CA Tri-dreamin' Part II: Life after the first tri.

author : docgill
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This life of mine is not so different from yours. It has a multitude of similarities. I suffer from uncertainty, I get nervous at the thought of registering and when getting to the starting line.

So here I am at the end of 2006, looking back at what happened after my first triathlon in May, 2004. I am honest with myself now. I have goals completed and in front of me. I am no longer waiting for life to come into my living room; I go out and live it. How? Well, that first triathlon kicked my butt, and as I saw CAF athletes whip by me, I knew instantly that there is a reason, every day, to use what you have to your advantage.


Weight (its reduction, actually) was my first goal. I went from a big number, and I am now a size 10. But now that I can look back, weight loss has become merely a side effect of all the things that I do to improve my physical and mental health. I cannot always get myself into the mental zone it takes to do three sports, so sometimes I choose a duathlon instead. It is not second best. It is very different. It is just as hard, just as challenging, and just as rewarding to finish in whatever time I can. Don't kid yourself--one hour of any heart pumping strenuous activity is a great workout for the body and spirit.


My last race was the Solana Beach duathlon in July 2006. 1 mile run/10k bike/5k run. My next race is a 10k fundraiser for kids in Irvine. And I have registered for a triathlon in San Diego in the middle of 2007. I have made a commitment to myself that I will keep. The energy I use is nothing compared to what I get in return, and it flows into all areas of my life, work and home. I used my undergraduate education in physiology & nutrition to develop a water beverage called GOH2O that I will get to market next year. Mostly, I use all my new experiences in the water, on the bike, and on the road to help propel my ideas into practice.
 

This life of mine is not so different from yours. It has a multitude of similarities. I suffer from uncertainty, I get nervous at the thought of registering and when getting to the starting line. I worry about how much to drink or eat every day, not just race day. I don't always know who to talk to about what hurts, why it hurts, or how to fix it. The most important thing about this life is that it is ours to live everyday, and that we can make a small, perhaps unnoticeable difference, but a difference that will nonetheless help someone other than ourselves. Getting the courage and energy to do that came to me from engaging in this sport of sports that requires patience (lots of patience) and a support system to which I say THANK YOU every single day. 

 

 

 

 

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date: December 31, 2006

docgill