Guest post by Cynthia Falardeau – IRACELIKEAGIRL Member – South Region

Ten years of triathlon have made me a better mother. My full-time careers as the CEO of a non-profit and now a Senior Director of a global women’s organization have proven that time is my most precious commodity.

My secret powers are planning and execution. Mastering tight triathlon transitions are my superpowers. Although I can’t do a flying dismount, my secret sauce is coordinating the sequencing of motherhood, home, husband, and all things triathlon.

In life and in triathlon, I run on a tight schedule. I time each transition of my daily life. It might sound a bit compulsive, but I even taught our son these critical life skills.

His early challenges of being non-verbal and an amputee were overcome through a transferred spirit of tenacity, earning him the nickname “scrappy boy” by his teachers and our pastor.

You just can’t make up grittiness – it’s earned not given.

The true trifecta of motherhood, career and triathlon exists in my SUV. Honestly, you could live, train and eat out of the “mom bus.”

One morning, following an early morning swim, I realized I had forgotten my bra. As a full-busted Athena, I could not afford to let my coconuts hang low at an important donor event. Panicked, I searched my vehicle for a spare brassiere. Alas, none to be found. In a moment of invention, I worked with my triathlon tools; clear packing tape and Fiskars five-inch blunt tip kid scissors. Within minutes, I created the perfect uplifting wrap.

I felt empowered and unstoppable. I realized I could achieve all things through inventive transitions.