Love and Jelly Fish

LongIsland.com

Think that now that you have a child you can't work out anymore? Fat chance! Last January I was feeling rather like a slug and couldn't find the motivation to work out. I read an ...

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Think that now that you have a child you can't work out anymore? Fat chance! Last January I was feeling rather like a slug and couldn't find the motivation to work out. I read an article in SHAPE magazine called, "Goal for It" and decided to try a triathlon. This is my story:

It's 8am. Standing there in a wetsuit at the water's edge, I suddenly think this is not for me. Why did I ever think I wanted to do a triathlon? It's too late now. My friends were in a previous "wave" and have long since left. My husband's wave just left, and now it's me alone on the shore with 20 other people I don't know.

I scan the group I'm with and we all have the same look; white caps on our heads, goggles on, jaws clenched fighting the chill in the air, as well as the chilly water around our ankles. The announcer says, "in 15 seconds you're going next. Goggles down!" God I feel nauseous.

The horn goes off and we race diving into the water. I cannot believe how cold the water is coming over me. I swallow some salt water and nearly gag at how disgusting it tastes. As I swim I think, "when will this water warm up?" I suddenly feel so alone, so small, and so insignificant in this vast amount of water.

As I make the way to the turnaround buoy I see two men in front of me and I desperately want to pass them. I don't want to be the last one out of the water. I don't want to be left out here with all these creepy jellyfish slithering through my fingers as I swim. As I get closer to shore I look up at the dock and see a tall man with a yellow cap scanning the water. My goggles are pretty foggy from the cold water but I strain to see. Sure enough, it's my husband David. He waited for me.

We run together and get to our bikes. "Ready?!" he yells, and we leave. Now, we ride like we always do; with David leading the way. After I climb the last hill David looks back at me and gives me the thumbs-up sign.

It's the final event now, we rack the bikes and start to run. All of a sudden, I feel as though my legs can't move at all. I gasp, "David. Go, I'm done." He says, "I'm not going for any records honey, I'm waiting for you." I walk about 20 feet and slowly start to jog. I catch up to David and he keeps talking to me. He carries a bottle of Gatorade the entire run and keeps looking back at me and saying, "need any?" I shake my head "no" and grunt. We start to climb a hill and David looks back at me and yells, "I think Luc would be really proud of his Mommy right now. He'd be pointing at you and yelling, mama!" We start to laugh and picture our adorable 18-month-old son.

The finish line. We sprint to finish: together. Now, that's romance.

So now you're totally inspired?

Why don't you sign up for a triathlon or running event?




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1999 and 2000, Claudine M. Jalajas, all rights reserved