Regionals- Olympic Distance Triahtlon Race Report and some thoughts

A couple months back I was faced with the question, “why do you do triathlons, why do you compete?”  The question lead to an interesting discussion.

Suppose many of us do compete for many different reasons. We are all pushed to excel for many different reasons as well. Our experiences in life make us who we are and bring us where we are today. No, I’m not crazy.  No, I’m not a pain seeker.  I just love to swim, bike and run.

Every day we’re given this wonderful gift to wake up in a bed, comfortable, usually clean, with a roof over our head.  Food and running water are (more than likely) waiting for us in the nearby kitchen.  You understand where I’m going with this.  We wake up every morning healthy enough to even just walk.  Thankful for the little things, I go into the morning California air, for an easy 40 minute jog.   Later I will ride my bike along the ocean’s coast.  The next day I will swim with an amazing group of characters in an outdoor saltwater pool.  Very fortunate we are, indeed.  Most of us have working legs, right? Might as well  use them.

One reason I train is simply because I can.  Recently, I decided I’m going to use these lil’ legs of mine to the best of my ability. Another reason I train is because training is playing.  I train because I know many of us can’t.  I train to appreciate the world we’re given.  I train to appreciate my health.  I train for adventure and to go new places.  I train to escape our technology obsessed lives.  I train because it’s freedom. 

We train because of the people we meet along our athletic journeys.

We train because we have functioning, healthy bodies.

So why is it I compete, you ask? 

I compete for many reasons, of course.

I compete for the challenge, for the adrenaline, for the pure joy of it, for the feeling crossing the finish line, because there is no limit to self improvement, and simply because I can.  I race because it makes me feel alive!

We train and race simply for the love of it all.

With a little background, and brief journey into the triathlete mind, I wanted to give a quick overview of this past weekend’s race in the beautiful Ventura Harbor June 27, 2010.  “Breath of Life” is a Regional event and was held on a different course than previous years. 

Along with the new course came a couple issues that lead to surprisingly slower finish times than last year.  The weather was almost perfect race morning, though!  Thank you June gloom for the overcast skies, with only slight winds that proved to be manageable on the bike.

The triathletes gathered. We swam, we cycled, we ran.

Unfortunately it was one of the worst I’ve felt leading up to a race, hence I did not feel prime at all mentally nor physically during the race.  I was flat out exhausted going into it due to a sudden abundance of work and busyness.  It was a good eye opener to feel this way for the first time racing.  But we can only make do with what we have and make the best of it.

Crossing that finish line hurt so good.  My final time was 2:16.58. Familiar faces were there at the finish line excited to say, “Meg, you’re the first female to cross the finish line!”  My parents are my biggest fan club.  My Aunt showed up too.

At the moment I only cared about wiping off the chocolate goo that had dripped down my leg while cycling.  It didn’t look good. Time to change flavors so this doesn’t happen  again, ever.

We live, we learn, we love what we do, but always very thankful to be alive.  Sometimes all we can do is give what we’ve got.  Fortunately this day it paid off.

Michael J Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research

The Michael J. Fox Foundation has

 funded almost $176 million in research that can lead to the creation of better Parkinson’s treatments.