Madison or Bust

So far so good. Rain or shine, sleet and snow, GI business (if you get my drift), and scorching sun we are training as if our lives depend on it. Never before have I felt so committed to an event, well, except maybe graduate school, my first marathon, or getting married to my wife, but other than THOSE times, this is definitely the most committed I've ever been! You have to be intensely committed to take on an Ironman, don't you? Why else, in gods name, would someone commit more than six months of weekends, evenings, lunch breaks, and nights of sleep to endless running, biking and swimming? Don't get me wrong, this is a frolicking good time, but seriously, there was a life before Ironman...wasn't there? Didn't I once go to movies, take walks on the beach and enjoy leisurely weekends? NO? I didn't? Well thank god then that I'm finally doing something useful with my 'free' time. My life will now forever be broken into the 'before ironman' years, 'ironman training' and 'post ironman'. This journey is THAT defining for me.

Training is amazing. Every week I learn something more about myself and about my will to live. When you're out on a highway, on top of a steep hill, with cars racing by and rain pounding down, one really appreciates every breath we take. Well, that and that the brakes that were recently tightened. Sometimes when it gets hard I just think about the blessings that have come. The blessings that allow me to spend this much time swimming, biking and running. The blessings that keep me healthy and safe as I swim, bike and run myself straight to Madison. The blessings that have brought me to this path with some of the most phenomenal, fantastic women I have ever met. We are changing our lives with every yard, every mile, every revolution of our tires. Look out Madison.....here we come!

Cheers!
Here's to Madison!

PS: gotta love a good runner's high!