Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Girl Power

(photo taken 6/08 --Danskin Triathlon in Austin)


It's that time again. Now that the Emmaus Walk is over, it's training season. Time to get ready for the Danskin Triathlon. A couple thousand chicks swimming, biking, and running their way to the finish line. Listening to shouts of encouragement by complete strangers the entire way.

I am a little behind in my training than I was this time last year. Still, I'm not too worried. The bike is my favorite event in the tri...and I know the route now. The run is only 3 miles. I say only because I ran 13.1 (barely) back in November. And, the swim? Well, to train for the swim portion I have the magnificent Coach Christy.

I've mentioned her before, but as I began working out with Christy again last week after a 9 month swimming hiatus, I was once again reminded that she is a rock star. Encouraging, motivating, and instructional all at the same time. Last year we spent the better part of the workouts just getting me over my fear of swimming. Yes, this former lifeguard had developed some sort of H2O phobia in my older age. Wierd.

But, last week I was in a better state of mind to hear, process, and perform the drills Christy set before me. And, today...all of a sudden...in the middle of a drill half way down the lane...I got it. When I finished the lap I turned to see Christy jumping up and down clapping her hands in sheer excitement. An entire pool of water-aerobic-ing onlookers glanced over to see what the fuss was about. The fuss was about me getting it.

Now, whether or not I'll get it next week remains to be seen. Whether or not I'll get it while I'm in a lake full of chicks who are kicking me and gasping for breath during the actual race is yet to be determined. But--today--the look on Christy's face as she cheered me on made me proud. Of myself. She was sharing in our girl power--her as the incredible coach that she is and me as the student who finally got it. For an instant I felt guilty about how proud I was of myself. But, I remembered Brene and her incredible work...and I stopped that guilt right in its tracks. I earned the right to feel proud of myself. Plain and simple.

I wholeheartedly believe as girls we should nurture that in one another...in our mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, aunts, co-workers. Instead of being jealous of someone we should encourage one another to go the distance, celebrate each other's successes, and provide comfort when things don't go as planned. Still, there's some celebrating to do in the fact that we tried in the first place--whatever that something may be.

Like Beth Moore says in the Esther bible study I'm doing (and I am paraphrasing)--we're really not the fragile creatures we've been brainwashed into thinking we are. Thank goodness.

Girl power really is something to be reckoned with, don't you think?

11 comments:

Ashley said...

I'm so impressed! If you 'get it' now I'm sure you'll 'get it' 2 months from now. You are going to do great!!

patty said...

this could not have been better said! wtg! and let us know how it's going so we can do all those things in your 3rd to last paragraph: nurture, encourage, celebrate, comfort you!! go for it! :)

Yvette said...

wow! you go girl! Well said!

carissa said...

you are FOR SURE one powerful girl!

whoop... girl power!

i think i just got excitement butterflies for you... i did... there they were again... SO happy for you!

you jump up & down AND holler LOUD!

Dancing Queen said...

LOVE, LOVE this!! especially the part about women supporting one another...i always hope that we can do that more & more!!

you, my sistah friend, are doing great, great things!!
showing priya how girl power is alive & well, even as you grow older & wiser:)

happy easter weekend!

HiHoOhio said...

Go Girl

sojourner said...

brave girl you!

patty said...

i have to tell you that i can't get the possiblity of a "sprint" triathlon out of my mind since i first saw this post. i thought, "why not?" never did it before, haven't trained specifically, but ... why not? thanks for the motivation and possibilities....
have a blessed easter!

Quirky Mess said...

I'm so excited for you! You doing the triathlon again is so cool.

Thanks for encouraging me to get my butt in gear too!!!

patty said...

you're going to think that i'm crazy, seeing as this is my 3rd comment on this one post... just wanted you to know that i linked to this post on my last post. again, thanks for the motivation!

patty said...

oh, just one more time!! i did it. (well, 2/3s-had a bike issue!) it was just a sprint, but i really wanted to share w you b/c it truly was this post that made me even consider it. i blogged on it today. promise, last time i comment on this post! ;)
thanks again!