Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Training For an Ironman

I guess I knew what I was getting into when I registered for Ironman Cozumel last November.

I knew there would be long days, and there have been many. I knew there would be hard days. Days that I would barely be able to walk when my feet hit the floor in the morning.  I knew there would be mornings when I would just want to hit that 5am snooze button and sleep until noon.
 As I sit here, two weeks away from leaving to go to Cozumel, I realize I have survived the long days, pushed through the hard days and the pain and woken up every morning to not dread the day, but seize it.
I've learned to look at every day as another opportunity to get just a little bit faster on the bike, run just a little bit further (or is it farther? Does anyone really even know?) or work on my swim stroke so I can be just that little bit more efficient.

 I knew I would neglect my friends, my social life, my chores and pretty much everything else. I knew all this and made the decision to do it anyway. Tex doesn't get walked as often and for that I feel unbearable guilt.  I have the most patient and understanding girlfriend any man could ever ask for. She's been nothing but positive and supportive these past few months, and for that I am eternally grateful (it's almost December, baby!)

It's funny how solitary trialthon is. Just you and your bike, or running shoes or a lake or pool for hours on end. Sure, sometimes I train with other people, but for the most part, I'm alone, doing what I set out to do. Funny thing is that I really couldn't even tell you what the heck I think about when training. I think I mostly just picture myself in Cozumel, on the course, and that's what keeps me going. I think about what it will be like to cross that finish line and honestly, just the thought of it almost chokes me up.

I've spent months striving towards a goal that is almost here.

Shit...it's almost here....

Am I ready for this race? Hell, I don't know. I think I'm as ready as I'm going to get. Am I afraid of this race? Damn straight I am. Am I afraid I won't be able to finish this race? Not for a second.

I think the thing I'm most afraid of is that I'm not going to know what to do with all my free time when it's over.