When I have mentioned over the past several months that this road to self-improvement is a difficult one, I really never knew the magnitude of that until the last few weeks. But here I am, up for air-- actually more than up for air. I am strong, moving forward, making sense of things and, while a bit sad, I am all-the-while self-improving.
That being said. I have signed myself up for more races! I am going to do my first century bike race on June 17. It is the flatlands race- through eastern shore farmland in Delaware and Maryland-- (flat too!!) I will be doing this alone, (well, there will be many other bikers there) and I am happy for the solitude.-- The race starts at 8:30 am about 100 miles away from home, so I will leave out from here at 4:45 am- big 7-11 coffee in hand and my red beauty racing bike-- it will be a great day. I will have a couple of extra tubes, a pump, lots of water, some tools, a cell phone and some money-- so no worries about the dangers of it.
This Sunday my friend Mary and I will be swimming in the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. We are doing the 1-mile challenge. I am looking forward to it and will post pictures of me in my Orca suit. The last time a photo of me was taken in that suit I LOOKED like an Orca!
Anyway-- in August I've signed up for two more triathlons. Aug. 7- Culpepper Va. and Aug. 28 in Ellicott City-- both include open water swims. Sept. 16 Dewey Beach triathlon (ocean swim!), Oct. 7 Seagull Century bike race (another great solo ride for me), Oct 14 Tinfoilman triathlon in Tucson, Ariz.
It is a busy season for me as I soon begin back at work full-time-- The guy at the bike shop is encouraging me to join the Artemis women's bike racing team www.artemisracing.org -- I will stick to road racing not that stuff in the velodrome with those bikes that have no brakes-- I am considering it-- I need sponsorship because this cycling has become an expensive habit and I have my eyes on a $7,000 bike. (don't worry I'm not going to buy it right now- I love my red beauty).
Anyway, it has been said to me over and over and over "keep your eye on the prize." That's what I'm doing. I have two lovely boys and I am blessed to be in good shape to have fun with these races, even at the ripe old age of 42. God willing, the rest of this year is going to be a good one. I have a great family, wonderful friends, and I've been given this strength to keep moving ahead- I hope I can continue.
Oh-- final note-- I just got these cool racing aerobars put on my bike so I can be aerodynmic when I race- I am really getting into this stuff!! If you have a bike, dust it off, put some air in the tires, strap on a helmet and get out there and ride- it is a freedom that is so wonderful I can't explain- you just have to experience it!
FIVE FAVORITE THINGS:
1. always having a fresh new start
2. friends and family
3. a good orange
4. peace found after making tough and sad choices
5. the strength to keep walking away from the bad stuff
Well, there is it. I
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