TRIATHLBLOG

If you were the mom of two young children, one of whom requires your physical presence in order to fall asleep three times each day, you would decide to DO A TRIATHLON, wouldn’t you? I mean, it’s not like training to swim half a mile, bike 14 miles, and run three miles in under two hours would require an extensive time commitment or anything. It’s not like my flimsy joints are still recovering from the rigors of pregnancy. It’s not like my chief support person is trying to work, finish school and start a company, giving him zero extra time to provide childcare. No, I think this is a wise decision.

I have done a triathlon before. Of course, during the swim portion, I was moving so slowly and haphazardly that the rescue crew asked if I needed a lift into one of their canoes. I was actually doggy-paddling. Once I got out of the water I did ok, though, and crossing that finish line was one of the defining moments of my life. I had completed something difficult, reached a goal. That sense of accomplishment is something one rarely feels as a parent. Sure, you are constantly working to raise your kids to the best of your ability, but you never finish anything. There is no point in time when you sit, pat yourself on the back, and say, “great job.” (While you did that, your preschooler would surely strip down and paint her body green.) And that is one of the most frustrating aspects of parenthood for me, a former goal-setting, checklist queen. I just want to finish a task. Hence, the triathlon.