The Gift

Sorry for the blurriness...... I had to take it quick and then save the guys from the shark!

Being a triathlete is a gift, a blessing, an honor. I am so grateful to be able to do the things that I can do, and to be able to have this sport to call my passion. I think of the rewards I have been given over the years I have been a triathlete and they are larger than winning, qualifying etc. This sport has given me family and friends. A platform to earn a living promoting the sport that I absolutely love.

Within my circle of friends we talk about triathlon the way others talk about football.

How about that Chrissie Wellington?

Will Bentley win #12 at Ironman Canada this month?

How about Gordo.... will he win IMC???

It's times like these where I feel like I won the lottery of life.

These are the thoughts that I had on my Tuesday long run. I chose a route from home, measuring just over 9 miles. After being tortured at the doctor again I strapped on my beloved running shoes, my skirt, my visor, pressed the button on the Garmin and I was off.

Over the past year my passion for running has grown tremendously. Since Coach T dialed me into my V Dot I can run just every single day. My injuries from running..... gone. My recovery...... faster. We haven't been able to do that much with speed because I've been on the Ironman wagon, but we dialed my IM pace in pretty well. Now it's time to really become a runner.

As I ran today I chose a route that gave me gradual elevations at about mile 5. I held that E pace up those hills strong, I didn't have to fight for it like I used to. I was smiling ear to ear.

I ran past barn houses and horses and through tree covered streets. Around where I live I have wide shoulders and crushed stone just outside of that for the horses, which allows me to run on a softer surface if I choose. And I do.

The sun was shining and it was hot. It'll be hot in Texas. I have been working on my sustainability in the heat and it's working. I didn't feel suffocated I felt empowered.

It was nice to run with water and Nuun in the Fuel Belt. Gone are the days of carrying gels and such. Those Ironman pounds are beginning to fall off. That flat feeling is vanishing.

I thought about my accident today. I think about it a lot. It was a complete freak accident. The chances of it happening again are nonexistent. The chances of it happening to you are even less. I was in the right place at the right time for the perfect hit. And man do I realize how lucky I was.

You realize the big picture when you stand in front of people who were at your wedding and on your honeymoon at Ironman Canada (There were 8 of us!) and you can't remember their names. You realize just how fragile you are when you are thinking a thought, looking someone in the eye and completely unable to make that thought a word.

You realize how lucky you are when you understand that what you are going through is temporary. Some people live their entire lives like this and still in the big picture things can be so much worse.

As I completed my run this morning I smiled and don't tell anyone..... but I even cried a little. I just feel so grateful that I get to be here doing what I really love to do. While I was not cleared to race this weekend I will be there to watch as my husband and my son enjoy their days and the sport that helped bring us all together.