Well, the main reason I signed up was because I wanted to be a part of Team In Training (TNT) again, an organization that donates all its proceeds to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society while the participants, such as I, are coached along the journey to complete an athletic event like a Marathon, Century Ride, Olympic Distance Triathlon… or why not just put those three former events in the massive Ironman. Which, somehow I’m supposed to finish in 8 months time of training.
I’ve been a part of TNT twice before—I completed two triathlons wearing my TNT jersey, and raised over $10,000 to be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I joined the team in honor of one of my best friends, about a week after she was diagnosed with ALL- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. It was I who took her to the hospital that very first day when her blood test revealed an absence of white blood cells. It was late that night and they told us to come back the next day, to the oncology wing. I didn’t even know what oncology meant. But there I was the next day with her in the doctor office as they began the first of many blood marrow biopsies. The least I could do for her was raise money in support of the cancer she’s was battling her life with.
I did those two Olympic distance triathlons, and yes, they were a hard physical challenge. I’m not anyone who was ever an endurance athlete. I was a Diver for the past 10 years, a sport that emphasizes the fast twitch muscle group. I had never run more than two miles in my life. And although I did a sport that was in the water and a part of the “Swimming” team, I was never a swimmer and had never directly been on any swimming team. I didn’t know how to do a flip turn, and still to this day I can’t do them. But, my comfort in the water lead to a love of swimming, my athletic background made the training go smoothly, and my competitive nature pushed me through the 2 hours and 54 minutes it took me to complete my first triathlon which I placed third in my age division.
After the first one, I thought it would be over. I thought I wanted to do it in honor of Golnaz and for the physically challenge with myself. But, I realized that Team In Training meant more to me and I wanted to be a part of this team again, and again. I wanted to be surrounded by people just like me out there raising money to find a cure for cancer and training hard to push and challenge themselves mentally and physically. So, I signed up again and completed my second season with TNT in a Maui Triathlon where I watched sea turtles below me in the ocean and had 50 other participants beside me in the bike and run cheering me on.
It’s been a good year and a half since that last triathlon and for the longest time, I had barely touched a bike, nor swam a lap in the pool. I was finished with it all, I thought. I had done my share: completed triathlons, met amazing friends, and raised money for cancer. I left the country and went to Asia to do my part over there while volunterring to teach English to the kids in the local villages and orphanages. I had the most amazing time of my life and never before had I experienced the world at large, traveling around on my own, and finding my way. But alas, I couldn’t live abroad forever and moved back home, to San Francisco.
San Francisco was new to me; I’d been living in LA for the past seven years for college, etc. and knew few people up here. I thought the best way to meet people and be a part of something good again, was join up the team. So I did.
I joined TNT for the Olympic distance tri once again. I mean, it was a perfect distance for me and I didn’t want to join the cycling or running team because my love for the water makes triathlon an easy decicsion.
I went to the kickoff and started going to the practices for this team. But, something was lacking. I loved the team of course, but here I was raising money again for the same thing I had done twice before. The practices were easy and the triathlon wouldn’t be a big deal. I would push myself of course, but it wouldn’t mean anything special. A month went by before I called the head office and asked if I could switch to the IronTeam. No problem. Done. You’re set.
I’m set?! No. No way. How will I be able to do this? I have no clue. Do I even want to do this distance? Not really. Do I care enough to devote the next 9 months to this team, every Saturday and Sunday, whereby diminishing my social life which I love? Not sure. Why did I make that phone call to switch teams? Why do I want to do this again? Am I really volunteering to put myself through hell??? What am I thinking?!
I missed the next month of training after I had switched teams. Halloween, trips to LA, Arizona, Colorado, Thanksgiving, Holiday Time. Finally, it was about 7 weeks after everyone had been training with the team, that I was able to make my first practice. December 19th was my initiation day with the team, the day that I would decide if I really wanted to do this. And believe me, I was extremely hesitant arriving that day. I considered turning around. I felt stupid getting out of my car and walking towards the group who all knew each other by now and looked at me as if I must be lost. Hi, I’m new, I had to tell everyone. And everyone welcomed me warmly. I fell right in place, talking and laughing with all of my new teammates instantly. I lead the Go Team Cheer since I was “new girl” Sara.
It was a great day to jump right into everything: warm-up running and drills followed by a two mile marker set, an hour and a half of strength and core work, an hour an a half in the pool of swimming, an hour on the bike, more running, more biking, and finally six hours later we were done. Congratulations, you just finished you’re first practice. Bring it on! I was hooked and knew I would never look back. All doubts had vanished, and here I was, fully committed to racing a Ironman length triathlon and committed to raising $5,800 to help find a cure for cancer. Bring. It. On.
No comments:
Post a Comment