Physical Tuning | Skills & Drills | Thought Design | Team Work

The Voice of a Triathlete

On August 13th, 2006, I bounded out of bed before the alarm at 3:45 am. “Is this really something I do?” I thought to myself with a grin. All the cars on the highway seemed to be silently heading toward some kind of secret destination. I felt like I was part of something magical, exciting, and wonderful.

Just 14 months ago, I was the weekend warrior type - moderately in shape for things like snowboarding, but not in a position to even consider running five miles. Then I took this little adventure called the Landmark Forum. It is a three day class in which you learn to see what is stopping you in life. I saw three things stopping me in the area of physical fitness. First, I saw that I had no integrity. Period. I never did what I said I was going to do regarding workouts. Second, I saw that I had this huge fear of failure and looking stupid. Finally, I also had a story that my asthma kept me from really challenging myself. So to exercise my integrity and act in face of fear, I registered myself in the 2005 Easy Street Half Marathon in Fort Collins!

I did my workouts when they were scheduled (the integrity part!) and gave up the idea that I had to run at a certain speed. I completed the half marathon feeling great! Since then, I also completed the Moab Other Half Marathon, the Colorado Mini Marathon, and the Phoenix Rock-n-Roll Full Marathon!

But this day I was taking things to a new level. The Boulder Long Course triathlon! Could I really do it? Had I prepared enough? Would I sink? Would I be last?! My nervousness lasted until the signal went off for me to start swimming. Then I was enveloped by a sense of peace and ease. I found myself honoring all the athletes around me who had really given so much of themselves to prepare for the event, and appreciating my body and what it is capable of.

I enjoyed every minute of the race. A few strange things happened. For example, most of my swim heat missed the last buoy, but I wanted to do the entire race that I trained for, so I didn’t follow the pack and I completed the swim with integrity. I got charged by a horse (YES, a horse! Proving once again that anything can happen in Boulder...), and I got directed off course by a volunteer on the bicycle leg.

But none of those things impacted my amazing experience. It was the most joyful day of my life. I completed the course in seven hours and twenty minutes. That kind of time will never win me any purses, but it gave me something that has no price. I got, during those seven hours, that I am the architect of my life. I really can do and be ANYTHING and the only thing that has ever stopped me (myself) is now out of the way.

Sheila Wright, Triathlete