SMALL CHANGES

well, hello there. how are you? 

me?

 I am doing very well. Thanks for asking. It's been a while, hasn't it?

As you may have noticed, I have taken quite the hiatus from writing...as well as training...this past year. You can catch up a bit HERE as to why I have been MIA. It has been a tumultuous year and a half, filled with some extreme lows but some really amazing highs as well. I choose to focus on the good stuff and the growth that has come with change.

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I find that the dust has settled a bit with my new life and I am recharged and focused on new projects, goals and adventures. I miss writing and sharing my journey with all of you so much.


I have dusted off the laptop.

I have given the blog a make-over, and a new name.

And soon, a new URL as well.


So welcome back. Or welcome for the first time.

I am Jen Small and this is SMALL CHANGES. 

swim bike run laugh - a good life plan

I pondered the name change for a long time and I felt that since I have changed so much, this needed to change too. Not only did I grow and CHANGE as a person the last 18 months, but I also feel that message of SMALL CHANGES is consistent with my coaching and lifestyle.

Small Changes = Big Results

I will continue to share training tips and advice. I will share my crazy adventures. But I want to expand what I write about. I want to share more on how YOU can make healthy living work for YOU... workouts you can do at home or at the gym.  Simple, clean eating recipes. Working on that mindset, the mental training, if you will. I will share my triumphs. and struggles. and ideas. THOUGHTS.


So here we are, back at it.

Where am I?

Well, since I haven't been running much lately, I am back to rebuilding that base. Very much so.
...and it feels like starting over...

and it is a total metaphor for my life. Starting over. And it is a very good thing. I am finally very happy INSIDE.

Physically??

I have battled a few injuries this past year. A bicep tendon injury that kept me from swimming and some weight training,  a piraformis that has gone wonky and most recently, an old back injury has flared up, causing some thoracic spine nerve inflammation.

funny. I train like a crazy person for years with no injury. take time off? Here, let me give you THIS to deal with.

or maybe I am just getting old(er).

The change in training habits and being a little lazy with my diet has added some LBS to my frame. I am about 15 from my "happy weight", so I am also wanting to get back to a place where I feel strong and comfortable. I have never been one to focus so much on the scale, more so how I feel.

SO i wanna feel GOOD again. physically.

It feels kind of weird having to WORK at running again. Especially carrying around a bit more weight. Every extra pound also slows you down.

I went through this awkward phase where NO SHOE felt good on my feet, so I was just NOT RUNNING> my old standby's didn't cut it. I was getting blisters. My feet hurt. I was annoyed.

I gave HOKA's another whirl...nope. once again, huge blisters on my arches
(anyone else suffer from this??)

My typical Newton's just felt stiff. I am running much slower these days so not sure if THAT played a role.

The super awesome people at Newton didn't disappoint though...I got myself into a new model, the Pop 2 Fate...in both blue and pink (of course!).

 My back/neck is particularly stiff and painful today but I wanted to get out for a few miles to see how I felt. I was only able to handle about 2 miles, the movement of my arms was quite painful.
A quick trip to my awesome chiro Dr. Dave to get things tweaked.

I am putting together a half marathon plan in my downtime and looking forward to the Rock N Roll Half in VA BEACH in Sept.

and of course, I am part of the amazing Rev3Team again this year so I will be at as many races and I can this year...and looking forward to Aquabiking!!!

And Lola is bigger and better than ever. The one thing I will forever cherish about starting this blog, is getting to chronicle her early years and what a special child she has grown into.

Cheers to the journey ahead!