contributes to the big picture; to the future. And before you know it, you're living in the moment.