THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT ... DID!
When I did my first sprint triathlon this past October (the Try Andy's Tri) I cried in every transition, balled actually. I had never even thought about doing a Tri until my friend and fellow cyclist Michelle asked me to do it with her and if you know me, I hardly even turn away a challenge. I was not prepared to say the least. I did not want to continue...bricklegs? What legs? I could not even walk much less run. I hated every minute of it. The swim, which I doggy paddled though was horrid. When the guys pulled me out at the end I am SURE that I was dead-weight, I cried in the transition. I cannot go on. "But Babe" (my supportive wonderful boyfriend David said ), "You are 1/3 of the way keep going" ! "Keep Going..HOW !"! The bike which should have been my best leg of the race was even hard for me and the run with a walk here and there was more like a shuffle. As I came up to the finish line after a somehow remotely descent 1:40 time..Lisa with TNT said "Are you going to do a TNT event now" I laughed.."Hell no I said NEVER"..
The next thing that I knew- I was getting donations for the Capital of Texas Olympic Distance Triathlon to benefit LLS. How in the world did that happen!? !!!
Lone Star Tri Sprint
This past Saturday morning before I got to the sprint tri I said to myself "If you cry again, if you hate this..you will get through CapTex and then, go back to long distance cycling. If it is that bad..do not torture yourself". I was terrified talking to the other TNT'ers on "The Plank" but when I jumped in I knew-I was just at the pool at Ballys on Wednesday night. It was a little darker, a little colder and a lot bigger-but I could do this. I knew how to do this. Before I knew it..I was passing the pyramid.. and talking to myself the whole time.."Woman ... you have this..you can do this!" ... I looked up again and was already turning by the Pattleboat. WHAT? ALREADY?.I had done it, and I had liked it!.."Hey David" I waved..."how ya like me now?"
The transition was easy and the ride although next time I will eat more..was good too. That was the beach where I used to go as a kid..hey I thought " I know you! " I could not believe how quickly it was over.. the half way turn already? GO TNT GO TEAM IN TRAINING..OMG were the cops shouting for me? They were! Awesome...Then the dreaded run was coming. STAY POSITIVE I thought...remember, have fun! I took the advice of a former TNT director that I had dinner with at a peer meeting a few weeks before and spun really easy for the last 1/4 mile and then got up on my peddles and stretched my legs out. I was in the no passing zone so am sure that the bikes behind me were aggravated...oh well I thought, gotta do what works for me!
When I got off my bike to dismount..nothing. No brick legs! Hey David I waved."it is just a walk in the park"! !!! I knew the 1 mile sign was there from seeing it the night before. I told myself just get to it and walk...I made it and kept running and although slow.. I ran all the way to the end by the road..then took a break. I ran to the rest station and stretched and took a break..I ran back to the grass...then walked and took a break..then I ran to the opening of the park..then took a break..then I ran in. " You are almost done everyone kept shouting" "Congratulations" the volunteers yelled. I ran past the TNT tent with tons of fantastic people waving..past the water where I had just stood shaking..OMG is this really it? There is David high fiving me, there is my coach...there are my teammates..there are my co-workers...I did this! I am done! I took a bow when I crossed the finish line and then looked up to the sky...thank you I said..I did this!
I work for LLS and I am training for CapTex for my Aunt Helene who died after 6 short weeks of finding out that she had Leukemia-for years she donated to my endeavors even donated to my first TNT event the 2001 Tour De Tucson for LLS. Who would have thought that she would die of the very disease that she was supporting. That year, I had no one to ride for, I did not know anyone who died from a blood cancer-who knew this would happen to my family? When I was running I looked up and said to her "You get me though this! You push me because I need you now..." And she really must have listened because, I finished!
I am not scared of CapTex anymore. I know that I can do this!
Thank you to my Aunt who watches over us all and keeps us safe and to your guardian "angels" if you have them who watch over me, and keep me safe.
To an experience of a lifetime!
GO TEAM
When I did my first sprint triathlon this past October (the Try Andy's Tri) I cried in every transition, balled actually. I had never even thought about doing a Tri until my friend and fellow cyclist Michelle asked me to do it with her and if you know me, I hardly even turn away a challenge. I was not prepared to say the least. I did not want to continue...bricklegs? What legs? I could not even walk much less run. I hated every minute of it. The swim, which I doggy paddled though was horrid. When the guys pulled me out at the end I am SURE that I was dead-weight, I cried in the transition. I cannot go on. "But Babe" (my supportive wonderful boyfriend David said ), "You are 1/3 of the way keep going" ! "Keep Going..HOW !"! The bike which should have been my best leg of the race was even hard for me and the run with a walk here and there was more like a shuffle. As I came up to the finish line after a somehow remotely descent 1:40 time..Lisa with TNT said "Are you going to do a TNT event now" I laughed.."Hell no I said NEVER"..
The next thing that I knew- I was getting donations for the Capital of Texas Olympic Distance Triathlon to benefit LLS. How in the world did that happen!? !!!
Lone Star Tri Sprint
This past Saturday morning before I got to the sprint tri I said to myself "If you cry again, if you hate this..you will get through CapTex and then, go back to long distance cycling. If it is that bad..do not torture yourself". I was terrified talking to the other TNT'ers on "The Plank" but when I jumped in I knew-I was just at the pool at Ballys on Wednesday night. It was a little darker, a little colder and a lot bigger-but I could do this. I knew how to do this. Before I knew it..I was passing the pyramid.. and talking to myself the whole time.."Woman ... you have this..you can do this!" ... I looked up again and was already turning by the Pattleboat. WHAT? ALREADY?.I had done it, and I had liked it!.."Hey David" I waved..."how ya like me now?"
The transition was easy and the ride although next time I will eat more..was good too. That was the beach where I used to go as a kid..hey I thought " I know you! " I could not believe how quickly it was over.. the half way turn already? GO TNT GO TEAM IN TRAINING..OMG were the cops shouting for me? They were! Awesome...Then the dreaded run was coming. STAY POSITIVE I thought...remember, have fun! I took the advice of a former TNT director that I had dinner with at a peer meeting a few weeks before and spun really easy for the last 1/4 mile and then got up on my peddles and stretched my legs out. I was in the no passing zone so am sure that the bikes behind me were aggravated...oh well I thought, gotta do what works for me!
When I got off my bike to dismount..nothing. No brick legs! Hey David I waved."it is just a walk in the park"! !!! I knew the 1 mile sign was there from seeing it the night before. I told myself just get to it and walk...I made it and kept running and although slow.. I ran all the way to the end by the road..then took a break. I ran to the rest station and stretched and took a break..I ran back to the grass...then walked and took a break..then I ran to the opening of the park..then took a break..then I ran in. " You are almost done everyone kept shouting" "Congratulations" the volunteers yelled. I ran past the TNT tent with tons of fantastic people waving..past the water where I had just stood shaking..OMG is this really it? There is David high fiving me, there is my coach...there are my teammates..there are my co-workers...I did this! I am done! I took a bow when I crossed the finish line and then looked up to the sky...thank you I said..I did this!
I work for LLS and I am training for CapTex for my Aunt Helene who died after 6 short weeks of finding out that she had Leukemia-for years she donated to my endeavors even donated to my first TNT event the 2001 Tour De Tucson for LLS. Who would have thought that she would die of the very disease that she was supporting. That year, I had no one to ride for, I did not know anyone who died from a blood cancer-who knew this would happen to my family? When I was running I looked up and said to her "You get me though this! You push me because I need you now..." And she really must have listened because, I finished!
I am not scared of CapTex anymore. I know that I can do this!
Thank you to my Aunt who watches over us all and keeps us safe and to your guardian "angels" if you have them who watch over me, and keep me safe.
To an experience of a lifetime!
GO TEAM
1 comment:
You go girl! I'm so proud of you! XOXO
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