The Things I’m Giving Up to Reclaim Myself

When I signed up for Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga, it wasn’t about proving something to the world—it was about reclaiming a part of myself I thought had been stolen for good. But here’s the truth they don’t put in the training plan:

If I want to cross that finish line, I have to let some things go.

And not just the obvious ones.

Yeah, I’m ditching alcohol—something I’ve been wrestling with for YEARS. Not because a coach or bishop told me to. But because I know I’m better without it. My mind, my body, my heart. All of it.

But I’m also giving up some things that feel… harder.

Like late-night UberEats runs with my daughter.
That’s been our thing. Bonding over fries and milkshakes and whatever else sounds comforting at 11:45 PM when the day has worn us thin. Giving that up doesn’t mean giving her up. It just means finding new ways to bond—ones that nourish more than they numb.

I’m saying goodbye to empty calories. Not just in food, but in life.
Junk TV binges. Scrolling. Conversations with people who subtly remind me how “busy I am” or how “crazy it is” to take this on.
I don’t need that. I don’t have time for that.

What I do have time for? Myself. My health. My freedom.

I’m also letting go of a big one: perfectionism.
I’ve spent too long trying to be everything to everyone—perfectly. This race isn’t about a podium or a personal best.
This is a fight to feel again.
To love again.
To move again.

And the competitor in me? She can sit this one out.
This race isn’t against anyone else.
It’s me vs. doubt.
Me vs. fear.
Me vs. the voice that says, “You’re too old,” “You’re too far gone,” “You don’t have time.”

Guess what? That voice is getting benched.

What I’m Gaining

In giving all that up, I’m making room.
Room for joy.
Room for strength.
Room for early mornings (okay… earlier mornings).
Room for pride that isn’t tied to performance, but to presence.
Room for my daughter to see what it looks like when her mom goes after something for herself.

And let me tell you—that is worth every sacrifice.

So when you see me turning down a drink, passing on the fries, skipping out early to catch sleep instead of one more episode—it’s not because I’m trying to be good.
It’s because I’m trying to be free.

Ironman isn’t just about finishing a race.
It’s about reclaiming my power.
One “no” at a time.
One early alarm at a time.
One mile at a time.

Let’s go.

#BeBraveBeBadass #Ironman703 #LettingGoToRise #ThisIsMyRace #ResilienceInMotion #SaveYourself