Dear Spencer and Grant,
On this Mother's Day I'd just like to say thank you for putting up with me as your mom. I know it isn't easy, and you've had to make compromises and step up for all of our family logistics to work. I couldn't do what I do without your help, encouragement, love, and understanding. I hope the upsides of having a happy triathlete mom outweigh the accompanying craziness. This post is for you, to acknowledge just some of the things you deal with. I love you both so much and am very proud of your hearts, your minds, and all that is uniquely you!
Love,
mom
When your mom is a triathlete:
- She may call the school to say she will be late to pick you up because she (1) flatted (2) misjudged the distance of a ride or (3) had her watch in chrono mode and lost track of the actual time in an open water swim practice.
- She might walk into your school in a swim suit after pickup time because she didn't pack clothes for the quick open water swim because she thought she would have time to stop at home (see #3 above) but she was late, oh how unusual.
- You might mistakenly grab her running tights for swim practice thinking they are your jammers because there is a lot of black lycra/spandex in the house and it all looks the same.
- She has no qualms about setting up the bike trainer at your soccer practice or swim practice. and may run laps around your soccer field to finish out a run.
- You often wake up to the "soothing sounds" of the bike trainer or Vasa Ergometer down the hall from your bedrooms....from where she will yell, "ARE YOU UP?" at the appropriate time.
- Dad is in charge of breakfast (thank you :-)
- While other moms wave goodbye in the morning from the front door, she is waving goodbye from the road, on her morning run, as your carpool passes by.
- She uses a lot of training and racing analogies in her parenting.
- This science fair project is like a marathon, you have to start right away, and keep up the pace. You can't wait till the last minute and sprint the 26.2.
- Mowing the lawn is like running, load up the iPod, get in the zone, and just GO
- She doesn't skimp on your athletic shoes and she's fine with the fact that you only wear shirts with buttons and pants with zippers a few times a year.
- She expects quick transitions out of the house and has provided an organized "transition area" of shoes (complete with stretchy race laces to eliminate shoe-tying), socks, backpacks, sweatshirts to facilitate speedy exits.
- She will pick you up in sweaty workout clothes and when she apologizes for "picking you up dressed like that" you'll say "like what?" She will love that.
- Vacations and trips often coincidentally overlap with races. Just pure happenstance ;-) But she will understand it's your trip too and not mind when she finishes a marathon and you are not at the finish because you are in the midst of a tour of the capitol building.
- She will understand what it means to be nervous or feel pressure when you are performing or competing.
- She will encourage you to try as many things as it takes to find YOUR passions (and they don't have to be swim, bike, or run).
Mom,
Happy Mother's Day! Thank you for always encouraging me to be an individual and to not be afraid to go against the tide. From an early age you fostered my interests, no matter what they were, so I could see for myself what can result from commitment and effort. I love you!
Cortney
My sister Kristen, me, and my mom!
