I have been thinking about this post a lot; I mean a lot.  By the time this gets posted I will have been back from IMAZ for about 2.5 weeks.  My thought process continually changes on where I am with being a professional triathlete.  But once I stop the over thinking Virgo that I am, I come up with this, plain and simple:

It is time for me to move on.  The consummate athlete in me is not satisfied.  I know there is more in me; I can feel it.  I know I can focus, train hard, make the necessary changes for the 15+ minutes that I know exists in my body. BUT, it will come at a cost that I am no longer willing take.

My body can do it.  Yes, I am 40 and yes I have had 2 children and several injuries but you know what… my body can do it.  Weights and a little more massages and my new found love of resistance stretching and I am GAME ON! But where I am tapped out is mentally. Not mentally doing the workouts; mentally with my life and all that it involves on top of the training and all that it entails.

My husband and I have been married for 12 years and in January of 2010 I will have been a professional triathlete for 12 years.  We went into this venture as a team.  He has been my BIGGEST support every step of the way.  At the end of every season we reevaluate the year and deicide if we keep going.  But this year proved to us that going into 2010 we are at the tipping point; not just financially but emotionally.  My triathlon career has always been a bit on the hectic side.  I do think it is part of what makes me tick and I did get a kind of rush being so successful with all the juggle.  But this year the juggle started becoming more stress than the rush.  The cost is higher than the gain. My kids are little, my daughter will be in kindergarden next year, Blaisen will be 2 in January and they really need me to be more available. Not just physically but emotionally.  My days are whirlwind days and add fatigue of training and all the mental power that goes into that, I am at my brink by the end of the day.  Plus, it is time for my husband to have his time.  He is a firefighter and even though the schedule may seem like it is easy with 24 hours off at a time, it is tough.  No family around means when he is at work and I need to train I have to pay for a sitter and when he if off duty and I need to train, he is always the sitter. He deserves and needs his time.

So, it is time for me to move on.  What does that mean?  When I first starting thinking about moving on I was first in the mind set that I was done, selling all my stuff and that was that.  But I had just crossed the finish line at IMAZ and in no frame of mind to make any decisions.  Now that I am thinking more clearly I remember Karen Smeyers telling me something; never say the word retired.  Rather than saying I am retiring, I am saying that racing as a professional triathlete will not be my priority for 2010.  I may or may not be on a race course next year.  I will stay as fit as I can but not put the demands for training on myself as in previous years. What I will be making a priority is giving back to the sport everything I have learned.  It has been so clear to me all year this is the direction I should go.  I feel I can do SO much, there are so many avenues that I can go down I get all choked up just thinking about it.  I love helping people, I love sharing my experiences and now is the time to do so!  Plus with all that is going on with the women fields at Ironman races maybe there is a way I can help so we can set everyone up for success.

As we speak, I am in the process of creating a triathlon business here in the bay area of California.  Excuse me for not giving more details at this time, but I want to make sure I can deliver all that I say, so I am thinking carefully in announcing my agenda.  I can tell you this though; I am really excited for all that I will offer and I will be launching in early 2010. Please stay tuned!

There is a whole group of people that I want to pay special attention to but if I do that here, this post will be WAY too long and I want these people and companies to get the props they deserve.  I have been very lucky to work with such great sponsors and to have so many influential people around me that they need to have their own post.  Please check back for Part II of Moving On.

Happy Holidays to all.  Enjoy this time of year and spend extra time with family and friends.  Get the rest and relaxation you need and mentally fill your tank; so next year you can attack it like it is your first time out the door!

Hugs to all,

Gina Kehr

Let it go

Philippines 70.3