One Door Closes, Another Opens

Life is ever changing.

How we adapt to those changes, either embrace them and accept them, or spend time mourning or wishing for the old days is one of the things that makes the difference between who we are now, and who we actually become.

As far as I'm concerned, 2011 was a great year. It had some ups and downs, but for the most part, I''m alive, I'm loved and have loved, I've found joy in my life and I hope I've brought a little joy to others along the way.

The road ahead stretches out in front of me and beckons me to a new path. Times are a changing my friends. Some of those changes will be scary, and the word "challenging" won't even hold a candle to what will describe others. However, they are 100% necessary and even if I fall on my face...I'll have this blog, and I'll remember how my heart was filled with hope and my eyes were set high on the stars.

If we shoot for the moon, we'll land in the stars.. yeah.. a bit cheesy mind you.. but I get the point. If you don't really go for it, then you'll never really see where you can end up. In the end, maybe it won't be where you thought, but maybe a higher power will have you right where you are supposed to be, learning what you are supposed to learn and becoming the person that you were meant to be in the end.

I'm ok with life being hard. I'm ok with making sacrifices (as long as it's not my faith, family or friends).

When I think of all the people who have entrusted me with helping to make their own personal goals and dreams come true, it's a little humbling...but I'm ready. I've prepared all my life for this part too. I've been there, done that. It hasn't been an easy road and I think that makes me not just a better person, but a better coach with more perspective. In the end, I can only hope I enrich their lives the way they have already enriched mine with each personality, goal, and belief.

Speaking of one who has made some of my giant leaps of faith possible (of which I have had many, and will undoubtedly have many more).

Kyle..

We've been through a lot.. At times, I wasn't sure if we were going to make it through, but we always have.

You've picked me up, dusted me off and then when I couldn't walk, you carried me the rest of the way.

From the good times, to some of the lowest times when I didn't even remotely believe in myself or my dreams you were always there, reminding me of why I was going to bed early, getting up at the crack of dawn or spending 6 hours on the trainer.

You get me... and I truly don't deserve you... but the main reason I am finally able to have the strength and confidence to do this is because of you. You're my best friend and I love you very much.

Thanks for giving me the courage to take chances and for knowing that no matter what, we are in this together.

As we welcome in 2012 in about twenty minutes, my love is laying on the couch next to me, sick with strep throat. Poor kid... Love isn't always pretty, but we do it, every day..regardless.

Here's to 2012 my friends! Let's see what it will bring! I don't know about you.. but I can't wait!

It's Time...

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. - W.M. Lewis

When you're young, your whole life is about the pursuit of fun. Whether it's staying over at a friend's house, or getting asked to prom, it's all about the search for a fun time, a time to make memories! Then you grow up, and life becomes more about being cautious. You could break a bone, or even worse, a heart. Somehow it starts to be more about paying bills, achieving what the world labels as "success" and about taking care of our "responsibilities". We're taught to weigh all of the factors, look before we leap and sometimes we don't even leap at all because we're worried there might not be anyone there to catch us.

There are all kinds of fears that can prevent us from making the leap. They are different for each one of us, but surprisingly, they are probably closer to each others than even we might think. Haven't you ever worried about all the what if's? You know.. What if

___insert your choice of worry here__

I disappoint someone I love, or worse, I disappoint myself

I can't do it

I'm too old

I'm not qualified

I'm not skilled enough

I get hurt

people make fun of me / laugh at me

my goals are silly

It's too late

I can't even get past the first step

You know exactly what I'm talking about. Each of us shares these same fears, these same issues that keep us from achieving all we are capable of in this life.

It reminds me of my senior year's Penn State's cross-country shirt. Each year we picked a shirt "theme" and it was very personal to each of the members and combined all of our individual goals into one saying. It was always a struggle to choose. Each year, after all the debate, we would arrive at a our theme, victorious as one unified whole... ready to take on the season ahead.

My senior year the shirt theme was "It's Time." When I started we were a band of misfits, pulled together as everything from walk-on athletes to those recovering from long standing injuries. We didn't have any chance of doing anything in the Big Ten, but as the years went on we bonded together. Over time we became strong and finally were becoming a team to be reckoned with when we toed the line. It was our season, our time to finally shine, our decision to put it out there.. it had been a long time coming...but "our time" was finally here.

What allowed us to finally put that on the shirt was the same thing that allowed us to overcome all of the "What if's" listed above. We had been through trials and tribulations, injury, family issues, and even coming in dead last to finally becoming the team we were today, standing tall and together. Alone, we were nothing... but together, we were unstoppable. It gave us confidence and when any one person had doubts, we quickly erased them from each others minds with encouraging words and affirmations of our strength and ability not to let each other fall.

The sum was always stronger than the parts. Though it wasn't the season we'd hoped for in the end, I never regretted learning the valuable lessons I had come to see come to fruition in college.

Triathlon is a very individual sport in some ways and in other ways, that couldn't be farther from the truth. It takes a village to raise an Ironman, and I truly believe that. I don't know if you met my family, my group of friends and extended friends, my fellow bloggers.. but let me tell you..

I couldn't do this alone if I tried (and I'm pretty sure 100% of YOU would say the exact same thing).

We all have those fears, me included, but when I go to take the leap I always know they will be there, my safety net, to catch me should I start to fall.

That's where the freedom comes in.. to overcome those fears and to stand up against them. The goal is to not let them paralyze you, but instead to take control of each one and ward it off with the reason why it won't be the thing that stops you. When you do this successfully, you in turn teach yourself and will yourself to make the commitment to stand up once again and take the leap (whatever leap you want).

With that said, I'm ready to make the leap again. It's Time my friends. Do I feel 100% ready, well, not necessarily...but that doesn't change the fact that I'm going to do it anyway. Do I have fears...heck YEAH! Having fears is a given, but I have huge support system and that makes me ready to combat them and do it anyway.

In 2012 I will be competing as a professional triathlete. There I said it!!

I'm not doing it for the money, obviously :) Ha. Gosh knows there isn't much of that in the sport! I've taken a long time to look at my reasons and they have come back the same time and time again. I don't want to have any regrets about my life, so I've given this little adventure some rules of my own so that I can keep my perspective. I've talked to many other professionals in our sport who are not only realistic about why they do it, but that have been willing to offer advice and help every step of the way. There is no better time than the present, and the present is right now baby!

I have some big questions of my own next year. Can I finally learn to swim (#1), Can I figure out a way to bike closer to 5:10-5:15 for 112 miles? (#2), Can I run faster than 3:17 off the bike in an Ironman (#3)? So, here's to 2012 and seeing what is possible! Life is about so many things for me including helping others, having so much fun and seeing just where this next part of my journey will take me.

Thank you to my family, friends, fellow bloggers & tri friends, sponsors and of course, to Kyle,

my number one supporter and the one who is there for me in thick and thin.. You all have been with me every step of the way so far, and I know I'll need a lot more of that great support over the next year!! I love you all and I appreciate everything you do for me!!

Cheers to taking the leap in 2012!!

What Will You Do?

It's that time of year.





You know what time I mean.. the time where many people's seasons are coming to a close and they are starting to think about next year. They are dreaming.. they are letting their bodies and minds take a break from "the grind." They are mountain biking, seeing friends, thanking family and their respective others for supporting them for one more year. They're wondering what could have made the year different, better.. what gave them the edge.. what worked.. what didn't.

They're wondering.. examining, analyzing and crunching the numbers.

It's an exciting time of year. I love it. The leaves are changing and the air has a chill in it when I set out to run in the early morning. You wear more layers, you watch the world wake up as the darkness turns to light. You feel a little regrowth.. and you start planning, races, training trips and saving for that new "___" insert any piece of triathlon equipment because, let's be honest, they are all expensive :)

Plenty of questions come up and I think questions are great. Question everything. If your coach or dietitian says they have all the answers, be afraid, very afraid. Two of my friends were getting their coaching certification this weekend and I couldn't help but think of my certification weekend and how much I've learned since then (and how very far I still have to go!). The best part is that as I'm constantly learning and growing, its a subject I'm completely crazy about. I'm still like a sponge, soaking up every last bit of knowledge I can gain from other coaches, from athlete's experiences on the race course, and from successes and sometimes even more so from not so successes!

I am a life long learner in this area. So now it's time for me to ask the questions to each of you..

What will you do this upcoming season to improve, to have a different outcome or to enjoy the balance of training and life even more? What are you willing to sacrifice or do differently to get that outcome? How do you see yourself in that first race of the season next year? What about the last race? How far will you have come not just physically, but in your life-balance? What will make the difference? What will give you strength, confidence and the chance to live your dreams?

Whatever it is, spend some time thinking about those things now. This sport starts and ends with those around you that help give you this time and lift you up to even just make it to start line. Make sure you thank them now..right now... give them a hug and show them by giving them time and love.

Start to plan.. think about it.... and plan some more. Be honest about the things that limited you, and addresses them. Was it nutrition? Was it consistency? Was it time? Was it late bed times?

Whatever it was, have an honest talk with yourself about those things and be realistic about them. Just know this.. it's not always the coaches fault :)

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Look around you, see who is a part of your life that could assist you once you've done your homework. Is it a seasoned tri veteran, a dietitian, a coach or a bike mechanic or even just one of your friends looking from the outside in.

Think about why you first started this journey and what you still want out of it? What makes it enjoyable, fun, exciting and new each time you put on your running / biking shoes...

Then go out there, and make it happen :)