I train for gymnastics a lot. No really, a lot. It feels like my job only I don't get paid to do it...yet. You get to see my accomplishments, which are sometimes a big deal because of my age. What you don't see are my fails and there are plenty of them.

Fail #1: Attempting to do a skill or drill and looking like an absolute weirdo. Sometimes I feel like those 4 year old boys in preschool gymnastics - you know what I'm talking about.

Fail #2: Falling while attempting to do a skill or drill and looking like an absolute weirdo. I do a lot of this as you will see in my pictures.

Please come watch me compete in Las Vegas on March 3rd, 5:00 pm at the Gymnastics Mega Meet. I am competing AAU Unattached Ladies Division. The other ladies in my division are between 38 and 68 years old.

Less that three years ago I refused to do things like front handspring on the spring floor, vault, front tuck into the pit. At 59, it's a daunting prospect to consider going upside down, landing your feet on the ground and possibly slipping onto your back or butt. No one wants to get hurt. And by getting hurt I mean breaking a hip, twisting a knee, hurting a toe or a pinky. Seriously, the game is different from up here in the higher numbers.

Let me say it here. I CAN FALL ON MY BUTT 10 TIMES AT GYMNASTICS AND NOT GET SORE!

Little by little, I have developed strength in my ankles and feet to actually sprint down the vault runway. I developed strength in my core and my shoulders. I am confident running on any surface and doing a front handspring knowing if my feet slip and I fall to my hips, it won't hurt me and and it won't make me sore.

How did I get here? That's another blog about Fail #2. It's about being different. About looking weird and failing, a lot. But little by little we can all do this no matter what our age. I will prove it to you.

Photography Credits: Rich Nishimura, Holly Power

Coach: Holly Power (magician)