When I grow up...

It finally happened.  I finally realized what I want to be when I grow up.  It has only taken me 42 years, 8 months and 12 days.

When I grow up, I want to be Missy Franklin.

I know, it seems strange that a grown woman would want to become a 17 year old again.  But this isn't just any 17 year old. 

I'm sure that down the road, Missy's character flaws will be discovered and paraded around the media, but for right now, she appears to be the perfect young female athlete. 

She...

• Is Smart (an honors student)
• Is Driven (you would have to be to reach the Olympics at 17)
• Is Well Grounded (passed up endorsement offers so that she wouldn't loose her eligibility to swim in college)
• Is Loyal (Asked "If it ain't broke, why fix it?" to those that suggested that she leave her one and only coach...who had never coached an Olympian before),
• Is Enthusiastic (just so darn excited and happy about being in the Olympics),
• Has perspective (told a reporter "I don't think finishing 4th in the OLYMPICS is anything to be disappointed about)
• Is Poised (I know for a fact that I would be a giddy idiot with all those media appearances)
• Can SWIM!!! (understatement!)

Although I spent most of my childhood in the water, I didn't swim on a team until high school.  By then it was too late.  Or I was too intimidated to put in the work.  Or I was too lazy.  Or I wasn't mature enough.  All I know is that I didn't swim very well in high school.

I swam at my community college for a season.  I loved being on the team, and I loved practicing...but I still wasn't that fast of a swimmer.  So when you are not fast, you are put on the distance races.  I am proud to say that I placed 3rd in the equivalent of the state meet in the 1650 Free.  That is a mile of swimming, by the way.  33 laps.  All at once.  Without stopping.  And I placed 3rd.  I was pretty excited. 

Oh...by the way...there were only 3 people in the race.

So I guess it wasn't as impressive as it first sounded.

As I sit here thinking about it... I that it's not that I WANT to be Missy when I grow up, but more that I WISH I had been more like her AS I was growing up. 

Instead of being insecure I'm too slow, I'm too fat, I'm not as cool as those girls on Varsity, Sue B. is always better at me in everything!!

I wish I would have had the confidence to stick with it, work hard, push myself and see what I was actually capable of. 

Oh wait...

This unflattering picture is an over heated, exhausted, slightly heavier than recommended woman crossing a finish line at a Triathlon in LAST PLACE!

Upon closer inspection, we see that that woman crossing the finish line in LAST PLACE was actually ME! (With my dear friend and partner in crime...Pat Nixon aka Crystal).

I can assure you that I was too slow this day.  And the rolls around my tummy show that I should probably lay off the butter pecan, and everyone there had cooler bikes and better gear and looked adorable in their LuLuLemon outfits that I will probably never fit into, and Crystal is better than me in everything. 

So all those issues I had in high school are still there.  But the 42 year old me decided to say screw it.  I decided to push myself and see what I was actually capable of. 

So while I will never be the athlete Missy is, and I will never be 17 again, and I will definitely never be as tall as she is...I hope that when I 'grow up' that I will be able to be well grounded, have perspective, be driven, be loyal, be enthusiastic and remain poised when I'm a world famous blogger/speaker and I'm interviewed on The Today Show...just like her.

Congratulations to Missy and to all of Team USA Swimming. You guys rocked it!!!