currently: march 2016

03/30/2016

loving

Floating. I spent 90 minutes is the salty float tank at Awaken for Wellness in Saint Paul post Hot Dash 10 mile, and whoa… was it relaxing and restorative. I was a little tentative to even try it because I occasionally get claustrophobic, but I left the tank door open, just in case. Turns out, I wouldn’t have even noticed; my eyes were closed the entire time. With zero distractions, I nearly fell asleep. It almost felt how I imagine floating weightless in space would feel! More on floating in an upcoming blog post 🙂 

float

eating

A mishmash of whatever’s in the fridge. We’ve been sticking to our Sunday shops pretty well since starting them in January, but the meal planning? Not so much. Instead, we use this formula: lean protein, veggie (or two) and usually coconut rice (or quinoa). Not only is it delicious and fairly healthy, it pulls together in a cinch, important when you’re finishing a workout at 8p. 

Current favorites include ground bison (seasoned with our favorite seasoning, rogan josh), diced or grated sweet potatoes, spinach, green onions and cilantro over coconut rice; and chicken breast, broccoli or Brussels sprouts and green onions in a Nick-concocted curry sauce over coconut rice. And, at least weekly we have deconstructed tacos made with dark ground turkey (seasoned with Grandma Ferdon’s) and topped with avocado, pickled beets (my favorite!), spinach, cilantro and cheddar cheese over Whole Grain Milling Co. tortilla chips

reading 

A lot. I’ve been trying to make space for at least 30 minutes of reading (from an actual book) before bed. It’s such a great way to unwind, relax and disconnect from the blue glow of a screen. Recent reads have included Brooklyn, the Forgotten Garden and Let My People Go Surfing, and I’m just wrapping up the Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck. For the most part, it’s #ZFG around here (thanks for that hashtag, Beth!), but this book really narrowed them down further. 

Other good reads this month: 

training

Training has been humming right along. Nothing very exciting to talk about, other than I’m putting in the work and giving each workout my best effort. And, for the most part, everything’s feeling great! There was some solid fatigue prior to the Hot Dash, but after plenty of sleep last week – 10 hours one night! – and many lavender Epsom soaks, I’m feeling much more rested and recovered.

Anyway, masters has been going really well and after every early morning practice – where I’ve been working on my flip turns – I wonder how on earth I swam solo for three years prior to joining. It’s a game changer! The bike is pedaling along, too. Workouts have been alternating between short + punchy (and painful!) and long + steady intervals, keeping the trainer interesting and fun (yes, I said fun). And, running… well, I couldn’t be happier with where it’s at right now! Excited to see what’s ahead, too. 

swim
swimming at my new favorite pool: the U of M.
bike
last ride ever on my first Argon… fueled by barnana and coffee. Bittersweet… I’m gonna miss that bike so much! Thousands of miles, lots of happy memories. That said, I’m SO excited for the woman who bought it! Lots of fun adventures ahead for her, too ♥
run
Mondays aren’t so bad when they end with a sunshiny run on my favorite route.

favorite quote right now

From what I’ve seen, it isn’t so much the act of asking that paralyzes us – it’s what lies beneath: the fear of being vulnerable, the fear of rejection, the fear of looking needy or weak. The fear of being seen as a burdensome member of the community instead of a productive one. It points, fundamentally, to our separation from one another. -Amanda Palmer in The Art of Asking

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18 Comments

  • Reply Leslie @ TriathleteTreats 03/30/2016 at 10:30 pm

    Great update as usual!! I think sleep is so important for recovery!! I’ve been wanting to start taking some epsom baths. How often do you take one?
    Cute picture of you and Nick on your triathlon love tip + a good tip!! 🙂

    • Reply erin 04/08/2016 at 5:47 pm

      Thanks, Leslie! I usually soak at least once a week, but occasionally more if my training volume is high. It’s so restorative and relaxing! Hope your training is going well!

  • Reply Kecia 03/31/2016 at 7:02 am

    If you liked the article on grit, you would probably like “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol Dweck. It has a lot of focus on the growth mindset and is amazing!! I’m glad you got all rested up after your 10 mile race!! I am a sleeper and need my 8 (or more) hours of sleep a night, so I understand the value of sleep and how important it is for recovery!! Great tips on triathlon in the Triathlete article!! As Tim and I have learned while training and racing over the years, communication is important and the key to success!!

    • Reply erin 04/08/2016 at 5:49 pm

      Thanks for the book recommendation! Added to my list. Love anything related to mental training and the growth mindset.

      Communication is key to a successful partnership – both in life and when participating in triathlon 🙂 Glad you have a great partner!

  • Reply hyedi 03/31/2016 at 10:03 am

    I need to try that approach to dinner when we don’t know what to make. We’ve gotten into the habit of takeout when that happens. Yikes! Love that shot of you 🙂

    • Reply erin 04/08/2016 at 5:51 pm

      That’s what happens when you live in the ‘burbs… takeout isn’t so easy (or good) anymore. Ha! 🙂

  • Reply Kelsey @ Happy Triathlete 03/31/2016 at 12:32 pm

    My cousin swears by floating! I’ve never tried it because I can also get a little bit claustrophobic. But good to know that you don’t even notice it! I’ll have to add some of those reads to my rotation too!

    • Reply erin 04/08/2016 at 5:52 pm

      Give it a whirl, but make sure the keep the door open… it should help with the claustrophobia! Let me know what you think if you go!

  • Reply Caitlin 03/31/2016 at 4:15 pm

    #ZFG is my new favorite hashtag.

    • Reply erin 04/08/2016 at 5:53 pm

      Right?! Mine, too. Highly recommend that book, too… it’s spot on.

  • Reply Laura @ try & TRI again 03/31/2016 at 5:44 pm

    I can’t wait to hear more about floating…sounds super cool! And flipturns: the hypoxia is real, amirite? Have you done backstroke flipturns yet? They’re my favorite.
    I always love your updates. 🙂 Keep being awesome.

    • Reply erin 04/08/2016 at 5:56 pm

      Seriously… hypoxia is legit! It gets better the more you practice then (as with anything, right?!), but it sure takes time. My backstroke is hilarious… I’m so slow! So, haven’t tried those flip turns yet 🙂

      Hope your training is going well, Laura!

  • Reply Luv What You Do 04/01/2016 at 5:20 pm

    I loved Brooklyn! What a cute book!
    So fun that you are floating. I really want to try that!

    • Reply erin 04/08/2016 at 5:57 pm

      It was! So relatable and heartwarming.

      Definitely give floating a try… it’s so restorative!

  • Reply Beth 04/01/2016 at 6:18 pm

    Looks like a great month, it’s going to be so exciting to see what you will put down in KONA!

    • Reply erin 04/08/2016 at 5:57 pm

      Thank you, Beth! So stoked for Kona… still pinching myself!

  • Reply Danielle @ Eat Primal, Run Hard 04/02/2016 at 10:03 am

    I too limit blue screen time and make time to read before bed – I’m able to fall asleep so easily!

    Your deconstructed tacos sound great! I’m contemplating adding in tortilla chips every now and then, mainly because I miss them.

    Thanks for all the reading recommendations! I’m definitely going to look into ‘Let My People Go Surfing’ because it sounds like my cup of tea and I just really like Patagonia stuff 🙂

    • Reply erin 04/08/2016 at 6:00 pm

      Limiting blue light before bed helps a ton!

      Tortilla chips are my jam… I’d miss them so much if I were keto or strict paleo. Because salt! 🙂

      Patagonia rules, right?! Love what they stand for (and their gear is pretty fantastic, too).

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