No athletic talent, no problem

I saw this picture on Facebook and it got me thinking. This statement is "I wasn't born a runner, I became a runner" is true for me. I'm not a natural athlete. In fact it took me years to call myself a triathlete because it seemed ridiculous saying those words.

This rings true for me. Does it for you?

Now you may not believe me but let me share a couple of stories. In high school I tried out for tennis. I made the team but only because there were just enough people that tried out to make a team. I often wished there was just one more person so I'd been cut because not once - not one time - did I EVER hit that wretched tennis ball! Not in practice and certainly not in matches. Yeah...

Here's another story. I tried out for volleyball six years in a row and never made the team. Think about that. Six. Years. In. A. Row. and that includes after the two years I spent at volleyball camp. Hahaha!

One more, I'll keep it brief. Never having been able to do a cartwheel, handstand or anything other than a somersault in my life = not the best of ideas trying out for cheer leading team. 

Ah, the memories! I actually get a good chuckle now.

What I didn't realize at the time was my 'thing' wasn't team sports (and certainly nothing that had a ball, oh my goodness). That whole time I was trying out for these teams I was also running on my own just for fun. I didn't think of being in track or cross country because I didn't think I was fast enough. 

But I kept trying, put myself out there and finally figured things out. If I'd let those failures define me life would be very different now. If I'd never done my first 5k (nervous & feeling like I would be last) I'd never had known I loved it. If I hadn't decided to try my first triathlon...I can't even imagine what life would be like.

Me with team OnTrack Fitness at last week's GOTR Spring 5k

Still, running doesn't come easy to me. Triathlon isn't easy. I'm not fast, my body takes a long time to adapt. I'm not a natural. But I've found what I love, my sport. I'm not a tennis or volleyball player, I'm not a cheer leader. I am a triathlete. And it doesn't matter how fast, slow or non talented I am because there's no try outs. Nothing depends on how well I do in a race. It's all for fun!

If you've tried and failed at something it's ok. It happens, it's part of life. Keep trying, do something new, find what you have passion about and go after it. You don't have to be great at it, you just have to enjoy it.