Just Start

This year for me has been one about getting around to doing all (well, let's be honest, some) of the things that I've considered or toyed with doing in that elusive "some day". Why not this year? Why not do what you say you've always wanted to do and see what happens? Why don't you START? Not sure how much progress I have made in all those areas but I can at least attest to one and for me, that is something. Our lives are rather complex so leave it to the over-achiever eager-beaver to believe that she can drastically change and improve every aspect in the course of a few months. Ha! Guess I still have five months left in this beautiful year, so I'll let you know how it goes. 

One thing I have pursued and gained ground with: Triathlons. It's always been hard for me to start new things (like hobbies, activities, clubs, and such), no matter how much I'm interested in it, without having an "in". Insecurity bug still there, I see. In high school I was ecstatic when a friend helped me get into biking. Later I bought a bike and it traveled with me to Nashville, back to Indy, and then Raleigh seeing use here and there. Just not the same without a riding buddy and it was sometimes hard to ride without a goal in mind. Now I have one and I'm up to 53miles in a ride. Oh goodness. As for running, I had been in track throughout school as well as other active sports, so I had the running part "down" but swimming? Errrr... not sure about that one. Still I always had interest to done tris and I would say so, but nothing happened. My brother then started doing them and it felt like he was going 0 to 60 in .5 seconds and I was still at the Start Line with my good intentions. If we don't start that's where we stay, sadly. So at the end of 2012, I decided the view from the Start Line was getting a bit boring - I had been there a while - so I started signing up for races. There was a half-marathon on St. Patrick's Day, my first tri (a short all-women's one) in April, and another short one in June, all to get me ready for September....a half-IronMan. Now, let's be real, THE goal is a full IronMan but you can't tank on a thing like that so experience sounds like a good thing. Besides, you should have fun too, right? And they have been. I think I should do some more so they become more fun and less "I'm freaked out cuz I've never done this before and I don't want to screw up". Before Tri #1 I trained for two weeks and only went to the pool three times the week prior to the race. Hehe. For the behemoth coming up, don't worry I started training two months beforehand. :) Am I nuts? Jury's out.

It's just one area and I have so many more in the bullpen that I'd love to improve but it's all about stepping off the Start Line and gaining momentum. I find it crazy thinking that a year ago I hadn't run a half-marathon or any distance close to that and I hadn't completed any triathlons, and now I have!! Cool, eh? And it's like my roommate and I are fond of saying, "Next year, things are going to look incredibly different!" So much can happen in a year especially if we are open to it and keep moving toward our dreams.

Enjoy chasing them today!

Peace.