Tri This

I am now an official Triathlete-I can not begin to describe to you what I am feeling. It is so hard to put into words! This is not going to be a quick read, and it will most likely be more than one post to be able to tell you all that has happened, but I promise it will be funny,uplifting and encouraging if you continue to finish the story!

First, I must start by telling you, I really did have a life changing experience this weekend! I am overwhelmed with the change that has taken place.

This thing started out 9 months ago at my daughter's school when the headmaster, Linda, told the school how she was going to do a triathlon. I could not get her message out of my head for days. I knew that this was something I not only wanted to try, but needed to do! So when the opportunity came to be a part of this Legacy Ladies group, to train and meet together to participate in a triathlon, I knew that was my sign to "go for it". AND then I dragged Gail into it!

What started out as one person who shared her desire, has turned into 17 women of all shapes, sizes,ages,and all different,personal reasons joining together to accomplish a triathlon! I did not know at that moment what exactly I had gotten myself into. What started out as just a silly "race", has become even bigger now that I have completed one !

I have had the most incredible year, this year has been one personal growth,it has been one of the best years of my life. I knew I would see the physical changes, and possibly some emotional changes, but I was not expecting the spiritual changes. This may be different for others that begin this journey, but for me it really was life altering. It was not just the race that has done this for me, that is only for one moment, one day, it was all of the training along the way, physical & mental.

You see when I crossed that finish line, it was so empowering. I realized nothing is impossible to do, I can do anything. I have learn that I have discipline, and courage and strength that I did not believe I had before. Too many times I have decided things I "couldn't" do, because of the negative self talk that I daily contribute, oh so freely to myself! Unknowingly,I was placing limits on myself. Never again. I know now that I can and will set out goals that may seem unattainable, and then I will complete them.

I learned that God created our bodies, my body, so uniquely designed that I can push through physical pain with his strength. God uses so many of our daily lives to change our character, shape us, build us, and if we recognize his hand in all we do, we grow closer to him. For me it was this triathlon. Maybe it is something different for you? I promise deciding to do this thing was not my "choice", he already had the plan, he already knew what I would learn and how I would grow through this! I am not naive enough to think that I did this all on my own, there were friends,and family encouraging and praying,yes-However, I was able to accomplish this personal goal only through Christ. Yes, I did have to do all the hard work, I did my part, but he was beside me every step of the way, he was running, biking and swimming with me, whispering in my ear, teaching, training me, for a race much bigger than a triathlon. He has been training me for life, and all that I have faced in my past and all that I will face in my future, he was training and continues to train me every day, so that I know with out a doubt that I will/can conquer anything thorough him, anything that I have or will face, I am not facing it alone, never alone.

Today, I just wanted to tell you where my head is at. How I feel. I desperately want to share the whole race with you all, and I most definatly will! It is a funny story, that I will tell and reenact for years to come, but not today, today I am still enjoying the warmth of my father's arms around me, I am still in the glow of being proud of myself, that I completed what I had set out to do. Is it going to save the world? probably not, Will it bring world peace? definatly not, but it has changed me,it has changed my perspective of me, and It has changed my world.")