I saw the coolest snake a couple weeks ago when I was running in Robert E. Lee park. I almost went running by without noticing him when my heart rate monitor started beeping, telling me that I needed to slow down to keep my heart rate in my Maffetone zone. When I did slow down, I noticed the snake sprawled out vertically along this tree, it was basking in the sun happily and it was about a foot from my head. Luckily I like snakes so I wasn't scared, but seeing that snake did get me thinking about how many other things I've probably missed that were sitting right next to the trail as I went running by, determined to get my training run completed as quickly as possible, not caring about anything else. It made me think about how self-centered I had become, especially when it comes to training. I didn't think about or notice anything when I did my training sessions. I would get annoyed when things like thunderstorms would force me out of the pool. Annoyed when I had to wait for my boyfriend Jeff to be ready to go on our training runs.

The Maffetone training has definitely made me slow down, and I think it's been for the better. It's allowed me to remember why I train, that training for triathlon is something I do because I love to be outside, I love to get out and really enjoy my life. I think before I started the Maffetone training, I had been focusing too much on just getting through my workouts. But now I'm thinking - why should I just get through my workouts? I want to enjoy them! I want to have fun training because training is a significant part of my life. So I decided something the day I saw the snake. I was going to train because it was fun, and that I was going to change it to make it fun. And I was only going to do it up to the point where it ceased to be fun. And I was going to stop being so self-centered and start noticing the beauty around me, the snakes along the path.

Over the past few weeks, I've been fighting the flu, allergies, and some other health issues and I haven't been able to run or do any of my other normal training. In fact, just being able to get out for a walk was a miracle with the way I felt. I really started to miss my training sessions and longed to get out there to do some biking, some running, and even go for a swim.

Now that I'm finally feeling better, I can get back into my training and I can enjoy it even more. And every time I go back to the park I will visit the tree where I saw the snake. I may not see the snake but I will still be able to see the tree and it will serve as a reminder as to why I train, why I am out there, it's fun and it is a privilege to be healthy enough to be able to get out and enjoy what's all around us. And I can stop and listen to the birds, feel the cold wind, watch chipmunks scurrying around a tree, enjoy the clouds reflecting on the water, and the smell of the fall. And who knows, maybe I'll be lucky enough to see that snake again one day.