Happy Thanksgiving!

I write about the power of trying, because I want to be okay with failing.  I write about generosity because I battle selfishness.  I write about joy because I know sorrow.  I write about faith because I almost lost mine, and I know what it is to be broken and in need of redemption.  I write about gratitude because I am thankful - for all of it. -- Kristin Armstrong

It's time for my annual Thanksgiving post - and it's a bittersweet one to write.  Looking back over this past year, it is so easy to focus in on the failure.  THE failure.  The FAILURE.  And so hard to see anything else.  What did you do on your summer vacation?  I DNF'd IMLOU.  Yes, I was hurt.  Yes, I made the right decision to quite, but I'll be honest - it has really dealt a blow to my ego, my ambition, not to mention my waistline.

Looking back, I started this blog because I was trying to do something scary.  Trying.  And I succeeded.  And after racking up a number of successes that surprised me (because I have low expectations for myself), I started to think I wouldn't fail.  But if I'm going to try, I need to be OK with failing.

Shortly after Louisville, I found this quote.  It is time for me to start living this quote.

Since Louisville, and even before, I was the recipient of an immense amount of generosity.  People were kind with their time, with their prayers, with their help.  I have often been selfish with mine - it's not easy to be a full-time mom/wife/professional amateur triathlete.  It's pretty much a constant juggling act and sometimes that makes me selfish.  But one benefit of my failure is the gift of time to be generous...to volunteer...to show up.  Generosity should be repaid, and I'm currently in debt.

I know some people will think that sorrow is too great an emotion to attach to my triathlon season.  Sorrow should be reserved for big things...but it isn't.  Sorrow is a feeling that attaches to all sorts of things.  I know that I should focus on the joy of all the many gifts I have, of all the successes that have been achieved, and so on.  But sometimes, I still am sad.  And so I should write about joy.  Because there is joy there too, if I take the time to see it.

Faith.  Faith is hard.  I feel like I have lost some faith in myself.  I realize that all faith comes from elsewhere and it isn't really faith in myself that matters.  And on a bigger plain, I get that.  But I also know that I need to believe that God will give me the strength I need to achieve what is planned for me...and some of that is believing that I am stronger than I think I am.

Which leads me to gratitude.  I am grateful for so many things as I come out of the funk that has been hanging over me for a couple months.  Maybe I'm not coming out of it - I can't really tell.  But I am grateful.

I am grateful for my family, who made it possible for me to try and loved me when I failed.  I am grateful for my friends, who were there for the struggles and saw even the failure as a triumph of sorts.  I am grateful for everyone who has been so generous to me - helping with logistics, helping with motivation, helping with praise, helping with trying to kick my butt back out of the funk.  I am grateful that there is joy under the sorrow and that the world is not as dark as it sometimes can seem.  I am grateful that I have faith, that I can rest in my faith when things look to hard for me.  I am grateful for it all.

Happy Thanksgiving!  May you have a holiday full of gratitude.

Life is not a spectator sport...

As a spectator, you get to watch everything, but I'd much rather be playing than watching.  I'll have time to watch later in my career. -- Landon Donovan

This past weekend I got the chance to spectate at the Richmond Marathon.  IronSherpa husband was doing his first full marathon and as a show of support, the IronKids and I chased him around the course - seeing him at miles 7, 18, and 22.  We didn't get to see him at the finish line, because IronKid the Elder had a soccer tournament last weekend too...so it was one of those weekends.  Like every weekend.

I can't say I'm jealous - I mean - I am jealous, but I was never intending to run Richmond this year.  I was signed up for OBX Marathon that was the weekend prior, so this weekend was always going to be a spectator event for me.  But given that I deferred OBX until next year, it was harder than I expected.

The weird thing is what bothers me the most.  Finisher jackets.  Yeah, that's what I find to be the biggest trigger for jealousy, disappointment, etc.  I worked the marathon expo at the tri club's booth, so I got to see many of the participants.  And there were more than a few people wearing IM finisher jackets - those sleek black jackets with FINISHER across the behind.  That was what I wanted more than anything Louisville...and they still make me a bit weepy when I see people wearing them.  Doesn't matter what IM they are from.  Just the idea of having FINISHER across my butt is going to drive me from now until October of next year.  :)  Good to know, huh?

Anyway, IronSherpa had a great race.  I'm getting back into the running groove - did my longest run since Louisville this past weekend (6.5 miles)...OK, so it's 20 miles shorter than what IronSherpa ran, but still - it was an accomplishment for me.  And that's what's been going on here.  :)

Travelogue - Scottsdale Arizona

Arizona is gorgeous.  The sunshine in Arizona is gorgeous red. --Cecilia Bartoli

Greetings from sunny Scottsdale, Arizona!  I'm traveling for work and had the opportunity to go for a beautiful run with the sunrise this morning.  I left my room while it was still dark, running with the lights that lined the roads in the resort area while I'm staying.  (I left the resort property for a little bit, but got a little worried since I was unclear on the local fauna...I hear there are jackrabbits running around at the least.)

But then the sun came up and I realized that I'm in an area situated between two mountain ranges.  Plus there are amazing cacti - so cool.  As soon as I finished my run, I went back in and got my camera to catch the tail end of the sunrise.
I am so glad I can run.  I'm so glad I can enjoy the beautiful views along the way.

Oh.  And there are all these cool Native American statues around the property.  Bam.

I Love it When a Plan Comes Together

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.  -- Henry Ford

So...my future race plans are starting to come together.  And, you know, I love it when a plan comes together.

I've shared some of this before, but it was pretty tentative...now things are gelling and I'm registered for a bunch of stuff, which is very exciting!

2014

November - Turkey Trot 10K (R)

December

2015

January - First Day 5K, Frostbite 15K 

February - Love Rox Half Mary (R)

March - Rock & Roll DC Mary (R)

April - RTC Sprint Tri

May - Raleigh 70.3 (R)

...

October  - IM MD (R)

November - OBX Mary (R)

How cool is that - it's only the beginning of November and I have 6 things that I'm registered for between now and the end of next November.  I guess that means I'm feeling pretty confident in how things are going - which I do.  My swimming is currently going well, I'm starting to get back onto the bike, and I'm RUNNING!  This week is 4 run/1 walk...so nearly back to full time running, plus I ran ~ 10 miles last week and have 11.5 miles on this week's plan.  Yeah!

Things are coming together - now I just gotta keep them together through the winter.