Emergency Brake

Have you ever pulled out of the driveway, and realized you had the emergency brake on? The car goes alright, and maybe even quite a distance before you notice it, but it's slow and sluggish.

Well, that's how I think I've been approaching my athletic endeavors. Yes, I've been pulling out of the driveway, and even getting onto the road pretty often, but not doing everything I can to achieve. So I decided this is the year that I take the brake off. I finished my 3rd 1/2 marathon in late February, and am moving on to a goal of one triathlon a month for the next 6 months. Instead of ignoring the orthotics with a hole, and the IT band pain that has been with me off and on for the last couple of years, I have sought out professional help for each issue (no, not that kind...at least not yet :) ). I replaced my mountain bike with a road bike that is more appropriate for triathlons. I've joined an online mentor group, and ask lots of questions. Oh, and yes, I am training consistently, and hopefully getting a little smarter about it along the way. I've dropped 8 lbs since mid December, and it's gotten easier instead of harder to eat well.

I don't know why I have not done these things before, but there is just been this underlying fear of really going all in, or that I somehow don't deserve the resources to help me along the way. I'm sure there will be bumps along this road, but it's just a different attitude of tackling them instead of hoping they will go away. So no more burning up the emergency brake!

The Value of Acknowledgement

I went to a new podiatrist this week for an opinion as to whether my orthotics and shoes were right for me. Long runs have been causing me some pain, and I'm trying to be proactive about it instead of waiting for a total breakdown that makes me scrub my goal of my 3rd half marathon. So I found one who is about my age, and training for her first ironman. Based on my experience with other non-endoc medical professionals, I wasn't expecting a whole lot with regards to diabetes understanding.

We got to that inevitable question..."So, how is your diabetes?". I proceeded to tell her "decent...A1C usually around 6.5, slipped up to 7.0 last time but working on it". The next thing she said was music to my ears. "Well, it can always be better, but that's actually pretty good for a T1. I know it's a really difficult thing to manage." It was those last words that got me. I just don't hear that much except for the DOC. It means so much for someone else to simply acknowledge that it is difficult. No advice, no second guessing, no dwelling on the issue, just acknowledgement of what is a fact.

I hope I can apply that to being a better friend to others.