A Woman Who Inspires

Triathlon season is heating up again and I am VERY ready and excited to get back into some hardcore training. I wish it wasn't true, but I don't push myself as hard alone as with other people. Last year I stumbled upon the training group Tri It For Life. This women's only group is dedicated to inspiring women of all ages, sizes, backgrounds and abilities to develop healthy lifestyles through multi-sport training, mentorship and commitment. The group was founded by Alyse Kelly-Jones, a local OBGYN, wife, mother who went through medical school while raising children, and most recently Ironman 4th place finisher.

I have been in awe of Alyse because of the impact she has made on my life, my attitude about myself and what I can do. I share her passion about multi-sports and that anyone can do it. (Yes, anyone). Saturday I finally got up off my butt and joined a small group run on the parkway which included Alyse. After the 4 mile run we all gathered at Starbucks for some coffee, oatmeal, and post run stretching. One of the ladies there was passing around a program. Turns out that on Friday, Alyse and her husband attended a black tie affair because she was named one of Charlotte's Most Influential Woman. The article was a quick snapshot into her life. In addition to starting Tri It For Life, she also founded the Center for Sexual Health and Education. And did I mention she placed 4th in an Ironman? In case you aren't sure what an Ironman is, a participant first swims 2.4 miles in an ocean, then bikes 112 miles THEN runs a marathon. All in one day. I followed Alyse's progress the day she did her Ironman. I slept a little late and lazily flopped down on the couch as she was getting in the water. I watched a movie, ate breakfast and took a shower. I decided to run some errands as she was starting her bike ride. I spent the day grocery shopping, grabbing lunch and completing various other tasks. I was eating the last bites of dinner as she was finishing the bike ride. As I curled up on the couch for the night, she was BEGINNING a marathon. I watched another movie and was getting ready for bed when she finished. What different days we had. I am nervous at the prospect of running 13 miles and she did 26 miles AFTER being active for a full 10 hours beforehand. Amazing.

Actually, amazing doesn't begin to describe Alyse as there are a host of things I admire about her, but there are three that stand out for me.

1. On Saturday she seemed almost embarrassed about her award and recognition. She is completely humble about her athletic success and the impact she has made on so many women.
2. She has a belly and hips. If you saw her on the street you would NEVER think she is in supreme physical strength. She looks like any other size 12 or 14 woman, yet she is far from average. I was so nervous for my first swim session last year. I am pretty comfortable with my body (saggy boobs, dimples and all) but was still hesitant walking into a pool with triathletes imagining sculpted and defined bods. I was so glad to see fat women, short women, too skinny women. Body type does not determine health or ability. I am proud to be fat and fit.
3. She has a full time job as an OBGYN. She is raising three children. She has a husband and at least two non profit groups that she founded (that I know of), and yet she trained and completed an Ironman. So many people say "Oh I can't do that" or "I don't have the time". Really? Please don't ever say that to me. If she can make it happen, so can anyone.

Today in a work meeting my boss was talking about change and told us a story of a man who was in his living room when the lights suddenly go out. Startled, he drops his keys. It's pitch black so he fumbles around but can't find them. He looks outside and sees a lamp post on and he realizes that looking in the dark is stupid so moves outside to look for his keys. (I know, bear with me). So he stands below the light and looks for his keys but of course he can't find them because they are inside. The moral: You are not going to find what you are looking for if you are looking in the wrong place. So many people look outside themselves when really the answer is inside them. My boss just ran a half marathon and said she is constantly amazed when people say "Oh I could never do that". Yes, you can. I felt the same way after I finished my triathlon; I honestly felt like I could have done anything. You know what? I can. All I need to do is set a goal, create a training plan, actually do the training, and execute the plan. Whether the goal is personal (to lose weight, run a marathon or perhaps do an Ironman), professional (get a promotion, change careers), financial (pay off debt, go on more vacations), it doesn't matter. The premise is the same. My birthday is in two days. I will be 36 and I feel more alive, happier and excited about the future than ever before. I owe a lot of that to Alyse's encouragement to do a triathlon, and what accomplishing that did for my self esteem.

My modest hope for the future is that one day I can be a woman who inspires, much like Alyse inspires me. Completing an Ironman is impressive and brag worthy. But to me the real accomplishment is that I now think I might want to do one. Me, the fat, un-athletic, lazy, slow person who watches way too much TV and sometimes eats ice cream sundaes for breakfast, is actually thinking about possibly doing an ironman one day.

We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside of us is something valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit. ---------e.e. cummings