Hardest Tri Ever!!

First of all, let me say THIS IS NOT MY RACE REPORT. I am missing a camera cord and cannot do a race report without pictures. Ok, I can, but it's not my style.

I just got home from helping a friend of mine and cannot sleep and was reliving some of my day yesterday. Yesterday was my first Olympic Distance Triathlon. It was the HARDEST TRI EVER for me (I'm sure I will look back on this day and laugh someday, but as of right now not laughing so much). I will go into details in my race report, but I knew half way through the swim it would be a battle and boy was it ever.

I learned so much about myself out there and I just couldn't wait to share a few thoughts with you. I learned no matter what I am up against I can fight with determination to make it through. I had many opportunities where I could have just called it quits and everyone would have understood, but the exciting thing is, the new and improved Melissa never even let that thought cross her mind. Every swim stroke, every bike stroke, and every time my foot hit the pavement I knew I was closer to that finish line and it was worth the fight.

There were a few points, as I was the last athlete on the course, that I would let my mind wander and the little devil Melissa would crawl on my shoulder and start whispering things like, "You shouldn't have tried this. Did you see how big you were compared to the other athletes? What were you thinking? Your gonna do an Ironman? Ha." Then I would literally say out loud, "Would you shut up. I deserve to be out here as much as the first place finisher. I've trained, I'm doing this." I had a few of these moments, but I shut them down really quickly and proceeded on my way.

Yesterday was hard, but it has remotivated me. It has shown me what I am made up. I never knew just how much courage and determination I really do have. My coach has told me before that he can't wait until I start believing all that I am capable of. He has also told me that "most athletes who race do not have the courage you display. You will be a very strong (physically) athlete in time. Keep working hard. Keep trying hard. You are doing it- one buoy at a time." He posted that on my facebook today.

After my race yesterday I actually believe that someday I will be a strong athlete both physically and mentally. I am getting there mentally and soon the physical will follow. I will be able to do WHATEVER it is I set my mind to. I have courage. I have strength. I have determination.

A lot of people were rooting for me. It took me a little over 5 hours to do it in. I had to fight the whole way. Someone who was in charge of the race came to check on me when I was done. After asking me how I was feeling he told me that he had one more question for me. He asked, "I just want to know what is next for you?" I told him probably a sprint triathlon end of August. He was very happy with that answer because I did not let yesterday, and all the struggles, get me down.

Yesterday was hard. One of the hardest things I have had to do to date, but yet I never quit, never thought of quitting and I finished. Wow, that's pretty amazing. Shoot, I'm pretty amazing. Maybe I needed my HARDEST TRI EVER to realize this.

I cannot wait to get to the gym tomorrow and get this next chapter started.

Next up for me. Hitting 100 pounds lost, doing another triathlon end of August and then who knows what else, but I can't wait to find out.

My favorite quote that took on so much more meaning to me yesterday is this:

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I even had the courage to start." -John J. Bingham. I've started and I won't quit EVER until I cross the Ironman Finish line. . . . . . . . . . . in Kona. :-)