REIGNITING THE FIRE

               At this time of the year, most triathletes out there are coming out of the “off-season” and gearing up for their first big races of the season. And it is a time where getting back into the workout routine is incredibly challenging. It can also be a time of reflection of the past season and a look forward into what they will conquer the coming year. The firewood is ready to be lit, but lighting that first match can be difficult, both mentally and physically.  

               While we’re speaking in metaphors… my fire the past year or so had been burning slow and steady. And while a nice, steady fire is warm and comforting…there is a certain excitement to pouring some gasoline on that fire to really spark it up. I needed some gasoline to reignite the passion I had for this sport.

               Getting myself back in gear was all about remembering my WHY. Why did I start? Why do I dedicate so much time to this? I’ve spent my whole life as a competitive athlete, why do I need to prove myself here? What was I getting out of it??

               The answer to all that: it fulfills me. No questions asked, I am an athlete. I always have, I always will be. My heart is in it completely and I love competing. I thrive on improving myself on and off the field. I absolutely love seeing what my 5’2” body is capable of and destroying the doubt within my own mind and in the minds of others. Pushing myself to limits I never dreamed of… I want that. Every day. And I will chase it every day.

I had completely lost sight of this vision. I was just going through the motions as a zombie. Sure, I wanted to PR this and improve that, but it was all based on numbers-I was obsessed with X number. The heart of it all had fizzled out. Without my heart being in it 110%, I would never reach that next tier. Going to Kona this year, as cliché as it may sound, made me re-realize my dreams and aspirations for triathlon. I remembered I wanted it, BAD. I wanted to excel in triathlon, why was I just going through the motions?

               So how did I actually break out of this slump? I followed my heart and I took action. I talked with Jeffrey, my closest friends, and my coach about the direction I wanted to-which started out with reaching out to my “idol” of a coach and current coach-Siri Lindley. I had a feeling in my heart that this is the direction I needed to go and the people I confided in most agreed with me. I set in motion a positive chain reaction to follow my heart and chase my dreams in entirety. I was tired of tip-toeing around my dreams and aspirations. If I wanted it, I needed to go after it, no one else will do it for you. I stopped complaining (okay, not completely-I’m still human) and starting celebrating little wins in my training. I keep a constant mental reminder to stay positive and think about all the great things my body is doing. Each training session is a time to prove to myself that I am capable and I am strong. I come away from workouts, and start workouts, with a better attitude now than I ever have before, even if it didn’t turn out exactly as I had imagined.

               Basically, the moral of my story is: follow your heart and go after what you want and positively celebrate yourself along the way. No one is going to just hand you your dream because you said you want it. Take action. And your mind will thank you for being more positive in your journey. Ask for help or guidance along the way-there is no shame in doing so. Also, give up the excuses! You will be tired, we all are, but you never know how good a workout or race will be until you try. You may just have more energy in you than you thought. And yes, it is perfectly okay to be hard on yourself and remember to push yourself, but never to a point where you degrade yourself. Finally, if you need an attitude adjustment like I did, then make it! It is easy to be negative, so break from that and free your mind. 

Motivational Videos to get you out there!

New Balance Letter to My Future Self: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5DuLLl0tRU&index=4&list=PLVKm92IAS1FYus9cB8kFvb9hVTRkloZ4o 

How Bad Do You Want It? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsSC2vx7zFQ