Remember your first time???

There truly is nothing like the first time you do something.  No matter what that something is.  The first time of anything is amazing, and monumental, and there is nothing like that feeling.

  The first time you walk (ok most of us don’t remember that) the first time you rode a bike without training wheels.  The first time you held hands with a boy, or girl.  Your first love. Your first kiss.  Wow, that was something to remember, right?  How about the first time behind the wheel of a car?

I have had so many firsts in my life it is crazy.  First broken heart.  First time to move away from home, and then REALLY leave home, as in leaving the state.  My first child to be born.  First time to have stitches. The first time I leapt out of an airplane, hoping to make it safely to the ground.  My first car, my first home to own. My first 5K, to my first marathon, my first Sprint Triathlon all the way to my first Ironman.

I am still coming off a great week, after placing 3^rd  ag, in the Race the River Tri last weekend, and have been enjoying more of my summer.  Working on relaxing, but just really trying to find a sense of balance still.  Maybe it was doing another Tri that helped out.  Even though 2 weeks after Ironman, I had done a ½ marathon.  I went into Race the River thinking it would be a fun day with my girlfriends, to really racing it, and feeling good, even after being out WAY to late the night before. (Thank you friends, and Big Head Todd)

I think my summer training and summer fun is coming into focus now.  I have my training that I am still doing.  Running, biking and swimming with “the crew” and having some great beach days, some paddle boarding, some wine and boat days.

I had another tri this weekend that I decided to back out of.  The Hayden View Tri, put on by a wonderful friend of mine. I was excited to race this race for the first time……BUT, what made me decide to not race was the fact that this tri, is my husband’s first triathlon.  The more I thought about racing, the more I thought about him, and all the years he has invested in me.  Going to races, loading my bike, airing my tires, packing my crap up, mixing my bottles.  He has gotten up so early, to go and support me.  This past year was no different, but way more intense, and there was a lot more for him to deal with.  The very LEAST I could do, would be to go to this race on Saturday, supporting him, and being his Sherpa.  It is HIS first.  His first time to put a swim, bike and run together in a race. The first time for him to run through transition, pulling on socks, shoes, helmet, sunglasses all crazed and expeditious.  His first time to cross the finish line as a triathlete!  How could I not give that to him? 

I am so excited for him.  And nervous for him.  And nervous for his nervousness!  I cannot wait to be the one to talk to him Friday night when he is getting all anxious about his race in the morning.  Get up with him early Saturday to make sure he can get some food in his belly, go through the “nervous stomach” routine, walk with him and wait at transition while he sets up, racks his bike, warms up, and dives, for the first time, into the water for a ½ mile swim, then a bike and run.  I get giddy just thinking about it.

I am proud of him for making it this far. 

I am excited for him to drink the Kool-Aide that all of our friends have been drinking and dive into multi-sport.

I am excited for his first time.

I know the day before Ironman.  Pro athlete, and just all around sweetie, Michael Lovato told me when I asked him for a piece of advice before the race, said, “Enjoy every second of the day.  Because it will go by faster that you think…and then you will finish, and there is NOTHING like the feeling of the first time.”  You can never get that feeling back.  And right he is. 

But there is also something to be said for watching and being present at someone’s first race.  I cannot wait for that first!!!

~Greg, you are going to do an amazing job Saturday.  Most of all, love the moment, and have fun…you have this…and there is going to be nothing like it…. ALL of us cannot wait to see you cross that finish-line!

~And to another friend of ours, out of state racing her first tri on Sunday.  Go out there with your girls and kick some a$$. You are going to ROCK,  JH!!!