It’s Simple

In the last two years, actually since I started training for anything 4 years ago, I’ve gotten a lot of whys. Why wake up at 5am on the weekend, why pay for a race, why the hell would you do a two-a-day, and why would you possibly want to race for hours? Who does that? I do. Simple, because it’s fun. I know it sounds completely demented but there is no better feeling than a sick workout. Than sitting there drenched in sweat, your leg muscles pulsing, looking at your watch, and knowing you killed it. Being layed out on the sidewalk because you just left everything you had out on the ride. I can now say my day is complete, because there is a feeling of completeness being completely exhausted.

Something like this…

 

It’s simple, because I can. This was part of a conversation with my girls yesterday; you should take nothing for granted. There are people that never or no longer have the opportunity to go out for a run, squat their own weight, or know the feeling of crossing the finish line of a race. They’ll never be able to feel the energy of the athletes or spectators, read those funny signs. I am blessed enough to do this, so I will and I’m thankful every race. It’s simple, because there’s something about feeling the sun on your skin and sweating it out. I don’t think I can ever understand how people can only workout in the gym. I need to be out, I need my vitamin D.

It’s simple, because I don’t want to be average. I want to look back and know I tested my body’s limits. I want to get old, wrinkled and tell stories about crossing finish lines with the girls in the home. I want to look back Monday mornings and know I did more than just drink, eat, and sleep on the weekend. I want to feel accomplished. I want to make checks on my fitness bucketlist, hell on all of my bucketlists. I want to hear the words “you are an Ironman.” But when they ask why, I’ll stick to its fun, mostly because I like to see their reaction. But seriously, it is fun. ~ Adding Mo Miles

Dear Motorist

Hello, my name is Monica and I have road rage. There, I said it. Most people fear getting in a car with me and I don’t blame them. In my pre-cycling life, I was not a fan of cyclist. They got in my way of where I wanted to go, as fast as I wanted to get there.

Then came the day I clipped into my first bike. I was in love, after getting over the initial fear that I was stuck to a bicycle. My first time riding on the road was pure terror. Cars flying by me, horns honking, and people cursing. My view was forever changed and I have a new found respect for not only cyclist, but pedestrians, runners, dogs, babies in strollers…basically any living thing near cars driving in Miami. We encounter some respectful motorist, but then we have our run ins with serious a-holes.

So to the person honking the horn and missing me by an inch with your rearview mirror on purpose, you’re an a-hole. To the woman eating a McMuffin, almost taking the stop sign and hitting a cyclist, and then cursing at him… you’re an a-hole. To the drunk that hit a cyclist and sped away… you’re a poor excuse for a human, a coward…oh and also an a-hole.   To the man with a big ol’truck, obviously compensating for your lack of size somewhere else, purposely and obnoxiously honking your horn…you’re an a-hole. To the cyclist who doesn’t follow traffic laws…you’re kind of an a-hole too.

I get it, I was that person trying to get somewhere 2 minutes early. No one likes mornings, traffic, or someone making you late to a meeting. But is it worth risking someone’s life?  Think about it, this is a human being on the bicycle. Unfortunately most Miami streets don’t have bike lanes, so you have to share the roads. The cyclist is a mother, father, son, daughter, sister…is it worth injuring them to make it to the office 2 minutes earlier? We can’t ride on the sidewalks and we have the right to use the full lane. This morning another cyclist was hit on the Rickenbacker Causeway. There are no details yet but lets make Miami streets a little safer for everyone.   So be respectful, share the roads, pass with 3 feet of space and don’t be an a-hole, BOTH cyclist and motorist. ~ Adding Mo Miles

Lessons Learned

My life has changed significantly over the last year. It’s actually kind of shocking to me how much it has. I’ve changed over the last year. These changes have not been easy. Look Ma, I’m an adult. Lessons and things learned:

This girl can cook! I got bored of chicken and steam bagged veggies so I started putting some work in the kitchen. I was impressed with myself. No roman noodles here!

You got bills, on top of bills, and then more bills (yup, a Destiny’s child song). So you log on to your bank account and wonder where the hell the money went!?

Save. There will come a month that you will need it. Dad, you were right. Happy? I admitted it!

Once you lose respect for someone, it’s hard to see them the same. Sometimes we hold people in such high regards or witness them do something you never thought they were capable of. I’m not sure what’s worse, losing trust or losing respect.

Wine = bestfriend. Lots of long days and a glass or two (or the whole bottle) goes a long way. Don’t have the bottle though, it leads to angry text messages.

Never lose yourself in someone else’s problems. They are not your own. You can’t help someone who won’t help themselves. You have your own to deal with.

Your real friends don’t judge you or your mistakes. They just don’t. They have your back regardless of the stupid things you do (usually more than once) and they’re there…with wine.

Let go of your regrets, they’ll eat at you. Just let it freakin’ go. I can’t change what I did or the decisions I made, so what’s the point?

Say I love you, say it over and over again regardless of whether they say it back or feel it. Just say how you feel with no fear. You may not get it in return but you can walk away knowing you said everything you felt. I’ve turned into a sap apparently.

Get up and train! Regardless of how you feel, get the f up and train.

You can never make someone see their own worth and what they deserve. Hey, you want to settle, go ahead. All you can do is remind them. For the love of god people, stop settling in life.

A new appreciation for the support I receive from my parents. Regardless of my decisions they have supported me, they have been there for me and not everyone has that. Thank you. This is the first time I can openly talk to them about relationships, careers, and what I’m facing. This is the one change in the last year I am most grateful for. My mom is still angry I moved out though.

Don’t lose yourself in love. Don’t lose a part of yourself for someone else. Don’t lose yourself period. And if you do, grab a drink and go find yourself again.

Some things aren’t meant to be, dwelling on them or trying to explain them won’t help. Once you learn to come terms with things faster, you live life easier. Shit happens, it’s the way it is.

Some people just don’t have a pair.

The problems you have won’t mean much 5 years from now. Five years ago I was stressing about my current boo, now I laugh about it…and a little at him.

Regardless, life is always good. ~Adding Mo Miles.

How old am I?

I’m convinced I’m an old lady. Here’s the proof:

 

• I can’t eat too late it keeps me up.
• Going out Sunday thru Thursday, not happening.
• Is that heart burn?
• I pee every 15 minutes.
• It’s 11 o’clock…wow it’s late.
• I’m at Publix on a Saturday night.  Not buying goodies (ok maybe wine) for a party but doing groceries.
• I’m doing more research on vitamins than weekend events.
• I forgot what vodka taste like.
• “The music is too loud”
• My ears are still ringing.
• I can’t believe kids these days.
• Girls night… at Starbucks.
• My party dresses have collected a layer of dust.
• Tea for everything: digestion, nerves, sleep, detox. Tea, tea, tea.
• PJs > Dress
• DVR > Movies
• Savings > Shopping
• Date night = Pizza and PJs (my favorite)
• Hangover = 3 days
• I’m repeating my mother’s sayings
• How much for a pair of heels??
• Shots????
• What’s good on a Friday night?…. No idea.
• Dinner at 10pm, who does that?
• Everything my dad has told me makes sense.
• I follow my instincts.
• Can no longer sleep in past 9am.
• Nights out are planned weeks in advance.
• I no longer need the Bank of America number for a new debit card after most weekends.
• I can read a mans bullshit.
• I feel odd shopping at Forever21.
• Routine…I like it.
• My group of friends is small and I prefer it that way.
• I’m reading up on wrinkle cream
• I wear lots sunblock and a pamela (aka sun hat) to the beach

And I wouldn’t want it any other way. ❤

 

R&R

The meaning for R&R has changed, it use to be rest and relaxation, now its’ rest and recovery.  I have a great support system preparing for this race.  To the person who created Whatsapp, I could kiss you! My life is one big party on Whatsapp. It has become essential for my training and motivation.  Sounds silly huh?  Well, I got all these great group chats with friends that also train, love fitness and nutrition.  It’s where I set up training, talk about nutrition, soreness, exhaustion, stupid people, even my bathroom schedule (oh yea, we’re that close).  So after reading my last post, Khania (one of my people), asked if I’d looked into supplements for recovery and pre-workouts.  I knew at some point what I take post workout for recovery has to modify as my workouts increase, but it didn’t really cross my mind that it could be the reason I was so sore, sluggish, and recovering so slowly. I have 3 Ironmen on a chat to learn from and Khania is like my nutrition handbook.  So we all spoke about possible supplements, what I’m eating, and what I could try. 

It really is a trial and error and everyone is different.  Unfortunately, I got blessed with a sensitive stomach, so I really have to be careful.  I’ve had to start kicking my fear of carbs.  I am use to eating as little as carbs as possible cause it goes straight to my mid section. I get this really pretty pudge (very sexy).  So here I am cautiously adding Ezekiel toast at breakfast, brown rice at lunch, and a little sweet potato at dinner.  Not all in the same day, it all depends on my workout that day and the next day.  “Eat for your goal” I was told last night.  It’s a constant conflict between wanting to get a lean (Miami living requires lots of bikinis) and wanting to be able to get thru all the hours of cardio. 

Supplements, I fear them.  Mostly cause they feel like a chemical shit storm and I’m poisoning my body.  Last year when training for my Half Ironman in my search I found Vega One products, which have Vega Sports.  They are plant based supplements and they worked very well for recovery, on my stomach, and also didn’t feel like I was putting crap in my body just because they say I have to. 

So I’m adding those back into my nutrition plan and go from there.  It never crossed my mind that I would have to really plan out my nutrition this much.  My body is a lot more complicated than most, so we’ll see how it goes ~ Adding Mo Miles.

It Hit Me

This past week it finally hit me, like a freight train, what I got myself into.  I got scared.  Going into only my 4^th week of training with only one day off and at least two two-a-days a week, I am pooped (you’ll read this often until August).  It happened Thursday, very unexpectedly.  I was running and it felt like the bones in my legs were about to fall apart (the leg day at the Jungle the morning before didn’t help), no motivation, and just plain tired.  I cut my run short (and got a face of disapproval).  Saturday morning I couldn’t get myself out of bed early enough to make it to the group ride.  I got myself out for a ride but only half of what I was supposed to do.  What the hell am I going to do two months from now? I hear my training cohort as I type this, “Suck it up buttercup.”

I need to find the mental strength to push through the pain and exhaustion. If it hurts, I still run. I need to put aside other aspects of my personal life and not let them affect my training, push thru regardless of what I have going on.  No more cutting workouts short.  I need to strengthen my mind just like I’m doing to my body because where it’s at now, I know I won’t make it thru training and thru the race.  This race means more to me than I can explain, so there is no doubt that mentally training myself is at the top of my list but probably the most difficult.  So how do you train your mind?  Louisville or bust ~ Adding Mo Miles.

Rollercoaster

I love food.  Foods covered in melted cheese, giant desserts dripping in chocolate sauce, and big plates of arroz con frijoles.  All accompanied by an ice cold beer.  I’m not ashamed to admit it.  So it’s no surprise that sticking to a clean diet is difficult for me, for most actually.  I’m in a constant battle between food and not wanting to gain weight.  By nature, or due to my Hispanic genes, I am not meant to be thin.  There’s not thigh gap here baby!! Just lots to love 🙂  My family is full of thick women and a fair share of overweight members.  So staying at a certain weight and size is difficult and requires an extensive amount of work and dedication for me.  I know I am not alone!  

So when I say I am finally reaching my goal weight people look at me like I’m crazy, cause I’ve been working out for so long.  Well, let me tell you it’s been a rollercoaster for this girl.  In the last 5 years, I’ve been up and down in weight and size.  In my closet you’ll find sizes that range from 4 to 10.  In the last 5 years I have been at my heaviest and I have been to the point where I can almost see an ab.  I unfortunately fall off the wagon, many times.  It could be for many reasons, I get tired, work, lazy, a new relationship, or I just want to “enjoy” life for a while.  All excuses of course, but at the end of the day I regress in my fitness. I give up. I’m not that strong willed and I feel like I have to start over again each time.

For me my fitness journey has been a struggle of highs and serious lows.  It has brought me to tears in frustration when I’m not seeing results of my hard work or when I see that I let my hard work go to waste.  At the end of the day what matters the most is that I get back on the wagon.  It took me years to find what worked for me, clean eating (screw diets!), the occasional indulgence (pizza), and regular exercise of both weights and cardio.  Unfortunately stress and weight loss for me go hand in hand, so I have to make sure I keep my mind healthy as well.  Fitness is hard, frustrating and never ending work………..never ending! Some body parts just don’t want to stop jiggling.  ~ Adding Mo Miles.

Welcome to the Jungle

Around 4-5 years ago I showed up to a bootcamp class in Sweetwater that a friend of mine had started. I was ready for some aerobics and bicep curls with 3 pound weights, what I experienced was a whole lot of crazy.  “We’re warming up with 200 squats”…”Come again?!” and I can honestly say my life has never been the same.  I was hooked on Jungle Fitness.  I couldn’t walk the next day, it took me a good 5 minutes to pee, and by day two I needed a wheel chair.  I kept going back, week after week, class after class.  We ran the streets of sweetwater, up the down escalator of the FIU library (I’m not kidding you), climbed walls, and did reps in the thousands (ONE THOUSAND SQUATS!!). 

Jungle Fitness became more than bootcamp classes, it became a way of life and a family.  Jannett and Edwin, the trainers, gave me an entire new perspective on fitness.  I can honestly say I’ve ran most major streets of Miami (some highways), done pushups under my desk and at Epcot, weather does not stop a workout (even a hurricane), and there are no excuses, period!  No class is ever the same. I’m not lying, I have yet to do the same class twice in 5 years.  It is literally blood, sweat, and sometimes a few tears with the Jungle. 

No I didn’t make it over.

They’ve now opened this incredible facility, Jungle Fitness Compound.  It is a playground for adults.  The trainers have been with me every step of the way.  My first 5K, 10K, half marathon, sprint and olympic tri, and are now helping me get to Louisville.  They’re helping me to build the strength I need to keep me strong in all disciplines with classes and weight training.  I also got a full nutritional meal plan to keep me operating properly.  They continue to push me to my limits, and with good reason, I’m finally reaching my goal weight and everyone one of my fitness goals. 

No matter how crazy the goal, the Jungle is there to help me reach it.  They’ve definitely toughen me up! “Just warming up…” ~ Adding Mo Miles.

My first 5K

A little swim around the pier on South Beach

❤

The Pursuit of Happiness

Happiness, everyone’s working towards it. Including myself, especially lately. It’s a common question, what makes me happy?  Followed by, how do I get it?  Happiness is relative and it means different things to people.  To some it’s love, friendship, success, power, or sadly money.  But if you really think about it, happiness requires a level of selfishness and courage.  To a certain degree, happiness is selfish. At some point it comes at sacrifice of someone else. 

So to what degree do you sacrifice your own happiness for someone else?  I’ve seen that this comes easier for some than it does for others.  I’ve witnessed this in parents; I’ve seen this in spouses and couples.  I’m not talking about something little like giving up the last slice of pizza, I’m talking about staying with someone to avoid hurting them or because you vowed to, even if you know for a fact you aren’t happy and will no longer be happy.

It has always come easy for me to put my happiness first because honestly speaking, who else will.  If I’m not happy for an extended period of time, the relationship won’t be healthy. I can’t make someone happy if I am unhappy.  My happiness has come at the sacrifice of my family’s happiness.  I made a choice to no longer practice the religion I was born into.  To my parents and others, this was devastating.  I came to terms with this because I knew I didn’t want to look back and know that I spent all of my life unhappy and just content for other people.  Some very tough years later, I have the best relationship I’ve ever had with my parents. 

I’ve learned that happiness is sometimes purely on how you see things.  The stars aren’t always going to align, lets be realistic.  But if you can look at your life and see that most of your moments are happy, you’re surrounded by a lot of what you want, then you’re not half bad. It is those things you must focus on in the unhappy moments.  It is all up to you. If there is something that you aren’t happy about, it is up to you to change it, put your big girl panties, grab life by the balls, and do something about it. I am. ~ Adding Mo Miles

 

The Comeback

Call it a comeback! This weekend I can finally say I felt like myself, Monica Maria Rosa.  Also known as Mo, Moma, Le Mo, Le Monique, Momo… I have a lot of nicknames.  It’s been a very frustrating few weeks because I really learned how much of my conditioning I’d lost.  I spent a good three months on “off season.”  That doesn’t happen here in Miami, where we pretty much train year round.  At the end of last season I was drained physically, emotionally, and mentally.  I trained through absolute exhaustion and led to a burn out.  I didn’t want to hear the words swim, bike, run, or race.  I’m still angry with myself for letting this happen but you live, learn, and comeback! I’ve promised myself that I won’t allow anything or anyone let me get there again. 

Our Saturday morning ride started like any other, Mo getting dropped.  I’ve come to terms with it.  But this time it was different cause I wasn’t going to stay behind.  I found another group and went along for the ride.  As their pace creeped up to speeds I’ve never reached before, I started catching groups that had left me behind.  Lungs and legs burning, I was going to stick with them.  Long story short, I made it back to the store 25 minutes faster than last week.  I got off my bike and did a little dance, last week I got off with anger and frustration.  Progress.

For me it was Sunday‘s run that left me focused.  I felt so great running, I ran 15 minutes more than planned.  If you read my last post, you know this is rare…or nonexistent.  I ran longer and faster than I have in months and it felt damn good.  I kept pushing cause I would much rather focus on the pain than my thoughts.  I kept going cause I didn’t want to stop.  It was a beach run, I was in my place.  They almost sent out the search party.  What made the day perfect was breakfast with some of my favorites and then some quality time with my toes in the sand.

The last few weeks had me angry with the decisions I had made.  This weekend left me motivated and determined.  I’ve regained my focus. ~ Adding Mo Miles