The Day I Stopped Believing Was The Day I Started Believing Again

I won’t lie, it has been a rough two years. With my son being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and the roller coaster that followed I must admit I stopped believing in myself as an athlete. I was in the midst of training for my first Ironman that was to take place in Chattanooga in 2016 when our lives were turned upside down. But just like we preach to our boys, I had to pick myself up and keep moving forward. That fateful night, when I was pulled off the run course in my first full Ironman Triathlon, I mentally gave up. I never give up on anything in life nor did I ever give up that night but I lost a part of myself when the three little letters were next to my name on the athlete list. DNF.

I mourned my DNF for a couple of days, then immediately jumped back into the game and set out to settle the score. I signed up for another Ironman. This time I was going to race a different course. Ironman Maryland seemed like a more suitable course, as it is flat, flat and more flat. But the catch is swimming in the Choptank River, and fighting the big headwinds on the bike. My mind was made up and I felt it was destiny to race almost exactly one year later from my DNF in Chattanooga.

As soon as I got my confirmation that I was “in” I was pumped, but as time marched on, I started to doubt myself. This has been one of the hottest summers that I can remember. Living in Florida, and the intense heat paired with super high humidity, was not a good mix for training. It has been brutal to say the least. Fatigue set in early in the months of training, and self-doubt started to take over. Why was I doing this again? When did riding on a road bike for five and six hours become fun? And not to mention running in the intense humidity and heat! 3 am wake up calls to start long rides in the dark while it was cooler got real old really fast.

I missed my family. I missed hanging out with our friends. For the second summer in a row, my life revolved around training. I started to question was it really worth it? To add to this crazy mix, my two younger sons were also training for their big race at USAT Nationals in Ohio. So between taking them to swim team practice at 6 am each day, and shuffling them to their own triathlon training sessions with their coach, I was mess! I am wife and mom first and foremost so my boys lives took center stage ahead of mine.

Training has not been what I envisioned it would be. Finding balance has been tough.

My breaking point came during a training camp in Cambridge, Maryland, the day we were out riding on the bike course. It was brutally hot, more of a dry heat hot. My lips were chapped, I was sucking down water like I have never done before, and I was riding alone. There were others out on the course, but I was a lone dove with the exception of others passing. Much of an Ironman race is mental. I know this and can say I usually have a good handle on this end of things, but on this day, I was literally losing it. Riding along on a long flat road in the middle of nowhere and hearing shot-gun shots going off, having someone fly by you in a truck then chucking coins out at you from the window as they passed, fighting a brutal head wind and being all alone is not my idea of fun. I missed a turn and only realized this when I was almost back to where I started. My 112 mile bike ride was cut short by my mere mistake and I only biked 70 miles of the course.

There is no crying in Ironman, but I cried like there was no tomorrow. I felt as if I was at the threshold of hell. I felt like a failure. I kept thinking to myself, how am I supposed to finish this race when I hadn’t even started yet? It was an awful moment but a pivotal one.

In my moment of questioning it all, a couple of texts came through on my phone. Messages of hope, reminding me how to persevere through the dark place I found myself in. No truer words were spoken by my 14-year-old type one diabetic son. He made me a paper to keep next to my bed, so when I was doubting it all, I only had to look at this:

This boy knows what it’s like to be in a bad place. I feel like he must feel defeated often, living with diabetes, giving himself injections all day long while pricking his finger countless times. Luke does not let diabetes define him, so how can I quit before I have even started? Someone very wise told me this at that moment:

“Suck it up buttercup! You’ve got this. Your body has got this. Get your mind in line. It hurts, it is a gut check but you have this. I know you can, you know you can! Just do it.” 

Another great mantra that I will let you figure out, that another friend reminded me of:

“IOTB!”

This was the day I started believing again. I was hundreds of miles away from my kids, and friends but at this moment, they were there with me, sitting under a shady tree. Sometimes we only need to be reminded of the simple things. I had to go down this dark road to get to this spot where I am today.

I believe I can. I believe I am strong. I believe I am an overcomer.

I simply BELIEVE!

More Than Just A Brand

When you think of a “brand” what comes to mind? I automatically think of Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, Kraft, Organic Girl, Green Wise, just to name a few. What those brands represent may or may not have much meaning. Clearly Green Wise, by Publix 99% of the time, means that the product labeled with that name is USDA Organic. That has great meaning if you’re looking to buy food that is grown naturally with no chemicals, pesticides, and so forth.

Lr. More than just any ordinary brand.

 

 It has significant meaning. Deep rooted meaning all the way down to the color scheme. Lr is strong, resilient, brave, fighter, over comer, hope, active, winner, confident, capable, successful, and creative just to name a few.  Lr represents Luke Rosser, Type One Diabetic Athlete & Advocate who is on a mission to spread awareness about diabetes and making good choices.  Ironically Lr is an element on the periodic table too. Who knew?

 From the moment doctors told Luke that exercise saved his life, upon being diagnosed at age 12 with type one diabetes, he has made it his mission to make a difference in his community. This mission has been to build a better community for young teens and kids alike. Just last month Luke was given the opportunity to speak at the Town of Oakland’s Commission Meeting. He requested to build a small mountain bike park for kids and teens so they can be creative and more active. That meeting was very successful and the planning stages are in the works now for the new place in the local park!

Next on Luke’s agenda is to get kids excited about living an active lifestyle from making good choices. His message is to encourage  kids  to put down the video games, turn off the television, and spend time outside being active. Luke wants to reach as many kids as possible, so to start that endeavor he has been speaking at several schools in recent weeks. He’s spoken to a group of home schoolers at their Co-Op, and spoke to 80 plus 4th graders at a local elementary school in our community as well as over 120 students in an elementary school in Lake County.

Luke’s message is clear. Be the active. Be the voice. Be the change. He has proposed a challenge.

Will you take the “Lr Challenge?”

It’s quite simple.

 Make exercise a priority in your life. Make the better choice to live a healthy lifestyle. Spend at least 30 minutes everyday doing something that is a physical activity. This means take a walk with the family, play soccer in the backyard with the kids, go for a bike ride, jump rope, hula hoop, play basketball, swim, aqua jog, run, play tennis, the ideas are endless! Making choices to a better lifestyle are often not easy, but can be done if you make it fun. Get your family, friends, kids and neighbors involved. Set out to make better healthier choices. Choose water for hydration, limit your intake of surgery drinks. Eat more fruits and vegetables and less fast food.

Take a stand. Be the voice in your community. Be the change. It all starts with you! Take the Lr Challenge, and help Luke spread awareness about diabetes.

Lr.

It’s more than just a symbol or a brand. It’s a movement.

Lr is a challenge!

Take the challenge today and share with Luke on his Facebook page!

Many thanks to Mike Mitchell with Overhead Films for creating the incredible Lr logo.

T1D A New Journey

Your son has Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes. Words a mom never wants to hear. Someone please wake me up from the horrible dream. This can’t be right, there must be a mistake.

Let me rewind a for a moment.

My boys swim competitively with NTC Aquatics and are elite triathletes on a triathlon team, Endorphin Fitness out of Virginia. They compete on many levels.  This fateful day was no different, as we were at a big swim meet in Tampa Fl. My 12-year-old was feeling “off” and seemed more nervous than normal upon stepping up to the swim block. His freestyle swim was not great, and seemed way off base for him, but after his exit he assured us along with his coach that he was just nervous. Oddly enough he retreated to the bathroom for the 100th time and said after throwing up  he felt better. Over the last week he seemed to be more tired, and eating us out of house and home. Not to mention the amount of water this child was drinking! All of his symptoms led us to believe he was going through a growth spurt, puberty, and lots of hard training. The next two swim races were spot on, and he decreased his time by several seconds, and chalking this all up to nerves.

Sunday morning comes and things go south fast. We were up early to leave the hotel and head to the swim meet after breakfast when things got crazy.

My 12-year-old is looking like he hasn’t slept in ages, and can’t even eat a morsel of breakfast. Something is not right. This is not normal.

My “mothers intuition” says he needs to take a break and rest. After a few sips of chocolate milk, and a quick snooze, everything that could possibly be in his belly came up. Being in a hotel and frantic with fear that he must have the flu or a terrible cold, we quickly load up and head out. Several conversations ensued with several nurse friends, with all of them having concerns that he could be diabetic. Being there was no way this could be the case, we went to the swim meet, but would just rest in the car while my youngest son competed.

Dropping the family off at the gate and attempting to find a close parking space would be a miracle, since over 1,000 kids were present to compete. With my sons stomach being queasy we left and headed to get some ginger ale.

THEN,  it hit me.

One look in the back seat said it all. Exhausted, stomach ache, looking pale, and dark circles forming around his eyes. This was not right on all accounts.

I’ll spare the details, but we high tailed it out of Tampa and headed back to Orlando to Arnold Palmer Hospital’s ER.

One finger prick and vitals, and we were whisked into a room with nurses waiting to start IV’s. My head was spinning out of control, and my fears were in overdrive playing games with my brain.

I remember the doctor asking me if we knew our son had Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes and if we had a family history of such.

Wait….. did you just say Diabetes?

How can it be? How can this beautiful, strong, active swimmer, triathlete have Type 1 Diabetes?

To say we were in shock is an understatement. I will never forget the doctors words.

“Mrs. Rosser, your sons blood sugar level is 1014, and he’s Ketoacidosis.”

So what exactly is Ketoacidosis you ask? It is when someones blood levels are so high, and their blood is acidic, they have a great chance of slipping into a coma, their kidneys can shut down and they can potentially suffer brain damage.

 The journey was just beginning. As one doctor put it, “Mrs. Rosser, you will have a PhD in Endocrinology when you leave this hospital” and let me just say he was not kidding!

We have been home just over a week, and we are still trying to wrap our brains around it all. What surprises me is how many people don’t know the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 1 is where the pancreas shuts down, and no longer creates insulin, therefore one must have insulin shots to survive. This is not controlled by diet, but will always be on insulin. Type 1 diabetics can eat whatever they want, they just need to treat themselves for it with the proper dose of insulin. There is no cure.

Type 2 can be controlled. Some people have to take insulin to help them along as their pancreas isn’t doing the job well, and some can control it with their diet and exercise. Type 2 diabetics need to watch what they eat and be mindful of the sugars intake and carbs. When proper weight and eating habits are in place, many can come off insulin and their body will function quite normal.

We will not allow T1D to define us. We are strong. We are bigger than this. We are charging forward with new purpose, a new mission you might say. Triathlon season is just beginning, and we are taking it by force!

If you can dream it

YOU CAN DO IT!

Road Block

WARNING…. Road Block Ahead!

I have officially hit a mental road block. I knew it was coming, and I knew, or at least I thought I knew, how to over come it. But alas I succumbed to the spiral down into the black hole.

The pit of defeat.

It’s crazy how life can be going along so great, the birds are chirping, your hair does exactly what you want it to do, your feeling good, then

BAM!

You hit a wall.

That’s me…. hitting a wall.

With my head hung and my ego in the pits, I retreated to my car to head home from what was supposed to be short 30 minute run followed by a brisk 1500m pool swim. All of this to prepare for my 140.6 journey to Ironman.

True confession: My legs felt like lead, my chest felt like I had a palate of bricks laying on it, my form felt way off, and the over cast skies were quite deceiving in making one think it might actually be a cool kind of day. The air was humid, (very deceiving) and there was a slight drizzle but not a complete rain shower. The hills, that are normally not hard, seemed to go on forever and felt like one was climbing Mount Everest!

About that 1500m swim….. yea, didn’t happen.

I coach athletes and prepare them for these kinds of blocks. So why is it so hard when I’m on the receiving end of this? Truly, shouldn’t I just be able to click my heels and say be done with it?

So I’m not in Kansas anymore but what I do know is this…… Momma said there would be days like this. Or maybe that was my COACH that said that! Either way, when you fall off the horse, you get back in the saddle and try again.

Fast forward 24 hours, and I can happily report I was able to complete the 15oom swim, but in true fashion, kicking and screaming! Maybe not screaming but I certainly was dragging my booty down the lane with little excitement. I almost cried when I was done! True story.

Then came the realization that I must dash into the locker room for a quick change into workout clothes because it was now time for a 45 minute cycle! Ummm, what state of mind was I in when I agreed to this 140.6 Ironaman Race?

All of this brought to you by True Confessions of a Hot Chic.

Just JUMP!

Just JUMP!!!!!

Isn’t this what we’re supposed to do when we get “the call?”

By “the call” I’m meaning step up, take the bull by the reigns. When someone is in need, you drop everything and run to their aid.

Do you jump or are you afraid of the leap? Do you feel safer in your small glass cup versus the much larger glass bowl?

Life in these times (as I call it) are busy. We are busy people. If we’re not busy enough by our own standards, we find things to make us busier! Cue the phone ringing and it’s your dear friend “Grace” who is calling for the tenth time in two hours because she has a need.Do you have enough Grace & Mercy for her or do you ignore the call and let it go to voicemail because your “too busy” at this moment?

*sigh*

I admit I  have those days where I feel I need to put my phone on mute, and just let the caller go to my voicemail, but something stirs in me and alas I answer the call.

After all what if it’s Publisher’s Clearing House calling to say I won a million dollars!

Ha, I’m not THAT lucky!

But more often than not, “that call” does come whether it’s from a family member or a friend, and they need help. Help in the form of encouragement and sometimes physical needs.

You know the saying “Pay It Forward”……

You  never know when your time of need may come into play. Are you going to be the one who drops it all to help another in need? Even if it’s for a long length of time?

What if  YOUR phone call to that one friend is a desperate one, and yet your friend never answers the phone but you get the message to leave a voicemail. Are you too busy to be bothered? My boys are constantly rolling their eyes at me, as they truly believe I have my cell phone growing out of my ear. They may be on the right track, but I find it hard to NOT answer my phone.

WHAT IF……

What if it IS THAT one phone call, and I need to drop everything and run to someones aid? I try to live my life by this simply note:

I recently got “that call” and it came at 6:30 AM. You know when your phone is ringing that early in the morning,  something isn’t right. Your first reaction is usually shock, disbelief, then comes the heart breaking pain. It’s what you do next that can shape the entire tragedy into something beautiful. The glass is not half empty, but half full.

The old saying “It’s better to give than it is to receive” is so true. It IS better to be on the giving end than receiving end isn’t it? Sure I love presents, but to be the one giving the gift with the pure satisfaction of blessing the other individual is nothing short of amazing! One doesn’t need to get any credit for this, as it’s what lies in your heart that is your reward. The feeling you get when you’ve made a difference, or left a fingerprint in someone else’s life, THAT is your reward.

Chew on this….

TEAM Linda

Meet Linda Baker. She is a beautiful, smart, savvy, fun, loving, caring, kind, sweet, amazing, fearless woman.

She is living with a rare disease called Pulmonary Fibrosis.

That’s me in the picture with her. The one with the crazy skirt, hat and no make up on! Yep, standing next to this incredible woman who inspires me daily!

So here’s the scoop. I am fulfilling a dream of mine in 2015, and I’m taking Linda on this journey with me. She is my racing partner. We are competing in The Ironman Chattanooga Triathlon. I figured if I’m going to swim 2.4 miles in a dark cold river, then hop on my bike that sports a seat in the width size of a ruler for 112 miles of hills no doubt, then throw on my running shoes and hobble run (that’s my new term)  26.2 miles to a finish line ALL within 17 hours, then I might as well raise some money and awareness to this terrible debilitating disease! Whew, that was a run on sentence for sure. Don’t judge.

Ironman Chattanooga  September 2015 is the BIG race.

And the month of September just happens to be Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month!

As incredible of a journey this is,  Linda really is the one who’s in a race. She is racing against time for her life. There is no cure whatsoever for this very rare disease. Linda has to have oxygen with her at all times. She goes no where without it. Can you imagine lugging around a heavy oxygen tank all day with all the gear that goes along with it? I am convinced that Linda is superwoman as she makes it look so easy and does it with such grace.

Currently there are no local chapters in the U.S. for support of families that have loved ones fighting this disease. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is a National Foundation, and rates among TOP CHARITIES in the U.S. and they have earned the highest distinctions given by both Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau.

This is where YOU can make a difference. First you can join TEAM Linda on Facebook and SHARE the page with your friends.

Next, you can click on the link below, and it will take you to my First Giving page under the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/meredithrosser/ironmanchattanooga

Together WE can make a difference.

Since Linda is my race partner,  you will see much more of her as time ticks on. She is a conqueror and she will beat this disease.

Give TODAY, even if it’s only $10. Nothing is too small, as it all makes a mark!

Be apart of this journey!

BE TEAM Linda!

“This IS Hot Chic”

This IS Hot Chic.

Hot Chic walks, she swims, she bikes, she runs.

She  golfs, she paddle boards, she does cross fit, she teaches zumba.

Hot Chic is girl, daughter, friend, woman, sister, wife, mother.

She is confident,  brave, strong, beautiful, focused, inspiring, determined.

This IS Hot Chic.

Let me introduce you to Penny Reed.

Penny swims. She bikes. She runs.

She swam around the Statue of Liberty in New York City.

She IS Hot Chic!

Starting now Hot Chic Sports is kicking off their new “This IS Hot Chic” campaign.

Are you Hot Chic?

We want to hear from YOU!

Send a brief 1 or 2 paragraph short story or bio of yourself along with a picture or video to hotchicsports@gmail.com.

You may be featured on our website and social media pages during our “This IS Hot Chic” campaign.

Be inspiring. Be confident. Be Hot Chic. – Hot Chic Sports

Journey To 140.6…… Ironman Chattanooga

Ironman 140.6. Okay, there it is, in black and white. I think I may just throw up now. After all, who in the world willingly signs on to do a triathlon that will last up to 17 hours, totaling a whopping 140.6 miles? I should change my name from Organic Sport Chic to Crazy Sport Chic!

Thankfully I have an incredible support crew, including my hubs, aka Hot Hubs, who has competed in an Ironman 140.6 and countless Half Ironman Races in recent years. To double the stakes, I am a triathlon coach myself and currently training athletes, so this should be a cake walk right? Now that I mention cake, the sponsor for Ironman Chattanooga is currently Little Debbie! Guess we’ll be snacking on Little Debbie Snack Cakes & Oatmeal Cream Pies along the way. It’s a Win Win!

All joking aside, I must admit this has been a dream of mine for years. I have watched Hot Hubs and several friends race in a Full Ironman Races, and there is nothing like being at the Finish Line when they have completed such a feat. The commitment that is put into training and the dedication is mind-blowing, but in order to succeed you must have both in your sight. This is my year, and I couldn’t be more afraid and excited all at once.

Oh and did I mention that I get the amazing opportunity to race alongside seven other incredible athletes that I currently train and my best friend is coming along for support? This is a WIN WIN people! (I must keep saying this to myself)

So here’s the best part. I have chosen to dedicate this entire year of training & the race itself to a dear friend of mine, Linda B. She has a lung disease that’s incurable. She is undergoing serious chemo treatments to kill off this rare disease, and has to carry around oxygen tanks just so she can breath. She is my partner in this race, as I will be taking her along with me on this journey. Remember reading about “Flat Stanley” when you were in school? Well I’ve dubbed Linda as “Flat Linda.”  HA! Need I say more?

Every swim stroke, every cycle stroke, every run step and every ounce of breath I take, I am believing for her to find healing in her lungs from this terrible disease. She is my strength and inspiration!

One year is going to pass quickly, so I plan to blog along the way through the good, the bad and the ugly. Another wild & crazy ride has begun. Slip your skirt on, fasten your seat belts, and hang on!

The Journey Begins….

There is nothing more thrilling than watching your kids play sports, or in my case watching them race in my favorite sport of triathlon. Below is my youngest racing to a 3rd place victory at a recent triathlon race.

Rewind back about eight years ago, when Hot Hubs and I took the boys camping at Disney’s Fort Wilderness. Our first taste of the triathlon sport came by way of the 70.3 Ironman Florida Race. From our campsite you could hear sounds of bells, cheers, and occasionally a horn. This sparked out interest especially since all the ruckus started at the crack of dawn. Witnessing athletes fly by us on their bikes wearing crazy bike helmets (which later I discovered were the best of the best) and zooming by us at breathtaking speed was an adrenaline rush for sure! We were intrigued and wanted a piece of that pie and the rest is history!

Racing should always be fun, and when it’s not fun anymore, than it’s time to hang it up. It’s easy to get caught up in the competition of it all, especially if your racing against friends. No one admit it, but competition amongst friends can be fierce. The older I get, the more I’ve come to realize the prize is not who crosses the finish line first, but just simply completing the race with dignity is what really matters the most. The feeling of accomplishment and  pride. My first taste of triathlon came by way of The Danskin Triathlon. This was just the beginning.

Giving back to the sport, and helping others achieve those dreams of crossing the finish line strong has been in the forefront for me. Coaching a group of athletes with Tri 413  Training Group and watching my kids compete is the icing on the cake. But alas a new fire has been lit underneath me and my  long stretch of a break has come to an end. It is time to get back in the saddle to the tune of 140.6. For those who might be scratching their heads right now, that’s a full Ironman Triathlon of  swim, bike and run with a grand total of 140.6 miles. Yikes that was scary to type!

Time is flying by at a clipped pace, and to continue my dreaming of “What If” is over. I want to be where the action is, feel the wind snaking through my hair, and the warm sun upon my face. HA, who am I kidding? 140.6 miles is no jog in the park, but there’s no time like the present. After all, just like our slogan states so boldly from Hot Chic Sports: Hot Chic’s Do It All. And might I add too, why put off tomorrow what you can do today?

So the journey begins, Hot Chic style of course. 140.6 in 2015 is no easy feat, but I’m ready for the challenge. As a bonus, I’m blessed  to be given the great opportunity to share in this journey with some of the amazing athletes I currently train. Life is a gift, and I don’t want to waste a minute of it. One of my new slogans, and yes I do have quite a few, is simply

Be Intentional…. Live With Intention! 

Kuckoo For Kuckoo Pig

Kuckoo…… That’s me! I have jumped ship and entered into the land of Kuckoo. Seriously, who in their right mind home schools three boys, runs Hot Chic Sports, an online retail clothing business, coaches a team of 30 plus athletes, mentors and coaches a group of girls in Chic’Lettes On The Move, and then decides with her best friend to start ANOTHER business venture?! Yep….. that would be me! I am officially Kuckoo!

Let’s start from the beginning….. Once upon a time, in a far way land…. no, no no…. let’s cut to the chase. Sitting on the beach with two super fabulous friends, chatting about all things crazy and fun, when a phrase took root. “Your such a Kuckoo Pig”! This is what we often said to one another. This was of course our way of saying “your so crazy…. have you lost your mind” to each other. At that moment that little phrase took on a whole new meaning. What started out as a joke amongst ourselves slowly started turning into discussions of dreams and “What If’s”.

What IF we took Kuckoo Pig to a new level? What IF we created a business based on Kuckoo Pig? What IF we took our wild and crazy chatter and turned it into something tangible? What IF…….

Ten months later, that What IF became a reality. You see, one of our friends found out she had breast cancer. During her time of treatment we decided that life was too short to live through “What If’s” and therefore we should start putting our dreams and aspirations in the forefront. What was truly holding us back? I always say “Take life by the reigns and live life-like it’s your last moment on earth….. Leap into the unknown…. No regrets”!

The stage is being set, and while our product is currently in production, with lots of fine tuning, I am so stoked to roll out the red carpet in the coming weeks! Our new company’s name is Kuckoo Pig LLC and while our website is under construction, we’ve created a Facebook Page. Our creations are sure to soar as there will be many pigs flying! Why skip through life without a little pizzaz? Kuckoo Pig leaves it all out there on the line, pushes the envelope, and rushes to the next big adventure! This is how we should all embrace life. Kuckoo Pig is one crazy pig, but what an adventure she is going to take us all on! The best part of it all is I get the opportunity to share in this adventure with one of my best friends. Keep watch and look to the skies for a flying pig!  She’s making her big debut very soon. Until then, I encourage you to live your life just like Kuckoo Pig…. No holding back, No regrets, and full of pizzaz! OINK.