Not Bragging, Just Saying

I post a lot of my work out and race results on social networks and I get a lot of positive feedback.  I truly appreciate it.  The "likes" and positive comments are a social wave of support  helping to carry me forward.    No matter my individual goal for an event, a cheering crowd can carry me to the finish line.  This social component is enjoyable and reassuring.  I'm never bragging about my accomplishments as there are plenty of people better than me at any sport or activity.  However, as I reach a personal goal I like to say something about the accomplishment.  The countless workouts running, biking, and now swimming, my pre race selfies, post race results, and medal photos tell my story.  

I am a firm believer that sports and competition are one of the best ways to build self esteem, confidence, and personal courage.  There are things I won't do, like throw myself out of a perfectly good airplane.  But there are plenty of other things that I didn't think I could do, and am doing them.  I hope my story will inspire someone to try a race of any distance or discipline.  What you learn about yourself is more than you will find in any book.  I'm not bragging, just saying.

Past, Present, Future...

PAST

I hated running as a child.  I can remember in third grade begging to participate in a one mile race for school.  After two laps, I got a running cramp, didn't finish, and received a healthy dose of grade school humiliation.  For me running was a chore, something you did to to escape responsibility or the police.

Then in my mid twenties, tried of the gym, I was looking for something to do for exercise.  Something that can be done anywhere, anytime with minimal investment.  I came up with running.  So I opened the door and put one foot in front of the other.  Again, I was incapable of running one mile.  So I asked some friends...

They all said the same thing, "slow down."  So I did.  And I started to put together a three point five mile run around the local golf course.  Also, I started to sign up for local 5k and 10k races.  The races were motivation to keep running.  I gotta admit, I love my medals and bib numbers.

PRESENT

I have come to enjoy running.  It allows me to clear my thoughts, provides me with energy, and challenge myself.  I started with a 5k and moved up to a 10k, 12k, half marathon, and marathon.  I find myself committed to longer distances.  I won't get out of bed unless I am planning to run five miles or more.  It is a great feeling to know that I have this kind of endurance, power, and strength.

Running isn't just about physical strength; it's mental and emotional too.  Any distance will test you, ask more of you than you think you can give, try to break you.  The days that I don't want to run are the days when I know I have to.  Because if  I don't, the third grader who couldn't finish one mile will win.

FUTURE

Tomorrow I will participate in my first triathlon.  It's a sprint triathlon.  Much like a 5k race; it's a first step into a great unknown.  I am excited with what this represents; a larger challenge, dedication to training, balancing life, family, and work.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I am ready.

EPILOGUE
The triathlon was amazing.  I was strong in the run and bike, and totally gassed in the swim.  I finished around one hour and twenty minutes (unofficially) and am waiting for the official results to post.  Now I am researching local gyms with pools, triathlon bikes, USA Triathlon and Ironman International memberships.  I think a triathlete was born.

Last night almost wasn't

So last night ranks in my top 5 for worst birthdays.  

I don't care for my birthday too much.  I have emotional scars from childhood when no one came to my birthday party two years in a row.  I share my birthday with a friend, so when it was celebrated it was never only about me.  One year even my adult sister forgot my birthday.  And I spent my 21st birthday stranded in Baker, California waiting for my friend's father to come pick us up because my friend's car broke down.  He had twenty dollars on him and I had to pay for the hotel room, breakfast, lunch, a deck of cards, pitchers of beer, and a t-shirt.

So last night...

I bought tickets from a friend of my cousin with my cousin as middle man.  I don't know who this guy is other than what I have been told that he has multiple season seats in the field level, section 2 and 14, and the seats are awesome.  So I bought two tickets each to three games for $100 per seat and that included parking.  I went to one game way back in April and the seats were amazing.  I sold the Mother's day game because Erfan didn't want to go and this guy forced me to buy that game.  

Now the Giants and dodgers always play each other in the end of Sept and that is my birthday present to myself; to watch a game, invite a friend, and enjoy the night out.  

I get to the ballpark and the parking pass doesn't work.  I have to pay $15 but they will let me park in the section I have the pass for and I will be issued a refund at the ticket office.  When I get to the Right Field Pavillion ticket office, they say they can't issue a refund and that refunds are only issued at the ticket office in Section D.  It's seven o'clock, Hammad isn't there yet, but I don't feel like walk around trying to get this refund.

Hammad is stuck in traffic.  1st inning, 2nd inning, 3rd inning; finally I decide to go in and get something to eat and drink.  Hammad will text me when he is there and I will walk over to give him his ticket.  

I go to the entrance and place my ticket under the scanner.  RED.  no admittance.  I get a very bad feeling.  I place the second ticket under the scanner.  RED.  No admittance again.  I am told to walk over to the ticket office and they will be able to resolve the issue.

When I present the new situation to the same ticket box employee I explained my parking issue to; he says he needs to call the main office.  I start to realize that I am not going to get in.  I call my cousin.  Voice mail and the mail box is full.  I text her.  After a few minutes I text her daughter.  The ticket box employee is still on the phone.  I get a call, it's Lindsay, my cousin's daughter.  She asks where the seats are located.  Field level section 2, row S, seat 5 and 6, I tell her.  I can hear her relay the information to her mom.  They are saying they don't know what could have happened.  Meanwhile the ticket box employee finally hangs up the phone and comes over to tell me what he has been told.  

The tickets were used to enter the ballpark at 5:45pm.

This a*hole friend of my cousin printed two sets of tickets and sold both!  I am furious and hang up with Lindsay.  The game is sold out and I am not going to get to go.  

I walk over to lean on a planter or something and my phone rings.  It's my cousin calling to express all her mia culpa but she doesn't get it.  This is my birthday present to myself and I am screwed.  The game is sold out and there is nothing that can be done.  I tell her we will talk later, say goodbye, and hang up.  That's when this happened...

I felt a tap on my shoulder.  Turing I expected to see Hammad standing there, but instead I see two young women.  They explain that they have overheard my situation and they are selling three seats in the Pavilions for face value $40, includes all you can eat hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, and soda.  I decide to take the offer but I don't have that much cash.  I offer all that I have $58.  Generously, they only take forty dollars and hand me the two tickets.  

In the end I get to see the game, Hammad arrives (late as always), and the Giants win in 13 innings.  I had left and arrived home by then.  It is not the worst birthday present to myself, but it does rank in the top 5.

No. 40

Asking for help and accepting help are two different things.

No. 39

I prefer to drive change than to have change driven over me.

No. 38

There are no do overs in life, but no one said you couldn't write a new chapter.

No. 37

I never changed my answers. I refine my decisions.