Why you don't stop and why you "TRI LIKE A MOTHER!!!!!"

I finally got the dreaded triathlon monkey off my back, I broke the curse, I faced my tri demons, you name it any way you want, I finally crossed the finish line of a triathlon! It was my 4th attempt! This is why you don't give up when you fail something and why you shouldn't let one failure (or several) define what you can or cannot do. Here's a story.

I first registered for a triathlon in June 2012. It was a sprint tri. Not a very hard distance, or so I thought. I was wrong. It was rainy and cold and when I stood on the shore, I thought, "I'm screwed, no way I can cover this distance". I had trained well enough but the swim really had me on edge and I felt under trained in that aspect. The tri started, I jumped in the water and after 5 hours, I finally gave up and walked out. Ok, you caught me, it was 5 minutes. Isn't that just crazy? I had literally been swimming for about 5 minutes when I thought "I can't do this. I'm a loser. I suck. Why did I register for this? What was I thinking? I'm a mom and my children are going to lose their mother in the ocean. Is that a shark? There's a shark near me, I'm sure of it. I should walk out before the shark bites me. Damn sharks. Oh, it isn't a shark, it's seaweed, now I can't walk out. I can still drown. I should walk out. Screw this, I'm walking". I became my own worst enemy filling my head with negative thoughts and I walked out. I felt miserable and depressed. I failed. About two months later I signed up for my first half marathon and focused on that. We all know how that story goes and if you don't, I've done over 10 half marathons, 2 fulls, Ragnar races, 5K's, 10K's and had a blast!

Then there was the Mommyathlon "TRI LIKE A MOTHER" decal that just sat in a box waiting for me. I finally got the courage to register for another triathlon. Well, 2. Everyone knows I tend to go all out for things. So being a little crazy, I decided to go for an international distance triathlon that was to take place in May 2014 and then a half iron triathlon in November 2014. Well, as luck would have it, we went on a family vacation to Washington DC in April and I came back with a horrible case of bronchitis. I deferred the triathlon to 2015 and continued my running, exercise and then began half iron triathlon training. I have never trained so hard for a race. I spent 12 weeks eating, breathing and drinking triathlon training. I biked hundreds of miles, swam hundreds of meters and ran like running was going out of style. I was in tip top shape. I was soooooooooooo ready. This was it, I was going to finally do it and I was going to do it big with a half iron triathlon... Or not.

Three days before my triathlon, my son woke up covered in vomit. Most mommies will guess right away, the dreaded stomach flu. I woke up race morning sick and nauseous and feeling miserable. Even then, I went to the race and tried my best. I somehow managed to complete the 1.2 mile swim but I was completely out of gas and sick and couldn't eat. Click here for a batter recap: http://mommyathlon.blogspot.com/2014/11/i-walked-out-i-quit-and-thats-just-fine.html

Needless to say, I quit and walked out. I cried the whole way to the car and even after, I fell into a workout depression during which time I didn't work out for weeks. I thought I was going to be fine with it but accepting that 12 weeks of training had ended on a very disappointing note was hard on me. In time, I got over it.  I got back to exercise routine and decided to just lay low, train and be happy. It's my status quo but then I won the magical entry into Big Sur - that race changed me. It was such a challenge and it made me stronger. Click here for a recap:  http://mommyathlon.blogspot.com/2015/05/big-sur-recap-and-then-some.html

So, about 2 weeks before race day, I get a reminder for the international distance triathlon. I had not been swimming or on my bike since last November. I told my husband I was going to try to finally cross that finish line. I was undertrained and unprepared. I had no business out there but my Big Sur training had me in pretty damn good shape and quite honestly, there's something about finishing a race like Big Sur that leaves you with this certainty that you can conquer a lot of things. I didn't tell my friends or family. My husband wanted to be there for me and so we made a deal. If I was able to finish the swim, I would text him "out". That was it. One simple word would give him the heads up that I might finally be able to do this. If I was able to finish the bike section, I would text "off" and then he would know this was really going to happen.

I drove to the race that morning with my nerves keeping me company. I focused on positive thoughts and tried to visualize myself getting out of the water. I went into the water and started the swim. Most ladies were out 15 minutes before I was but you know what? I was there to finish. I was not trying to PR or to beat anyone. I was trying to finish something that has eluded me for years. I kept swimming and just kept focused on each marker I had to reach next. After a very long swim, I got out of the water. I finished it. I remember thinking, this is really going to happen today but I didn't want to tempt the tri fate and so I texted "out" as soon as I got out of the water. I remember thinking that I desperately need a swim coach, hahaha. I got on my bike which is usually my strongest sport but I was slow and it was brutally hot. The swim had also taken a lot out of me. I just kept pedalling and before I knew it, I was putting on my running shoes and texted my husband "off". He knew this meant I was off my bike and about an hour away from finishing my first triathlon. He packed the kiddos into the car and headed to meet me at the finish line. It was a 6.6 mile run. It was brutally hot at this point because I was so slow swimming and on the bike and I was really tired but i kept putting one foot in front of the other. I was much slower than normal but a few walk breaks later, I was 1 mile out and thinking, I am finally putting that decal on my car and I am finishing a triathlon. I rounded the last corner to my husband screaming "BABY!!!!  GO GO GO" and I ran the last .10 with my daughter and son at my side screaming "GO MAMI, I LOVE YOU" and I thought, I'm going to put that decal on my car and I'm going to cross the finish line, right now.......  And that's just what I did!

Moral of the story Mommyathlons???  DON'T EVER GIVE UP! One failed attempt, or a few, is alright. It just makes us stronger and it means you were not afraid to "tri".

Big Sur Recap and then some!!!!

Ok, so it's been a LONG time since I posted. I conquered Big Sur, returned and jumped into my mommy duties. The end of school is around the corner and the schedules with work, sports, etc are hectic. I finally had some down time today and will try to get through it as best I can without boring you all out there. I warn you, there are a lot of pictures and I didn't even post them all! So I will try to give you all a recap as quickly as I can. 

We arrived on Thursday and it was go go go. Hubs and I decided to try to get as much sightseeing in as we could before and after the race. We have never been to California and we really wanted to do as much as we could. California is an amazing state with so much beauty.  

ON OUR WAY!

I normally have crazy, curly hair but I decided that I wanted a different look, so I went with straight hair to Cali.  :-)

Um, yes, even in California I found a 7-11.  :-)

The Redwood Trees are magnificent!!!!

 

This trip was powered by something bigger then myself and this view left me breathless!

These are our amazing friends who opened their home to us so we could stay with them. They also took us to Lake Tahoe - I will never forget this trip. The beauty is everywhere around you. I've never seen such natural beauty everywhere I turn. 

 

We found a heart and we borrowed it for a picture!

Time to leave and go to packet pick up!!!!

The energy at the expo was amazing.
There were also so many Boston jackets - made me feel incredible to walk among such great runners and I felt so lucky!!!
We found our names on the wall. VERY COOL!
Hubs registered for the 5K to be there with me at the end of the race. <3

After packet pick up, we went out for more sightseeing!

One kiss and off to dinner then to rest at our hotel for the night.

I took many, many, many layers of clothing and I was so glad I did. The race start was in the low 50's and people were freezing. I was warm and cozy!! hehehehe

BUS PICK UP - 3:30am

I'm so nervous and excited here! What a crazy feeling!

And we are here, race start!

The day dawned as we awaited the race start - the energy is crazy!!!!

The race began and along I went soaking it all in.
This was my first picture and as you can see, I have dropped most layers of clothing.

This is going on to mile 10 and what will be the longest climb! BRING IT!

DONE!!  What a feeling of joy and accomplishment!

The famous bridge - you can already hear the piano player and that's when my happy tears flowed.
There was something happy in knowing that I had made it to this famous crossing and there was
a feeling of gratitude that I am healthy and could take part in such an event.

There are no words to express the beauty - it's even prettier in person!

At this mile, volunteers mentioned that I had to make it to mile 22 by a certain time or you are taken away in a bus.
Things got real here for me. As luck, or bad luck would have it, Mother Nature paid me a visit the night before.
Most women know what this second day means - a lot of bathroom visits and time had ticked away. I stopped for some incredible pictures but I made my way fast to mile 22. No way I was coming back on a bus! 

Made it - SO CLOSE TO THE FINISH!

This is my favorite mile marker! It made me laugh hysterically. Then again, I might have been a bit delirious as well.

There is no way to briefly recap BIG SUR. It's just too...... BIG! hahaha It was breathtaking, incredible, difficult, challenging, and wonderful. The first few miles wound through trees and opened up into a postcard picture of the ocean on your left and mountains ahead of you. The wind felt like a constant pressure against your chest reminding you of how small you are. The beauty masked the hardship of miles at your feet. It seemed that the miles flowed as quickly as the wind did. I've never had a long run feel like this. It was magical. Miles 22 -26 were hard. The rolling hills and skewed streets challenged very tired legs but something in this race remains strong throughout the winds, the hills, the mountains, the streets, and that is the human spirit. Big Sur has earned its reputation as one of the "must do" marathons not only because of its beauty, but also because of the feeling you feel when running it. I will never forget it. 

We left to Yosemite after the race and went to see the famous Sequoias - yes, I did a trail hike after the race.
I was slow, slow slow and only did the .8 mile trail but it was worth it!  

Good night to a most spectacular day!

Good morning Yosemite - more beauty to take in!

The day after the race we were out and about looking at more beautiful sights!

On to Napa on our last day before heading home.

This is a funny picture. Too many tastings!

Back home and tired! We caught the red eye and I remember feeling  so ready to hug my children!

As the sun said good bye to the sky, I said good bye to California.  Thank you Big Sir for Big Sur. I still can't believe I won an entry into this race but I am so grateful. What a gift it was! A new challenge for myself and a lesson.  There is no physical challenge (good one, Mother Nature), no wind, no amount of hills or skewed streets or miles that can stop you if you wish to move forward and in that strength, you find the time to appreciate the beauty around you, the time to be grateful that you can do things like this and the certainty that life really is a gift to be cherished, but most of all to be lived!

I'm sure there are those that have done many marathons - GOOD FOR YOU! Keep it going! I know I will!

And for those that read wondering if they could ever do this, it's so simple...  Of course YOU CAN! You just have to want it and then work for it! A few years ago, one block was all I could run and now I have Big Sur behind me and who knows what awaits in the future! 

What's a race recap without finish line pics?!?!  Here are my fav!

BIG SUR FINISHER!!!!!