How do you follow up a year like 2014? A year in which I lost a job but got an even better one. Qualified for the IRONMAN World Championships, trained for and completed my first IRONMAN at the World Championships in Kailua-Kona. A year that gave me the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. You don't try. You just do. I can say that on paper 2015 may look a little anticlimactic in comparison, but it feels just as rewarding.
My goal for the year was professional growth. While I wasn't the newest addition to the CPC Team, I felt like I had to earn my keep. I took on whatever projects that were given to me. Some worked. Some didn't. Some just need more time to develop. I taught classes. For awhile there it seemed as if my name was on the schedule every other class, which is a lot when the expectation is to bring originality and enthusiasm to each. Every new person to walk through the door looking for personal training became my client. A handful have moved on for various reasons and in some way, I can't help but think I didn't do my job well enough to make them stay. However, the majority have stuck with me and achieved a significant amount of success within the last 12 months.
Establishing myself in the walls of 18 Maple Court wasn't necessarily hard, but it took time. I learned very quickly that the lifestyle I once had before joining the Team at CPC was never going to be the same. As a collegiate coach, I made my schedule. I practiced when I wanted. I established my recruiting calendars. I worked out when it was convenient for me. I worked on an academic calendar and looked forward to Fall Recess, Winter Break, Spring Break, and, of course, SUMMER! I can probably count the number of days that I took off this year or wasn't planning and programming on two hands. The hours in which I once had to train was now being used to train others. The luxury I had to once walk lazily my dog in the morning was replaced with a 30 minute power walk thinking about how much time it would take me to navigate the 5 fire hydrants, 2 nasty dogs on the corner, the park with all of the squirrels, and one semi-well behaved Lab to be back in time for my next client.
I've quickly learned that time in this profession is money. It is either directly billable or an investment that you make on yourself for later. One of the many things that I love the most about working at CPC is the expectation always to be better and to learn more. Mediocrity has no place inside the literal and expanding figurative walls that make up CPC. Education is paramount. I attended a Functional Movement System (FMS) course in Boston with Mike. I took the newly released TRX Functional Training Course. As a team, we attended the TRX Trainer Summit in Baltimore. And if on top of taking over group programming and a steady client load I decided it was time to pursue a certification to be a recognized Triathlon Coach. In August, I pre-registered for the online IRONMAN Coaching Certification. On September 9, I logged into the program for the first time and started the 90 day clock to completion. It was an intensive 11 module (think chapters) course that required more attention and detail than anything that I have done since college. I was a student again. I would grab a few hours of free time during the week to work on each module but the majority of my weekends from September to Thanksgiving were spent in front of the computer learning, relearning, and enjoying all fifty-one hours spent preparing to take the online and written exams. Add in another three hours to take the online multiple choice exam and another thirteen hours spent painstakingly answering questions about athlete-centered program design. The investment upfront was well worth the time and financial commitment on my end. The weight that lifted when I learned I had passed was significant but short-lived. The wheels are always spinning and putting my certification into action is what 2016 is all about.
Personally, this year was not about training and racing. There was no way for me to follow up 2014 and establish myself in a new job. I did train, and I did compete, but only twice. I completed my first stand alone marathon in May at the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington. I needed to make sure that I could do one without having to swim and bike before hand. I also took on the Sea2Summit Triathlon. A self-supported 1.2 mile swim, 90-92 mile bike, and to close out a "run" to the top of Mount Washington via the Tuckerman's Ravine trail. It wasn't an IRONMAN, but the adventure and the challenge was there. The self-imposed pressure to perform was gone. Honestly, I was more concerned about getting lost and dying on the mountain. As always once the gun goes off the fears and concerns go away, and it's go-time. Every part of the day was perfect...except for a slight bottle exchange error on my part at mile 75. Sometimes when you're lucky enough to have an almost perfect day you have a perfect finish making it to the top as the first female. No, it wasn't Kona but summiting Mount Washington in just over two hours after having been in Maine that morning makes for a pretty amazing experience.
So what has 2015 taught me?
When you think there is not enough time to train - there is!
At some point, I will have to cut back on my coffee consumption.
Rest & mental health days are important. Take more of them.
Modesty has no place in this business. Sell yourself. (I'm still working on this.)
Know what you're good at and capitalize on it.
I love my job and feel lucky to be part of such an incredible team.
Life will never be what it once was, and that's okay.
-- SK
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