Who's the man?

I would like to dedicate this post to my high school gym teacher who told me that I wasn't good enough to be on the track team. I just ran my first triathlon in 1 hour and 23 minutes.

Details of race day to follow. Just needed to say that.

All You Gotta Do Is Believe

The response that I've gotten to support me in this triathlon and help me raise money for GLSEN has been nothing less than AMAZING! Together, we've managed to raise over $1200. That's incredible. And inspiring for me. From 5 dollars to 100 dollars, every single one of the donations has given me strength to keep moving forward.

Songs from the Playlist - Soar

Christina Aguilera has a couple of songs on the playlist. She won a GLAAD media award in the past for her inclusive representation of the LGBT community in her video Beautiful. And that song is on the playlist for obvious reasons. But it is her song Soar that I find to be the more amazing of the two. "When they push, when they pull, tell me can you hold on? When they say you should change, can you lift your head high and stay strong? Will you love you for you at the end of it all?" and the chorus "Don't be scared to fly alone. Find your path that is your own. Love will open every door, it's in your hands the world is yours. Don't hold back and always know all the answers they will unfold. What are you waiting for? Spread your wings and SOAR!"

Can you imagine what it would be like if kids just started singing this in the halls at school?

Check out the song on iTunes and don't forget to donate.

Shifting Gears

Mission: To conquer an Olympic distance triathlon before the end of the summer to raise money to end bullying in schools

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Biking is not my strong suit. I find it difficult to concentrate on the ever changing road and I tend to just tune out while my feet go around and around. But sometimes I have to remember that it's not just enough to pedal, you have to push and try to maintain the same revolutions while you bike so you don't lose speed or momentum. This is difficult on hills or inclines. And I'm finding it difficult to get used to changing gears. But upshifting is important - it allows you to push hard against resistance and gives you your power. And downshifting is important - on the toughest of climbs it allows you to keep moving forward if you want to navigate the open road and maintain your power.

I've focused alot so far on the negative affect that bullying can have on young lives. And it does. But today, I want to change gears. I want to dedicate this post to the awesome people who make the hurdles and hills and even the everyday of school much easier for a kid who is finding it hard to keep moving onward. Perhaps it is the one teacher who singles out your strengths in class so as to give you confidence. Or perhaps it is the one or more friends who take some of the slack and allow you to keep moving forward on your toughest of days.

There were alot of shining moments for me in high school. I couldn't have survived without the forensic team and the drama team and all of the teachers who told me that I was unstoppable. But specifically, I want to thank those who literally saved my life. Amy, I knew from the first day we met we would be lifelong friends. Kathie, who understood my need to be myself. Tom, who tried out for the dance squad so I wouldn't be the only guy. Jay, my adopted brother from the laidback family I never had. Cathy, you were a cheerleader for pete's sake and you hung out with us. Laurie, who shared my love of James Dean. Keith, my reminder that there was a whole world that mattered more than school. I endeavor to do this triathlon for you.

Because everyone should have someone who can help them shift gears.

So Far So Good

So far, we've been able to raise nearly 500 dollars for GLSEN. This is awesome for the first week! Thanks to everyone who has donated thus far. And for those of you who haven't, there is still plenty of time. Click on the link in the sidebar and join my team.

Songs from the Playlist - Details in the Fabric

Jason Mraz rocks my boat. I think he is incredibly talented and his lyrics are so thoughtful. There are alot of cool songs on the album but the one that I connected to right away was Details in the Fabric. The chorus has become somewhat of a mantra for me. "Hold your own, know your name, and go your own way." It's a message that says even when the going is tough, just remember who you are and it will all work out. Carve your own path and you will survive the toughest time. I wish the two boys who hanged themselves in April because of the bullying they suffered at school would have heard this song and held out.

The Locker Room

Mission: To conquer an Olympic distance triathlon before the end of the summer to raise money to end bullying in schools

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Swimming can be tough. It's like this intense consistent cardio workout with muscles you aren't really used to using. You have to be much more conscious of your breathing than with land exercises because, well, there's that face in the water aspect to it. I've been training in a pool at the university for the last week and a half. It's attached to a workout room, a training room, and a gymnasium and obviously the locker room that connects all pieces.

Being in the locker room was a bit of a surprise. I don't belong to a large gym and I rarely have an occasion to be undressing in a locker room. I hated the locker room when I was in high school. I was the shortest, skinniest, scrawniest kid in high school, physically immature when compared to the rest of the boys my age. I was very self conscious about my body. It was just one more thing that led to getting picked on. I hated the idea of having to take a shower with the other guys. And since I wasn't going to shower after class, that meant I couldn't get sweaty, which meant that I couldn't be as competitive in gym class as I knew that I could be. This just led to more abuse. It was a pretty viscious cycle.

I'm not that scrawny kid anymore. Far from it. I have taken steps to maintain a pretty decent looking body since then. And I haven't shied away from showing my body at the beach or in clubs. But it was interesting being back in this stereotypically straight locker room venue populated with weightlifting meat head straight guys. Immediately, I was taken back to those shy self-conscious high school days. And that surprised me.

I think there will always be a part of me that remains the shy bullied kid. I will always remember being the last kid picked for the team at recess. At 38 years old, despite being admired for so many things, I still carry the baggage of being put down by my peers. Sometimes I wear it as a badge, sometimes it can only be a scar.

And that's why I'm raising money for GLSEN. Kids should be able to deal with their own self consciousness about their bodies without having to deal with taunts from other kids. They should be able to proudly express their physicality even if they are physically behind. And you can help. Donating to my triathlon challenge by clicking the link below or in the side bar, you can be part of my team, and part of the team that stops bullying in schools.

Donate now.

Songs from the Playlist - On My Own

I was pretty young when the movie Fame was released.  But I remember how much I wanted to go to the High School of the Performing Arts.  There were so many kids there that were just like me - talented, intense, and listening to the beat of their own drum.  But I still just wanted to fit in.  Of course, I loved so many songs from the soundtrack.  But Irene Cara's ballad On My Own seemed so sad yet so powerful.  She starts with the question "sometimes I wonder where I've been, who I am, do I fit in."  Immediately, I felt a connection to this song.   The song is about self reflection and self doubt.  But when she ends the song with the words "I may not win, but I can't be thrown out here on my own" there is a self reliance and power that really helped me during some of the bad days in high school.  Check out this song on iTunes as well as the other songs in the playlist on the sidebar.  And don't forget to donate to GLSEN

Sink or Swim

The Mission: to conquer an Olympic distance triathlon by the end of the summer to raise money to end bullying in schools.

Donate now

I have to go swimming today. I am realizing that the last time I was actually in a pool to swim was a long time ago. And that 90% of my swimwear was never meant to get wet. This thought is equally fabulous as it is depressing. Bye Bye AussieBum classic, hello Nike dragsuit..