Semper Tri. Or Semper Survive.

Me (right) and my crazy girlfriends!  Love this photo. (cred. Deb Hellman)

I scanned through the Semper Tri Triathlon results, disgusted at how many of the older people smoked me in the swim or bike or run portion of the race....or all three.  I know comparing myself to everyone else is pointless, and I should just be proud of myself for doing a triathlon at all, but alas, old habits die really, really, really hard.  That said, I am proud of myself for doing it, for finishing it, and even for just setting the goal and believing that I could.  And frankly, I didn't train that hard for it, so what was I expecting??

What did I learn from it? Lots.

I learned that:

-I still have a terrible procrastination problem.
-I shouldn't underestimate the 60+ year old woman carrying 30 extra pounds and wearing a leg brace....She must have smoked me in the swim because I didn't see her again until half way through the run when I finally passed her...finally....
-I need to actually train if I want to do better than 75% of the women in the 60-69 age bracket (I'm 43...you do the math....)
-good girlfriends will always jump in and do something crazy with you.  THESE are the Real Housewives of Pacific Beach, baby!
-friendship is everything.
-I can do way more than I give myself credit for.
-a drill sergeant yelling at you to sprint the last part of the race when think you are giving it all you got, actually works, and I did push a little harder.
-my bucket list seems to be getting longer, not shorter.
-I am an athlete.  If I pushed myself, I could do really well.
-I want to be more disciplined.
-you can run even when your legs feel like noodles.

Nothing like having to write your age on your leg!

-it was important for me for my husband to be there, even though I said it was no big deal if he didn't come.  I lied.  It was a big deal, and he made the effort and it meant a lot to me.
-swimming is hard and an open ocean swim is freaking harder!  But the best part about doing one in a triathlon is that there are lots of other juicy options out there for the sharks when you aren't the only one swimming.  Unless you swim too slowly and get left behind.....
-I have an amazing life.  I have a healthy, strong body, even if it isn't in the best shape right now.  I live in a beautiful place and I have wonderful people around me every day to support me and walk these crazy roads together.

Half marathon, you're next!  Who's with me??

(This was a sprint triathlon on Camp Pendleton: 500 yard ocean swim; 18 mile bike ride, 5K run)

In Submission....

Oh, that title can go so many ways.  Working on my first submissions as an author, and it's a little overwhelming.  But, I have put off this pursuit far too long, so here I go.  I have a children's poem I wrote a few years ago that I have adjusted and put in book form.  It is hard not to feel too personal about your work, especially when it was written about your child.  I have included the picture that inspired this poem.  It is Dylan running on the beach when he was no more than two years-old, thick, wavy black hair blowing in the wind, short legs at full speed.  He is such a spirited little guy.  He is five now, and this poem is just as true as it ever was.  The poem compares him and his spirit to that of the ocean.  It begins:

"Little child, you are to me, so much like the living sea.
Full of life, so strong and deep, in constant motion, vast and free."

It goes on for ten more lines and draws on the imagery of the incredible moving, changing, crashing, rolling ocean.  I have always loved the lines.  They fit so perfectly with the kind of child he is.  I know there are many who can relate.  I have begun submitting it for publication, so I will keep you posted!  In the meantime, with a second little boy who is just as adventurous, I will continue to enjoy their crazy spirits "crashing on the sandy shore, then off to search and to explore."  It is the stuff of my dreams.  It is the stuff of my reality.  And probably the stuff of my next story, too.