On Being a Mom : trifuel.com

On Being a Mom

The only thing cooler than being a Mom, is being a Triathlete Mom. When we got pregnant I was told that I'd never race again, and that my winning days were over. Well, since November 9, 2000 all of my best races, including two Ironmans, and a Hawaii qualification have happened. So much for THAT!

My son is now five, and every day I think "This age is the best". He's got a smokin' little Trek bike with training wheels, swims like a fish, and loves to run. We are so cautious about not pushing Luc into this sport, that we must be careful when he asks to go for a swim or a ride. Our goal is to teach him to love being healthy and being fit. Living in our house, it is hard not to be!

The mind of a five year old is an interesting place. The older I get, the more I am inspired to think like Luc does. Two days ago I was out for a bike ride, I had to be home within 30 minutes to meet the school bus, and I was 20 minutes away. The Blue Bunny Ice Cream truck had an accident (no one was hurt) and across the road were all sorts of ice cream! They were turning cars around because of the mess. Frantic and annoyed I pleaded to be allowed to ride through, I had to meet the bus! Darn ice cream truck!

They let me through and I made it. Whew! I relayed the story to Luc, and his eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"Mommy!" He exclaimed, "Did everyone get spoons and eat ice cream together?"

That stopped me in my tracks, as I though of the panic and irritation I had felt. He was right.

"No." I told him, "But that was a great idea. Perhaps we should have." He was right.

His perspective always broadsides me when I least expect it. One morning as I was heading out for a run long before he was to wake up, he called me from the top of the stairs.

"Mommy!" He cried, uh-oh! I thought. I met him on the staircase.

"Mommy run fast" he instructed me, "And don't step on a rock!" then he is back to bed! Once again, he was right! Be careful of those rocks, I told myself.

Nothing is more amazing than being greeted like a rock star in the morning after Masters swim practice. Questions flow from his heart�.. did I swim fast? Did I do a somersault? Did I blow bubbles? Of course, I assure him, I did all of those things.

The enhancement to my entire life, from being a Mom, is more than I can ever describe. His innocent perspective gives me clarity, his excitement inspires me, and his love, and it lifts me up above any disappointment I could ever imagine.

As I returned to running after my injury, it was Luc who daily asked me how my "foot" was. It was Luc who would remind me to ice it, as he'd bring the frozen corn from the fridge. (He actually commented that at his friend Robbie's house, they EAT their frozen corn! WEIRD!)

So, not only were the naysayers wrong, they neglected to spill the best secrets about being a parent. The true meaning of unconditional love, the true meaning of passion, the true meaning of innocence, and the true meaning of perspective.

Regardless of whether I have won the race, Luc wants to hear all about how big the swim buoys were, if I blew bubbles, and if I went faster than Daddy.

"Almost," I tell him, "Almost."