There is this street, just about 1/2 mile from us, where I used to run to and then run back. I remember so vividly thinking "Shell, you just have to make it to Franklin." My heart would be racing, my mind a whirl of positive thought trying to push through negative energy. I'd hit Franklin, feeling as though death was near. Flipping back around I do it all over again just to make it home. Some nights I'd get home and cry. Cry because my legs hurt. Cry because my pride hurt. Cry because I was so ashamed of my body. Cry because I never thought I'd make it past Franklin.
Last Saturday our TRI group got together. We did a practice triathlon. Yep, you read that right. We wanted to see if we "got it". Annie is about to start a busy summer - including our July 18th TRI date. Autumn is getting ready to move for the summer (still close enough!). And I just wanted to see if I could do it.
We met at a local university where they have free open lane swim. We did our swim, bike and run all from that central location. It hurt. It was hard. We had to choose the hardest 5k course in the entire state to run! But it was doable. In fact, I did it. It took us 2.5 hours which isn't bad especially considering that our transition time was much longer than it will be on race day (we had to walk to our cars, put our bikes together, etc).
Fast forward to this morning. I've got my workout schedule posted up in my kitchen (with my food journal) as a reminder of what I should be doing each day. Today was a 5/2 for me. Five miles on the bike and 2 miles of run. The transition between the bike and the run is the hardest for me and the one that gives me the most nightmares. I loaded up the kids and bike. Dropped the boys off at preschool and unloaded my bike. I've planned out a route right by their school that allows me to drop them off, bike, run, and get home to shower in time to head back and pick them up. It's lovely. It's easy (not the route, but the routine) and it's practical.
As I ran back to the car today I realized something. I've broken through the wall. Not the wall of physical pain - that still exists and I still have to really push myself. But the confidence wall. And I cried. Cried because I am no longer ashamed of my body. It's doing some amazing things for me. Cried because I finished the run and thought, gosh I could go farther. Cried because I am doing something I never EVER thought I could do.
This, my friends, is huge.
3 comments:
Congratulations!!! I love stuff like this. My current fitness goals are to be able to put my heels down in the yoga position Downward Dog, and to finish in one workout (without modifications) this hardcore yoga video (for me). I can already feel a change, and it feels wonderful! Good luck with your upcoming Tri!
You are AWESOME! and trust me because I am a self proclaimed expert on awesome!
wow! i'm so proud of you and wish i could be like you! i have a goal to do this TRI in August...yes, two months after i have this baby. here's the thing--the swim is only 200m and you can USE A KICKBOARD, the bike is only 5k and the run is only 1k (yes...that's .6 miles). i know it's short, but it's gonna seem sooooo hard to me. way to go on achieving your goals....even if you didn't think you could do it. you always do everything you put your mind to b/c your shelly bennion!!!
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