Triathlon is the exclusive village of inclusion. A mobile community of all shapes and sizes that share a united spirit of acceptance.
I remember my first triathlon ten years ago. The ripped and chiseled bodies surrounded my Mrs. Pillsbury Dough frame. I felt completely intimidated.
My curvy, full-figured frame made me more of candidate as a Lane Bryant model and less of a cover girl for Triathlon Magazine.
As I nervously stood in the packet pick-up line, I longed to hide my plus-size frame under a big tent. The woman who stood next to me saw my tee-shirt, “Tri-It for Wyatt.” I was racing in honor of my son, Wyatt and Autism Speaks. She asked me about it and suddenly I was telling our family’s story of perseverance in the name of love. I explained that my son’s limb difference and delayed speech inspired me to “find a way” to endure.
Suddenly the very slim and buff women had become my new BFF. She too had a child on the spectrum. In that instant I felt connected and supported. I regretted judging her as I was reminded that triathlon is a connecting point to an expanded community.
The truth is that each time I have judged someone by their size, I have learned an important lesson about myself.
Four years ago, I had the honor of meeting John Young, the first person with dwarfism to complete an Ironman. We met at Ironman Maryland in October 2016. I was inspired by his words, “This is for everyone who’s ever told me ‘you’re too small to do that.” In a light moment, I joked that our connecting point was people telling me, “I was too big to do that!”
After the race, I reached out to John, I was humbled to be the keynote speaker at a graduation for children with special needs. I asked him what he would say to inspire them. His words melted my heart, “Many people will doubt what you can do, even those who care for you and might be worried you might get hurt either physically or emotionally. If what you REALLY want to do is important to you, you might have to ignore those naysayers and prove to yourself that, “YOU CAN DO IT!”
John’s words inspired me to close my speech by saying, “Find a way to make a difference in this world – because you bring something unique and wonderful to your family, your teachers and this community. “
Every single time I begin to doubt myself or my place in the triathlon world, I remember John’s words and the many athletes that have encouraged me.