Great Minds Think Alike

A new season has started, and with Fall colours and morning darkness comes a few changes to my training routine. The dreadmill is plugged in; so far I’ve managed a few short runs on it. I’m building up, progressively, this way the boredom comes in smaller doses so I can get accustomed to it (so that I don’t fall back asleep- it’s early & dark!).

I’ve started working with a new coach- who will be testing me over the next 2 weeks. Not to see if I’m motivated enough, but to see if I can follow direction when direction tells me to only train a few good quality hours a week. For this endurance junkie, scaling back this offseason will be the greatest challenge.

Somebody stop me!!!!!!

Biggest change of all, and one that is certainly more entertaining than what I’m doing- is Dylan. Dylan has joined the U7 tri team, and it’s been both very exciting for him, and very challenging. This is where my little man finds out the difference between liking the idea of something, and being committed to it.

Just 2 days ago, out of nowhere, another Dylanism, “Mommy, if I were a bird I’d fly over the clouds. Even if the other birds told me I couldn’t.” In one sentence my baby showed more will than most adults. I smiled, big smile, at his determination, strength, and sense of curiosity. I prayed he keeps on, not losing those qualities as he grows up.

Then, his first swim training: 6:30pm Thursday. He was the only U7 who showed. The lanes taken up by much more experienced, faster, lean & able older kids. My baby, standing in his new goggles and new TYR race suit, faced intimidation beyond anything he had ever felt before.
I wanted to tell him, “Be a bird!” But I needed him to be a bird on his own. Because it doesn’t matter if you are 5, or 55, if you back down, you’ve quit. And quit is a bad word in this house.

He put on his new fins, grabbed a kick board, and slowly (and zig zaggy) made his way to the other side of the pool. 25m, done. Or as Dylan would say, he went over the deep part. With each 25m came a new sense of accomplishment. With each instruction to use swim gear, came a smile as big as Christmas morning. He’s been walking around the house for a week with his swim bag, waiting to play with it all. The time had come, and true Dylan, he found the smallest joys in what could’ve been a lingering disaster.

45min later, showered and ready for bed, he simply told me that swimming was not as exciting as he thought it would be, but he’d go back next week.
And once again that night, I went to bed in awe, and in thanks, of my tri-kid.

Being a mother is not the biggest challenge; it's certainly tough work, I'm not knocking it. But having survived a 15 month battle with PPD, a fight I almost lost, I can assure you that learning to be a good parent is much harder than just being a parent. There are days I do great, days I mess up, there are moments I must ask Dylan for forgiveness, there are times when I question every word I say. I over analyze because I'm terrified of falling back... Striving everyday to do better with the 2nd chance I have been given is a goal I myself, can never quit. Watching him fly- watching him soar, with fear in his eyes but a goal in his heart- inspires me and reminds me that we are all doing the same....We line up on race day, uncertain but confident, and we chase down the goal because we made a commitment to it. We are trying to fly higher, be better, do more with the chance we've been given. As I stare into the darkness outside my window this AM, I high 5 you all, and cheer you on as you keep going, through the early morning darkness and boredom of the indoor trainer- because, just as Dylan's learning them for the 1st time, this is also our time to relearn the many valuable lessons this awesome sport has to offer.

Train safe- You are all awesome!!!!