This is a blog for the strong, the determined, the wild. In the past ten years more than 100 have joined the triBE on a journey to BE strong, to BE fierce, to BE triathletes. We are dedicated to the belief that anyone can BE a triathlete and support each other in every endeavor. Our team members are all sizes, speeds, and ages. This is our story.

"When anyone tells me I can't do anything, I'm just not listening any more." ~Florence Griffith Joyner

If this isn't enough you can read more from me here: http://debcostello.blogspot.com/



Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Sweat, Tears, and Magic



The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea.  ~Isak Dinesen



They say that good stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end.  I am not sure where to begin the story of our triathlon journey, but I can start at the beginning of the weekend.  The picture here is about half the triBE, those that made the morning course review.  We listened to a description of the race, oriented ourselves in the venue, picked up our timing chips, numbers, and caps, and determined our waves and start times.  And then we hugged and laughed with abandon.  It was a good morning and the excitement was palpable.  Sally Edwards took everyone through a race day schedule and then some of the triBE went out and tested the waters…  turns out they were pretty shallow and not nearly as scary as you might think. 
Later that day Nicki Drumb sent us a meditation, an inspiration to focus our thoughts, to quiet our racing hearts, if only for a moment.  I share it here with the sure knowledge that it is beautiful and powerful.   And there is more, so much more to tell you.  I’ll try to share your stories each day for a while, to tell you of each other and our triBE’s journey.  As you read these I hope you will be inspired to tell your story too. If you write it yourself, I will happily post it.  If you tell it to me, I will joyfully share it.   
These moments of wonder and beauty in our lives, they slide through our fingers like water and are gone.  I’d like to savor this one a while longer.

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water. ~Loran Eisley

my sunday morning meditation:

i refuse not to tri

feel that water?
that life-giving liquid
you were born into

it means:
you are closer to the finish line
than you have ever been

feel it on your feet
this water is actually a rock
you are walking on

the rock of strength
that swims through your veins
that told you that a future version
of your self will BE a triathlete
tri BE

feel the cleansing water
lap your ankles and legs
as it moves to make way
for your perfect body

your perfect body that:
walks
sleeps and dreams
carries children and groceries
holds on
digests food & drink
moves blood
builds muscle
commands might
pulls
strokes
bikes
runs
swims
sweats
dances
laughs
hugs

i am grateful for this body

it is my soul sanctuary

it houses my heart
my thoughts
my loves
my life

i am grateful for this body

i was born from water

i am a powerful woman

so i am a powerful swimmer

i signed up for this shit

i refuse to fail

let the water
wash away
all the fear
and hush
all the noise
all the crap
all the small
all the "i should've"
all the "i can't"

i am enough

i refuse not to tri

i got here

i am closer to the finish line
than i have ever been

1 comment:

  1. when Nicki first read this meditation to me, it was less than 24 hours before race time... and her words swirled around in my head until and through the race. The last thing I consciously thought before entering the water was "I am closer to the finish line than I have ever been"
    :-)

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