I've stewed. Procrastinated. Feared. Questioned. Debated. Analyzed. Doubted. Wondered...... Blurry eyed? Yup .. that's the jest of it :-) .. Keep Reading. It gets clearer.
I've whispered .. ok, no ~ I've yelled (in my head) at times - Just do it!
Hit the REGISTER the button. All the while, I told folks which race I'd LIKE to do but never making it official by registering. It's taken me months to get the nerve to hit the button.
Well, I did it tonight. IT IS DONE!
I am registered for my first TriAthlon!. Hip Hip Hooray! If the registration warrants this level of exuberance, what do you think it will be when I cross the finish line?
The big day is August 3rd.
I've held off registering because I've had a few more hangups than expected. I don't want to write a laundry list of excuses. Ultimately, I am experiencing side effects (still) ... some 'old' and some new. It's the 'newER' stuff that has thrown me for a loop.
I am always looking for inspiration, and it's easy to find in this sport. There are so many folks crossing finish lines having had to overcome personal hardships. I use those stories to remind myself that the race starts in my mind and what I tell myself that I can or can't do is very impactful.
I recently returned from a week long vacation in Tortola, BVI (thanks for my wonderful friends the host and hostess Sean and Judi). Prior to vacation, I worked out 4 days with full expecation to use that momentum to get me started officially (training schedule for a Sprint is 12 weeks).
Well, on the 2nd day in paradise, I had an accident that resulted in my toe nail (on the big toe) being pulled up and very close to completely off (saved by Sean's innovative bandage). I still can't put a shoe on .... So, needless to say, I was a bit bummed about it & what it meant for my training (or lack thereof). I still can't put a closed end shoe. So, running? biking? It's not happening.
I thought about the fact that in 2012 and 2013 I started out on this journey but couldn't finish because of my illness (my dad and then my own). What will happen when I register this time? Yikes????? All of these thoughts were rumbling through my head as I sat with the registration page open for over an hour tonight.
Finally, I sent my mentor an email and said "HELP ME push the button". She responded quickly. (Thanks, Robin!)
After I registered, I felt both relief and pressure :-). Is that possible?
I will forge ahead and try to not put too much pressure on myself. I tend to want much more from my body than some days its able to give. Then, I get anxious about how far behind I am relative to where I want to be in my training. I will practice (as much as possible) what I preach which is this ====>>>>>>>PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION is my goal !
I'm finding this training is as much mental as physical. What I DO and TELL myself matters!
I want to be a triathlete.I can, I will ... .... August 2014 .
Swimming Biking & Running toward that finish line, CC