Goal: Refresh and Refocus ...

I am a firm believer that you can do anything you set your mind to.

But, and this is a big but, I think that in order to do anything you set your mind to WELL, you need to balance it with the other aspects of your life.

Sure, you could pound away, day after day and walk away a champion, but at what cost? Would you ostracize your family and friends? Would your body and mind suffer? Would you sacrifice all else in the quest for a single, solitary goal?

Maybe, you would, if the timing was right. But most of us can not focus solely on one all consuming goal. We have real lives, responsibilities and jobs to attend to. We have children and spouse and others in our lives who all have needs (and wants) that are of equal and sometimes greater importance. Sometimes, we have to be selfless and there is nothing wrong with that.

three people I'd sacrifice anything for ...

Ultimately, life is about balance. Balance in all aspects of your life and well-being. What good is it to reach your goals if you have no one to share them with? How would it feel to look back on how far you've come if you had to step on others to get there? How fulfilling would it be to reach a goal only to realize that you hated the process? If you can't find happiness in yourself and with those around you while you reach for your dreams, is that dream really worth having?

From the very first moment I decided I wanted to race a 140.6, I have been faced with the questions of how it would affect my family, of what I would be asking them to endure, of what I would be willing to sacrifice to get there. I know it's going to be hard on me, both mentally and physically. But, I know that I am not alone in this. And I know my husband and children are going to feel the effects too.

But, in the end, I know it will be worth it. I know that someday my children will have big dreams and they will remember how I balanced all the areas of my life while striving for something great. I know that I am leading them by example and eventually they will appreciate all these lessons I am imparting. And I know that I will do everything in my power to shield them all from the effects of my choices.

• I will train early, late and when they are at work and school.
• I will eat, sleep and hydrate well so that I am refreshed for them each day.
• I will ask for help when I need it, so that I never blame them for what I can't handle.
• I will spend the moments I have with them, fully with them. 
• I will remind them constantly of how much I appreciate their part in my quest to reach my goal.
• I will expect that there will be days that they resent me or my training. And I won't begrudge them that.

A week from today, I will start my 30 week training plan for Rev3 Cedar Point. For the next week, I am going to focus on them. I am going to map out how we are going to tackle the next 30 weeks as a team. I am going to take a week to refresh and refocus my body and mind. No workouts. No obsessing. No asking anyone to sacrifice because of me. It's the least I can do, for everything they do for me.