By Heather Cabot, The Well Mom

I’ve never really been known as tough.  My M.O. is smiley, patient and usually pretty laid back.  But something happened this summer.  I decided to train for an Olympic distance triathlon for my fortieth birthday. Suddenly, friends and family who have known me for years started calling me a bad ass.

And I liked it.

Maybe it had something to do with the jelly fish I faced down in my first open water swim or all the days I rose with the sun to hit the road for a run or ride before my little ones got up.

It was my Dad who really put things in perspective for me.  Shortly after the big race day last weekend, I called him to brag.  My husband had already emailed photos of me at the finish, proudly sporting my marked up body and my medal.

“What happened to you?” Dad asked, “What happened to my center-fielder who used to sit down in the outfield?  You’re an animal,” he laughed.

Dad was remembering all the years he coached my softball team – a time that I showed absolutely no interest, and maybe even a tiny bit of resentment at being forced to play when what I really wanted was to hang out at the mall with my friends.  After hearing about my triumphant 1.5k swim, 40k bike ride and 6.2 run through New York City in 90 degree heat, he reasoned, there was something different about me.  Maybe becoming a mother had somehow unleashed the athlete within me.  I told him, he was exactly right.

Motherhood has proven to me what my mind and body can do.  And it’s given me an entirely new set of reasons to take care of myself.  Here on The Well Mom, I’ve been publishing articles for years about the importance of taking time for you.  But taking on this personal challenge really underscored that message for me.  As I rounded the last mile, all I could think about was that my family would be waiting for me at the end. It was a revelation. Because even though I set this goal for ME,  another huge reason I want to be healthy and strong is to take care of them.

I participated in the New York City Triathlon to prove to myself I could do it, to overcome fears about swimming in the open water, riding a bike with my feet clipped to the pedals, to show my children what it means to follow through on a goal and to raise money for the Lupus Foundation.

I didn’t even try to scrub off my number the next day. I wore #2262 like a badge of honor down my arm announcing to the world that I finished what I started and got the job done.  It is not often in motherhood that we get a gold star. Our daily victories largely go unnoticed and that comes with the job.  The chance to show off and do a little victory lap has been a blast. Now I’m planning for the next one.  Want to join me?

Here are a few tips if you do:

Join a team

I found it extremely helpful to get advice and support from others.  I was lucky to train with two teams: Asphalt Green and Life Without Lupus. Both programs provided excellent coached workouts and online training plans.  As a mom with young kids, it was very helpful to see the workouts for the week posted or emailed so that I could fit in the training around my family’s schedule. Moms In Motion runs local training programs for mothers for road races, triathlons and cycling events.

Involve Your Kids

My twin four-year-olds followed my training every step of the way and even did a road race with me in Central Park.  It felt really good to make it a family affair. And by telling them what I was up to, they were more accepting of the time I needed to run or go to swim practice.  And they loved that I got a medal.

Do It With A Friend

It was really helpful to talk about training with others and to go to the start with a fellow novice triathlete.  I also find working out with a partner helps you stick to your workout schedule. Plus, it’s fun!

Do It for Charity

Training and finishing was such a high.  But raising more than $3000 for the Lupus Foundation made it even sweeter.

Don’t Put It Off

I waited for four years to have the time to devote to the training.  It was a big commitment.  But as soon as you decide, sign up and get whatever event you want to do on your calendar.  Tell everyone about it.  You’ll get more encouragement than you ever imagined once you take the first step.  Check out Active.com for a list of races in your area.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, July 25th, 2010 at 3:49 pm and is filed under well-centered. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.