Cupcake to Tough Cookie With a Little Tri

Some people are the type to dip their toe in the water before taking a swim.  Others walk to the edge and hop right in.  Loretta's more the type to take a running leap from 5 yards out, blindly flying through the air imagining the cannonball splash touching the clouds before checking to see if the pool even has water in it.  I love her sense of adventure, but my biggest hope for Loretta is that there is always water at the end of her jumps.
 
This is the way it was when we talked to her about doing her first triathlon a few weeks ago.  Her initial response was to leap right in and if the tri had been at that moment there would have been no hesitation.  However, there were several weeks in between the first time we talked about it and the actual event and that time was full of self doubt, fraught with worry and "I can't".  This resulted in many, many conversations about having a positive attitude, believing in herself, and at one point after an unsuccessful brick attempt followed by an overdose of "woes me" I told her she couldn't compete at all.  She was being a complete cupcake and I was fed up.  Fed up, because she was sucking every ounce of fun out of it.  Fed up, because there was no doubt in my mind that she could physically do this, but no matter what I did or said I couldn't convince her of that.
 
That same weekend Loretta attempted another brick with John and that one went much more smoothly.  She knew if she didn't prove to us that she could adjust her mind to match her ability that she wouldn't get her chance to compete.  Thankfully, she got out of her own head just enough to convince us that she should try to tri.
 
In the end, Loretta was amazing.  She went from cupcake to tough cookie and I mean serious tough cookie.  She had a great positive attitude the day of the event, pumped up and excited to be a part of it all.  She did not waste any time worrying or stressing.  I think she slept better the night before than I did.  The distances were a 50 yard swim, 3/4 mile bike ride and a 1/2 mile run.  She killed the swim, second out of the pool.  She was held up a bit on the bike in the wrong gear, but once she was done with that leg she attacked the run.  She slowed up about halfway through the run, but never stopped to walk and finished strong, passing several competitors and giving it all she had at the finish line.
 
We couldn't be more proud of our girl.  She did so well, but most importantly she proved to herself she's capable and you could see the pride of her accomplishment on her face.

 

 



Awesome Pictures Taken by Becky Howie