Transitioning into 2014

"Life changes in an instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends." - Joan Didion

What I’ve figured out over the past year is that it’s hard to write about things that are hard. Or rather, it’s hard to write and then share with others things that are not going well. This blog was becoming a burden to write because I felt pressured to show a positivity that I didn’t always have in late 2012 and much of 2013. I was trying to be that girl, the one that had everything together and was able to share it with the world. But in 2013, I did not "have it all". I went through some things that I did not feel comfortable and still do not feel comfortable writing about. According to the Holmes and Rahe stress test, the amount of life stressors I had during the twelve months I stopped writing means that I am about 100% due for a serious illness or injury. (Scores higher than 300 indicate an 80% chance….I scored a 649). I’m willing to be that I am not the only recent college graduate who would score that high either. Even for my peers who moved back home to their childhood bedrooms and hometowns, life is very different without school. Change is constant and there are many times when life is overwhelming, terrifying and stressful.

That’s not to say that 2013 was a bust. A lot of really amazing things have happened since I last posted. I lived by myself for two months. I got an awesome new job. I took a graduate school class (and got an A). I met some amazing people and cemented existing friendships. I completed my first year of year-round training. I began a great relationship. I cried a lot, but I laughed a lot harder and that is what has brought me back to writing. Maybe the Internet doesn’t need one more twenty-something posting crafts, recipes and feelings. But I grew to fill this space and I missed it.

To 2014.

Bits and Pieces: Some Sports Psychology Humor

Two weeks ago, I took a sports psychology test. There were three long essay questions and we had to answer two, however, if we answered three, we got extra credit. Even though I had no idea what essay question number three was, I decided to give it my best shot.

Question
In preparing a mental focus for competition, coaches should help athletes answer two questions. What are they and how will the athletes answering them create a "sense of expectancy"?


Answer

I cracked myself up anyway. I apparently made my professor laugh as well, because he gave me an extra credit point. (And for the record, I got an A on the test!)

At the Beginning...

I have always loved writing and, as my chest of journals in my room can prove, I’ve been doing it forever. However, I came somewhat late to the world of athletics. I was on a summer swim team starting at age nine but I didn’t start competing fiercely until I joined my high school swim team when I was a freshman. As a shy kid who would rather observe the crowd than participate, this environment should have been uncomfortable. Instead I found out that I was talented enough to hold my own against far more experienced swimmers and I threw myself into the sport. That same spring, I also joined my high school’s crew team. Through both of those teams I was able to overcome my shyness and channel it into something productive. By the end of my senior year, I was voted captain of the swim team and held two school records. I was also stroke seat of the most winning boat in my crew program’s history to that point. I knew I wanted to continue with athletics in college.

I chose Marist College because of its strong English program and because the walk to the boathouse was ten minutes away from every dorm on campus. Although I’m likely too small to ever be moved out of the bow pair, I love rowing at the Division I Varsity level. Rowing might not allow me to have a “typical college (i.e. party) lifestyle”, but I wouldn’t change anything. Through rowing, I’ve learned a lot about how hard I am able to push myself and others. The people I’ve met through this sport continue to inspire, influence and amaze me every day.  

This is one of the reasons why, last summer, I tried a triathlon at the suggestion of my rowing coach. I crossed the finish line, went home and immediately signed up for two more races. I had found yet another sport that I loved. Athletics has now become an integral part of my life. Through this blog, I want to showcase my writing ability as well as my passion for all sports. My long term plan is to somehow find a job that allows me to stay involved in athletics for a long time, whether it is by competing, coaching, writing, planning events or being a personal assistant to someone really, really fast. 

Everyone goes through transitional periods in their life but it seems to me that the transition from the last year of college to the first year of “real life” is a big one. In that time there are a lot of changes, whether it’s change of location, friendships or job. Through all of the previous “big changes” in my life, training has kept me sane. A sweaty workout always makes all hard decisions look a little bit easier. As I come to this transitional time, I am going to need training in my life more than ever. Using this blog as a vehicle to share my athletic experiences and explore different aspects of my sports, I hope to reach out to people who have my same level of enthusiasm for athletics. Training in Transition is not just my project, but a project cultivated and inspired by those who successfully balance training, racing, school, work and relationships in their lives.