Diana Andrews – iCan Athlete Spotlight – 10/19/12
The things I said I will never do….but I’ll get to that later. First let me introduce myself. I was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia until the age of 16. Like most immigrants, my mom came looking for the American dream, and over the years she brought us all along.
I am married and have 3 wonderful, bright and smart boys, Jamen 14, Matthew 12 and Kinnick 7. We are a family against all odds, or as psychologist will put it, blended/mixed, bicultural, biracial family, throw in a few other issues and VOILÀ!!! The perfect family… I guess what I am trying to say is that it has been a challenge, and it has taken a little of determination, compromise and love to make things work.
Which brings me back to the things I said I will never do. Let me give you a little background about me. I have never been an athlete. I didn’t play sports in school, not only because I was not interested but because they were not supported, but things changed about 5 years ago, when I finally decided to start working out. However, running has never been in my plans, or was not a workout option, yet I kept meeting people with this passion, almost love for it, which I couldn’t really understand. How can you love to go out and run 5, 7, 10 miles all at once? That was something I said I will NEVER do, I was not a runner, I was simply not interested in it.
Until I heard about the iCan project, a good opportunity…I thought. As I said before my way of exercising was by working out, very early in the morning. Not by choice, but by convenience. It was during one of my early YMCA classes that the instructor announced this opportunity. Looking back, I think the lack of sleep and, at that time, right after a hard class, the lack of oxygen in my brain, made me inquire about this opportunity. The information was passed on to me and I read it all…for a few days I kept going back to coach Loran’s web page and read it again, and again, and thinking of the reasons within me, why would I want to participate. Finally I talked myself into doing it, after all, all I was doing was submitting my application. What are the odds that I was going to be chosen? There’s got to be a lot more people interested in this, with better qualities, eager to participate, willing to run, with a “special” love for it than me. So just like that I hit submit, days went by and I kind of forgot about it…a few days later I got the e-mail I have been chosen….What have I done?!
It has been a great opportunity. I have met amazing people, all with their own goals and demons to fight. Most importantly, with their own willingness to succeed. I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone and into a new adventure. It has giving me the opportunity to show my boys what commitment, hard work and challenge means. If you put your mind and efforts into it, you achieve what you want.
Life, just like our family, is about opportunities, challenges, commitment, and how we deal with them. And at the finish line the big prize, for me, my family!
