Moms In Motion : Connecting Moms Through Fitness

I have been hesitant to submit my own story, but have enjoyed reading all of your stories so much that I felt compelled to submit mine in the hopes that others will do the same. I joined Moms In Motion on the day of our first practice. I had heard about it from several friends and saw a flyer at Gold's Gym the day before and on an impulse decided to go for it.

When I was growing up I was very active and athletic, but was never involved in team sports. I surfed, raced motorcycles, rode horses and was involved in ballet, so I was always relatively fit. When I was 19 I was involved in a motorcycle accident that crushed my left leg.

I was in the hospital for over a month and I went through a series of operations over the next ten years on both of my legs that have left me unable to run at all. The accident and the operations slowed me down, but did not stop me and in my early 30's I started cycling and swimming. I was just getting into long distance cycling, when I found myself pregnant with my second child. I was also involved in running a family business that took a large portion of my time, so unfortunately after the birth of my daughter my fitness goals went by the wayside.

Fast forward four years and I suddenly found myself thrust unwillingly into the role of a divorced, single parent with two young children to care for. It was a horrible time for me and over the next three years I gained over 40 pounds while I tried to pull my life back together and gain some semblance of normalcy for my children and myself. I was not exercising at all and it was definitely beginning to show. Early last summer, while out shopping for clothes with my mother, I was trying on a pair of pants and they were a little too tight.

My mother helpfully offered to get the next largest size for me, and I said, "Absolutely not! I have never worn that size and I never will!" That was the turning point for me. I started exercising at Gold's on a regular basis, and watched my diet. My knees, which were taking a beating because of all the extra weight I was carrying, started to feel better once I started losing weight. My blood pressure went down, and my overall outlook on life improved tremendously.

This summer, when I heard about Moms In Motion, I thought, "I would love to do that, but I can't run." When I found out others may be walking the run portion, I decided to do it. This has been a great decision for me; it has given me the incentive to look into other fitness events that I can participate in. It is such a great group of women and so empowering!
A little postscript...last weekend after we swam our first ocean swim, I was feeling pretty darn good and wanted to go out again. So late that afternoon, I took my kids and my kayak and headed back to the beach. Now mind you, my ex and I have not always been on the best of terms, but time is a wonderful healer. I called him and told him we would be going to the beach, and would he like to join us and take the kids out on the kayak. He said sure, and showed up with his girlfriend and we all had a great time! That was the first of hopefully more outings we can do together for our children.

PPS: I am participating in this triathlon in honor of my father who just this last month has been diagnosed with a rare cancer. He is my hero, and the man I turned to after my divorce who has uncomplainingly worked on my car, hung doors in my home, patched holes in the drywall and been there for me whenever I needed him. I love you dad.....