The 4th Discipline

Hi Mom,
Sorry it's been a busy couple of days!!!!

I'm not sure where to start, Mom. The past few days have been totally amazing! I wrote last, on the night before the race while at Martha's. It seems like forever ago,now!

Mom, I learned so many things in this race, that I don't even know where to start...things that you know...things that you teach us...almost all about the "4th discipline".

They say that there are not just 3 disciplines in triathlons (swimming, biking and running), but rather, that there are 4. The 4th discipline is the "mind". Or better yet, the SPIRIT! We spend all year (well - some do - and I wish I did) training for the race in the 3 disciplines...but not in the 4th.

Out there in the race, it's the 4th one that needs to be the strongest. And Mom, thank you for somehow, in some way, teaching me about the 4th discipline during my life, because it was my strongest discipline...and I humbly admit that I was on fire!!! The stars were aligned. The day just fell into place. I felt your prayers like the wind beneath my wings. And the tougher it got...the tougher I got!


Race morning (the photo above) was calm, unlike the days before, when gale-force winds scared the crap out of me! The morning was gorgeously calm and there were hints that the sun would actually shine on this day.

Waking up at 4am to get ready and get down to the race for body marking seemed stress-free and relaxing. (Rare!)


Getting ready, doing a final bike check and bag check was easy and thankfully, I didn't forget anything.

I'll send you the play by play of the race later but one thing I know for sure is that it's the 4th discipline that is the secret to getting to the finish line. I know that I could have done a lot more training this past year, biking, swimming and running, but thankfully, I have done a lot of mental training and I don't know how it all happens (I think your prayers have something to do with it) but it just sort of all fell into place.

The mind easily tried to play tricks on me during the race...tempt me to slow down (which I did at times), get unfocused (which also happened) and let the feeling of fatigue take over (which also happened)....but then after a few moments of that, some other part of me took over (I think it was my spirit) and found a way to outsmart my mind, to beat it at it's own game and keep me moving forward.

The swim was easy but the bike ride was long (over 7 hours long) and at one point the headwinds were so bad that it makes you just want to stop. But then this other part - perhaps my stubborn nature (I think I get it from you) :) took over. Going up Yellow Lake (where you were waiting years ago) was easy compared to the headwinds that happened just before then. I'm so grateful that some other part of me took over b/c I really was tired. My butt really did hurt and I could not even think about the marathon that would come after getting off the bike.

And then, out of the blue, I found myself out on the marathon course. 26 miles to go. Then 25. And 24. And when it was all sort of overwhelming, my mind - really...my spirit - took over and decided that I would just keep running. If I wasn't going up a hill, I would run. And that's what I did. I ran within 8 minutes of my best marathon time. I have high expectations...but even I was shocked!

More on the race tomorrow.
But for now, what I learned about the 4th discipline...the SPIRIT (and I think this wisdom ultimately comes from you, Mom) is that:
1. Real strength does not come from physical ability or even mental strategy...it comes from deep inside our heart and spirit!
2. What I focus on becomes my reality. And when I focus on my purpose, there is no pain.
3. The stories I tell myself or hear from other people are all true (even if they're not). My spirit doesn't know the difference between the truth or a lie....so whatever it hears or feels is true. So it might be a good idea to pay attention to what I'm telling myself or who I'm listening to.

Imagine living life like this every day...not just in a race. Now that would be extraordinary!

Mom - I love you.
Thank you for all your prayers. They worked!
And thank you for being the wind beneath my wings.
Love Crystal