Its Friday night one day before my first big race of the season, I am staring at all my stuff that I should be packing but instead I am blogging for some reason. All I can say is that I am super excited, a little Nervous, and also a little scared for my first race. The onion man will be the 3rd triathlon I have ever done, and my second Olympic. Most races leading up to now were to break up my training and test my fitness. But now my main season is about to begin.
This year is my second year in the sport of triathlon. due to injuries I did not compete much or train as much as I would have liked last year. This year I have been training injury free, and trying to focus on becoming a more rounded triathlete, not just a runner who tries to compete in triathlons, but a triathlete. I think this is so important, if I ever want to compete at a higher level. As a triathlete I feel more rounded this year, but as a person I also feel that Triathlon has changed my life in less than two years.
During the Long winter months there are many things I have realized and learned. I have seen myself change from the person I was only a couple years ago, to something much different. I have met amazing new people, and learned important life lessons. In the span of one year triathlon has completely turned my life upside down.
I guess for right now I would like to say thanks to all the people who have brought me this far. The season has not started yet but I already owe a lot to many different people, who have always been there to answer my dumb questions, offer encouragement, train with me, and give me words of advice. I would not be half the athlete I am today if it was not for the help of others. It is refreshing to be around people who are driven in their lives. I have huge respect for many of the athletes I train with. At times I find myself whining because I am too tired to train, or don't think I have time. All it takes is a step back and I realize that I have all the time in the world to train. So many of the people I train with Work full time jobs, have kids, and train. Yes they are Amazing athletes, but they are also amazing people who live their lives not wasting a second.
As I sit in the water on Sunday morning waiting for my first race of my first full season to start I will be probably quite nervous. Who knows what will happen, or even what this season will bring. For the first time in my life I barely have any money in my bank account, my social life consists of training, and I find myself sleeping through college. But for the first time in my life, I am waking up excited, because I have found something that I am very passionate about. I don't know what is around the next bend, but I am more determined than ever to take the next challenge that is handed to me. Lets get this 09 season rolling.
3 comments:
Reading this after your race, I have to say that you are definitely a triathlete. Great job out there and way to push yourself into new unchartered waters. Keep it up. The ski is the limit.
I can definitely tell that you are passionate about triathlon and love it. I remember when I first found a true desire for the sport and all I had were some magazines to thumb through and I went out and trained. Not really sure what that looked like, but I swam, biked, and ran in some random sequence. I knew I loved to race, and I raced a ton. It's cool that there are so many people out there now that want to share so many things like training, rides to races, "secrets," helpful training advice, etc. But there are still people that 'hole up' and do their secret plan of training, and travel off to those secret races that they don't tell anyone about...I really don't get that philosophy. The people that I see that are successful, not only on the podium, are people who share what they have...what they know. We all have been given gifts, and I feel we benefit from sharing them. We are no longer 9 year olds on Christmas who horde all our Christmas gifts :) Some people out there that think there is some magic arrow, or secret training device, or workout that will win them races. Those people will waste all their time searching for that "secret," while the rest of us enjoy the sport of triathlon and the opportunities it shares.
So when you say that you have benefited from all the people around you...we all benefit from one another as long as we all share what we have. Kind of like a potluck. As you gain knowledge and success, just remember what it felt like when you started the sport and how helpful it was to get support from so many different sources. Pay it forward.
You are a rockstar, Hoshberry!
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