My adventure back on the bike and a recovery smoothie recipe for post-training. Overcoming barriers.
Many people think that when one says that like working out, they are simply good in everything. That people who exercise regularly were born with a certain gene that allow them to perform well in whatever activity they try. The truth however could not be further than that.
We all have exercises and activities that we prefer as well as others that we could live without. Still, there is always that feeling of wanting to improve and accomplish more that impels us to try new things and overcome barriers. If you read my blog The First Steps, you will know that cycling is not my cup of tea. Despite the fact that I do not feel comfortable riding a bike, I have this dream of participating in a triathlon. I like to joke that it is a 5 to 10 year plan. And even though I do not have major immediate ambitions, it is a plan I do take seriously.
The forecast for today was perfect to go out: temperatures are finally rising, no rain or extreme wind. I simply could not miss the opportunity.
“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Christian D. Larson. Image source: WeHeartIt
Yesterday evening I got everything ready. I got up at the normal gym time, 7:30AM, and had breakfast. I should have added some carbs to my intake, but that it is a lesson for the next time. When my mind started to play tricks on me, I felt it was time to get dressed and leave. In my backpack I did not have much. I have to admit that I missed a banana or a protein bar (another lesson for the next time), but I have my water with BCAAs which helped me make it.
I knew the road I wanted to take and wanted to go as far as my legs allowed for an hour before starting my journey back. The view was really nice and relaxing and I did my best to enjoy it as much as I could in spite of feeling tense. It was only the second time I was riding my bike for a longer distance. The first time was in August and before that, my poor baby had been in the garage for years collecting dust.
[Tweet “Be stronger than the negative voices in your head. Get out there and shine! #improve #progress”]
The road was along a river, the Dender, and even though I was not alone for most of the time, it was not crowded either. The only annoying thing was the fact that most runners were on the wrong side of the road. If only they knew how dangerous it is…
At the end, I went much further than I initially expected. Naive me did not notice that the wind was behind my back in the beginning so I kept on going until I reached the time of one hour cycling (stops were not included). Only when I turned the bike to head back home that reality hit me. I had to face more than 15km against the wind, with tired legs and hunger. Ouch!
[Tweet “We are granted a life and we should live and enjoy it fully. #biking #cycling #triathlon”]
When I got home I was starving. In fact, I was already putting together my smoothie on the way home. I wanted to have something filling, that would help me recover, easy to digest and that would not spoil my lunch. Here is the recipe.
- 200ml water
- Half a cup blue berries
- 2 scoops protein powder (I used Mutant Mass' Chocolate Hazelnut)
- 1 tea spoon grounded flax seeds
- 1 tea spoon PB2
- 1 tea spoon glutamine
- Add all ingredients together in a mixer. Blend them until you get an uniform mix.
- Drink it immediately.
- The water can be substituted by milk or soya drink, for instance.
Post Biking Smoothie
It is hard for me to put into words how feel every time I take a (small) step towards overcoming a block. No matter whether it is fitness, professional or personal related. We can always improve, but frequently we let the voices of fear in our head speak louder or allow that others dictate our worth. We are granted a life and we should live and enjoy it fully, whatever it might mean (of course that if it is health related, even better).
And you? Do you have any blocks that you would like to overcome? Are you already doing something to accomplish it?
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Wishing you all a fabulous week!
#DebbieInShape
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NOTE: Throughout this blog I mentioned various products and brands, however this is not a sponsored blog. All products were bought by me according to my personal preference and choice. I do not represent any of them nor received any kind of payment to write about them.