Spreading the Insanity

I haven't exactly been successful converting my non-triathlete friends to the sport, but I think I am having some influence on the younger generation.  One of my ambitious little fourth graders emailed me to tell me that she signed up for a kids' triathlon!!  I am one proud teacher!! As much as I want to get her some Gu and compression socks, explain the importance of bilateral breathing, and give her the name of a couple of good bike fit guys,  I have to remind myself that she is 10 and will be competing with other kids her age. 

When you're passionate about something, you can't help but want to talk about it ALL the time...or at least I do.  Each day I have a captive audience of dozens of 9 and 10 year olds who will gladly listen to me ramble on and on about the sport of triathlon.  We all welcome the break from the usual discussions that center around our fourth grade curriculum. I've found ways to relate the sport to almost everything I teach. Sometimes it's a stretch, but I usually find a way. My students are familiar with several professional triathletes, and they can tell  me the swim, bike, and run distances of both the Ironman and the half Ironman.  We've read stories about triathletes overcoming amazing odds, and I show them a little race footage from time to time.  They always amaze me with how many questions they have.  Mostly they like to know about going to the bathroom and eating during a race. They're like little sponges wanting to know everything!!  I love it!!

My students are some of my biggest fans.  They have never seen me race and they have no clue what my splits are.  As far as they are concerned, I look like Chrissie Wellington when I'm racing.  And yes, they do know who she is.  When I told them that she was taking a year off from Ironman racing, you could hear audible gasps throughout my room and see the looks of disappointment and disbelief all over their faces.  I assured them that she wasn't going away.  I explained that she was focusing on her other goals, and that she was writing a book.  One kid asked if I could call the people who put on the school book fair and request that they sell copies of her book.  My heart was bursting with joy at that moment.

My goals isn't necessarily for my students to all become triathletes...although I would have no problem with that.  I hope that as they grow they will remember their crazy fourth grade teacher who had a goal of doing an Ironman.  I want them to have goals that seem bigger than life, and to know that hard work and dedication pays off.

We fail to see that we can control our own destiny; make ourselves do whatever is possible; make ourselves become whatever we long to be. -  Orison Swett Marden 

New Year, New Season!!!

I'm so excited that the 2012 training season is finally here!  I've picked up my training a bit over the last week, but I'm still not at full capacity yet.  I'm easing into the season, I guess you could say. This will be a very long season, and I don't want to burn myself out.  This year I'm thrilled to be serving on the board for North Texas Multisport.  When the opportunity came up to serve, I threw my name in the hat right away for consideration.  I'm hoping to give a little something back to a group that has given me so much over the last year.

This week Triple Threat resumed swim practices after taking the month of December off.  It's been great to be back in the pool with everyone.  I almost forgot how much I actually like swimming.  It's hard to believe that it's been exactly one year this week that I showed up to the pool for the first time to learn to swim.  My swimming has improved by leap and bounds.  Of course, that's not saying much considering I could barely put on a swim cap or move through the water in any fashion that even resembled swimming a year ago. I still have a lot of work to do in the pool.  I know that the water in Arizona will be pretty cold in November, so I want to finish the swim as quickly as possible.  I'll do whatever it takes to shave a few minutes off my swim time.

There is so much to look forward to in the coming months.  In March I'm going to do the Rock n Roll half marathon in Dallas again.  I don't think I'll be quite as serious about my training this year.  My focus is more on having fun.  I've been joking that I'm going to ride my bike down  to the race so it doesn't feel like cheating.  Seriously, it will be nice to run on fresh legs, but I wouldn't exactly say it's going to be easy.   I know I like to joke about that run distance being a nice cool down, but no matter how you look at it, 13.1 miles is a long way to run.

In June I'm heading to Kansas to watch my friend and training partner, Jeneen, compete in her first half Ironman. I'm pretty excited to be going to the race as a spectator!  It will be so much fun to clap and cheer from the sidelines while snapping tons of pictures.  I wondering if I'll feel sad when we get there because I'm not racing....hmmm.  Probably, but I know I'll have fun anyway!  When I did my half Ironman, it was really good to have calm relaxed people around me who understood my state of mind before the race. Hopefully I'll bring that same comfort to Jeneen. She's going to do awesome, and I can't wait for her  to experience the thrill of crossing that finish line.

In September I'm planning on doing the half Ironman distance at Redman in the wonderful state of Oklahoma.  While I haven't actually signed up yet, it's definitely something I plan to do before the big race in Arizona. As much as I would love to do Austin again, the date is just too close to Ironman. I really haven't picked out the rest of my races for the season yet.  Last year I competed in 7 triathlons, but I don't think I'll do as many this year.  I'm hoping to get my first triathlon in by April or May,  and maybe do one or two during the summer.   My main focus for the season  is Ironman.

There is so much to look forward to over the next year. If I can make it across the finish line at Ironman Arizona and have fun along way, this will no doubt be an incredible season.  If I can cross the finish line in 14 hours and one minute, or less, that will be the icing on the cake;-)

"Success is living up to your potential. That's all. Wake up with a smile and 'go after life': Live it, enjoy it, taste it, smell it, feel it." -Joe Kapp