I have this habit. It's a bad habit. I have these dreams, desires, things I want to do, accomplish. If it only revolves around me and doesn't affect other people, I am fine with working on those goals. I won't let anyone down but me. These goals are inconsequential in real life. These goals have led me to places I have never expected them to go.
I began my triathlon journey 15-20 years later than I wanted to. My friend Andy (who just happens now to work for USAT and their high performance coaching-- yeah, Olympians) was competing while we were in high school. I was intrigued. I wanted to do it, but I swam just well enough to lifeguard, rode my 10 speed that was my birthday present at age 10, and hated running. His races always stuck in my mind....
Fast forward to 2010 when I finally decided to go for it. I was a stay-at-home mom, wanted to get my competitive self back, and swam a ton while pregnant (and taught myself to bilateral breathe and flip turn in the process). The kids were little and I was able to take them to the gym during my workouts. I fell in love with the sport and training and set my eyes on the Cleveland Triathlon olympic distance. Why Cleveland? Well, that's my hometown and it supports United Cerebral Palsy and I was racing in honor of my late cousin Mark who wrestled with CP with a smile on his face. What better place to do it???
Who knew that that one challenge-- to complete an olympic tri would take me to explore Ohio's state parks, journey to Burlington, Vermont, Milwaukee, and Omaha. This sport has given back to me and my family in ways I never imagined. Yes, many hours in the car, packing food and snacks, playing movies, watching cartoons while training in the basement, miles upon miles in the snow, rain, heat, and georgeous colors of fall, countless soundless hours in the cold pool whle creating memories with teammates in master's swim, encouraging others to begin their journey, becoming friends (and long-lost family, who knew?) with my favorite water-bottle company #simplehydration, meeting my newest Eagle family at Team RWB tri camp (along with #DJTAIBAI - great music mixes, btw), rubbing elbows with triathlon pros....
....and now representing the USA in the Age Group ITU Worlds in Rotterdam.
The hotel room is officially booked. *gasp*
While triathlon is, in the grand scheme of things inconsequential, the things I have learned, the friends and family I have made through this sport, the modeling of healthy behavior for my kids, are most definitely not inconsequential. I have gained so much from this hobby. My family has seen parts of America I never thought I (or they) would see. Heck, we're going to Europe-- during Octoberfest and in the 500th anniversary year of the Reformation, nonetheless (yes, I'm Lutheran--beer and Bible through and through)!!!! No matter what happens during that race, I am amazed by the ability God has given me, the flexibility and time/financial support Steve has provided, and the patience the kids have had with my training. This isn't about just me anymore. They are on this journey with me. They always have been.
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