So, it's actually only been half a year since I competed in my first Olympic Distance Triathlon. I am sitting on a plane destined for Phoenix, and even surrounded by what sounds like a million cranky babies, I'm still overwhelmingly pleased with myself.
I just signed up for Augusta 70.3! It'll be my second half-IronMan and it'll happen exactly a year {and 6 days} after my first tri. The last 6 months have been an roller coaster ride of fear, pride, jubilation and mortification, I can't wait to see how I feel after a year of training and racing. Stay tuned.
Phoenix?! Did she say she is on a plane bound for Phoenix?!?
Yes. March has flown by and I am suddenly in the middle of April, trying to finish up my final measures for the clients I see in clinic, study for my finals, settle into the new apartment and finish up my last races of the season. ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
So yeah, I finally agree with you all: I am absolutely, positively insane.
Maybe I am doing too much. Maybe this is a bit out of control. But I'm happier and more content with my life than I have ever been. I have created a life where I get to explore the different facets of my personality. This weekend is about reclaiming Sofia the competitor.
Haven't you had a lot of weekends like that lately?
Yes - I have raced a lot lately. But they feel more like events than races. This weekend is different. We are headed to Collegiate Tri Nationals. I am in no way fast enough to be a serious competitor. But I am thrilled to be able to compete at a national event as an athlete. I have competed at four national championships as a coxswain...
{For inquiring minds this is what a coxswain looks like. 2007 Pac-10 Championships, Lake Natoma, CA Womens JV 8+}
... and I'm grateful to all these ladies for letting me be a part of their collegiate racing experience...
... I loved earning some bling with them and repping the W...
... screaming at these boys in high school was pretty fun too...
... even though I won't end up on the podium this weekend, none of those other races, medals or wins come close to the sense of accomplishment and pride I gain from being the athlete!
For me, triathlons are completely not about winning. Which means it's a miracle I even like them! I might be one of the most competitive people I know, but knowing that I have zero chance of winning actually makes me enjoy the triathlons more.
I learn something new every day I train and every time I race. Something new about myself, my friends and this crazy world. In the past, I was so seized with the desire to win and paralyzed with the fear of losing, that I rarely took the time to enjoy what we were doing and the people I was doing it with.
That being said, I'm excited to learn something new this weekend. It's only my second Olympic Distance triathlon. I keep fluctuating between apathy, excitement and fear. And I think that is a good place to be. I know that I can get a better time than I did 6 months ago, but I am not quite sure what that is going to be. And that is also ok. I am down here with some pretty awesome people -- including the girls I trained with for the 70.3 and these goofy guys:
So this weekend I'm officially trading in the "W" in more ways than one. Going to rep the green and gold with a smile on my face and a bounce in my step. Can't wait to report about the race, it's going to be a gorgeous day in Tempe and I am going to leave my everything out there on the course.
xoxo Sweat&Sparkle
**One last thought for you**
: )
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