Dear Santa...

Believe in love.  Believe in magic.  Hell, believe in Santa Claus.  Believe in others.  Believe in yourself.   Believe in your dreams.  If you don't, who will? -- Jon Bon Jovi

Dear Santa,

It's been a long time since I have written you a letter.  I hope you are doing well. How's the missus?  And the elves?  Anyway, I know you're busy, so I'll get straight to the point.

I've been very good this year.  :)  OK, maybe not "very good."  But I haven't been terrible.  So I think I probably deserve something I want for Christmas.  This year, I'd like you to bring me a new coach.  I liked my old coach...but she's retiring and so I need a new one.  I've been interviewing new coaches, but it's hard and I don't like it.  (Oh, full disclosure - I may have had an e-mail mishap where I sent critical comments about one program back _to that coach_ rather than to my husband...ooops.  OK, I can see why you might see that as naughty behavior, but really, it's just because I was in a hurry and careless...not intentionally naughty.)

I can't really circle the coach I want in a catalog - do kids even still do that?  My kids e-mailed me their Christmas lists...along with helpful links to online stores.  Is that what kids do nowadays?  I guess pretty soon they'll just send their Christmas lists to you telepathically.  Or maybe you'll read their minds?  Creepy.  Anyway, I'm old school...so I'll just tell you what I'm looking for and I trust you and the elves to get it right.  :)  It's not like I'm asking for a pony or anything.

I want a triathlon coach who is nice, but not too nice.  I want someone who will be supportive and encouraging, but who will also make me work harder than I imagined possible.  I am a little lazy and not prone to push myself, but I will if someone else tells me to.  But I'm also a little anxious and doubtful, so I need someone who will believe in me until I can believe in myself.  I used to have more mojo and moxie when it came to this triathlon stuff, but I've kind of lost it and I'm looking for it again and I think it's important for me to have a coach help me do that.

I want a triathlon coach who can work with slow people, but will work to make me faster.  I'm slow right now - I get that.  But I don't want to be slow.  I want to be faster, and I'm (mostly) willing to work hard to get faster.  I don't want a coach who believes I'm too slow for them.  Or that dumbs things down because I'm slow.  I want someone who is invested in my success, both to finish the long distances and speed up my slowness.  (Even though I'm old.)

I want a triathlon coach who can rearrange my schedule (or at the very least put up with my rearrangements of their hard work) when job or kid drama comes up.  I want a triathlon coach who works with my personal quirks...I don't like to ride outside when it's cold (and cold is a subjective, warm temperature).  I like to run races occasionally, either with my daughter or just because it's fun.  I like to eat a lot and I like to drink wine.  I am a back of the pack runner/racer - and I aspire to back of the middle of the pack, or even middle of the pack.  That's it.  I like to train on weird days because my schedule is actually more flexible during the week than the weekend.   I appear to attract weird injuries - hypothermia, anyone?  I hate swimming by myself.  I started lifting weights in the off season and I kind of like it.  Did I mention I like to eat a lot and I like to drink wine?

Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not high maintenance.  I mostly listen.  :)  I generally put in my best effort, as written.  :)  But I'm a mom and wife and full-time professor.  And sometimes there is life.  On the other hand, triathlon is a big part of that life and it matters a lot to me, which is why I want a new coach for Christmas, because I'll miss my old coach and I'm not sure I can do this on my own.

One of my daughters thought if you list only one thing on your Christmas list then you'll definitely get it.  So I'm just going to ask for a coach.  And I know you'll deliver, because I believe in you and I know you want me to believe in me.  And I promise I'll be good next year.  :-)

Merry Christmas & have a safe trip on Christmas Eve!