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Showing up is half the battle- Hagerstown Duathlon 2019

The Hagerstown Duathlon is a fun local race in Maryland. It was one of the first multi-sport races I participated in back in 2013 before I could swim.  This small town family friendly duathlon brings out the local multi-sport athletes from Western Maryland and alike.  It is well organized and great fun to kick off the season.  So I signed up.  This was my first solo multi-sport race since 2017.  For the past 2 years, I have participated in individual sports i.e. running only, swimming only or relay but just didn't have the time to participate in anything more than that.  So I figured " Hey look Stacy, you have nothing to lose just show up."  With my under-trained happy attitude, I decided to participate in this Duathlon.  The course consisted of a 1.8 mile run, 10 mile bike and 5k run.  It was relatively flat and safe.   Yadda Yadda.  As you know, my blogs are really never about the race.  It is all the BSS (Behind the scenes stuff-Mental chatter we tell ourselves).

I had no goal for this race except to show up.  I needed to do this for me.  Was I prepared --Heck NO!!!!!  I repeat NO NO NO.  I was so nervous I must have used the restroom 4 x before the race started.  I forgot to eat breakfast.  I didn't drink on the bike. I literally just showed up and did the entire race on water because I was too afraid to take my hands of my handlebars due to the wind on the bike.  LOL.  But I did it.  I showed up.  I smiled at the start why?  Because sometimes just getting to the starting line is the hardest part.  We talk ourselves out of stuff or convince ourselves we are not ready.

Thanks to Ms. Lela Gant. She captured the quintessental Stacy smile... " Hi everyone I am just happy to be here smile."


Off I went. I smiled on the run, bike and the final run.  I made it to the start and the finish.  Metaphorically speaking, we may never know where a path leads even if we know the course. I expected nothing from this race and it gave me more than I could have imagined.  It reminded me that we can NEVER predict the outcome, but we can show up.  This is a valuable lesson triathlon/duathlon gives that  lesson and it is transferable to other aspects of our lives.  Sometimes it is just that simple.  Show up. You never know how it will end.   On this day, I got on the podium.  Was I happy with my results? Sure. I have not consistently trained for anything for 2 years due to life's events and probably won't train for the rest of this year, but I will continue to show up, smile for the camera and run with my heart.


It is all about the journey,

Simply Stacy















Results below*** (my fellow team mate took top Female Masters who was also in 45-49 age group so No Double Dipping--That put me in First in my AG).  I was super surprised and humbled because she is absolutely deserving of both. **

RUN116:27 (1.9mi)8:40/mile

73
T11:50


106
BIKE38:57 (10mi)15.4/mph

89
T22:03


107
RUN229:15 (3.1mi)9:26/miles

75
Penalty



FINISH1:28:28.7

2/5 










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