What are you training for?

That's a question I get asked a lot:
What are you training for? What's your next race?



Sometimes I just answer that I'm training for life.  I really don't have a race schedule planned for the rest of the year.  In my head I have some ideas but I haven't registered for anything specific yet. 

I will do the Labor Day Run for a Child 5K on Monday. It's a fun race that I do every year.  After that I am looking at a half marathon in November or December to finish out the year.  I'm out of town for two big events in October.  I'll miss both the Tour de Cure bike ride and the Chile Pepper Cross Country festival.  I also have weddings to go to in September that are the same weekends as two triathlons I was looking into so my triathlon season was very short this year and is possibly over.  I might try to squeeze in a sprint race...but I need to see where my bike fitness is at since I haven't biked in 6 weeks or so!

In reality, I really am training for life...Lifemasters that is! Lifemasters is a program that our corporate fitness center offers which is an incentive system to earn membership rewards based on fitness testing results.  I have scheduled my Lifemasters testing for November 16th and I'm officially in training until then! 

The testing involves:
1) Cholesterol screening
2) Glucose testing
3) Blood Pressure test
4) Body Composition via Bod Pod analysis
5) Strength via Pushup test
6) Flexibility via Sit and Reach test
7) Fit Check cardiovascular test

Points are awarded based on your age criteria...for example in the strength category to get maximum points I need to do at least 24 pushups.  Up for grabs if I can make gold status is free membership for the year.  That would be great!

I've already scored two bonus points for participating in races this year.  I've started to work on my eating habits and I am trying to reduce the influence of sugar in my diet.  This effort should help my cholesterol and body composition tests...hopefully!

Some days are much harder than others...for instance today was really tough.  I was tired and just cranky at work and that led me to eat emotionally instead of for actual hunger.  Tomorrow is another day and I'll work harder to make better choices!  That's my plan for the next few months as I work to prepare for the testing.  I've got a couple years of bad eating habits to reverse! I'm trying to stay focused first on vacation in October and then on the testing to stay committed to the goal of making gold status for Lifemasters.