Team Impossible

Brent and I participated as a team in a triathlon last weekend. It was our first time working together for a race and we were SO excited! Brent has been back at riding at least 5 days a week for about 6 weeks now. So, the race was an early check on progress. I completed the swim and run portions of the triathlon with Brent doing his bike in the middle.

We did well! (and more importantly, had a whole heap of fun participating!)

There was a 350m swim. I finished 5th overall (out of 78) and my time was 5 min. 11 seconds. Not too shabby for getting in the pool a total of 5 times in the last decade and a half. (in all fairness, I did US swimming for 9 years and high school swimming for 5. I've lost most of my mannish upper body strength...but not much of that good old "kill myself to move up in line" spirit - ha).

Brent did his 13 mile race in about 45 minutes. I don't know the exact time - nor do I care. He looked wonderful riding in on that bike to high five me off to do the final leg - a 5k.

I finished the 5k in under 30 minutes - a 9.25 pace. It's nothing to write home about - but it's a great time and pace for me so I'll take it.

When I ran across the final finish line, Mary Louise was bouncing up and down, Everett was toddling towards me, Mommom was yelling, Brent was snapping pics and yelling, David was crying and running to tell me why - and I was grinning.

Not too shabby for a first debut - and we stole first place in relays!!

David buried his face in my sweaty lap (gross kid - gross) and blubbered something about wanting to play with the IPad. A man walked by and said to the person next to him, "ha - after all that, she still has to play "mom" at the end. Sucks."

No, it doesn't - but I can understand your point sir. I was tired, drenched in sweat, slightly dehydrated and coming off a a super adrenaline high. But nothing compares to those sweet cheers and the kisses and hugs as well as the, "Mommy? I so pwoud of you!!" after working hard to show those kids that anything really is possible.

I've long referred to (our family) as "The Impossibles". Our children are here despite impossible mortality odds, without profound disability despite impossible morbidity rates. Brent was born an early preemie, I was born in the car in the middle of the night in February (Mommom didn't quite make it the hospital). He and I met at just the right time after years of passing one another during swim meets, gym workouts, and Mardi Gras festivities.

All things considered, I don't really know how we all scraped by to get here today. I just know that this is where I am supposed to be...

Right here, right now...

(Everett was so proud to get a medal too - there was an extra one at the end and the race officials graciously passed it to our sweet boy!)

xo,
Heather