Reflections

I've had this post in my head for a while. I think it's time:

I have come to realize that my last so-many posts have been rather negative, which is honestly not the impression I was hoping to give off. It hasn't been an adequate cross-section of my journey. Or has it?

Without going into a lot of detail, I've been struggling. This last year has not been what I had expected or hoped my first year out of college would be. Since last October, it seems like it's gotten progressively worse. My awful work situation really affected EVERY other part of my life, and everyone in it. I think that's what affected my training and how I looked at life and expressed myself. I have so much respect and thanks for everyone close to me who stuck by me through my struggle. It didn't just take a toll on me. Thank you for being my rock. But I think I've gotten my life back on track, thankfully. I got a new job, new apartment, new excitement for what I do. But for you praying folk out there, please pray for those I left behind...they need it.

I was surprised to find out I was a downer about my training to. To be very honest, I'm pretty sure that triathlon was the one thing that kept my sanity. I think it was so important that it was part of this last year. I can't imagine where I would be without it. I credit my ability to bounce back (so far) to having done triathlon. It was my one constant, a greater goal, something to take up my time in the evenings after I moved away from my boyfriend and from my best friend, and most importantly, it gave me extra confidence when, frankly, there were people trying to be out every last shred of confidence I had. Thank you triathlon.

I'm so thankful I decided to take up the sport. Even without the stressors in my life in the past year, it has done so much for me. It's given me confidence to jump in and try something I'm pretty sure I'll be bad at. I never would have joined my company softball league before triathlon...and it was one of the most fun things I've done. I'm not afraid to try something new, even if I might fail. Without triathlon turning me into a psuedo-jock, I never would have looked at the job I have now in sports information, which I love so far. And phyically, it's put me in a phsyical state I didn't expect I'd be in. I feel strong. I have visible muscles, but not in a manly-muscly way. It's just done so much for me.

Overall, triathlon has been such an amazing experience for me. It won't be going away anytime soon. And I want everyone out there to know that I love the sport -- even the running aspect! I'm changing the way I think about things, the way I express things, and I'm hoping my posts follow.

Now I ask you, what has triathlon done for you?