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Health & Fitness

What keeps me going....

I was having a bad practice and for a moment, I forgot why I was putting my body through so much just to compete in a triathlon...

At practice the other day, I hit a wall.  My legs felt like bricks or jelly....or a combination of both if that's possible.  I was tired, it was raining, and to make matters worse, my asthma was giving me a hard time.  As I was nearing the 15th mile on my bike I found myself wondering, "Why am I out in the rain on a bike that only leaves me in pain after practice at 7am on a Saturday. Why am I not in my warm, cozy bed, with my black cat cuddled up to me?"  This thought lingered in my head for a moment, until other thoughts quickly pushed it out.

I thought about the 11-year-old boy who is in his second round of chemotherapy and unsure if he'll ever get to play soccer again. I thought about my fellow teammate, a few bikers ahead of me who just hit his 1-year remission date and has completed 5 triathlons and 3 marathons. And I thought about my friend Jennifer, who had just gone back to New York to celebrate her mother's birthday with her dad... at her mother's grave.  After spending more time thinking about those who have gone through much more than a sore butt and a wet bike ride, I found myself newly energized, determined to train harder.  I pushed myself for them; for those who can't do triathlons, for those going through chemotherapy, and for those who beat cancer and live their lives to the fullest.  These heroes are the reason I am pushing myself to accomplish new heights and raise money to continue research on cancer.  Hopefully one day I'll be training for triathlons to celebrate the victory of a cure!

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