Spiral Dragonfly Coaching
Mary's Magical Musings
My New Bike
4/14/2009
I LOVE my new bike!!! I have been toying with the idea of doing a triathlon but didn’t have a bicycle I enjoyed riding. So I decided to do some research (shopping) and try to figure out what kind of bike I would need. How much would it cost? Am I crazy!?!
Well, it turns out that I am probably NOT crazy although that is open to interpretation. I have been running off and on for many years and completed the Honolulu Marathon in the late 80s. For a sprint triathlon, I only need to be able to do 3.1 miles; a 5k; very doable. I rediscovered swimming in the last couple of years and found a health club with a pool I LOVE last fall. Swimming laps for 40-45 minutes 2-3 times a week when I am in town. All I needed was a bike!
After purchasing my bicycle, I have been riding it to the health club to swim; about 5 miles. The bike portion is 12-17 miles. I will need to increase my mileage on the bike but this gets us back to the fact that I LOVE my bike!
What does any of this have to do with Dream Coaching©? Quite a bit, actually. First off, I will be using the proven 10 step Dream Coach© Process to make sure I fulfill my dream of completing a triathlon this summer. I will be talking to my doubter to learn possible roadblocks and devise strategies to overcome them. I will be designing my dream team of training partners, support, wisdom, and guidance. I will work with my dreamer to fully flesh out the triathlon dream.
But the step that I have been having the most fun with is step 3 – “Live on Purpose”. In step 3, we become detectives in our own lives. We go on a passion quest. In order to PassionQuest, we need to say “no” to things we normally say “yes” to; activities that keep us within our comfort zone. Then we have the time and energy to say “yes” to activities we would usually say “no” to; things that take us outside of our comfort zone. We also look at experiences in our past where we’ve felt passionate, fulfilled, or aligned. Again, what does this have to do with my new bike?
I remember riding my bike all over town when I was growing up. I remember the feeling of freedom, the joy of coasting downhill, the pride of reaching the top of a hill. I used my bike to deliver newspapers early in the morning. I rode my bike downtown to go shopping with my friends for back-to-school clothes. My bike was my transportation to rehearsals and set building for the musical theatre productions I took part in every summer. My bike reminds me of my youth; a life less stressful and more joyful.
The swimming portion of my training has similar memories; shivering around the pool early in the morning waiting for swim lessons to start. The pride of proving to the lifeguards in the afternoon that I COULD swim all the way across the pool so I could go into the deep water.
I am getting closer and closer to sending in my application fee for my first triathlon. Doesn’t it sound like fun? Maybe a triathlon doesn’t sound like fun for everyone. If you would enjoy going on a PassionQuest in your life, let me know. Or maybe you are looking for a training partner for YOUR triathlon dream.
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