I lived in the South for a decade or so. Now we're not talking deep south where I said "Well, bless your heart", but then again I thought of saying that a couple of times when I came across people. We are talking South in the sense that people knew I wasn't from around there. In fact, having had stints in Orlando, Florida, Carbondale, Illinois, Marion, Illinois, and Durham, North Carolina ... one very important thing I learned is that I have a Chicago accent. And just as soon as I figure out what that actually is ... I'll get back to ya'll on it. See what I did there, huh? Bless my heart, right?
In the South it's stated that people rely on the kindness of strangers. I like to believe I live in a world where I can rely on the kindness of strangers and then pay it forward. In the instances that I come across this, I'm astounded because it makes me feel that there is hope. It's the instances like the other morning where I was driving to work and I was the first at the stop light, in the furthest left of three lanes that I question everything. Across traffic was a Coca-Cola Semi doing a U-turn. Can you picture it? I drive a small little two-door manual hatchback that could whip around a U-turn without even trying really. A semi is far more impressive, as well crosses several lanes. The car behind me started to honk at me the moment one of the semi's tires was out of the lane we'd be driving into. I didn't go, I allowed the semi to finish completing the U-turn not knowing exactly where the semi was headed to. It irked me. The driver behind me quickly zoomed around me after we went and got to the next stop light just in time to stop. Things like that irk me. Maybe it's because I have an Uncle who drives a large Semi that I'm more aware that those vehicles can't stop on a dime, they don't exactly have a turn radius to brag about, and as their trucks say "If you can't see them, they can't see you". I digress. As I started, in the South they say they rely on the kindness of strangers, and yet here this morning I was honked at for being perhaps being that stranger providing kindness.
I am fortunate enough to be a member of a group of amazing women called Women for Tri. It's a group of women triathletes who inspire, question, and help one another. No question or topic is off limits in this closed group. And when I say NO QUESTION, I mean, seriously, women triathletes have no filter. I've learned so much from reading posts by women from those that are thinking of doing a triathlon, to those who have dozens on their racing resume. I've learned by others admitting their faults, their failures. I've taken note of others successes and read their advice and encouraging words.
Every Wednesday the group has "Give Away Wednesday". This is where members offer up old gear they have to other members. This can be for reasons of size change, new gear, etc. The thing about triathletes is they take really good care of everything so even if it's used, the gear is still in good shape!
I have been beyond fortunate to be the recipient of gear twice now. The first was my tri kit. You know, the outfit I do it all in. I swim in it. I bike in it. I run in it. And best of all, I don't look flattering doing any of it in the outfit. I digress. This was given to me from a triathlete in California who knew nothing about me, just what size I would need. As the planets, fates, triathlon gods, whoever you want to say was involved ... as it happens, I was gifted a Peacock triathlon suit. Now, if you know me, you know ... well, yeah. Perfect. And best of all, this fellow triathlete took just a few moments to hand write a note to me wishing me a good season.
In the South it's stated that people rely on the kindness of strangers. I like to believe I live in a world where I can rely on the kindness of strangers and then pay it forward. In the instances that I come across this, I'm astounded because it makes me feel that there is hope. It's the instances like the other morning where I was driving to work and I was the first at the stop light, in the furthest left of three lanes that I question everything. Across traffic was a Coca-Cola Semi doing a U-turn. Can you picture it? I drive a small little two-door manual hatchback that could whip around a U-turn without even trying really. A semi is far more impressive, as well crosses several lanes. The car behind me started to honk at me the moment one of the semi's tires was out of the lane we'd be driving into. I didn't go, I allowed the semi to finish completing the U-turn not knowing exactly where the semi was headed to. It irked me. The driver behind me quickly zoomed around me after we went and got to the next stop light just in time to stop. Things like that irk me. Maybe it's because I have an Uncle who drives a large Semi that I'm more aware that those vehicles can't stop on a dime, they don't exactly have a turn radius to brag about, and as their trucks say "If you can't see them, they can't see you". I digress. As I started, in the South they say they rely on the kindness of strangers, and yet here this morning I was honked at for being perhaps being that stranger providing kindness.
I am fortunate enough to be a member of a group of amazing women called Women for Tri. It's a group of women triathletes who inspire, question, and help one another. No question or topic is off limits in this closed group. And when I say NO QUESTION, I mean, seriously, women triathletes have no filter. I've learned so much from reading posts by women from those that are thinking of doing a triathlon, to those who have dozens on their racing resume. I've learned by others admitting their faults, their failures. I've taken note of others successes and read their advice and encouraging words.
Every Wednesday the group has "Give Away Wednesday". This is where members offer up old gear they have to other members. This can be for reasons of size change, new gear, etc. The thing about triathletes is they take really good care of everything so even if it's used, the gear is still in good shape!
I have been beyond fortunate to be the recipient of gear twice now. The first was my tri kit. You know, the outfit I do it all in. I swim in it. I bike in it. I run in it. And best of all, I don't look flattering doing any of it in the outfit. I digress. This was given to me from a triathlete in California who knew nothing about me, just what size I would need. As the planets, fates, triathlon gods, whoever you want to say was involved ... as it happens, I was gifted a Peacock triathlon suit. Now, if you know me, you know ... well, yeah. Perfect. And best of all, this fellow triathlete took just a few moments to hand write a note to me wishing me a good season.
I've mentioned the pretty essential aspect of a wetsuit and open water swim. I'll say it: I'm shaped weird. I am. I'm ok with it (for the most part), I don't have control of some of my shape (for the most part), and I have to try my best to embrace it (for the most part). This doesn't mean that my adventures in wetsuit-ism haven't been without fail, they have. They have been with so much fail.
I originally tried my best friend Vicki's wetsuit on. And when I say tried it on, I mean it didn't come up past my butt. Don't get me wrong, we tried. Oh did we try, but as musical artist Shakira says, My Hips Don't Lie.
Up next I tried Kristine's wetsuit on. It fit pretty well, she said it would be the right size and to look for when Xterra sells their old seasons for cheap. Apparently in the world of Xterra wetsuits, and used ones at that, I am the same size as everyone else. I've been stalking their website, and by stalking I mean ... I go there daily. When they send me a sale email I check it multiple times a day. My size used does not exist. Period. And yes, I realize that's entirely overly dramatic.
During our first OWS Clinic I rented a long sleeved TYR Wetsuit. The leg length was too long, the arm length was too long, and the suit hung low in my leg/hip/butt section. Now in theory, give my measurements that wetsuit should have fit me. It was a little large, and I wasn't entirely sure if that was good or bad. In turn, truth be told, I was indifferent.
During our second OWS Clinic I rented a sleeveless BlueSeventy Wetsuit. The good thing about this is, given that it's sleeveless, that means the arm length couldn't be too long! Much to my surprise, despite my measurements the professionals recommended a size small because of my height. Overall I guess it worked. I thought it was tight, but then again I only had one other real comparable moment of wearing a wetsuit.
Recently on Giveaway Wednesday I replied to an offer of a BlueSeventy wetsuit. Now wetsuits in general, if not purchased used are expensive. I'm not saying thousands of dollars, but I am saying a couple hundred which given how much you use it for, seems a tad ridiculous. Then again people outside of Triathlon think it's a tad ridiculous to go swim a mileage of distance, run out of the water, get ready, go bike mileage, hop off the bike, and go run mileage. So all in all maybe it's all not that ridiculous.
In any case I replied to a wetsuit offer and I was the first to reply! It was mine. A complete stranger in Maryland was going to mail me her wetsuit because she had gained some weight and had it just hanging in a closet. This was in fact the wetsuit size, style, and type I had rented just a week prior! The wonderful woman willing to send it to me chatted with me a bit and said she was heading out to send it to me! Later that afternoon she told me I'd get it just two days later, on Friday.
I asked the sender to have it sent to me at work so there would be no missing the package or having to drive here or there to retrieve it. Our mail lady at work is pretty hilarious and she came in calling on Friday "Oh, Lori ... I have a package for you!" I have a wheeled, spinning desk chair at work and I nearly flew out of it going to meet her. I grabbed it, I would have hugged it but I didn't want to be *that* girl. I sat staring at the package all day at work. I refused to open it, I stared at it knowing that after work and anything else I had planned that night I was going to go home and try it on. I just stared and checked often to make sure the box hadn't moved.
When I left work for the day I had my wetsuit in hand and headed off to go swim at the gym before heading home. As soon as I got home I barely threw everything on the couch before gently opening the box and revealing the new to me wetsuit. Now previously when putting on a wetsuit I have stood on a beach, had Will instruct me to do it (because I've almost put it on backwards), and Will helping me zip it up.
I was solo. It took some shimmying, some jumping, some sweating, some nerves, but I got it on. I was making the process much more difficult than it needed to be. Why you ask? Because my first go at it, I was putting it on backwards. Once I realized that I was all flustered, sweaty, and wondering why I couldn't grasp the difference between the front and back, even if it's inside out. Have I ever mentioned that you put a wetsuit on inside out so by the time you get it rolled up and on, it's correct? Yeah, that's a thing.
I couldn't reach the zipper to zip myself in, but all other signs point to the new to me wetsuit fitting. It's not exactly comfortable, but then again I think by a sub-definition, wetsuits are not comfortable.
We had an OWS Clinic this last Tuesday, so I couldn't think of a better (or more practical) time to try it out. Now once again I nearly put it on backwards. Will is tall and skinny and his rented wetsuit was on in no time flat. Literally. Then there was me. I was still trying to get it on and it was as if I had gotten taller since just a few days prior to trying it on. Well, I had the ankle portion of the wetsuit quite literally and figuratively around my ankles. Wrong. Once Will helped me put the wetsuit in the right spot it fit! It fit! It zipped! I was on a beach! I was going to OWS with it!
Triathlon is a community. It's a community I never knew existed and that I'm still very new to. When some people take up a sport or hobby they make it's fishing, running, biking, knitting, cooking, etc. I decided to take up swimming, biking, and running in that order, all at once, and all in the same competition event. I've had highs and lows with my emotions and thoughts on this still very new to me journey. But not only through the Women for Tri Group, but as well through the gym. It's the kindness of strangers, and those just crazy enough to be on the same journey that surprise you most. Oh and they like to celebrate afterwards with free beer!
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