I know it's time for an update. Honestly, life here in Philly has been pretty boring. Boring in a good way though. I have settled into a nice eat, sleep, train, coach groove. You know when you have those periods where everything just seems to be flowing smoothly with minimal distractions or interruptions? Well, that's how things have been....It's been nice, although the weather has definitely been challenging my training groove. I can't remember a winter like this ever in Philadelphia. Multiple snow storms, single digit temps, crazy ice storms and power outages has definitely tried my motivation and dedication. I am so ready for winter to be over and I am counting the days till training camp begins. It's still 3 weeks away though. Boo! While I've been ramping up my training, I've have been extra focused on listening to my body. Staying on top of my health and energy levels is a big focus for me this year. Managing my nutrition better, tracking my iron levels and paying better attention to my recovery and fatigue. As I found out last year, it's so easy to make excuses for rough workouts or brush bad days under the rug. And while it's important not to be negative and dwell on the bad days, it is also important to listen to your body and make sure you are not ignoring significant signs. We are all different. We all improve and progress under different conditions and with different types of training. That's why it never any good to compare what you are doing to how others are training. What is good for one person is often not good for you. I'm learning that I am one of those athletes that needs a lot of recovery. It's tough because like most triathletes, I want to train more and train harder. But, that is not always the smart thing. Sometimes it is. But that is why knowing your body and listening to it is so important. Knowing when to push and when to hold back can be the difference between taking the next step forward and falling backwards. I really want to have a successful FULL season this year. And, I am excited to have many of sponsors back supporting me in 2014. Part of my off-season included working to strengthen my relationships with these companies. Zoot Sports has been with me since the beginning. Their 2014 apparel line is one of their best...it's all about stripes! Rudy Project has proved to be a great company to work with making cool sunglasses and helmets. I am anxiously awaiting the release of their new aero helmet, the Wing57. GU Sports has kept me fueled for several years now. They have come out with some yummy new flavors and are now running a fun new Willy Wonka inspired contest to find the golden packet of Salted Caramel GU. Check it out here. Amrita bars is a local company which I started working with last year. Part of working to reach my full potential has been to improve my diet and Amrita is helping make that easy. They are plant-based bars with some very unique flavors (pineapple chia, mango coconut...). It's always important to have a local bike store on your side. Nothing is more frustrating to me then having bike issues and therefore, having a place to go where I know I can get good service and I can trust to fix my problems is key. Thankfully I have High Road Cycles! And while we can train hard physically, it's important not to neglect the mental training. I will continue working with Dr. Greene this year to make sure I am on top of my mental game. It's going to be a fun year. They say it's about the journey and so far it's been amazing. Up next I have the Endurance Sports Expo, the biggest endurance sports expo in the country. I'll be there helping sponsors and speaking in a few of the seminars that will be taking place. Stop by and say hi!