Sometimes an opportunity comes your way. One that scares you a little bit, but promises to change you in return.
We were up in Maine this weekend for my niece’s dance recital, when we learned that the Sebago Lake Triathlon was on Sunday and Greg’s brother’s girlfriend (an experienced triathlete) was doing it.
“You could do it, too!”
“It’d be great practice!”
“You’ve got your bike!”
Suddenly, Greg’s brother was e-mailing the race director to see if I could register the same day as the race, his girlfriend was offering to bring me bike gloves and a race belt and triathlon tops, and we were calculating what time I’d need to set my alarm. Greg was the best support and sounding board I could ask for, and he was willing to drop everything and show up camera in hand to cheer me on with the kids if I thought this event would help me prepare for July.
Was I really going to do this?
Attempt to complete a triathlon, over a month early? Without tapering? The day after a bike ride, and two days after a swim?
Yes.
Yes, I was.
Because I was scared, but not that scared.
I knew there’d be kayaks and I was in a buoyant wetsuit; there was risk of failure but no danger of drowning. My mom joked that that’s why she wouldn’t come watch until July… but I knew I could do this.
I knew I’d learn from this, that it’d help me go into Tri For a Cure feeling more confident and have a better race.
So I swam. I biked. I ran.
I learned. I never stopped smiling.
I’m a triathlete.
And in July, I will Tri For a Cure and I will Tri harder and with more confidence and more ability to relax and be present in the moment because I took a chance this weekend and I went for it.
More stories to come 🙂
How exciting!! And look how happy you are!! Congratulations. Looking forward to the upcoming stories. : )
Greg said I never stopped smiling… and we have quite a few photos to prove it 🙂 It’s really fun to do your first race of any type… all you have to do is keep going for it to be exciting and amazing! I had a blast.
Awesome! Congrats on your first Tri! Probably a good thing that you didn’t have too much time to think about it. LOL!
Yes! I was oddly calm in the beginning because a) I hadn’t had time to think about it and b) expectations were low. It was the perfect learning environment 🙂
So awesome! And now you’ve got one under your belt, so less pressure for the next!