Skip to main content

First OWS Tri- Diamond in the Rough





Diamond in the Rough Triathlon Sprint Triathlon~Reflections

If you have been reading my blog or know me personally then you know I love music. Music is medicine for me. It soothes me, comforts me and energizes me. It is my favorite wonder drug. With that said, my reflection of my triathlon shall have many musical references.

Get Up by Mary Mary

Layin' low, rest and pause
Sleeping long, slow motion
Gonna do, shoulda, coulda
Woulda done, excuses
What are you afraid of?
Don't you know what you're made of?
One of God's greatest creations
Take this invitation now
Get up, 'cause you can't stop
Get up, got a lot to do
24 hours, almost gone
Get up, don't sit back
Get up, if you wanna get there
Clocks don't stop and time won't wait

I put this song on as I traveled to Perryville State Park where Diamond In The Rough Triathlon was held today. This is a song I have listen to for the past 2 yrs whenever I had doubts about swimming.  I sang along. It made me feel better instantly. I remember listening to the words during a 2250m swim workout last week on my underwater iPod and thought, "If not now, when are you going give yourself permission to accept success NOT failure, but success. You can do this. So, get up and do it. When I got to the swim, I felt great..... Until..

Swim

Debbie Doubt and her buddy, Annie Anxiety showed up when I saw the buoy far in the distance. I thought to myself, "Oh my, this looks far."  Then I thought of a song from the Lion King, "He lives in you."

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Night and the spirit of life calling
Oh, oh, iyo, mamela
And the voice with the fear of a child answers
Iyo iyo, mamela
Wait, there's no mountain too great
Hear these words and have faith
Oh, oh, iyo
Have faith

I found peace. I walked the plank, got in the water and swam for 16 minutes and the swim was over.

This was huge for me since it was my first open water triathlon. I was relieved.

I said, now get going.

Bike

Ride like the wind- Christopher Cross

It is the night, my body's weak
I'm on the run, no time for sleep
I've got to ride, ride like the wind
To be free again

I was one of the last swimmers to depart the water. I knew that.  So, I decided I would
Give my very best on the bike and run.

I exited transition in the back of the pack. As I approached the bike course, I cycled a little cautiously. The race director stated that the course was quite difficult and to cycle with caution.  He was correct. The course had lots of turns and many climbs. I concentrated on each curve and picked up my cadence. Slowly, I saw participants who exited the water minutes ahead of me. As we went up hill, I rode by them one at a time. Each time I did I gained a little more confidence. As I approached the turn around, I was able to swiftly pass folks on a long hill and decided to go as fast as I could with all the hills. I managed to clock 25 mph. My planned finish was 25 minutes. I finished in 34 minutes. I was ok with that because the climbs were challenging. I was pleased. Besides, I new my favorite part of Tri was coming up- the run.

Run
No Limits by Martha Miinuzzi

You've been pressing pushing just to get through
You've been praying believing for something new
Your time is now for breakthrough

You've been hoping believing for a rebound
You've been waiting until your season comes around
Your time is now for breakthrough

It's my time to dream
The impossible I can do anything
There's no limits at all


Some people dread the run. I love it. It makes me happy. After years of marathon and half-marathons, I just accept that I am a runner at heart.

Run completed in 19 min at 7:55 min/ pace.  I ran with my heart. I sang the words to the song over and over.  I kept telling myself there are no limits. You are doing this right here, right now.
I smiled as I passed participants. I approached the finish knowing that I did my very best and I can walk away proud of my effort.

I can finally say, I can swim. I can bike. I can run. Today for the for time I felt like I can say, Stacy, you are a triathlete with a little smile.

How apropros that I chose the participate Diamond In the Rough as my first OWS Tri. I still have a lot to learn.

BTW-- I came in 4th in my age group 45-49 yrs F. Shocked and pleased.

The journey continues.






Comments

  1. UnknownJuly 9, 2016 at 7:32 PM

    Great recap!! I felt like i was right there with you!!

    Sooooo proud of you! You are such an inspiration and I am so glad to have you in my corner!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coach StacyJuly 9, 2016 at 7:47 PM

      Thank you for reading. I am so happy to be apart of you Tri journey. It brings me great joy.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grit- Road to Chicago Olympic Triathlon

Definition  Grit in psychology is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual's passion for a particular long-term goal or end state, coupled with a powerful motivation to achieve their respective objective. This perseverance of effort promotes the overcoming of obstacles or challenges that lie within a gritty individual's path to accomplishment, and serves as a driving force in achievement realization. Commonly associated concepts within the field of psychology include "perseverance", "hardiness", "resilience", "ambition", "need for achievement" and "conscientiousness".  This is who I am. Stacy the Grit.  Yes, I could spend a lot of time talking to you about my finish time and what I could improve upon yadda yadda yadda but anyone who reads my blog knows that I rarely focus on the outcome.  I focus on the process. I focus on how did I arrive at a specific point and time. I focus on the jour...
6 comments
Read more

2021 Fort Ritchie Olympic Triathlon

General thoughts about the Fort Ritchie Olympic Triathlon and the race experience.       On August 1, 2021, I participated in a 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike and 6.2 mile run. If you want stats, splits, watts, etc. you will find none of it here.    Why?    It’s not what is important to me in participating in triathlon. It’s not my why! I signed up for the local race in Cascade, Maryland because I knew it would challenge me mentally and physically. My expectations were to finish and learn.  This race was not wetsuit legal and a USAT championship series race.    I knew it would bring out some spectacular athletes from the area.    But I also knew this, I have never swam in open water without a wetsuit.    Never.    Stacy motto- Safety first.  I will not put myself or others at risk for me to race.    I quietly spoke to the race director and he nodded that I could do the race but would not race in my...
Post a Comment
Read more

Commentary: Compassion Fatigue and COVID-19-The Chronic Condition of the Helper

It’s April 12,2020. You are not reading an Orwellian novel. The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was reported on 1/22/2020 in Washington State. Eighty days later, the Untied States has reported 555,313 cases, and 22,020 deaths. Who was there from the beginning? Nurses. Nurses care but at what expense? COVID-19 sheds the spotlight on a well-known chronic condition in nursing- compassion fatigue. Since the very beginning of this pandemic, nurses’ lives have been a constant cycle of caring for critically ill patients; fighting to save each one; watching patients decompensate; mourning; clocking out after a 12-16hr shifts and returning to the bedside the next day. This continuous loop is unsustainable. Nurses are suffering from compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is a state of exhaustion related to the constant exposure to trauma and/or illness. Nurses not only experience increased physical and mental exhaustion, but reductions in work satisfac...
1 comment
Read more