Information for Our Alumnae:
Returning to Triathlons
I’ve come a long way. I grew up in Ontario, Canada where my family life had been challenging; my father had been held in a Nazi prison camp in Norway during WWII from which he escaped twice. He was a persistent—and angry—man who always told his children to push forward and find answers to their problems. The message to drive harder was often accompanied by negative feedback and verbal abuse.
In 1978 I saw my first triathlon; it was the Ironman on Oahu in Hawaii. I was not at all athletic at the time; in fact my weight had ballooned over the prior few years. I became physically active and started training; I wanted to participate in a triathlon, and not just any triathlon, but an Ironman in Hawaii. With my second husband as my coach and mentor, I lost 45 pounds. He owned and operated a bicycle shop, was active in sports and knew the ropes. Looking back to the first time I competed in 1981, I laugh—I was wearing old worn out shoes and using a really rundown bike. The food at the stops along the route was not exactly what someone would see today: donuts, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies!!
By 1992 I not only made the USA triathlon team, I placed second in the world in my age division. In spite of those accomplishments I lacked self-esteem—when my husband left me in 1997 for my best friend, I really came to loathe myself. This was my second divorce and it reinforced negative messages I’d heard about myself as a child. Training and competing had been my job, but I stopped all that and started teaching swimming. After work I began to drink to numb my feelings. I also discovered that I suffered from depression and was bi-polar. After a third DUI and seven days in jail I came to Residence XII. It was a miracle I survived the accident and no one was hurt—my car started to go over a cliff but was stopped by a tree.
The first week and a half of treatment I did not sleep, I was scared, sad, angry and bitter. I had been in treatment before but the in-depth counseling at Residence XII really made the difference for me. I learned about depression and what drinking was doing to my body. Given my prior athleticism this information was very powerful and motivating. There is a history of alcoholism in my family, and I realized that I would never again be able to drink. The journaling and discussions about issues and consequences really motivated me, but it was the group sessions that made the difference and helped me deal with my shame. I no longer felt like I was the only one on earth with a drinking problem. The other women had their stories too. I credit my time at the Res with changing the “negative tapes in my head.”
After my inpatient stay, I was facing jail time but I discovered the work release program in Kent, where I would have to return to the facility every evening. I was very lucky to keep my job as a swimming instructor. My motivation was very high: I did not want to go to jail. Every day I walked a mile to the bus and took three different buses to and from work, knowing that if I was not back on time, I would lose the opportunity I had been given. My 90 days of jail time was reduced to 1 month and 5 days at the Kent facility, and I continued with the Intensive Outpatient and Continuing Care Programs at the Res.
I now bike 3-½ miles to work every morning and then back home again. Something kicked back in with me and I am ready to compete again. Over the past two years I have run four marathons, and this past summer I completed five triathlons. I am now training for the Phoenix Marathon and hope to make the USA Triathlon Team that goes to worlds. Triathlons are a good way to discover your own inner strength and interests. My other passion is working with children and making them water-safe—they call me “Miss Mermaid.” I can understand their fear and I’m grateful to help them address the issue. I’ve even started taking writing classes at Bellevue Community College and have begun a children’s book about fear and swimming. I feel so grateful to the Res for my new life and the chance to return to athletic competition. I feel strong agin thanks to the women I have met and the skills I have learned!