Race season is here! Oh Joy! (using my best sarcastic font)
But motivation for triathlons is not & has not been for a few years. And given the craziness of the start of 2023, including the death of my mother, my motivation for triathlons is at its lowest point. It got to the point where workouts, which I always enjoyed, became more of a chore. I reached out to Ironman to explain my situation, in a good amount of details, but unfortunately my options were pretty slim but I knew they would be. Deferring to the following year was not an option and the best they could do was offer me a refund of 25% of initial entry fee for the two races (Blue Ridge & Happy Valley) I was registered.
After hearing my options from Ironman & given the status of my motivation, I decided to take the small refund and just move on for 2023. Shortly after, I made the decision to give a new challenge a try for the remainder of 2023. My new challenge will be trail running and ultra racing. While running became my least favorite of the three disciplines, in my head it made the most sense to take on this challenge. I have registered for the The Georgia Jewel (35 Mile option) and currently looking for a 50 Miler in late October or November.
As I move through this change of sports, I will return to a more consistent schedule of blogging. Over the next few blogs, I will explain in more detail my reasons for the distain for racing and the events that added to the feeling & need for a new challenge. I will continue to raise awareness for subjects that are very meaningful to me... Mental Health Awareness & Suicide Prevention. And I will continue to speak about my dealings with my own diagnosis with Persistent Depressive Disorder.
As I embark on this journey, I thought it would be the perfect time to add some new ink! I had a Unalome, a Buddhist symbol, tattooed to my left forearm. In its most simplified form, the Unalome symbol represents the path to enlightenment or to a higher place of spiritual contentment. It embodies our experiences as human beings on Earth & signifies a deeper awareness of how we move through life and learn from our actions.
New ink