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I hear of all these athlete saying they are addicted to triathlons....and they are so excited to do there planned training workout..... WELL yesterday day I did a brick a 2hr ride and 1hr run...while I was out on the bike solo...my mind was spinning with emotions to the point of myself asking "WHY" why do I "Like" putting my body and crotch through pain?? "Why" do I like being away from my house for 3 hours...when my house work is suffering and I have four kids?? "Why" What am I trying to accomplish?? "Why" I only enjoy it sometimes and other times I am dreading it!! "Why" I am going through some personal shit right now...should I be working on that?? The list goes on...Then I come back to WHY NOT?? This is much needed time to myself either I spend it doing something healthy and sometimes enjoyable or I go to the mall and spend money on stuff I really do not need and put myself in debit!! Then ask myself "Why" did I buy that, it is not like I am going to wear it :)
I guess the whole point of this post is I do not see myself ever being addicted to racing (addicted to coffee is another story :) Someone told me the other day "you better get into that water and practice that swim" I know I stink at swimming and I know the only way for me to get better is to actually practice...well I hate it and I think I am OK with SUCKING :) Every race (St.Croix and some running races) "I just go out and wing them" I do off and on minimal training and really have the attitude of "really don't care where I place" I am out there for the fun!!! I am somewhat competitive if it is at something that I am halfway decent at...if it is softball or swimming I expect you to beat me :) If I am running and I see a girl or guy right in front of me..you bet I will try my hardest to beat her or him to the finish !!! BUT I am not out there wondering how I am going to place in the race...MAYBE it is because I do not have enough experience and I have not "officially" finished a half yet....I do not know what to expect or how well I can do....I have nothing to compare it too!! WHO knows maybe next weekend I will have a different attitude and a different approach...BUT as of now I can say I am not ADDICTED to tri's and am not planning a full Ironman any time soon :) But who knows a curve ball might head my way!!!!
So as of now I will keep wondering "WHY" and answering it with "WHY NOT" Everything we pursue in life we could put the word "WHY" into what we are doing and I am figuring it is not worth the headache and the word "WHY NOT" is a better choice of term to use!!! I need to stop thinking so much and just GO!!! ;) ;) ;)
Wishing everyone who is racing this weekend good luck!!!......Bree, Rachael, Brooke, Paul, Kellye, Hawaii Half........Todd, Scott,Eileen, In the Boise Half and Jeff in his first Ann Harbor Half marathon and anyone else I might have forgot..please fill me in!!! Go and have fun and kick some butt!!
FUN Readers
Friday, May 30, 2008
"ADDICTION" and the words "WHY" and "WHY NOT" are powerful words!!
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25 comments:
Cute Splishy! You look FAB per usual!!! Wow.. all those people racing this weekend, looks like you and I are holding down the fort at home. Acutally I'm going up to visit my 94 year old grandfather (3 hours away) up in Maine. Training dispersed in between! Have an awesome weekend!!
Purrrrrty! Does the bike have a name?
Oh... Mel!!! Quit riding your bike in your splishy! Come'on girlfriend... That's what bike shorts, tri shorts, tri suits, and comfy gel saddles are FOR!! LOL! I just got me an ISM race saddle, cause Dee Dee, God love her, insists I protect my man parts ;-)
A couple of weeks ago, my mom asked me that same question. Why? I thought about it. I did't like being an overweight border line alcoholic. If this is what I need to do to be healthy and fit, then so be it. I'm also a firm believer in just accepting some things and not asking questions, ya know? If we aren't having fun, then WHY are we doing this? If we are not doing this for us, then why do it all? Sure, our friends and family will benefit from all this in a peripheral sort of way, but what it boils down to is being the person we want to be.
Does that make sense?
Oh, and I love your new blog header :-)
Mel,
I wrote a post about this awhile back, right after the Oceanside 70.3 (had an alright race that didn't meet my expectations). It was the same thing...why?
I've recently come to the same conclusion as you and it feels really good. I do it because I have fun with it,; because if I didn't do it I'd totally gain 20 lbs with all the yummy food I love to eat and wine I love to drink with it; because I don't really like to shop (I know, I'm weird); because I love to be outdoors on my bike; because I love to socialize and I have met SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE through this sport and have so much fun talking with them on rides, on runs and on the wall in the pool.
But I'm just not so dedicated/addicted that I'm willing to go on rides in the rain, or train when I'm super tired...etc. And I finally realized...I'm OKAY WITH THAT!!! :D
If anybody has helped me realize that, it's been reading Bree's blog. She just really loves it and has fun. She happens to kick ass at it too, but she really just loves it.
So...I don't have plans to do a full Ironman. I have no desire to do it. I just want to keep doing it because I enjoy it. And if I stop enjoying it, then maybe I"ll find something else. But right now, I'm just going to take each training swim/ride/run as an opportunity to get out, exercise, and HAVE FUN!
I like your ending - don't ask why...ask WHY NOT!!!!
p.s. I am TOTALLY addicted to coffee, too!
p.p.s. HOT PIC ON THE BIKE!!! Love the splish suit! Love the bike, too - we have the same one. ;)
MEL!
Cute suit and you look fab! The "WHY" is soo hard, isn't it? I did a post awhile back titled that. The WHY is so different for everyone. We all do this crazy sport for different reasons, but at the end of the day, I know I am happy and that is all I care about (ok, besides my kids/family, of course!). Triathlon makes me happy. Sure, is it alot of hard work? You betcha....but what isn't that you want to do well at? Not much. AND, keep having FUN...:) JenH.
i bet your neighbors were getting a kick out of that 'photo shoot'. you look awesome as usual and i am still wondering where those four kids came from and why you don't have any cellulite on your @ss, lol. good question though...WHY? because it's fun and at the end of the day, it feels pretty good to get out there and to challenge ourselves. i know it brings me back to my kids feeling energized and strong and like i can do anything ;).
I just love your WHY NOT attitude! More people should be like you....you only get one kick at this life ~ ENJOY IT!! It beats sitting on the couch being miserable and hating yourself...and everyone else, look at all the good you are teaching your kids...participate in life, don't let it slip by and wonder What IF...
Good for you Mel.... Awesome...
My why is the same as yours--I do it for me. I'm never going to win a race, much less place overall, but the satisfaction I get from doing something healthy and the friends I've made through the sport make it all worthwhile. Don't beat yourself up about it, sign up for races that look like fun, prepare enough for them so you don't burn out, and enjoy the ride. You're setting a great example for your kids and I'm sure there are many neighborhood moms who wish they looked as hot in their splish as you!
Yah Kerrie. How can someone have 4kids and have a perfect a$$ like that? The justice in it all...
lol
I know at times I have a tendency to make random comments and I'm sorry about that, but at least maybe its better to make a mistake than to keep everything to myself. There are obviously some very good addictions, like wanting to get a good night's rest and keep ourselves physically fit, and generally speaking I am a lot better off in every department of life living a disciplined life with quite a lot of time spent doing sports.
The only thing that surprises me is that you don't seem to like swimming, as I really love it. Maybe its just because I live in a very warm and sunny environment, and also it makes me look good too, in a way that running cannot. By the looks of things (!!!), you don't need to look any better than you are, so maybe you have less of an incentive to swim. In any case, I hope to read of you discovering some of the joys of a good swim. Peace.
I hope you keep having fun and don't get addicted. For me, it took all the fun out of it. And I am not a good swimmer either so I need to go back to having FUN and not competing!
Thanks for writing this Mel. My coach and I had a chat yesterday about how much fun it is to go to local tris and see people do them "old school"--lots of people coming out for fun, riding old bikes, doing family relays, etc. Sometimes, I think it is easy to lose sight of the fun part in the "professioanlization" of this sport.
I hope you can keep making it fun. P.S. Can I have your legs for a few days some time?
-Danielle
I wish I looked like you in my swimsuit! I sometimes wonder the why but when I put my heart and soul into a race - regardless of how I finish - I am always happy. Very few people GET to do this sport, more or less have the tenacity to keep up with it. Just knowing you did your best and the sense of accomplishment is what keeps me moving...... ummm and maybe the post-race party celebration after as well!
Mel....Why? Why must you wear those suits on a bike in Toledo Ohio? Imagine all those old folks braking their cars into fender benders when you round the corner!!
I say keep wearing them, even when the temp drops!! hahaha!
If I ever plan a trip back to Ohio to see family I will bring my bike and hook up with you somehwhere for a fun ride followed by a swim! Do you guys swim in the Maumee cess pool River?
Why do i do it? Cause everyone loves looking at a hairy guy riding his bike in a "splish speedo"(bree gave me) up and down the Queen K!! I love the attention!! haahaha! Why Not?
Enjoy your summer season in beautiful Toledo.
Dolphin boy!
Okay, I just finished my first half...if I can do it you certainly can! It was fun (when the torture finally ended:) jk)! And, I thought of you as I made the decision to race the whole thing in my bathing suit...I thought, well Mel did St Croix in her suit, so it must be okay....ha! Get ready to have some fun out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mel, you are a freaking supermodel out riding in that! I cannot imagine all the car crashes you cause ;)
And I am with you.. all the other moms at school are always asking "Why?" do I do all this extra stuff.. Why not?
Great post!! Have a good one..
Rach
Mel Mama!
That is so funny, did you do a whole brick in that outfit? I am with the other comments (did you cause a few car wrecks looking like that?)
I have a plan for you... you know that swim issue they just did in the Tri mag, you should apply to be in it! You seriously need to look into doing sport modeling! then you don't need to train/race a lot, just a little and you already look good doing it. Go look into it... RIGHT NOW
Hi Mel! Great post - really thought provoking. And for the record, I think you are wise beyond your years - your approach is SO HEALTHY! And it's not that triathlon is a good or bad thing to be addicted to... but you don't base your life or self worth on triathlon. You have so many other and wonderful things in your life - the kids, hubby, social activities, work, etc et ect (the usual!) and you keep things in perspective. Thanks for sharing this - again, makes us think and challenge our perceptions. Most excellent.
And I'm with all the others: how many car accidents did you cause in that suit? Holy cow! You look awesome!
We all need that alone time. I know that there are days that if I didn't have a run or a ride to burn off some stress, I might just lose it. Plus, you are very good at it. I can't wait to see how you do this weekend!! Good luck, and thanks for the shout out. ;-)
WOW, HOTTIE! You are super duper hot! Just keep having fun, loving it, and keep looking good ;-) HA!
Love ya! By the way, the suit you created for me was a hit only because it was designed by YOU. Unfortunately everyone that liked it passed me on the bike, ha! They said nice suit Swanson ;-)
E
Don't reinforce Bree with such positive comments...her head is swelling!!!:)
Mel,
I am not in your circle of triathalon cohorts....I just stumbled upon your page one day and found it interesting. I have 3 kids, may be a couple years older than you, played basketball (among other sports) but have picked up running the last 7 years or so and have done some sprint tris in the last couple years. I have always wondered how I would get time to train like you all for hours a day doing this stuff I enjoy as well. Reading your blog, though, has put it into perspective, though. I think it is important to keep your priorities straight and to keep yourself first on the priority list. I am very much into my kids and my husband, very much into running, swimming, etc., but I think that it is important also to make the best of yourself, in order to make the best of everything else. I have often made excuses that I don't have the time (with 3 young kids) to do the training, but reading your blog makes it seem atainable, normal (not to very many people, but to some!) and in some ways, necessary. I fluctuate in health habits as well and I can't stand the inconsistency. Each time I check in with your blog, I think a little more how I should, ought or NEED to do it, too. You make it real, not unattainable and only for the "serious" athlete. (don't get me wrong, you have to be serious!) Thanks for taking the TIME to post your blogs.
Christy
New Mexico
Mel...
Love your new blog header! Very cute. Glad to see you out riding again :)
Some days you feel like a nut, some days you don't! :) Keep it going, I only have one kid and barely find time.
Thanks for the support. You rock.
We need a post before the big race there beautiful!!! It's MANDITORY!
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