Yeah, that's what I used to say. Of course, that was 3 marathons ago...
Many years ago I was looking for a good way to lose weight (okay, I'm STILL looking for a good way to lose weight but, that is a story for another time). It had been about two years since the birth of my first child and the baby weight wasn't coming off as quickly as I had planned. I wanted my college body back and I was determined to find a way to do it!
I tried getting some workout videos and even went as far as letting Billy Blanks work me to death in his Tae Bo program. I thought, hey, if I can do Tae Bo then maybe I should try Tae Kwon Do (TKD)! Although I enjoyed TKD, I always felt that it wasn't really helping me slim down but rather bulk up. Yeah, I could kick some booty in the sparring ring but it really wasn't what I was looking for to help me slim down.
One day I was chatting with a friend and she suggested that I start running. I laughed - out loud - and explained to her that I couldn't even run around the wrestling room (very small wrestling room) as a warm up for TKD. After a few short laps I would be so out of breath I could barely perform my warm-up kicks! A runner, not a chance! She encouraged me to go out and give it a try "for her."
Her suggestion to me was to throw on my running shoes and head out the door. I should run until I felt I couldn't run anymore then stop and walk. Then, after I caught my breath and felt like running again, pick up the pace and run some more. I was running to the crack in the sidewalk then walking to the lamp post then running to the fire hydrant then walking to the crosswalk then running then walking then running then walking. I came home and immediately got in my car to see how far I had gone then I rushed back home and called my friend with the news that I had run 2 miles my first time out! Her first words to me were "YOU ARE A RUNNER!" Again, I laughed...out loud!
It felt a little crazy thinking I was actually becoming a runner but I wanted to challenge myself. I always love a challenge so I considered my first 5K. As I began training, my friend gave me several pieces of advice along the way. One of the best pieces of advice was to get a gait analysis at a running store and get good shoes. That was really key to my decision to continue running because now I felt more comfortable in my shoes and I wasn't so wore out after my runs (well, not at the pace I was going anyway...).
Several months later I ended up running my first 5K. I was excited about the feeling of crossing the finish line and it encouraged me to sign up for longer distances. I guess you can say I officially started calling myself a runner after that race in 2002. I began signing up for 5K’s, 5 milers, 10K’s, half marathons and then by October of 2003 I was training for my first marathon. What, a marathon? Was I crazy? (yeah, don’t answer that one…) What had I just gotten myself into?
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to run my first marathon due to an injury but I didn't let that stop the goal I had in my mind to run a marathon. In October of 2004 I ran my first marathon - the Marine Corps Marathon (
After having a second child, I decided it was time to make up for the horrible run time from my first marathon so, in 2007, I entered two marathons in the same year. Long story short, I have cut my marathon time not by minutes but by over an hour!
So, I accomplished what I never thought I would. Not only have I added the word "marathon" to my dictionary but now I was ready to move on to something bigger. What would it be? There are local ultra marathons just waiting for me to sign up. Would I be brave enough or strong enough to finish a 50 or 100 miler? I seriously considered it. However, there was a bigger bug out there that was ready to catch me. I knew I could run...I didn't have a good bike but I knew how to ride...I've been swimming my whole life...HEY, what if I consider a triathlon??? Well, that is exactly what I did. In 2008 I competed in five triathlons and after winning some hardware in my division I knew this was the sport(s) for me (yeah, I have a competitive nature!). And, dare I say it…the word “IronMan” isn’t in my dictionary?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The word "marathon" isn't in my dictionary.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
BRATS Salute to the Military Tri - Race Report
Racer: Tracy Endo
Race: BRATS Salute to the Military Tri
Date: Sunday, May 24, 2009
Location: Warrenton, VA
Race Type: Triathlon - Sprint Distance
Age Group: Female: 40-44
Time: 1:36:31
Age Group Place: 3
------------ --
Race Report:
Race morning
Craziness! I had set my alarm on my cell phone (my normal mode of waking) for 4:50 a.m. but for some reason decided to set the alarm on my watch for 5:00 a.m. just in case. Well, it's a good thing I set that second alarm because, for some unknown reason, my cell phone alarm didn't sound. I was all prepared to grab a few things and head out the door but I also had to wait for my son to gather his items since he was a last-minute racer in the kid's tri. So, we got a little of a late start. Thankfully, my GPS said the race was only 40 minutes away (compared to the hour which I thought I would have to drive). So, we made it there on time. There was a lot of confusion at this race. I, along with many other racers, parked in a certain parking area only to be told (after we had all unloaded our bikes and were getting ready to walk over to the race) that we had to move our cars. This became delay #2 for me. So, we move our cars and get our gear down to the transition area. Many of us started walking over to get our markings but then had to turn around to get our actual bib in order to pick up our chip. Delay #3. Even though the delays were small they all started adding up and I found myself rushing at the last minute to get where I needed to be and that put me under a little more stress than I wanted at the start of the race.
Swim (300 yds) + Transition 1: 7:48
I'm still bad at guessing how fast I'm going to swim but this time I felt I had a better idea than before. I was seeded pretty close to the front so I was a little worried about that. However, once I got in the pool (outdoor pool...I thought it was going to be indoor...) there were only 2 people that passed me. So, I guess I wasn't too far off. I felt I could have done better in the pool after spending all winter following the "Total Immersion" program but I still felt is was an acceptable time.
T1
Probably one of the slowest transitions I've had in a while. Had a short run to transition. Once I got there, my legs felt a little wobbly, I didn't make fast changes, but it was satisfactory. I'm not sure about the exact breakdown of swim vs T1 but I think the swim was in the 5:45 area and the rest was T1.
Bike (12.4 mi) + Transition 2: 47:32 Average speed: 15.7 m/hr
Not the bike ride I expected. First, I had an issue with my tire which I thought I fixed before the race. My tire wasn't lined up correctly and the brake pad kept touching it making it difficult, at times, to pedal. On top of that, I haven't been in the saddle much this year thanks to the lovely weather and my lack of desire to ride in the cold. There weren't any major hills - just rolling hills - but my energy was almost drained half way through. I couldn't believe how exhausted I was at this point in the race. After about 1-2 miles of huffing and puffing I finally got a burst of energy and started peddling away. It wasn't the bike ride I wanted but it would have to do.
T2
Not too shabby. Everything seemed to go just as planned...only slower.
Run (3.1 miles): 38:14 Pace: 12:20
Well, the good news is, I actually finished the run. The bad news is about 1/2 mile into my run my IT band (that's what I'm assuming it was) started giving me some MAJOR PAIN! I've never had IT band issues and the pain I was feeling was a pain I've never had before. I stopped and stretched a little, walked a little, ran a little, had pain the entire time. The pain went from bad to worse to bad to "I can deal with this for 3 miles." I prayed that God would let me cross the finish line and I would give him all the glory for this race. I had to drop my pace considerably and I had an obvious limp but, I crossed the finish line with my limp! YEAH GOD!
Summary and lessons learned
Always set two alarm clocks
Always stretch...stretch...stretch...
Race: BRATS Salute to the Military Tri
Date: Sunday, May 24, 2009
Location: Warrenton, VA
Race Type: Triathlon - Sprint Distance
Age Group: Female: 40-44
Time: 1:36:31
Age Group Place: 3
------------ --
Race Report:
Race morning
Craziness! I had set my alarm on my cell phone (my normal mode of waking) for 4:50 a.m. but for some reason decided to set the alarm on my watch for 5:00 a.m. just in case. Well, it's a good thing I set that second alarm because, for some unknown reason, my cell phone alarm didn't sound. I was all prepared to grab a few things and head out the door but I also had to wait for my son to gather his items since he was a last-minute racer in the kid's tri. So, we got a little of a late start. Thankfully, my GPS said the race was only 40 minutes away (compared to the hour which I thought I would have to drive). So, we made it there on time. There was a lot of confusion at this race. I, along with many other racers, parked in a certain parking area only to be told (after we had all unloaded our bikes and were getting ready to walk over to the race) that we had to move our cars. This became delay #2 for me. So, we move our cars and get our gear down to the transition area. Many of us started walking over to get our markings but then had to turn around to get our actual bib in order to pick up our chip. Delay #3. Even though the delays were small they all started adding up and I found myself rushing at the last minute to get where I needed to be and that put me under a little more stress than I wanted at the start of the race.
Swim (300 yds) + Transition 1: 7:48
I'm still bad at guessing how fast I'm going to swim but this time I felt I had a better idea than before. I was seeded pretty close to the front so I was a little worried about that. However, once I got in the pool (outdoor pool...I thought it was going to be indoor...) there were only 2 people that passed me. So, I guess I wasn't too far off. I felt I could have done better in the pool after spending all winter following the "Total Immersion" program but I still felt is was an acceptable time.
T1
Probably one of the slowest transitions I've had in a while. Had a short run to transition. Once I got there, my legs felt a little wobbly, I didn't make fast changes, but it was satisfactory. I'm not sure about the exact breakdown of swim vs T1 but I think the swim was in the 5:45 area and the rest was T1.
Bike (12.4 mi) + Transition 2: 47:32 Average speed: 15.7 m/hr
Not the bike ride I expected. First, I had an issue with my tire which I thought I fixed before the race. My tire wasn't lined up correctly and the brake pad kept touching it making it difficult, at times, to pedal. On top of that, I haven't been in the saddle much this year thanks to the lovely weather and my lack of desire to ride in the cold. There weren't any major hills - just rolling hills - but my energy was almost drained half way through. I couldn't believe how exhausted I was at this point in the race. After about 1-2 miles of huffing and puffing I finally got a burst of energy and started peddling away. It wasn't the bike ride I wanted but it would have to do.
T2
Not too shabby. Everything seemed to go just as planned...only slower.
Run (3.1 miles): 38:14 Pace: 12:20
Well, the good news is, I actually finished the run. The bad news is about 1/2 mile into my run my IT band (that's what I'm assuming it was) started giving me some MAJOR PAIN! I've never had IT band issues and the pain I was feeling was a pain I've never had before. I stopped and stretched a little, walked a little, ran a little, had pain the entire time. The pain went from bad to worse to bad to "I can deal with this for 3 miles." I prayed that God would let me cross the finish line and I would give him all the glory for this race. I had to drop my pace considerably and I had an obvious limp but, I crossed the finish line with my limp! YEAH GOD!
Summary and lessons learned
Always set two alarm clocks
Always stretch...stretch...stretch...
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Going back home
I haven't had much Internet access since arriving in KY - well, I haven't had HIGH SPEED access often so I haven't been able to blog all my wonderful expeditions on my trip. I'm going to try and catch up here and hopefully I'll be able to remember all the fun times we have had.
The kids and I arrived in KY on the evening of Friday, Sept 19th. The next night I celebrated my 25th year high school class reunion with the Meade County High School class of 1983. It was a nice night of hanging out with old friends and getting reacquainted but it wasn't as highly attended as our 20th year reunion. It was fun to get reconnected again (and get cell phone and email addresses this time!) and then be able to stay in KY for a while and spend even more time with some of my good friends.
Throughout the following week we did a lot of fun things with the family. Although continuing to homeschool during the morning hours we found time in the afternoon and evening for Joshua to spend time at his first skate park and for both the kids to have fun walking around Brandenburg and playing at the various parks nearby. Joshua spent the night with his Uncle Randy (and kids) one night during that week and had a blast with them. Along the way Joshua made new friends with a boy named Devin who lives within walking distance of granny's house. Joshua and I spent three mornings that week driving to Ft. Knox and training at their indoor pool (the closest one to my mom's house).
It was nice to spend an evening at my old high school because the choir there was hosting the 4th district choir festival. My niece, Krista, was performing so that was really cool. I ran into some old college friends that night who I probably wouldn't have even noticed if it weren't for Facebook! How cool is that? That evening Krista came over to my mom's house with her boyfriend Ethan - what a great kid....and a swimmer! We had a fun time talking about swimming and triathlons!
One night we went to "Jailhouse Pizza." Now, this isn't just any pizza place. This restaurant used to be an actual jail house. Back in 1974, however, the F5 tornado that ripped through my hometown left the city rebuilding and the old jailhouse continued to stand even though it never held prisoners again. Now you can actually eat in a jail cell! It is quite a unique restaurant but I'd be afraid of what would happen if the health department ever set foot in this place!
On the opening day of the movie "Fireproof" I went to the movies alone, got a "movie theater Starbucks" and sat watching the movie with tears in my eyes. Although the quality wasn't quite up to Hollywood productions the theme of the movie was quite moving. I would highly suggest everyone - particularly couples in a crisis - to see it.
On Sept 27th I decided that I would crash my sister's 20th year high school class reunion...and I did! What a great time. Since these guys were in 8th grade when I was a senior in high school I didn't know many of them - only my sister's friends. It was really great reconnecting with them as well and I found one couple who I just adored and really enjoyed spending time with. They have since then invited the kids and I to make an overnight trip to Owensboro, KY and spend the night with them. If we can find time in our schedule we are going to try to do that!
The week following my reunion "crash" was really fun. One night I went out with two friends from high school for dinner and we reconnected like no time had passed. I just love friends like that. How amazing to just pick up where you left off.
The kids and I arrived in KY on the evening of Friday, Sept 19th. The next night I celebrated my 25th year high school class reunion with the Meade County High School class of 1983. It was a nice night of hanging out with old friends and getting reacquainted but it wasn't as highly attended as our 20th year reunion. It was fun to get reconnected again (and get cell phone and email addresses this time!) and then be able to stay in KY for a while and spend even more time with some of my good friends.
Throughout the following week we did a lot of fun things with the family. Although continuing to homeschool during the morning hours we found time in the afternoon and evening for Joshua to spend time at his first skate park and for both the kids to have fun walking around Brandenburg and playing at the various parks nearby. Joshua spent the night with his Uncle Randy (and kids) one night during that week and had a blast with them. Along the way Joshua made new friends with a boy named Devin who lives within walking distance of granny's house. Joshua and I spent three mornings that week driving to Ft. Knox and training at their indoor pool (the closest one to my mom's house).
It was nice to spend an evening at my old high school because the choir there was hosting the 4th district choir festival. My niece, Krista, was performing so that was really cool. I ran into some old college friends that night who I probably wouldn't have even noticed if it weren't for Facebook! How cool is that? That evening Krista came over to my mom's house with her boyfriend Ethan - what a great kid....and a swimmer! We had a fun time talking about swimming and triathlons!
One night we went to "Jailhouse Pizza." Now, this isn't just any pizza place. This restaurant used to be an actual jail house. Back in 1974, however, the F5 tornado that ripped through my hometown left the city rebuilding and the old jailhouse continued to stand even though it never held prisoners again. Now you can actually eat in a jail cell! It is quite a unique restaurant but I'd be afraid of what would happen if the health department ever set foot in this place!
On the opening day of the movie "Fireproof" I went to the movies alone, got a "movie theater Starbucks" and sat watching the movie with tears in my eyes. Although the quality wasn't quite up to Hollywood productions the theme of the movie was quite moving. I would highly suggest everyone - particularly couples in a crisis - to see it.
On Sept 27th I decided that I would crash my sister's 20th year high school class reunion...and I did! What a great time. Since these guys were in 8th grade when I was a senior in high school I didn't know many of them - only my sister's friends. It was really great reconnecting with them as well and I found one couple who I just adored and really enjoyed spending time with. They have since then invited the kids and I to make an overnight trip to Owensboro, KY and spend the night with them. If we can find time in our schedule we are going to try to do that!
The week following my reunion "crash" was really fun. One night I went out with two friends from high school for dinner and we reconnected like no time had passed. I just love friends like that. How amazing to just pick up where you left off.
We spent two days in Van Wert, OH visiting my maternal grandparents. It was nice to see them again and the kids were able to spend some time running around in their huge yard and near all the corn fields. Joshua has been really working out since we've been here and even decided to take the "long route" running instead of the short one and while visiting his great grandparents he ran 1.5 miles on a training run. We're going to work on that this winter so he can do well on his spring triathlons in 2009.
I'm really enjoying spending time taking photos. My sister asked me to take some candid photos of her family and we spent one late afternoon doing so. I have some great shots which I can't wait to download and share with the world - my sister has such a gorgeous family!
Speaking of my sister and her family - it has been wonderful spending time with them and getting to know my new nieces (my sister got married a year ago and I have three new nieces by marriage that I haven't spent much time with!). Not only has it been great getting to know them but also reconnecting with my "blood" niece and nephew (when he is home from college!).
Another highlight of the week was going to the high school football game. It wasn't much of a thrill for me but Celeste had a blast with her pom poms acting like a cheerleader while Joshua got to spend time with his cousins just hanging out at a game. He felt like a real public school kid! :) It was cute when a boy came up to him and asked him if the girl next to him was his girlfriend. He turned to the guy and said "dude, that is my cousin!" Yeah, yeah...we are in KY I know...but actually this is my sister's husband's daughter from a previous marriage so actually they aren't related at all! :) Joshua thinks it is super cool to have cute girl cousins, though!
On Oct 4th we headed out of town for Lexington, KY. We spent the morning driving there, picking up my race packet and then chilling out in the nice fall air while sitting outside of Starbucks drinking a coffee. Now, I must tell you that although I have had some Starbucks since arriving in KY (the real stuff while traveling and then the "Barnes & Noble Starbucks" and "movie theater Starbucks") this was actually the first time I felt like I was having the real thing! The kids and I just sat outside sipping our drinks while Celeste made friends with a lady and her dog. Come to find out this lady, although from KY had spent years working in Reston with a contractor for Lockheed Martin! She knew our neck of the woods VERY well! That evening and into the next day is blogged below in my race report. After the race, however, we headed to Maysville, KY to spend some time with my dad and grandmother. That pretty much brings me up-to-date on our time here. The kids have been wonderful. They have adjusted to all the changes very well. I haven't heard them complain about missing home or their stuff or anything like that - they've just been enjoying life to the fullest. What seems to be the best part of this trip for them is being able to spend time with their cousins.
It might be hardware but it sure was hard to get!!!
Wow! What a day...or rather...two days...
This weekend I raced Tri for Sight in Lexington, KY. This was my first out-of-town/out-of-state tri so my weekend was full of surprises I wasn't quite used to! First of all, I started out the weekend with a blister on each heel. I wasn't sure how that was going to mix with my somewhat new running shoes but I was hoping "moleskin" would help resolve my issues so I purchased some.
Saturday night I had a reunion with some college friends but I ate pasta and didn't stay our late so I thought everything would be fine. Little did I know what would happen once I reached the hotel room. First of all, the bed wasn't the most comfortable in the world and although we were in a non-smoking room there was smoke seeping through the walls from another room which made me gag most all night long! I had both my kids and mom with me for the weekend which was nice but that made for some crazy sleeping arrangements. My son slept in the hotel bed with me but I was getting punched and kicked all night long. Once he would stop moving and I would almost get to sleep I would hear freight-train snoring coming from the other bed and I wouldn't be able to sleep. Throughout the night I was lucky to have had two full hours of sleep. It was crazy.
5:00 a.m. I was up and getting myself and two kids ready to head out the door, checking out of the hotel and packing the car all by 5:30 a.m. The kids grabbed breakfast at the hotel and we were heading to the race by 5:28 a.m. About 15 minutes later we were at the race site and I was getting ready to race my last tri of the season.
The race site was at the location of the University of Kentucky's football stadium...well, what I should say is the transition area and finish line were located there. However, I found it quite odd that the pool was located about a 4-minute walk away! What? How was this going to work? I've always gone barefoot from the pool or lake to the transition area but with this distance that wasn't going to work - particularly since the temps were in the 50's. I knew my transition time was immediately going to be bad. So, I took my running shoes and placed them (with everyone elses shoes) just outside the pool area. I was fully prepared (or so I thought) to run from the pool to the transition area with minimal problems.
Time for the race to begin - Again, I seeded myself incorrectly for the swim. It was an 800 yard swim and for some reason I thought I could finish that in 15 minutes!! Wrong! My last few weeks before this race have been very hit and miss as far as my training goes and even at my best I don't think I could have finished in that time. I can't stand it when I keep getting passed in the pool so I've really got to figure out my pool times for my next race so I can estimate my seeding time a little more accurately. On top of that, I just couldn't get a rhythm going. My breathing wasn't too great either. But, I have to say I was very impressed by the pool facility - very nice! I finally finished the swim and was out the door on my way to the bike portion. I hurried up and put on my running shoes but could tell this was a mistake. Even though I would have frozen my feet off getting to the transition area I just wasted so much time - minutes - that I've not done in any of my previous races.
Into the transition area...I had so much to do!!! Take my running shoes off, put my cycling shoes on, put a shirt on (because it was so stinking cold!), helmet, sunglasses, get a gel, pop some gum in my mouth and grab my bandanna (because I knew my nose would be running today!). I didn't think I would ever get out of transition but I did and then I was off on the bike. My breathing was bad at the beginning and I just wanted to slow down my heart rate so I took it easy at first. Finally my breathing got under control and I took off fast. However, even though I was going fast I felt like I was standing still because I was so cold. On top of that, most of the race course was shaded so I just couldn't ever get warm. The entire 18 miles I was cold, my feet were feeling numb, I had to blow my nose about once a mile and I was wondering why I was out here doing this race! The race course was very well marked, the crowd support was amazing (gotta give props to Delta Gamma sorority at UK - they were out in full force...where were all the Chi Omegas????), and the volunteers were super! The bike course was very nice and although there were two pretty steep hills and many rolling hills it was nice to ride through Lexington's horse country! I'm not sure my exact time for the ride but I felt like I was going slower than normal. Seems I'm so much faster during training than I am during race day. I guess I'm going to have to practice some swim/bike bricks!
As I was going into transition two I got off my bike and immediately had a leg cramp in my right calf. YIKES! Never had that happen before. I got off the bike, headed to my bike rack, started changing my shoes and then got leg cramps in my LEFT calf! Uh oh...seems like the run is going to be a challenge! Again, I had a very slow transition but I couldn't push things too much.
I got out on the 4-mile run path and it took about a mile to be able to actually feel my feet because of the cold. Around that point we were running through the gorgeous Arboretum. I felt pretty good about the run. I wasn't very fast still but I felt pretty strong...and finally got warm for the first time!
As I was coming across the finish line it was so nice to see both my kids, my mom, and my dad. This was the first time my parents had seen me race a triathlon and the first time my dad had seen me race at all. He had driven in from Maysville, KY this morning and wasn't there at the start so I didn't even realize he was there until I crossed the finish line. What a great surprise!!
After the race I received my complimentary massage, changed my clothes and then hung out for the awards ceremony. It had been a very long day, an even longer night but it was all worth it when they announced second place in the Master Athena division as TRACY ENDO from STERLING, VA!!!
Official results:
800 yard swim: 22:08
Transition 1: 5:22
18 mile bike: 1:11:06 (15.2 mph)
Transition 2: 1:47
4 mile run: 46:02 (11:31 pace)
Final time: 2:26:23
This weekend I raced Tri for Sight in Lexington, KY. This was my first out-of-town/out-of-state tri so my weekend was full of surprises I wasn't quite used to! First of all, I started out the weekend with a blister on each heel. I wasn't sure how that was going to mix with my somewhat new running shoes but I was hoping "moleskin" would help resolve my issues so I purchased some.
Saturday night I had a reunion with some college friends but I ate pasta and didn't stay our late so I thought everything would be fine. Little did I know what would happen once I reached the hotel room. First of all, the bed wasn't the most comfortable in the world and although we were in a non-smoking room there was smoke seeping through the walls from another room which made me gag most all night long! I had both my kids and mom with me for the weekend which was nice but that made for some crazy sleeping arrangements. My son slept in the hotel bed with me but I was getting punched and kicked all night long. Once he would stop moving and I would almost get to sleep I would hear freight-train snoring coming from the other bed and I wouldn't be able to sleep. Throughout the night I was lucky to have had two full hours of sleep. It was crazy.
5:00 a.m. I was up and getting myself and two kids ready to head out the door, checking out of the hotel and packing the car all by 5:30 a.m. The kids grabbed breakfast at the hotel and we were heading to the race by 5:28 a.m. About 15 minutes later we were at the race site and I was getting ready to race my last tri of the season.
The race site was at the location of the University of Kentucky's football stadium...well, what I should say is the transition area and finish line were located there. However, I found it quite odd that the pool was located about a 4-minute walk away! What? How was this going to work? I've always gone barefoot from the pool or lake to the transition area but with this distance that wasn't going to work - particularly since the temps were in the 50's. I knew my transition time was immediately going to be bad. So, I took my running shoes and placed them (with everyone elses shoes) just outside the pool area. I was fully prepared (or so I thought) to run from the pool to the transition area with minimal problems.
Time for the race to begin - Again, I seeded myself incorrectly for the swim. It was an 800 yard swim and for some reason I thought I could finish that in 15 minutes!! Wrong! My last few weeks before this race have been very hit and miss as far as my training goes and even at my best I don't think I could have finished in that time. I can't stand it when I keep getting passed in the pool so I've really got to figure out my pool times for my next race so I can estimate my seeding time a little more accurately. On top of that, I just couldn't get a rhythm going. My breathing wasn't too great either. But, I have to say I was very impressed by the pool facility - very nice! I finally finished the swim and was out the door on my way to the bike portion. I hurried up and put on my running shoes but could tell this was a mistake. Even though I would have frozen my feet off getting to the transition area I just wasted so much time - minutes - that I've not done in any of my previous races.
Into the transition area...I had so much to do!!! Take my running shoes off, put my cycling shoes on, put a shirt on (because it was so stinking cold!), helmet, sunglasses, get a gel, pop some gum in my mouth and grab my bandanna (because I knew my nose would be running today!). I didn't think I would ever get out of transition but I did and then I was off on the bike. My breathing was bad at the beginning and I just wanted to slow down my heart rate so I took it easy at first. Finally my breathing got under control and I took off fast. However, even though I was going fast I felt like I was standing still because I was so cold. On top of that, most of the race course was shaded so I just couldn't ever get warm. The entire 18 miles I was cold, my feet were feeling numb, I had to blow my nose about once a mile and I was wondering why I was out here doing this race! The race course was very well marked, the crowd support was amazing (gotta give props to Delta Gamma sorority at UK - they were out in full force...where were all the Chi Omegas????), and the volunteers were super! The bike course was very nice and although there were two pretty steep hills and many rolling hills it was nice to ride through Lexington's horse country! I'm not sure my exact time for the ride but I felt like I was going slower than normal. Seems I'm so much faster during training than I am during race day. I guess I'm going to have to practice some swim/bike bricks!
As I was going into transition two I got off my bike and immediately had a leg cramp in my right calf. YIKES! Never had that happen before. I got off the bike, headed to my bike rack, started changing my shoes and then got leg cramps in my LEFT calf! Uh oh...seems like the run is going to be a challenge! Again, I had a very slow transition but I couldn't push things too much.
I got out on the 4-mile run path and it took about a mile to be able to actually feel my feet because of the cold. Around that point we were running through the gorgeous Arboretum. I felt pretty good about the run. I wasn't very fast still but I felt pretty strong...and finally got warm for the first time!
As I was coming across the finish line it was so nice to see both my kids, my mom, and my dad. This was the first time my parents had seen me race a triathlon and the first time my dad had seen me race at all. He had driven in from Maysville, KY this morning and wasn't there at the start so I didn't even realize he was there until I crossed the finish line. What a great surprise!!
After the race I received my complimentary massage, changed my clothes and then hung out for the awards ceremony. It had been a very long day, an even longer night but it was all worth it when they announced second place in the Master Athena division as TRACY ENDO from STERLING, VA!!!
Official results:
800 yard swim: 22:08
Transition 1: 5:22
18 mile bike: 1:11:06 (15.2 mph)
Transition 2: 1:47
4 mile run: 46:02 (11:31 pace)
Final time: 2:26:23
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Bringing home the hardware
FINALLY! IT HAPPENED!!! I finally brought home some hardware from a triathlon! I can't believe it!!! Well, want to know the story of how it all happened? Yeah, I figure since you're here I might as well tell you...
September 6th - forecast says it's going to be a clear day for the race tomorrow. Supposed to be in the high 80's but with my first Olympic-distance triathlon so early in the morning it may not get quite that high. However, hurricane Hanna has hit shore and we are anticipating getting a lot of rain tonight. Great, right? As long as race day is nice. Well, not so much. I went to packet pickup early that day in hopes to miss the major bands of rain coming through the area. Toward the end of the packet pickup times rumors began floating around with the TriRats (Reston Area Triathletes) and on Beginnertriathlon.com that Hanna was going to dump a ton of rain on us and the lake we were to swim in might be too polluted/dangerous/e-coli filled for us to swim. Would the race be canceled? Nobody knew. Then the rumors came true - the lake WAS going to be too dangerous so the race directors had to make the incredibly hard decision to cancel the swim portion of the race and in it's place would add a 2.5 mile run. That would make the race a 2.5 mile run, 23 mile bike and 6.2 mile run with only one transition area. Okay, I guess I can handle this...for the past two weeks my pool has been closed for their yearly maintenance and I hadn't been able to do much swim training anyway. Although I have to admit my run training hadn't been very great all summer and I wasn't really looking forward to two runs.
September 7th - it was COLD out this morning. Wow, I'm kinda thankful now that we didn't have to swim because I would have been freezing coming out of that water. I figured I would just do the best I could and try really hard not to walk during the last run like I had been during much of my training during the summer. I was determined not to be sorry at the end of the race. I wanted to leave it all out there during the race and just hope I did enough.
The race began quite well. I was talking pre-race to a lady who said she was going to run a 10 minute mile and even though I started out a few people in front of her she never passed me. There was some question as to the actual length of the first run but to my knowledge it was 2.5 miles and I completed it in 21 minutes and some seconds which is less than a 9 minute mile (first transition was included with my official time which was 23:27). I felt pretty good about the first run and although my transition time was a little slower than I wanted I felt really good getting on the bike. The bike was a great experience for me. The course consisted of 3 loops so by the time I got to the second loop some of the guys (and a few girls) from the first few run waves had passed me. I tried to keep up with them (as long as I wasn't on an uphill section) and felt really good about the bike. During the last loop of the bike, though I started feeling my quads begin their slow, painful scream. I had never experienced quad pain during training so I wasn't quite sure what this was all about. Maybe the rolling hills, maybe the run before the bike - just don't know but I had to deal with it any way I could. Just as I was coming around the last corner to pull my bike into the transition area I dropped my chain - OH NO!!! Thankfully it was all down hill to the transition area so I just got on the bike and coasted. Looking back I should have pushed it a little, hopped on and then coasted because I lost some serious time. It wouldn't have changed the overall outcome but it would have changed my personal goal (more on that later). My final bike time was 1:24:14 which was a pace of 16.88 mph - a little slower than I had hoped but I'm blaming that on the hills and my quads. Transition #2 went quite well with a time of 1:19. Now I'm off to the final run. I will not walk, I will not walk, I will not walk...okay...maybe I'll walk just a little...my quads were killing me and some of the hills on that run were painful. I'll remember to do more hill training next year! My final run time was 1:12:45 which was an 11.73 minute/mile pace.
I crossed the finish line completing my first duathlon - it's crazy to even say that since all my race paraphernalia says Reston TRIATHLON - but, hey, it was tons of fun. My goal for this race was to complete it in under 3 hours. Well, as I crossed the finish line the time clock read 3:01:43. I'm blaming it on the chain falling off and my quads killing me but I was happy to have completed it nonetheless. Little did I know what was ahead of me...
I went to the food tent and saw pizza there. I was thinking pizza would be good but after one bite I decided my stomach was nowhere near ready for that kind of food. Just give me some bread, a banana and some water! I walked around for a while, went back to the transition area and started cleaning up and then went to the bleachers to cheer on the remaining race participants and await the awards ceremony.
They announced the winners of the race and I commented to someone sitting beside me that they finished about an hour faster than I had. I still felt okay about my time because a) this is my first year racing triathlons b) this is my first Olympic distance race and c) I weigh more than the first two winners combined (probably!) hehe! THANKFULLY there is a wonderful category for me called "Athena." The Athena division is women who weigh over a certain amount. Typically that is somewhere in the 150 lb range and above. I had entered this race as an Athena and was very glad I had. They announced the first place winner of my group and she hadn't stuck around for the ceremony. Then they said - second place....from Sterling, VA (my eyes started opening up really wide)....is TRACY ENDO!!!! I jumped up from my seat and started running down the bleachers for my trophy. I was shocked and elated all at the same time. It was a wonderful feeling...I finally brought home some hardware...although this beautiful cheese platter w/wooden plaque is far from looking like hardware.
I'm so excited about winning this trophy that I've decided to add one more triathlon to my schedule this year - Oct 5th in Lexington, KY - Tri for Sight (http://www.triforsight.com/). I hope all my Kentucky friends and family can come out and watch!
September 6th - forecast says it's going to be a clear day for the race tomorrow. Supposed to be in the high 80's but with my first Olympic-distance triathlon so early in the morning it may not get quite that high. However, hurricane Hanna has hit shore and we are anticipating getting a lot of rain tonight. Great, right? As long as race day is nice. Well, not so much. I went to packet pickup early that day in hopes to miss the major bands of rain coming through the area. Toward the end of the packet pickup times rumors began floating around with the TriRats (Reston Area Triathletes) and on Beginnertriathlon.com that Hanna was going to dump a ton of rain on us and the lake we were to swim in might be too polluted/dangerous/e-coli filled for us to swim. Would the race be canceled? Nobody knew. Then the rumors came true - the lake WAS going to be too dangerous so the race directors had to make the incredibly hard decision to cancel the swim portion of the race and in it's place would add a 2.5 mile run. That would make the race a 2.5 mile run, 23 mile bike and 6.2 mile run with only one transition area. Okay, I guess I can handle this...for the past two weeks my pool has been closed for their yearly maintenance and I hadn't been able to do much swim training anyway. Although I have to admit my run training hadn't been very great all summer and I wasn't really looking forward to two runs.
September 7th - it was COLD out this morning. Wow, I'm kinda thankful now that we didn't have to swim because I would have been freezing coming out of that water. I figured I would just do the best I could and try really hard not to walk during the last run like I had been during much of my training during the summer. I was determined not to be sorry at the end of the race. I wanted to leave it all out there during the race and just hope I did enough.
The race began quite well. I was talking pre-race to a lady who said she was going to run a 10 minute mile and even though I started out a few people in front of her she never passed me. There was some question as to the actual length of the first run but to my knowledge it was 2.5 miles and I completed it in 21 minutes and some seconds which is less than a 9 minute mile (first transition was included with my official time which was 23:27). I felt pretty good about the first run and although my transition time was a little slower than I wanted I felt really good getting on the bike. The bike was a great experience for me. The course consisted of 3 loops so by the time I got to the second loop some of the guys (and a few girls) from the first few run waves had passed me. I tried to keep up with them (as long as I wasn't on an uphill section) and felt really good about the bike. During the last loop of the bike, though I started feeling my quads begin their slow, painful scream. I had never experienced quad pain during training so I wasn't quite sure what this was all about. Maybe the rolling hills, maybe the run before the bike - just don't know but I had to deal with it any way I could. Just as I was coming around the last corner to pull my bike into the transition area I dropped my chain - OH NO!!! Thankfully it was all down hill to the transition area so I just got on the bike and coasted. Looking back I should have pushed it a little, hopped on and then coasted because I lost some serious time. It wouldn't have changed the overall outcome but it would have changed my personal goal (more on that later). My final bike time was 1:24:14 which was a pace of 16.88 mph - a little slower than I had hoped but I'm blaming that on the hills and my quads. Transition #2 went quite well with a time of 1:19. Now I'm off to the final run. I will not walk, I will not walk, I will not walk...okay...maybe I'll walk just a little...my quads were killing me and some of the hills on that run were painful. I'll remember to do more hill training next year! My final run time was 1:12:45 which was an 11.73 minute/mile pace.
I crossed the finish line completing my first duathlon - it's crazy to even say that since all my race paraphernalia says Reston TRIATHLON - but, hey, it was tons of fun. My goal for this race was to complete it in under 3 hours. Well, as I crossed the finish line the time clock read 3:01:43. I'm blaming it on the chain falling off and my quads killing me but I was happy to have completed it nonetheless. Little did I know what was ahead of me...
I went to the food tent and saw pizza there. I was thinking pizza would be good but after one bite I decided my stomach was nowhere near ready for that kind of food. Just give me some bread, a banana and some water! I walked around for a while, went back to the transition area and started cleaning up and then went to the bleachers to cheer on the remaining race participants and await the awards ceremony.
They announced the winners of the race and I commented to someone sitting beside me that they finished about an hour faster than I had. I still felt okay about my time because a) this is my first year racing triathlons b) this is my first Olympic distance race and c) I weigh more than the first two winners combined (probably!) hehe! THANKFULLY there is a wonderful category for me called "Athena." The Athena division is women who weigh over a certain amount. Typically that is somewhere in the 150 lb range and above. I had entered this race as an Athena and was very glad I had. They announced the first place winner of my group and she hadn't stuck around for the ceremony. Then they said - second place....from Sterling, VA (my eyes started opening up really wide)....is TRACY ENDO!!!! I jumped up from my seat and started running down the bleachers for my trophy. I was shocked and elated all at the same time. It was a wonderful feeling...I finally brought home some hardware...although this beautiful cheese platter w/wooden plaque is far from looking like hardware.
I'm so excited about winning this trophy that I've decided to add one more triathlon to my schedule this year - Oct 5th in Lexington, KY - Tri for Sight (http://www.triforsight.com/). I hope all my Kentucky friends and family can come out and watch!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Iron Girl Sprint Triathlon
My day started out at 4:50 a.m. - and that probably wasn't early enough! I had prepared the night before to just wake up and basically run out the door. I only needed to grab my gatorade, my cell phone and a small breakfast and I was out the door. An hour later I arrived at the race site in Columbia, MD for the Aflac Iron Girl Sprint Triathlon. After parking in the back, back, back field I finally was able to grab my air pump and head into the transition area to get everything set up. It seemed I only had about 10 minutes before the announcers were telling us to leave the area because the first swim wave was getting ready to start. Wow - that seemed really fast! But, I was able to get all my items in the correct place and ready to go.
I headed toward the start line and when I got there I noticed other ladies with yellow swim caps like mine near the front of the line. I thought that was odd since the pre-race instructions mentioned my swim wave wouldn't start until an hour after the first wave. I asked a few ladies standing around how much longer we had and they told me only 15 minutes. WHAT? 15 minutes? Well, I thought I better go ahead and take my energy gel so I'll be prepared for a strong swim. As I was moving up to go into the water I mentioned something about the quick start and someone else said maybe I was in the SECOND yellow swim cap wave. Second wave? What was this all about? Then I realized the group I was with was the 30-39 year old ladies and I was in the group with the Athena & 20-25 year old ladies. I was standing in the wrong group but now what? I've already taken my gel! Well, it ended up that many people that were supposed to be in my swim wave actually went with the first group and my group of ladies was considerably smaller which made for an "easier" swim.
7:45 a.m. the Aflac duck yelled and my swim wave was off. This was my first time in an open water swim (at least with other people) and there is really only one way to describe this feeling...watch this video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3S0wu4Zbfk . Feet kicking you, hands hitting you...that is what triathlon swim waves are all about! Even when you feel you are finally safe from it all you get a kick in the stomach just when you least expect it!
I tried to take it slow during the swim so I could conserve my energy for the bike (my strongest leg of the race) but I ended up coming in 10th place in my division with a time of 25:47 for 0.62 miles. I felt pretty good coming out of the lake but once I got on the bike my energy seemed to drain pretty quickly. Of course, this was a pretty hilly course but I had done a preview ride about a month ago so I was somewhat familiar with the course. Unfortunately I hadn't trained on enough hills to get me through the course in a good time. My typical speed during my training rides had been around 17 mph but my overall time for the 17.5 mile bike portion was 1:09 which put me 6th in my group and at a pace of 15.1 mph. My two transitions weren't too bad although I felt I could have gone faster in both of them. My first transition was 2:57 (3rd place in my group) and the second transition was 2:14 (5th place in my group). The final leg of the triathlon was what really killed me. My allergies had been acting up terribly during the bike ride but they really got to me during the run. Not only that but I was just wiped out from the other two legs and MY legs didn't want to run but walk! My training pace has been around 9:30 - 10 min/mile but the 3.4 mile run took me 40:30 to complete (still 5th place in my group) with an 11:55 min/mile pace. YUCK!
All in all I completed the race in 2:20 and 6th place in my category. Of course, they give trophies and cash to the 1-5th place ladies in each group! Darn!
The best part about the entire race was at the end...I had been following a woman during the entire run that I wanted to pass really bad and I just couldn't get up the energy to do so. About 1/2 mile before the end another lady helped push me to keep going and I told her I wanted to beat this particular woman across the finish line but I needed her to help me through it. She ran beside me and we pushed up the last hill together and about 2/10th of a mile from the finish line I kicked it into high gear and passed the lady. I don't typically sprint to the end but it felt so good and because I looked so strong the crowd was cheering like crazy and because my name was on my race bib I heard people all over the place yelling "GO TRACY!!!!" It was a great feeling! As I crossed the finish line the announcer said - Here is Tracy Endo from Sterling, VA - She is an Iron Girl!
I'm so thankful to have been able to complete this race - all with God's help. So many times throughout the race I thought of my friend Farah who was going to race today but couldn't because she found out she has breast cancer this year...and then our common friend, Kim who I have run with several times before who also found out she has breast cancer. I raced this one for you two!
I can't wait for my next tri in two weeks - an Olympic distance tri. Should be a lot of fun...as long as I don't come in last!
I headed toward the start line and when I got there I noticed other ladies with yellow swim caps like mine near the front of the line. I thought that was odd since the pre-race instructions mentioned my swim wave wouldn't start until an hour after the first wave. I asked a few ladies standing around how much longer we had and they told me only 15 minutes. WHAT? 15 minutes? Well, I thought I better go ahead and take my energy gel so I'll be prepared for a strong swim. As I was moving up to go into the water I mentioned something about the quick start and someone else said maybe I was in the SECOND yellow swim cap wave. Second wave? What was this all about? Then I realized the group I was with was the 30-39 year old ladies and I was in the group with the Athena & 20-25 year old ladies. I was standing in the wrong group but now what? I've already taken my gel! Well, it ended up that many people that were supposed to be in my swim wave actually went with the first group and my group of ladies was considerably smaller which made for an "easier" swim.
7:45 a.m. the Aflac duck yelled and my swim wave was off. This was my first time in an open water swim (at least with other people) and there is really only one way to describe this feeling...watch this video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3S0wu4Zbfk . Feet kicking you, hands hitting you...that is what triathlon swim waves are all about! Even when you feel you are finally safe from it all you get a kick in the stomach just when you least expect it!
I tried to take it slow during the swim so I could conserve my energy for the bike (my strongest leg of the race) but I ended up coming in 10th place in my division with a time of 25:47 for 0.62 miles. I felt pretty good coming out of the lake but once I got on the bike my energy seemed to drain pretty quickly. Of course, this was a pretty hilly course but I had done a preview ride about a month ago so I was somewhat familiar with the course. Unfortunately I hadn't trained on enough hills to get me through the course in a good time. My typical speed during my training rides had been around 17 mph but my overall time for the 17.5 mile bike portion was 1:09 which put me 6th in my group and at a pace of 15.1 mph. My two transitions weren't too bad although I felt I could have gone faster in both of them. My first transition was 2:57 (3rd place in my group) and the second transition was 2:14 (5th place in my group). The final leg of the triathlon was what really killed me. My allergies had been acting up terribly during the bike ride but they really got to me during the run. Not only that but I was just wiped out from the other two legs and MY legs didn't want to run but walk! My training pace has been around 9:30 - 10 min/mile but the 3.4 mile run took me 40:30 to complete (still 5th place in my group) with an 11:55 min/mile pace. YUCK!
All in all I completed the race in 2:20 and 6th place in my category. Of course, they give trophies and cash to the 1-5th place ladies in each group! Darn!
The best part about the entire race was at the end...I had been following a woman during the entire run that I wanted to pass really bad and I just couldn't get up the energy to do so. About 1/2 mile before the end another lady helped push me to keep going and I told her I wanted to beat this particular woman across the finish line but I needed her to help me through it. She ran beside me and we pushed up the last hill together and about 2/10th of a mile from the finish line I kicked it into high gear and passed the lady. I don't typically sprint to the end but it felt so good and because I looked so strong the crowd was cheering like crazy and because my name was on my race bib I heard people all over the place yelling "GO TRACY!!!!" It was a great feeling! As I crossed the finish line the announcer said - Here is Tracy Endo from Sterling, VA - She is an Iron Girl!
I'm so thankful to have been able to complete this race - all with God's help. So many times throughout the race I thought of my friend Farah who was going to race today but couldn't because she found out she has breast cancer this year...and then our common friend, Kim who I have run with several times before who also found out she has breast cancer. I raced this one for you two!
I can't wait for my next tri in two weeks - an Olympic distance tri. Should be a lot of fun...as long as I don't come in last!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Secret Places
I read this devotion this morning and wanted to share it here in my blog. I was just speaking to some folks yesterday about this very issue of secrecy. It isn't until we share these things with a Godly friend or counselor that we are able to actually break free from our secret places.
"He searches the sources of the rivers and brings hidden things to light." Job 28:11
Have you ever noticed how often Satan uses secret things to trip us up on our journey...those secret places that reside deep within our soul that we keep hidden from others and even try to hide from God?
Think about it... pornography is usually done in secret. Excessive shopping can be done over the Internet, with no one watching. Eating disorders develop in isolation when we binge by ourselves, then purge with no one around. Or when we publicly pretend to eat, but privately starve ourselves.
The things we watch, what we think and how we spend our time are the "secret places" Satan can and will use against us. Yet often we continue in our secrecy, afraid to reach for Truth. Why?
Secret places seem safe. Secret places are familiar. Secret places feel comfortable to us. So we cling to them.
It's not that we don't want to be honest and get real about the secret places in our soul. It's just sometimes easier to keep the truth hidden than it is to get real about things from the inside-out. Though most of us crave authenticity, our fears of being "found out" are what keep us living in secret, exactly where Satan wants us to stay. The crafty, conniving one knows that if he can get us to continue to bury our secret places deep within our heart, we can't be effective for God. He knows that thoughts of our private sins will eventually eat away at us, causing us to feel fraudulent and unworthy of the love and acceptance of others, and most of all, our Heavenly Father. But the truth is, we are the ones who don't love and accept ourselves. Not God.
Friends, the message of Jesus Christ is one of hope and restoration. It is one of freedom. It is one of unconditional love and acceptance. And it is one of Truth and spiritual exposure. What He is after from all of us is greater authenticity, greater genuineness, and the Truth, found in Him. In His sovereignty, He knows it is what we truly crave. "What you're after is truth, from the inside-out" Psalm 51:6 (MSG).
So, how do we combat those secret keeping habits we've developed over time?
1) Practice telling the truth. Telling the truth is a choice and needs to be a conviction. Healthy habits can and will be formed when practiced repeatedly, and truth telling is an important habit to get into.
2) Develop a genuinely authentic faith. Recognize the importance of authenticity, and begin making it of utmost priority. Do things to strengthen your walk (prayer, Bible study, etc.) and guard your mind.
3) Recognize that no one has it all together. See Satan's lie for what it is and determine not to get into the comparison trap with others. You cannot know what a person is all about by what they look like on the outside.
4) Stop trying to be perfect, act confident, appear happy, and seem super spiritual. These are some of the most common ways we, as women, pretend. It is only when we operate in a spirit of truth and openness that we will be able to live without pretense.
5) Determine to live your life with a genuineness that others will cling to and want to emulate. Honesty facilitates honesty. When you begin to get real and honest, hiding nothing in your relationship with God and others, people will begin to take notice and follow suit. This will strengthen all of your relationships and build up your self-esteem!
When we no longer hide in our "secret places," we can venture down a different path of greater authenticity and truth, bringing us to a place of ultimate and lasting freedom. And it is in freedom that we find no value in being a secret keeper any more.
By: Lisa Whittle
"He searches the sources of the rivers and brings hidden things to light." Job 28:11
Have you ever noticed how often Satan uses secret things to trip us up on our journey...those secret places that reside deep within our soul that we keep hidden from others and even try to hide from God?
Think about it... pornography is usually done in secret. Excessive shopping can be done over the Internet, with no one watching. Eating disorders develop in isolation when we binge by ourselves, then purge with no one around. Or when we publicly pretend to eat, but privately starve ourselves.
The things we watch, what we think and how we spend our time are the "secret places" Satan can and will use against us. Yet often we continue in our secrecy, afraid to reach for Truth. Why?
Secret places seem safe. Secret places are familiar. Secret places feel comfortable to us. So we cling to them.
It's not that we don't want to be honest and get real about the secret places in our soul. It's just sometimes easier to keep the truth hidden than it is to get real about things from the inside-out. Though most of us crave authenticity, our fears of being "found out" are what keep us living in secret, exactly where Satan wants us to stay. The crafty, conniving one knows that if he can get us to continue to bury our secret places deep within our heart, we can't be effective for God. He knows that thoughts of our private sins will eventually eat away at us, causing us to feel fraudulent and unworthy of the love and acceptance of others, and most of all, our Heavenly Father. But the truth is, we are the ones who don't love and accept ourselves. Not God.
Friends, the message of Jesus Christ is one of hope and restoration. It is one of freedom. It is one of unconditional love and acceptance. And it is one of Truth and spiritual exposure. What He is after from all of us is greater authenticity, greater genuineness, and the Truth, found in Him. In His sovereignty, He knows it is what we truly crave. "What you're after is truth, from the inside-out" Psalm 51:6 (MSG).
So, how do we combat those secret keeping habits we've developed over time?
1) Practice telling the truth. Telling the truth is a choice and needs to be a conviction. Healthy habits can and will be formed when practiced repeatedly, and truth telling is an important habit to get into.
2) Develop a genuinely authentic faith. Recognize the importance of authenticity, and begin making it of utmost priority. Do things to strengthen your walk (prayer, Bible study, etc.) and guard your mind.
3) Recognize that no one has it all together. See Satan's lie for what it is and determine not to get into the comparison trap with others. You cannot know what a person is all about by what they look like on the outside.
4) Stop trying to be perfect, act confident, appear happy, and seem super spiritual. These are some of the most common ways we, as women, pretend. It is only when we operate in a spirit of truth and openness that we will be able to live without pretense.
5) Determine to live your life with a genuineness that others will cling to and want to emulate. Honesty facilitates honesty. When you begin to get real and honest, hiding nothing in your relationship with God and others, people will begin to take notice and follow suit. This will strengthen all of your relationships and build up your self-esteem!
When we no longer hide in our "secret places," we can venture down a different path of greater authenticity and truth, bringing us to a place of ultimate and lasting freedom. And it is in freedom that we find no value in being a secret keeper any more.
By: Lisa Whittle
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