Since I have begun my serious path on the road to Triathlete/Paratriathletestatus I have gotten a lot of comments regarding motivation and inspiration.Mostly it is from friends and family who are supporting me along my journey,continuously reminding me that what I am doing is inspiring to them and thatthey know I can attain all of the goals I have set for myself. These are thecomments that I carry with me and am so grateful to hear, but feel I will neverreally know how to receive them properly. In fact, it always makes me a littleflustered and shy when I get them as I feel like what I do every day is prettygeneric.
I fell in love with sport as a kid, thanks to my parents, and all of my lifesport has been a huge factor. After I lost my leg to cancer it seemed onlynatural to treat learning how to walk, run, and be active again just like Iwould treat learning a new sport. I got up early, went to phsyio, listened toevery single word my physiotherapist said in her instructions and directions, Ipractised relentlessly. If you see me out day to day, the way I walk and movearound may seem pretty natural or even easy, but just like sport, it has takenme countless hours of practise and dedication just to be a "normal"everyday person again.
There have also been many times when I was so frustrated I actually justtook my prosthetic leg off and tossed it across the room... seconds laterfeeling embarrassed and twice as determined to achieve what I had set out to do, ending up hopping like a little rabbit on one leg across the room toretrieve my VERY important tool. It wasn't the leg that was holding me back, itwas my mind, I wasn't too tired or unable, and I was frustrated by a newlearning curve. So I constantly reminded myself, I CAN DO THIS ~ THIS IS MY NEWNORMAL.
There have been other times or days when I just really didn’t feel likedoing it, doing anything to be honest. Days when putting my leg on in themorning seemed like a huge hassle. Moments when I felt down on myself for notbeing where I thought I should be or could be. These are the times I havereally had to dig deep. Thoughts that usually went through my mind during thesetimes were of failure... did I WANT to fail? Hell no. That was (and is) theeasiest way for me to get off my ass. The idea that I had set a goal for myselfto attain that I might not be able to reach was (and is) an extremelymotivating factor. Honestly, unless I am completely incapacitated I am GOING TOfinish what I set out to do.
My coach, Meryick Jones, summed it up simply but extremely well for me oneday. We were discussing my goals, people’s reactions to what I do athleticallyand what is the best way to respond to people who ask me how I am so motivatedto do it all. Meyrick said something along the lines of, "Well they get up everyday and put on your shoes, just like you get up each day and put your leg on".It’s really no different. It's all in those first steps each morning to justget up and get at it. You simply either DO or you DON'T. I just make the verysimple choice to DO.
Just like learning how to walk well and hone my skills of everyday life on aprosthetic leg was once a goal of mine, my new goal is to become an athlete. Not just any athlete, a triathlete, or in my case, a paratriathlete. Iknew it was possible, I have seen amputee runners and traithletes before. Ifollowed a few and knew that with proper training and dedication it was an achievablegoal. So I set it ~ GOAL- BECOME TRIATHLETE. Little did I know at the beginningof my journey how many little goals within that goal I would have to set. It isactually one massive goal broken down into a whole whack of littler goals.
Goals:
v BECOMETRIATHLETE (COMPETE AT HIGH LEVEL, 2016 RIO PARALYMPICS)
v Attain prosthetic equipment
v Attain funding for prosthetic equipment $$$
v Attain triathlon equipment $$$
v Learn to run (again)
v Learn to swim (again)
v Learn to ride a bike (again)
v Start all over with prosthetic equipment,rebuild running, cycling, training legs (poor fit, too many issues, start from scratch)
v Hone my skills as a cyclist
v Hone my skills as a runner
v Hone my skills as a swimmer
v Do 3rd Triathlon (2013 Nationals http://edmontontriathlon.org/main/2013-Register-World-Cup.html – Edmonton, AB)
v Do cycling event (GranFondo Whistler http://www.rbcgranfondowhistler.com/- Vancouver/Whistler, BC)
Keep in mind these are goals of one season. Under “Become Triathlete”these are just some of the goals that I have had to set for myself in order tomake that future goal a reality. In the next couple years until the 2016 RioParalympics I am going to have to set and attain a whole new spectrum of goals,just when I feel like I have gotten to where I need to be there may be anotherathlete out there that can out race me, in those times I am going to have toreach higher and train harder. So now, as I work towards those goals it is aconstant daily struggle to reach my potential. I am swimming 3 days a week,cycling 3 days a week and strength training 3 days a week. Running is unfortunatelyon hold until I have a new running prosthesis, (it has been a huge area offrustration and setbacks for me, due to the nature of the prosthetic and how much pressure it puts on my body, a work in progress that I am determined toconquer).
So what keeps me motivated these days’:
v The end result, the vision of me competingagainst other elite athletes at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. This inspires me to be my best.
v My incredible family & friends. They areconstantly offering words of encouragement and support, they’ve helped lift me upthrough my lows and celebrate my highs, I wouldn’t want to share all of thiswith anyone else. They inspire me to be my best.
v My coach. There are many reason I chose MeyrickJones as a coach but definitely top two are that he is an experienced coach ANDan experienced athlete. This guy has done more events than I can count;cycling, running, triathlon and skiing (and more I’m sure). He lives andbreathes sport. I constantly feed off of his energy. Talk about practise whatyou preach, he’s living proof that this is a winning combination. He inspires me to be my best.
v Triumph’s like completing my first triathlon(UBC), having agreat long ride on my bike, setting a new personal best in the pool or finalisinga finished well performing running prosthetic. These are all mini attainedgoals that will help me attain my final goal. They inspire me to achieve whatever it next.
When you really want something there are really only TWO options in my mind; you either go out and get it or you don't.
I'm all in :)
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