It's still really hot -- AND on Saturday morning, Robyn and Ryan's 25 year old air conditioning unit started making terrifying screeching noises before it pathetically conked out for good. It was 87 degrees INSIDE when Robyn woke up this morning. The tough swim workout was a welcome respite. The HVAC crew arrives this afternoon. Hallelujah.
"If I were to wish for anything I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of what can be, for the eye, which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating as possibility." - Kierkegaard
(As quoted in The Art of Possibility: Transforming Personal and Professional Life)
The alarm goes off at 5:30 am. Your first feeling is irrational fear. Your first conscious thought is "I don't want to do this."
But, just as you've done hundreds of times before, You.Get.Up.
You start the coffee pot, quickly dress, grab that cup of joe and a trusty PB&J, take one last long look at yourself in the mirror, and head to the track, where your coach awaits.
During your long supposed-to-be-slow 30 minute warm-up, your legs are already feeling a little tired. The tiny aches that have been simmering under the surface all week now feel crippling. Your heart rate seems unusually high and seeds of panic take root. The devil on your shoulder starts to say, "You can't do this today. Just call it off. Why are you going to put your self through this? What's the point?"
But, now it's time. The irrational fear has grown significantly, but you try to mask it by casually saying to your coach, "Oh, I'm a little nervous."
And then, you're off! Coach reminds you that this your opportunity to experience what lies beyond the threshold - your true capacity.
Our biggest fear is not that we are inadequate.....
The first two laps feel quick, real quick. You deliberately don't look at your watch and instead just try focus on turnover. The challenge feels so mental. The little devil pipes up again and you feel doubt. This is definitely faster than you've gone before. How can you possibly keep this up for two more laps?
A new feeling of panic is high in your chest at the start of the third lap. Rounding the second turn, you audibly groan "Oh, God." But then, lap four starts and you just have to hang on.
The fourth lap is a blur - just Don't.Give.Up you keep repeating. And amazingly enough, you don't. Instead, you cross the line and are shocked by the reading on your watch. You've just gone faster - significantly faster - than ever before.
Now, you KNOW. Your world, your limitations, your potential have shifted. And the next time the alarm goes off at 5:30 and you head out the door, you will think "I wonder what's possible today."
"Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness."- Seneca
We've all had encounters with panhandlers in our communities - and many of us have felt compelled to give. Here in Durham, the Interneighborhood Council is initiating an education campaign to encourage folks to instead direct their donations to organizations, like Genesis Home, which are providing services that sustainably support folks as they move out of homelessness.
Although we've already exceeded our Tri to End Homelessness fundraising goal for the year, organizations like Genesis Home can always use your ongoing financial support. Can you spare some change?
For the past week, Ray has been on vacation with her husband and in-laws - touring New York City, hiking throughout Bar Harbour, Maine, and eating lots of lobster in Nova Scotia -- all while attempting to keep up with tri training.
Our flexible coach, designed last week's plan around Ray's destinations - including a 1-mile time trial in Central Park. Here's what Ray wrote in her training log for that day:
I LOVE CENTRAL PARK!!!! What a great run today. I love Central Park and I thoroughly enjoyed my run! My mile TT was 7:50 but now that I've had some rest I think I could go a bit faster. It's just so hard to know how to pace yourself for just one hard mile. I've never done that before. Just when I was thinking holy crap this is really REALLY hard, it was over. The weather was only in the low 80's this morning and the sun was shining. Truly a great start to our long day of sight seeing (and walking on these tired legs!) in NYC! The best part was discovering that the tennis center had free showers, showering with no soap or towel, getting dressed and hitting the city with wet matted hair--talk about the hybrid life we lead!
“The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose.” - Richard R. Grant
We wear a lot of different uniforms -- and lately, as we shift from identity to identity, we've been feeling like Wonder Woman, hurriedly shifting from attentive nurse to super heroine simply by trading her matronly whites for bulletproof bracelets.
The alarm goes off and the transformation begins. We wipe the sleep from our eyes and quickly move from Helpful Partners- coffee made, lunches ready, to-do list complete, laundry started - to Dedicated Fundraising Triathletes with the early donning of our speedos, caps, and goggles.
Swim is complete and we morph again from Dedicated Fundraising Triathletes into Real Life Professionals. Out of our tri bags come the accoutrement of our daytime personas - business casual attire, make-up, blow dryers, jewelry, and the occasional high heel. From behind the gym shower curtain, we emerge ready to take on the next part of our adventure. Few within the world of our Real Life Professional selves, truly know what superpowers we hold within.
Work ends and into the tri bag we reach again to revitalize the Dedicated Fundraising Triathlete within - sometimes changing inside the sanctum of Real Life Professional (the office, the car, the office bathroom) and emerging anew. Bike shorts, jersey, bike shoes, helmet, and our very own bulletproof bracelet -The Road ID - on, and we're off!
With the evening workout complete, we return home and our Helpful Partner selves reemerge as we shower and dress in the evening uniform of well-worn race t-shirts, well-loved stretchy pants, and sports bras we never seem to get out of.
Each day we awake with the power to shift from identity to identity -- a Choose Your Own Adventure of "Who do I want to be and What do I want my life to be about today?" Just as triathlon has helped us find that freedom, the staff at Genesis Home help homeless moms and dads envision new identities for themselves. We all have that power within.
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”--Henry David Thoreau
Today we're sending a blog-love shout out to our friend Leigh S. who this week begins the official training program for her first triathlon: The Ramblin' Rose Women's Only Sprint. We'll be with her in spirit (and sometimes in the pool!) all the way.
For our other tri and endurance newbie friends out there, here's 10 Great Reasons why you should do a triathlon too!
“It ain't the heat; it's the humility.” - Yogi Berra
It's HOT. Really, really, really hot -- and hazy--- and humid -- and hot. This morning it was 80 degrees when Robyn left for her run at 7:00 a.m. and according to the weather forecast, we're looking at near 100 degree days every day this week.
Luckily, we're entering a rest week after completing the last three weeks of force work, so we'll be seeking a lot of air conditioned respite. Thanks to a group of housing advocates and human services providers, folks that are homeless will be able to do the same. Members of the White Flag Network hang flags at the doors of their shelters on days when the heat index exceeds 100 degrees. This flag signals that the shelters are open during the day - instead of being closed as they usually are - for anyone who needs some cool shade.
“You can’t talk your way out of what you’ve behaved yourself into.” - Stephen Covey
...But boy would it have been easy to talk ourselves out of yesterday's plyometrics track workout and this morning's long force swim.
After over six months of training early in the morning, late at night, in the dark, in the cold and in the heat, when we're excited, when we're bored, and when we just don't feel like it.... accountability keeps us going .
"Triathlon is NOT for sissies." - Our Mom, after cheering us on at Saturday's race
We showed up to Saturday's race with a different attitude -- and it paid off physically, mentally, and spiritually. After warming up with our coach and fellow Triangle friends, we gave our mom a hug and lined up behind the first wave of swimmers to participate in the pre-race prayer and national anthem. It doesn't matter how old we are, having our mom there to cheer us on was wonderful and the national anthem always gets us a little choked up.
Ray had just finished one the toughest weeks of her life -- took final exams in her last pre-requisites for the doctoral program that starts in January, closed on her new home, and supported her husband through finishing his nursing school thesis. Sleep-deprived and unsure of the day would bring, she approached the race as she would a long workout and looked to simply enjoy the day.
Rob had been reading The Triathletes Guide to Mental Training and was looking to avenge some of the mental gremlins that plagued her last race.
The Swim
750 yards in flat open water. Ray started at the front of our large wave and was the third woman out of the water! Rob hung near the back and for the first time stayed completely calm and even throughout the swim -- even when she was caught in traffic, kicked in the face, and got a bit off course!
Ray - 13:32
Rob - 19:37
T1
We exited the water running up a boat ramp and quickly transitioned to our bikes.
Ray - 1:04
Rob - 0:51
The Bike
15 miles on a beautiful, gently rolling course. Our strategy was to give 90%, while trying not to let a fellow age-grouper pass us (AND to avoid the penalties we've both received earlier in the season!). Ray felt more confident than ever on her new tri-bike and Rob averaged over 19 miles per hour.
Ray - 48:06
Rob- 46:57
T2
Despite the narrow shoot and traffic, Ray perfected her flying dismount! We both transitioned very quickly and headed out for a run we knew would hurt!
Ray - 0:53
Rob - 0:49
The (Trail) Run
The run course has to be one of the best parts of this race - along with the yummy post-race food and motivating, organized, and cheerful volunteers! After surviving a quick uphill out of transition, we headed into the woods for an out and back 3.1 miles We'd previewed the course during warm-up and knew where to expect the hills (small steps, big arms, small step, big arms!). Positive mental talk was definitely key to this hilly and hot finish. We saw each other and gave our usual thumbs-up at the turn-around and passed a few fellow age groupers in the process, which built our confidence. We both finished strong, as evidenced by the very loud, PRIMAL groan Robyn let out in the shoot -- apparently scaring the dude in front of her who stopped short of the timing mat as she flew by him.
Ray - 29:17
Rob - 27:52
The Bottom Line
We both loved this race. Robyn saw some time and strategy improvements and Rachel was happy that she didn't back out, despite a very, very hectic pre-race week. We both finished in the top half of our age group and the top half of all women racing. Overall, we found the joy inside the challenge and drove home with full hearts and wide smiles.
