From Here
A few side notes before we begin today's DNF therapy session:
Mer..... I did IMFL as well last year and I thought that swim was great! In fact there were times I was swimming alone and I was terrified (sharks).... probably one of the few times I wished I was in a crowd!!!! HA HA
Mark.... Now I do remember talking to you, but I don't remember if it was on the out and back or the last 11!
My friend Jason took my wetsuit off and I have no memory of it. Then one of my athletes found a picture of that exact moment of wetsuit strip.... a never-to-be-published-photo!!!!
Thanks everyone for your amazingly kind comments, I can't tell you how very touched I am!
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Yesterday I got this amazing card from an amazing young lady:
I started to cry. I was so immensely touched. That Kari would take the time to write to me was such a statement about who she was, and who she is being raised to be.
I began to think about what's next. If I am to be a role model of some sort, what am I to do next? When my son and Kari see me get knocked down how can I teach them that in life we get knocked around? Sometimes we don't wear a swim helmet and sometimes we get hurt.
At that moment, when we are laying on the ground on our backs and looking up at the sky we have 2 choices. Stay down or get up.
So I have asked myself a series of questions. I decided my first instinct would be the right choice:
Do I need a break?
NO.
Do I want a break?
NO.
Do I need a break from the Ironman.
YES.
Do I want to go into an early off-season and rebuild for 2009?
No, I am just not done yet.
What looks good to me?
Some local races, maybe some 5K's and heck….. I am beginning to dream about Texas. I have never been to Texas! Now with the gang that is threatening to accompany me, I am even getting excited about it.
Texas.
Yes.
Texas in October?
EVEN BETTER.
After spending so much time aiming for and completing 140.6…… 70.3 seems just awesome. And that Coach is on board is even better.
So it's time to get back up and do something with this Ironman fitness. We need a little speed, a little wizardry, a little hurt box….. call it what you will.
But Mary Eggers is really good at one thing kids….. getting back up. I think of all of the times in my life I have been knocked down, and I have gotten up each and every time. My passion for this sport is burning. I have no desire to retreat and find a career on the Golf course.
That's not me.
What is me, is looking myself straight in the eye and dealing with what I see.
I've always told my team that I have just as much of a chance of a DNF as anyone else. Because I've done 4 IM's doesn't take me out of that. In my entire life I have never been one to say that I'd never DNF…… I have DNF'd 2 races in my life and both for medical reasons.
One I could have controlled and this one…. I just could not. Never say that you will never DNF a race. It will eventually happen to all of us and you need to have enough humility to accept that. It's just a fact.
2 DNF's in 12 years…. pretty darn good I think.
So this week I am dusting myself off. Rumor has it that at Masters yesterday Erik Grimm did in fact bring me a swim helmet. Not to worry, I will wear it next Wednesday morning and of course I will have pictures.
One thing I vowed to myself when I started this blogging business is that I would hide nothing. I would sugar coat nothing. I would be honest about my goals in this sport and I would be just as honest about my successes and my failures. The only thing I have ever hidden are some health issues, and I imagine you can understand that.
If one person out there can identify with me, whether it is a weigh in that's waaaayyyyyy too much, a bike crash, a concussion in a swim, a DNF in an Ironman, a victory beyond possibility, overcoming obstacles, if one person can find something in these stories….. then it is worth it.
There will be people who read just to see you fail. Or to see just what you are up to like a spy. I have no use for individuals like those. That says enough about those people and those kinds of people are not in my life and will never be.
Not only am I human, I am really human. I cry, I laugh, I get upset. I have disappointments, victories and I lose just as many times as I win.
What's important is what we do with each of these things. We don't become invincible and we don't just lie on the ground. We take the lessons from each of these experiences and we use them to help us become better people.
So it is really, really important that I get back up and I follow my instincts and I get back out and race again. Not just for me but for Luc, for Kari and for anyone who can identify with being human like me.
So thank you Kari, for not only teaching me that you are a girl of immense kindness, love and integrity. I promise you my head will heal and we will keep moving forward. And when I go to Texas I will bring back a cowboy hat for you too!
I started to cry. I was so immensely touched. That Kari would take the time to write to me was such a statement about who she was, and who she is being raised to be.
I began to think about what's next. If I am to be a role model of some sort, what am I to do next? When my son and Kari see me get knocked down how can I teach them that in life we get knocked around? Sometimes we don't wear a swim helmet and sometimes we get hurt.
At that moment, when we are laying on the ground on our backs and looking up at the sky we have 2 choices. Stay down or get up.
So I have asked myself a series of questions. I decided my first instinct would be the right choice:
Do I need a break?
NO.
Do I want a break?
NO.
Do I need a break from the Ironman.
YES.
Do I want to go into an early off-season and rebuild for 2009?
No, I am just not done yet.
What looks good to me?
Some local races, maybe some 5K's and heck….. I am beginning to dream about Texas. I have never been to Texas! Now with the gang that is threatening to accompany me, I am even getting excited about it.
Texas.
Yes.
Texas in October?
EVEN BETTER.
After spending so much time aiming for and completing 140.6…… 70.3 seems just awesome. And that Coach is on board is even better.
So it's time to get back up and do something with this Ironman fitness. We need a little speed, a little wizardry, a little hurt box….. call it what you will.
But Mary Eggers is really good at one thing kids….. getting back up. I think of all of the times in my life I have been knocked down, and I have gotten up each and every time. My passion for this sport is burning. I have no desire to retreat and find a career on the Golf course.
That's not me.
What is me, is looking myself straight in the eye and dealing with what I see.
I've always told my team that I have just as much of a chance of a DNF as anyone else. Because I've done 4 IM's doesn't take me out of that. In my entire life I have never been one to say that I'd never DNF…… I have DNF'd 2 races in my life and both for medical reasons.
One I could have controlled and this one…. I just could not. Never say that you will never DNF a race. It will eventually happen to all of us and you need to have enough humility to accept that. It's just a fact.
2 DNF's in 12 years…. pretty darn good I think.
So this week I am dusting myself off. Rumor has it that at Masters yesterday Erik Grimm did in fact bring me a swim helmet. Not to worry, I will wear it next Wednesday morning and of course I will have pictures.
One thing I vowed to myself when I started this blogging business is that I would hide nothing. I would sugar coat nothing. I would be honest about my goals in this sport and I would be just as honest about my successes and my failures. The only thing I have ever hidden are some health issues, and I imagine you can understand that.
If one person out there can identify with me, whether it is a weigh in that's waaaayyyyyy too much, a bike crash, a concussion in a swim, a DNF in an Ironman, a victory beyond possibility, overcoming obstacles, if one person can find something in these stories….. then it is worth it.
There will be people who read just to see you fail. Or to see just what you are up to like a spy. I have no use for individuals like those. That says enough about those people and those kinds of people are not in my life and will never be.
Not only am I human, I am really human. I cry, I laugh, I get upset. I have disappointments, victories and I lose just as many times as I win.
What's important is what we do with each of these things. We don't become invincible and we don't just lie on the ground. We take the lessons from each of these experiences and we use them to help us become better people.
So it is really, really important that I get back up and I follow my instincts and I get back out and race again. Not just for me but for Luc, for Kari and for anyone who can identify with being human like me.
So thank you Kari, for not only teaching me that you are a girl of immense kindness, love and integrity. I promise you my head will heal and we will keep moving forward. And when I go to Texas I will bring back a cowboy hat for you too!
6 comments:
Ok... how to say this without sounding extremely weird??
I don't know you, I have NEVER met you, but I feel like I've been your friend forever, and that is because of this blog. It is because you do not sugar coat anything that I can relate to so many things you talk about. I am not fast, I have never done an IM; heck I am just a baby when it comes to this sport; but I have learned so much JUST by reading what you have to say. Even when things don't go as planned you find a way to make it a positive experience and there is so much to be learned from that. You inspire me to no end Mary Eggers. Thank you.
I just wanted to commend how courageous you are. You can tell that the ironman is in you, and you're nut just an ironman athlete...you portray one perfectly. Reading blogs like yours this year, I have been inspired to start training in the multisport arena and I would like to thank you in advance for your courage and inspiration! Who knows, I live in Buffalo and I may even need your services when I realize that I've never swam before (other than to get to shore). Best luck with the recovery and best of luck in Texas!
Mary,
I don't know if you know this but the MIMs(Mom's in Motion) all took a deep breath and said a little prayer when we heard about your injury. The message board has had many "how's Mary" posts. We are so glad you are going to be able to dust yourself off from this one. You have touched many of us with your story, training, energy and yoga. Be well.
Jen Newman
I'm with Danni. Never met you, don't know you, but really feel I get A LOT from reading your blog. You are so positive, so go get 'em, so honest - it just works for me. Knowing there are women like you in the Ironman world, in the multisport world gives little ol' me something to look up to - something to strive for. The fact that something super scary happened to you during the scariest part of the sport for me, (but a part you are totally confident in) and you're getting back up, heading back out, and continuing on this season is some great inspiration and motivation. It reminds me why I enjoy triathlon so much - why I set out on my own IM journey. Thanks Mary! You're just awesome!!!!
I lie at weigh-in. I pretend to look, make up a number I know is likely but I won't cry about, then move on.
Great post Mary. Your honesty is one of the things that makes your blog one of my favorites.
Yeeeee-haw. Watch out Texans.
Does it count as a DNF when you get punched in the head three times, get a concussion and can't see straight to ride your bike? I mean I guess technically DNF is did not finish. I'd say you were more of a CNF..could not finish. Either way, it's good to see that you are moving forward. You know what they say: You can't keep a good woman down!
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