How many of you out there have ever considered trying a Tri? What's holding you back? One of the biggest concerns I had, was what I thought I triathlete looked like. Ever seen one of those runners magazines . . . that was the image that I had in my head when I thought Triathlete. Do you have that image too? Guess what, it's wrong.
You are invited to see firsthand with your own eyes what a Triathlete looks like. Come watch the YWCA Triathlon this Sunday in Minneapolis (click the link or contact me for more info). You'll be AMAZED at what you see, woman of all shapes, sizes and ages participating in a magnificent sport of endurance. It will change the way you think about Triathlons. I encourage anyone that has ever dreamed of being a triathlete to come see this event. Get a glimpse at what your future can be and what you are capable of. By cheering the athletes on, you provide motivation for them to keep moving forward, stay strong and cross the finish line. At Trek some of those voices were what kept me from quiting. It still bring tears to my eyes. For those of you coming out, I want you to look at yourself in the mirror and you’ll seem something familiar and similar to what you see on the course, I see it in you already, it’s the Triathlete hiding inside of you.
On a side note, I’ve had some self doubt going on about how long it will take me during the Tri. Notice I’m not worried about finishing, just my time, I call that progress J My ankle has been really painful causing me to be quite slow. It’s so darn FRUSTRATING. I already started to feel like I was going to fail. When I say self doubt, I guess you could actually maybe call it really emotional. I’ve been in tears thinking of how SLOW I am going to be. It’s not that I think poorly of being slow, it’s that I know I can go faster. Then I remind myself, nope, with my ankle, it’s really not an option. It’s not about pushing my body harder, it’s accepting that I do have limits and respecting them for what they are. My ankle is outside of my control. I looked in the mirror at myself and realized something really really cool. There is a different woman looking back then there used to be. The woman I was not so long ago, came up with every excuse (seriously, I had creative ones) on why I couldn’t or shouldn’t work out. The woman I see in the mirror today is accountable for herself and her choices. While I don’t always make the best choices, I take full responsibility for them. Doing this Tri shows how far I’ve come. While my ankle is painful, I’ve gotten the okay from both the ortho dr and the PT about doing the Tri, I won’t injure it further, I’ll just be in a lot of pain for a few days later. I’m making the choice to do this because this is who I am now. Everytime I start to worry about my time, I’m going to change the tape playing in my head. My new tape will remind me how far I’ve come not only physical (no concerns about finishing the race) and how far I’ve come mentally (not giving up). I truly love the person I continue to become. Next year, I’ll be able to focus on time, this year, I’ll just keep focusing on being “Unstoppable”.
Unstoppable”hoping to SPY more Triathletes” Mariah
You are going to be great! Tell that self-doubt to shut it's pie hole and that you will be a finisher! I wish I could be there to check things out and cheer you on. Can't wait to hear an update!
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