Faith to Finish in 2013


If you have ever been doubtful, Norman Vincent Peale would tell you to repeatedly say, “I don’t believe in defeat!” There is so much power behind simply believing in yourself.  The repeated lesson I have learned is that when I have the slightest doubt in myself negative words creep from my mouth…chances are I will test the slippery slope and end up at the bottom.  For instance, I’m really good at frustration. BUT, frustration will not defeat me and I have learned to better control this viral thing!

I am at the top of week 7 and in pre-season training and so far, I’ve had 1 low week (at week 5). I don’t always have that constant high-jolting energy.  You may have already noticed that no one has been able to perform at their best during EVERY race, game, speech or presentation, and so on.  I remember watching the Olympics this past summer thinking that Lola Jones was going to do well in her hurdles. Why not? She almost won the gold during the 2008 Olympics in the hurdles and she’s back to fight! She just barely brushed her foot on one of the last few hurdles in 2008, which cost her not only gold, but the silver and bronze as well! This past summer, she didn’t make it past the first round. Even in the gymnastics 2012 Olympic trials, I thought for sure Nastia Liukin would return for more medals after her all around gold in 2008. She completely missed and slipped on the bars sending her body faced down on the mat (or what I called a belly flopper) not once but twice! Despite the flaw on national television, she continued to demonstrate good sportsmanship and a positive outlook.  When you look at team sports, there are always surprises, like when the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 2011 and returned for post-season playoffs in 2012.  Let’s face it…we are humans.  We make mistakes and we have days of our below average performance physically, academically, and psychologically.

As I look ahead to this race season, I know there will be burnout periods, frustration, boo-boos, and feelings of mental breakdowns and physical exhaustions.  My schedule consists of a half-marathon in San Diego coming up in March followed by an Olympic Triathlon in June, a half-ironman in July, and the BIG one in August.  At times, I think, “oh my gosh, how exactly am I going to get through 140.6 miles?!”  Louisville is considered the HOTTEST of all the Ironman courses! Even though it’s not really that cold in the Midwest, I’m already psyching myself to believe it’s freezing to prepare for the summer heat. 

So, why am I doing this Ironman Louisville:
There are many reasons why Ironman participants choose their race destinations. Could be the course, weather, travel expenses or location. It’s a hard decision especially if it’s a first. I thought long and hard about it and the following pros far outweigh the cons:

1.     It’s my home state with a little thing called, ‘southern charm’ beauty.
2.     The location is so close to all my family and friends. They are the main reason why I chose Louisville! They will be my motivation. No one in my family except my best friend has seen me finish a triathlon!
3.     My cousin inspired me.
4.     Can’t take too much time off due to finishing a clinical rotation. I would be lucky to get a day or 2 off.
5.     Just a little 4-hour drive so not a lot of traveling costs involved.
6.     The timing is just right! After I graduate and officially finish school in December, I’m sure my husband and I will take one last trip and settle our lives for…I don’t know…a house, a family maybe (the first time I actually said that!).

So, YES, I will fight every mile to finish in 2013!  There may be times I will have little faith, but I do not believe in defeat and I have faith to finish each race! Nothing is impossible with God!
As I celebrate 32, I look forward to an amazing year of adventures as a stronger woman of faith!
Quote of the day: It is better to believe than disbelieve; in doing so you bring everything to the realm of possibility.  ~ Albert Einstein

Bible verse of the day: “…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”  ~ Matthew 17:20 

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