Elite Athlete or Not, Here I Come - See It, Think It, Be It Works
Last Saturday, I put the Empoword concept into action when I competed in the YMCA St. Croix Croixathlon – a sprint triathlon. I woke up to a beautiful cloudless blue sky and thought, “Am I really going to do this?” Despite my best intentions to train long and hard, I simply had not. The end of the school year for my two kids, running a business and the latest rollercoaster ride of the return of my dad’s cancer had not been conducive to long training sessions. But I made a decision to use the Empoword mantra: thought produces outcomes. If I was running our business – Empoword – I better be able to walk my talk.
I knew the concept of mind over body had worked for me in the past in athletics and had been using the Empoword concept for years. I had finished a marathon with two injured Achilles, because I willed myself to do it. Time to see if I could make it work again.
I had self-selected into the “elite” start group – where you put yourself if you thought you would be in the top third. No problem, I thought…until I got to the start at the beach and noticed that I was the oldest one (at 41), didn’t have on the fancy tri-gear and was one of only five women. I said to myself, even if you actually aren’t elite, time to act like it. Something clicked in my head and throughout the wavy swim on the St. Croix River, gulping in the chocolate colored water, I kept saying to myself “focus,” while picturing the Empoword focus cling in my head. I kept telling myself, you can do it and I was.
When doubt crept into my head, “I really should’ve trained more, this is hard, I am going to drown”, I pushed it away with my mantra “power, strength, focus.” I wasn’t the last one out of the water, but close to it.
Up the beach hill path, a brutal steep climb to get to the bikes, I thought I was going to throw up at least a few times. I looked at the “E” that had been sharpied onto my leg, and said to myself “walk the talk” or in this case, get your butt up this hill!
I transitioned to my bike in a very sloppy manner, gasping for breath. It was when I clipped into my bike that everything really clicked. The beautiful Wisconsin rolling hills were comfortable and familiar. I told myself it was time to crank it. Two young women who had started in the 25 and under wave, three minutes behind mine, passed me. That was it. I said, no more! Focus, focus, focus. Power and strength. Breathe, breathe, breathe. The 15 miles flew by. It felt wonderful. The endorphins were kicking in.
Cruising into the transition area, I felt like throwing up again. I stumbled to get my running shoes on and hit the 3-mile trail run. “You can do this in your sleep,” I convinced myself. Running through ravines and around horse poop, a couple young boys passed me, but I keep saying, “see it, think it, be it” over and over again. See the finish line, think power and strength, be the elite athlete.
I finished strong and tired. I went to put my bike on the car and was about to head home when my parents showed up. We decided to go back and watch the awards. When they called the 40-49 age group, I thought maybe, just maybe, I placed third. They called the third and second place winners, then announced first place. It was me. I had done it! I had thought it and it had worked. A sweet purple ironman watch was a nice little prize to boot, my favorite color and all. See it, think it, be it really does work!
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-Wendy
