The Journey

Today I participated in the YMCA Women's Sprint Triathlon. This recount is not a race report about transition times and awards. It is about the mental aspects of triathlon. It is about my own mental chatter. Why am I writing this?  Well I am my own project! I am a work in progress in all things. I am willing to be the student no matter whatever my age so I can learn new skills and learn about myself.  For me and maybe others, triathlon is a mental trip. For most newbies, like myself, we are not good at every sport or even like to swim, bike or run but we are willing to try.  We are willing to humble ourselves and acknowledge that we are not good at something even before we start an event.  We strategize. As I spoke to different women today, I noticed that women put themselves in categories. Some declared themselves as swimmers and  stated that they would walk or crawl to the finish line but they would finish. For those who declared themselves as runners,   t

Each August, I take vacation. Vacation is a wonderful time to re-think, re-group, rejuvenate, reassess and relax.   For me, vacation is a time to hit the reset button. Exercise~Walk, run, stretch, swim and lift.   Exercise can allow one reconnected with the body.   Movement can energize you at any age and make you feel capable.   Each day of my vacation, I ran, walked, swam or cycled.   Both cycling and running were fabulous ways to tour the oceanside communities and gave me a great “taste” of the day in the life of the locals. Eat~Try everything. Fruits, veggies, nuts, proteins, oh my. Explore new foods that are local to the region.   Ask questions if you would like to sample new cuisine or have dietary restrictions. Plant-based foods are always my first choice. The chef was happy to make plant-based fare for me.   One of the best dishes I ate that was not on the menu was spinach salad with mandarin oranges, grilled tofu with cashews with teriyaki dressi