Getting Started...Recruit A Friend

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I love my friends. We laugh and joke about our crazy lives and they make me feel like the day in and day out of being home with four kids is normal. They are there for me for my ups and downs, whether it be a family celebration or helping me care for sick kids. They have a sincere love for my family and me, and I feel blessed to have them apart of my life.

When I decided to commit to do the Danskin Sandy Hook triathlon, my first reaction was not to buy a new pair of sneakers or bathing suit. I decided to recruit as many of my friends to embark on this journey with me. I sent out a note to a group of friends with the registration details and managed to get about 12 women to sign up. These women had the desire to do something outside of their comfort zone and physically challenge themselves.

The friends, who finished the race, had the desire coupled with the time, motivation and discipline to train. As a group, we hired a swim instructor to give us swim lessons and hold group swim clinics. We had a stretching clinic conducted by our friend, fellow competitor and physical therapist, Marcia. My friends, who lived out of town, recruited more women who lived closer to them. They wanted to have a group of women in their own community to train with. We would all keep in touch and discuss our training strategies and race schedules. Training became fun and very social.

Thinking about it, we all had different reasons for doing the race. I think we all had a desire to be physically fit, but what motivated us to cross the finish line was different. Introducing my friends. Roxanne, who has more grit than she gives herself credit for, trains with me every step of the way. She is very disciplined and driven to meet her goal. Shannon, who can always make light of any situation and had us laughing all the way to the starting line, made a decision early on that she was going to finish the race and she persevered. Stacey, an over achiever, somehow carved time out from her busy career and family life to meet a physical challenge she never thought she would do. Marcia, a natural athlete and physical therapist, is the most athletic of all of us. She had an awesome finish despite riding a mountain bike and doing minimal training. Lisa, a go-getter, had to cope with an ill parent right before the race, but she didn’t let that get in her way. She was going to finish what she started. Suzanne, an experienced triathlete, was always there to give us tips and encouragement. Finally, Nancy, my old and dear friend, was not sure if she would like this level of exercise, and now, she has been bitten by the triathlon bug. She is doing her first Olympic distance tri this weekend.

Every athlete comes in a different shape and size. My friends are no different. We started the journey with different motivations and expectations, but the one thing that we all shared, was the love and support we gave each other during training and the race. My friends inspired me all the way to the finish line and they continue to inspire me. Many of us are training for a new season. So my advice to all of you first time triathletes, recruit a friend.

Liz

For more information about the Danskin or Trek Women Triathlon Series, visit http://www.xxtramile.com.

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• Triathlon
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