hello tri community my name is Chris and I'm 22 years old. I am graduating from college with a degree in exercise science in 3 weeks then moving on to chiropractic school. I have been through quite a lot in my life and I'd like to tell everyone how endurance sports have helped get me through it. In first grade I went to a private school, I was dyslexic and we didn't find out till later but it caused me a lot of problems and caused me to act out quite a bit; after a year of dealing with a teacher that had no clue how to deal with a student of my needs I was expelled for talking of water guns in school. The teacher told my parents I was the kind of kid that would end up shooting up my high school. I got enrolled at a local public school and that changed my life.
School was going great and I had made quite a few friends, then my life took another turn. In third grade I was molested and did not quite comprehend what was going on till I told my friend and he laughed at me and told all of my friends. I was humiliated and turned to running to clear my head; I found running because of the single best P.E teacher I have ever had. I ran during every recess, lunch break and time I could. Running became my therapy and I learned to cope. This worked for my till 6th grade when I had a cross country coach that made me hate running, I found myself lost and with no direction. My grades started slipping and I started going down hill fast. By high school my parents were close to shipping me off to military school or holding me back, that's when I found triathlon.
When I found triathlon my life turned, I found a community of driven and kind people that made me learn drive, determination and that transferred throughout my life. I turned my life around and my grades got better, I finished my first half at 16, my first full at 17 and my first Ironman brand event at 18 and was the youngest starter/finisher that year. Since then I have made quite a few achievements in triathlon and life until September last year. I competed on team USA at the long course championships 5 weeks after having my appendix removed. Due to some complications I was out of training for 2 weeks and I was not prepared to race. I finished but I spent 2 years trying to get to this point and I was destroyed after not doing well. That in combinations with relationship issues and letting the worth other people gave me and what I was actually worth blended. After several months of internal struggle I hit my breaking point.
February 2nd I found myself standing in the left lane of a highway staring at a semi trucks head lights. After the police were called I spent 4 days in a mental hospital. Since then I have been in therapy but still had problems coping with what I did till last Thursday. I went out for a bike ride and did some hard miles and felt happy for the first time in a long time. I am telling this story to thank everyone for the community you people have all helped create and be a part of. On a lighter note I have come to appreciate life and what it means to live. I have never traveled anywhere other than to race, so I'm going to travel during my last summer I have of college and would like to meet some amazing people from this great community. If you guys have any ideas on where I should go I am all ears!
ART, MDT, DNS, MPI, FST
School was going great and I had made quite a few friends, then my life took another turn. In third grade I was molested and did not quite comprehend what was going on till I told my friend and he laughed at me and told all of my friends. I was humiliated and turned to running to clear my head; I found running because of the single best P.E teacher I have ever had. I ran during every recess, lunch break and time I could. Running became my therapy and I learned to cope. This worked for my till 6th grade when I had a cross country coach that made me hate running, I found myself lost and with no direction. My grades started slipping and I started going down hill fast. By high school my parents were close to shipping me off to military school or holding me back, that's when I found triathlon.
When I found triathlon my life turned, I found a community of driven and kind people that made me learn drive, determination and that transferred throughout my life. I turned my life around and my grades got better, I finished my first half at 16, my first full at 17 and my first Ironman brand event at 18 and was the youngest starter/finisher that year. Since then I have made quite a few achievements in triathlon and life until September last year. I competed on team USA at the long course championships 5 weeks after having my appendix removed. Due to some complications I was out of training for 2 weeks and I was not prepared to race. I finished but I spent 2 years trying to get to this point and I was destroyed after not doing well. That in combinations with relationship issues and letting the worth other people gave me and what I was actually worth blended. After several months of internal struggle I hit my breaking point.
February 2nd I found myself standing in the left lane of a highway staring at a semi trucks head lights. After the police were called I spent 4 days in a mental hospital. Since then I have been in therapy but still had problems coping with what I did till last Thursday. I went out for a bike ride and did some hard miles and felt happy for the first time in a long time. I am telling this story to thank everyone for the community you people have all helped create and be a part of. On a lighter note I have come to appreciate life and what it means to live. I have never traveled anywhere other than to race, so I'm going to travel during my last summer I have of college and would like to meet some amazing people from this great community. If you guys have any ideas on where I should go I am all ears!
ART, MDT, DNS, MPI, FST
Last edited by:
tri_big_boy: Apr 26, 17 19:58