Silver Sneakers/ Fluorescent Feet

My mother joined a silver sneakers water aerobics class recently. Not being the outgoing, social butterflies that her daughters are, this was a BIG step for moms. In support, I've been going to the class with her. I already get in the water to teach twice on that day, so I just couldn't see myself getting in a third time to swim train while she "worked the water!"
Conveniently, my bike was in the shop, so I was unable to ride, so instead,  I decided to get out there and put some miles on my shoes.
It turned out to be only three miles, but a rough three miles it was. If you know the Skybrook neighborhood then you know the word CHALLENGING is appropriate. (Thanks Runtastic for clocking my miles, and calories.) I walked 3.07 miles in 57:49 and gained 164ft in elevation- whatever that means!
The second triathlon I ever did, the Take Flight Triathlon, finished through this neighborhood. However, I just don't remember it being that rough back then. (Oh, how the mind forgets.) Anyway, I got back out there. So while those spry seniors rocked their silver sneakers, I tried to be light on my fluorescent feet. Tried. But hey, it's worth a tri : D!

Strength and Support

I've always thought of running and swimming as solitary sports. Sure, you run on a team, and often times you swim on a team, but even when you swim a relay, it's just you in the water racing for the wall, or the finish line for your team. I never really thought about biking unless I had to go somewhere. In my elementary years I may have biked for fun at some point, but by the time I was in college, without a car, when I biked it was because I had somewhere to go. Once I got a car, I stopped thinking about biking altogether!

In 2009, when I started training for my first triathlon with Tri it For Life I discovered how much of a "team" sport triathlon could be. I was still in the water, but my lane was filled with other people struggling for the same goal. Many of us were not really runners, so we pushed each other for faster walks, and to shuffle just a little longer as we started to walk/run. And on the bike, we'd remind each other about changing gears, alert each other to debris in the road and "cars back!" I found there was strength in numbers and support in a group, and it helped me meet my goals.

Then I looked towards new goals, and though our training group got smaller, we still managed to impel each other up the hills, literally! The Race Whisperer, my Bestie Roomie (see also the Gear Gal), The Blur, EJ, Chocolate Lori, Crystal Sunshine, and DSTehia all helped me prepare and finish an international triathlon, a half marathon, and a 30 mile bike ride. (I'm still giving those bike rides the side eye people!) But through it all there was strength and support.

And then schedules changed, new commitments were made, and that group, unfortunately for me, became a team of one again. For myself, I would still go out and run or swim sometimes, but it became very easy to leave that bike in the garage. And then it was too cold for one, or I was too tired for the other. Before you know it, you wake up one day and realize you've stopped moving completely; alone or otherwise.

In walks my Amelia Island Angel! I once had aspirations to do the AmeliaMan, and I bonded with a woman who had done it before, and was planning to do it again. (Alas, the race is no more) Since then, she and I have kept in touch, through the triathlon group mostly, but she's provided support whenever I needed it, for whatever reason; training related or no. So when she stepped out in a new direction in her career, I saw an opportunity to support a friend, and get myself moving again. Which is what got me thinking about all of this again today. This morning, after STRUGGLING through a 6 am open water swim, and dragging my arms through the water trying to effectively utilize my hand paddles....

...I found myself on my bike again for the first time in a year, with my tailbone and crotch burning, a leg going numb, and a new support team encouraging me through it all!
I DO know what possessed me to join the group swim, AND add a 7:30 Computrainer bike class afterwards; realizing I'm not a team of one! While I found my motivation again, I needed both strength and support to really get going. I'm no where near the "triathlete" I was in 2010 and parts of 2012, but thanks to the open water crew, the Upgrade Lifestyle Wednesday Wriders!, my Sunday Sweat Sisters, and the ORIGINAL Northside Group- I'm at least back in the game.
Once you find your strength and support, keep it, chances are, you'll continue to need it!

I'M BACK BABY! (new motivation)

In the past few years, it's been easy for me to find the drive and wherewithal to go out and help other athletes. Some days I leave my regular job at 8pm, and have no problems driving 45 mins to get back in the water and work with new swimmers/triathletes, because, well there is nothing like seeing the look on their faces when they put 10 laps together for the first time (or even two laps). However, that same get up and go for my own  swim, bike, or run training has been elusive, to say the least. Enter my favorite "Salty Wench" (sweaty ladies unite!) and my training partner (see also everyone's favorite "Gear Gal").

Isn't it just great when people know you? The Gear Gal and my Salty Savior, lead me to the US Road Runnings' Virtual race programs, and more importantly to the five pirate medals I can get from them.

I know what some of you are saying," You can't just buy a medal." Well, what do you think you are paying for at other races? Oh sure, you pay for the venue or view when you register for a destination race; and you pay for the opportunity for camaraderie when you sign up for local races with friends. Some people even tell themselves they are paying for the challenge; pitting themselves against other athletes. But how does that truly differ from your training days? When you achieve a PR time during a training day prior to a race, but not on the race day, that medal is just as much for the sweat equity you put in training, as for how you performed on the event day. And if your friends and family can't join you at a race, couldn't you still enjoy the moments when you are together training? And honestly, when you do the same race over and over again because they change the bling, aren't you still paying for the medal? Truthfully, I didn't need any other reason that these two words: PIRATE MEDAL! And it doesn't bother me what other people think about the idea of virtual races; I have a reason to get out and run, and I haven't had that in a LONG TIME!!! Blue, Orange, Ghost, and Talk Like a Pirate; I'm registering for all of them. I've even started my running already, in preparation for all the race days I will be awarding myself my medals! (Race days=dates listed by medals)

My first day back out, it was just me and the open road! I walked (not quite running full out yet) 3.87 miles with an avg speed about 4 mph. I'm happy with my return to the road. But more than that, I'm motivated! 

“Plans make dreams reality.” 
― Susan Pace-Koch, Get Out Of My Head, I Should Go To Bed

And so I have my plan! Gangway! This landlubber has booty to smartly plunder! ARRGGH!

(Updated 7/30/2014! Ahoy Mateys, me booty hath arrived:D. So excited about this!)