
Once a triathlete
Several adjectives could be used to describe me. Loud comes to mind immediately. Also, chatty, inquisitive, and boisterous. Descriptors you won’t hear often re: me are sporty, athletic, or competitive. Although there was that one time at the Sneakers and Spurs race when I broke into a jog because I would not be bested at the finish line by the woman in jorts…But I digress.
I came to the exercise craze late and without enthusiasm. My favorite pastime in my youth was reading—lots of reading. My mom forced me out of the house to get the mail across the street. My biggest exertion was walking the four blocks to our public library to get another stack of books. Not one to miss an opportunity, I would read all the way home.
I dabbled in soccer (people were trying to kick me, so I was out), softball (so boring), and tennis (enjoyable but I had no talent). I saw no need to break a sweat or keep score. Clearly, not a fit for team endeavors.
My senior year in college, one of my roommates started jogging. I don’t know what possessed me, but I invested in running shoes and a sports bra and joined her occasionally. I didn’t go very fast or pay any attention to my time. But I liked how I felt afterwards and realized I could eat and drink more if I exercised. I have been motivated by less.
Fast forward to moving to Wyoming. I became a hiker, a backpacker, a skier, and a snowshoer. I lifted weights, did Zumba, and took step classes at the Y. I walked my dogs all over hell and gone. I still jogged and did a few very slow 5Ks, but the joy waned quickly. How I felt after I exercised didn’t wane – it really did improve my mood, self-confidence, and sense of worth. Plus, the implied calorie deficit justified all sorts of food splurges.
Last year, I started regularly swimming to mix up my workout and fight the waistline I have developed thanks to the wonders of menopause. My waist hasn’t changed, but my cardio and shoulders have improved! Anyway, a friend told me she had done the Montana Women’s Triathlon to celebrate her 60th birthday and encouraged me to train it.
After I stopped laughing at the thought of me doing a triathlon of all things, she explained the distances and the positive experience. I figured I had nothing to lose and have spent the last 10 months improving my swimming efficiency and overall fitness. When I sheepishly admitted that I was training for a triathlon (which I explained was NOT an Ironman), everyone was encouraging, supportive, and overwhelmingly optimistic about my chances for success. To clarify, my definition of success was not drowning in the pool or falling off the bike. I say, lower the bar and crawl under it when looking at achievement metrics.
With the help of my friends (Jenny loaned me her bike, Sandra lent her backpack, Martha offered me her triathlon kit [I called it my triathlon onesie], and Jill provided snack and hydration suggestions), I felt as prepared as I could be.
The last weekend in July found me in Helena, MT, with my support squad – Sandra drove up with me, and Nancy got up at 3 a.m. to make the trek to and from Billings to cheer me on. I was nervous about the transitions from pool to bike to walk (there would be no running of any sort by me), but Mary and Moana, my participating Sheridan friends, were reassuring. Then it was finally my turn to start swimming! The pool is Olympic-sized, so twice the length of the YMCA pool, but I was mentally prepared for that. And nothing beats taking a few breaths at the far end of the pool and seeing your friends cheering you on, complete with a Team Amy sign waving wildly.
Biking was great (bless the flat terrain), and the walk was lovely. The best part was the support, fun, laughter, and help that the volunteers and participants provided. From the people you passed or who passed you on the route, to the volunteers giving directions, the MC, and the pool helpers, everyone cheered you on. There were women in their 70s, moms and daughters, sisters, besties, veteran triathletes, and newbies. It was the most incredible atmosphere of love and encouragement. And I wasn’t even very sore the next day – WIN!
I don’t know if I will do another triathlon, but now I know I can. That’s huge for me. And like people who have been in the Olympics who will always be Olympians, I am now a real-life triathlete, and I plan to ride that horse as long as anyone lets me. Want to see my medal?
