About a year ago, I was called a “sellout” on social media for no longer doing triathlon. In a women’s triathlon group, where I serve the tri community for free, mind you. At the same time, I was finishing my second edition of my book, Triathlon for the Every Woman.
This comment made me mad at first. But not for the reasons you might think. Not for the fact that I have spent the last ten years writing about the sport, helping to grow it, providing resources, clothing and coaching.
No, that’s not why I was mad.
I was mad at the nerve of this person to call me a sellout for no longer doing something that SHE expected of me.
Because I did not live up to HER expectations of ME.
Because I changed my damn mind, picked a new course, did something better for myself at the time.
Because my old weightlifting body was worn and torn after FOUR Ironman triathlons at over 200 pounds each go-round.
“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” (Thoreau).
Guess what? You are not a prisoner! And neither am I!
(*Unless you are, but you probably aren’t reading this if you are.)
When triathlon training and racing was taking more life out of me than giving, I stopped. That simple. And I turned my energy and time to what was life-giving for me–my roots–strength training, coaching and fighting addiction in unconventional ways.
Truth: Triathlon SAVED me back in 2010. It was the thing I needed at the time to dig myself out of pain, addiction and into writing.
I did the sport for EIGHT years. EIGHT.
And yet, I am a sellout? That’s such bullshit, I shouldn’t even acknowledge it.
But I AM acknowledging it for one reason:
To make the statement that we do not have to BE anything or DO anything that we no longer wish to be or do. We can change our minds. We can change our bodies. We can walk away. We are UP to US.
And we can still inspire other people to find their way–from the place from whence we just left.
I am eternally grateful for triathlon. I continue to quietly make my mark in the sport as an author, coach and mentor.
In my Year of No Nonsense, I learned that the definition of a SELLOUT is when you do shit for the happiness of OTHER people–at the price of your own life exchanged.
I only exchange my life for things that make my heart and soul soar. Mike Reilly told me just this last year at Race Mania at dinner… “Meredith, you never know when triathlon will call you again. You never know what life will bring.”
And guess what? Triathlon will always be there if I need it.
To the person who said I was selling my soul, I say, “My soul has never been fuller, more true, and more authentic.”
Check yours.
#YearOfNoNonsense