Work in Progress

MSM Tri girls/wedding style
All dressed up

Recently we went to my client, our friend and MSM club member Megan's wedding. It was fun to get dressed up like a girl, dry my hair and not be that sweaty chick with a pony tail and workout clothes. My husband wore a tie, and I wore spiky heels and a dress (not great for the calves and the run the next day), but still fun.

It was fun to have a night not thinking about swimming biking and running for just a night and dance to Thriller, Dancing Queen and even the Chicken Dance.

There's nothing like a good wedding to make you think about where you are, where you've been and where you're going (not to mention a few drinks, some crazy dancing, and good looking tri guys in suits). Marriage is a work in progress, just like triathlon. There are a lot of similarities if you look closely.


*You have to do the work and training to get the desired results.

*Skipping workouts and skipping out on something your spouse planned will have a negative outcome

*Devoting oneself to a training plan is similar to devotion to your one and only

*Both can bring happiness and fulfilment

*There is a give and take needed for balance in each relationship. Taking only will leave you injured/ burnt out or .....lonely.

*You can't expect immediate perfection, it takes time and work. For some several years to achieve their triathlon dreams, and a lifetime of work on a marriage.

*Both require dedication for better or worse

Achieving what you want doesn't come easy. It is a work in progress. I started triathlon when it was unheard of to have a coach, and no Internet. I used to wait (this is embarrassing) for Triathlete mag. to come out to figure out how to workout! I worked was very hard and dedicated each season and got a little faster each year. I wasn't a swimmer growing up and had to really work at it to get faster, and I did. It took several years to turn my volleyball self/ team sportster into a triathlete. Even then it took a few more years to get to Worlds, finish Ironman, and finish at the top at races.

For some athletes progress may come a little easier than others, those are the ones with some natural talent. Others are given tremendous work ethic, and dedication. But for both it still requires work to get to the end result and reach full potential. Part of the fun should be the work getting to there. (except maybe for my ride yesterday/ 3 hrs in the cold rain :( It gets challenging in the PT clinic or with athletes when they want to see immediate results. It takes time and work. Post op patients want to be all better and back to normal....1 week later without doing any of the "work". Athletes want to be fast without doing the hard intervals or challenging workouts, or strength workouts.

I am still a work in progress. Even though I have achieved a lot of what I have wanted in triathlon, I still challenge myself to see how fast I can go and do the best I can in the events that I've decided to do this year. Its been a work in progress molding my triathlete self, into a Mom, PT, wife of Ironman, physcial therapist etc. (can you tell I've been working with my Life Coach, Thomo? ha ha.) BTW he got second at Vineman recently.

This year the work has been challenging and fun. The work of getting faster and more fit has been fun along the way.