MAKE IT HAPPEN

Triathlon season is in full swing- and I am loving it!!! I have finally started training again...I mean, not with a plan, but I am out there doing my thing :) I plan to have a plan. Soon. Until I make that happen, I am just trying to keep moving.

So, this past week was super fun for me, though, because I had the opportunity to spend some time with different athletes in Memphis. On Thursday, I had a chance to hang on to a roadie's wheel for an extra loop after the Peddler. I don't know what came over me, but when Curt Arthur and his friend passed me on the way home, I just jumped in with them. It was so out of character for me. And, when they asked if I wanted to ride a little more with them, I said yes! That was way out of character too! Maybe I am becoming more of a morning person after all (doubtful, really). So, I got to hang on to them as they practiced a good tempo pace with some tight turns in the neighborhood. I was very much admiring their dedication to training in the early morning. As much as I am just along for the ride and happy to actually be up and doing something, they were executing a training plan!

Saturday was kind of more of the same. I had the chance to meet Mark Newman, an excellent veteran athlete- yet tri newbie...although I guess no one told him that newbies don't win their age group at MIM. :) So, when he asked if I wanted to ride some more, I said yes! And I was pretty sure it would kill me to do it, but I said yes anyways. And my friends that know me best know I do NOT say yes to certain death. So I hung on...mostly, anyways. There were those hills....(3 to be exact where I just had to suck it up and hope he would wait on me) and thankfully Mark was the type of guy rider that did not up and leave me to prove a point. But, I mostly could hang, and after 40 miles I had to tell him thank you for the great ride, but I was tapped! And again, Mark is training for some 70.3s and it was great to see his dedication to training- I mean, he was going to do that same ride whether I was there or not- good stuff.

So, when Caroline Blatti asked me to run with her on Monday I was wondering- what is going on here? I am not a "yes" person, I am a NO person. I don't ride or run with faster people, or if I do I already have an escape route planned. Where is this all coming from? And she said we would run easy but let's just be clear that her easy pace is my tempo pace! And, since I have done exactly 0 tempo runs in 14 months....well, fine. I said yes and she could run easy and I would suffer but I was showing up. And, what a smart girl that one is! She is an excellent runner with some great advice. Boy do I have a lot to learn about running and improving! And I didn't feel self-conscious or lousy running next to such a superb runner- but instead I felt invigorated and ready to work on being a better runner.

So, I was really out of character this whole week, but I think it was because I was ENJOYING all of the people I encountered. I had so much fun watching their training unfold (as I sucked on their wheel), or picking their brain, or just being with them! Thank you! So I am learning that if I am willing to hang on to some faster, better people from time to time I may learn a few things and enjoy a change of pace. But, believe me I still have that "no" inside of me that I will use often. It is a mechanism of protection from doing too much, too fast, too soon.

So, great stuff going on here in Memphis as everyone is out training and working towards their goals. Which reminds me that I may need to try to pick some goals out and make a plan and all of that good stuff.