The most insightful combination of words I may offer you on this Christmas eve, is one of my most favourite writings on the bicycle.
Mark Twain, Taming a Bike
It's a worthy read- enjoy with a hot cup of coffee, or warm mug of cocoa... however you like it, I hope you do.
We rarely take time to enjoy the simple things anymore. We are obsessed with gadgets and times, PR's and PB's, with carbon and aerodynamics, with the complicated... When we break it down, is the most beautiful, awesome, childlike parts of life not simply riding a bicycle?
This eve of Christmas Day, let's break it down, each aspect of today, to the child like- to remember the simple joys of life, of love, of friendships.
Happy Holidays to you, my friend.
Train safe.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Teamwork
....I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Excerpt from The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost.
Because, sometimes, someone else said it best.
For all you are to us, my friends, Thank you.
Train safe,
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Excerpt from The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost.
Because, sometimes, someone else said it best.
For all you are to us, my friends, Thank you.
Train safe,
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Great Minds Think Alike
I’ve started working with a new coach- who will be testing me over the next 2 weeks. Not to see if I’m motivated enough, but to see if I can follow direction when direction tells me to only train a few good quality hours a week. For this endurance junkie, scaling back this offseason will be the greatest challenge.
Somebody stop me!!!!!!
Biggest change of all, and one that is certainly more entertaining than what I’m doing- is Dylan. Dylan has joined the U7 tri team, and it’s been both very exciting for him, and very challenging. This is where my little man finds out the difference between liking the idea of something, and being committed to it.
Just 2 days ago, out of nowhere, another Dylanism, “Mommy, if I were a bird I’d fly over the clouds. Even if the other birds told me I couldn’t.” In one sentence my baby showed more will than most adults. I smiled, big smile, at his determination, strength, and sense of curiosity. I prayed he keeps on, not losing those qualities as he grows up.
Then, his first swim training: 6:30pm Thursday. He was the only U7 who showed. The lanes taken up by much more experienced, faster, lean & able older kids. My baby, standing in his new goggles and new TYR race suit, faced intimidation beyond anything he had ever felt before.
I wanted to tell him, “Be a bird!” But I needed him to be a bird on his own. Because it doesn’t matter if you are 5, or 55, if you back down, you’ve quit. And quit is a bad word in this house.
45min later, showered and ready for bed, he simply told me that swimming was not as exciting as he thought it would be, but he’d go back next week.
And once again that night, I went to bed in awe, and in thanks, of my tri-kid.
Being a mother is not the biggest challenge; it's certainly tough work, I'm not knocking it. But having survived a 15 month battle with PPD, a fight I almost lost, I can assure you that learning to be a good parent is much harder than just being a parent. There are days I do great, days I mess up, there are moments I must ask Dylan for forgiveness, there are times when I question every word I say. I over analyze because I'm terrified of falling back... Striving everyday to do better with the 2nd chance I have been given is a goal I myself, can never quit. Watching him fly- watching him soar, with fear in his eyes but a goal in his heart- inspires me and reminds me that we are all doing the same....We line up on race day, uncertain but confident, and we chase down the goal because we made a commitment to it. We are trying to fly higher, be better, do more with the chance we've been given. As I stare into the darkness outside my window this AM, I high 5 you all, and cheer you on as you keep going, through the early morning darkness and boredom of the indoor trainer- because, just as Dylan's learning them for the 1st time, this is also our time to relearn the many valuable lessons this awesome sport has to offer.
Train safe- You are all awesome!!!!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Pumpkinman 70.3, my Race Report
Oh my, is it really over? Say it can’t be…
The day I have waited for all year has come and gone, leaving it’s mark both in my hamstrings and in my heart. How smart of Little Miss. Me to make this year about Pumpkinman, because truly, I’m honored. I’m a Pumpkinwoman and darn proud of it! What an awesome day it was.
Writing a race report is not always the easiest thing to do. People want to know about the race, yet, often times we have so much reason & emotion weaved into the miles that it’s hard to only write about the swim, bike, run, volunteers, RD, organization, and what food they offered at the aid stations. I can say this, short & sweet, about Pumpkinman- it’s top notch. Kat, the RD, does an awesome job, and as a woman who still races endurance events herself, she knows what she is doing. If you need a later season Sprint or Half distance race- do the Pumpkin- you’ll be thrilled you did.
The longer, more descriptive RR starts here: The swim. The swim is gorgeous in crystal clear water- a 2 loop course. We started almost an hour late because the thick fog was hiding our course markers. About an hour after we all had gathered on the shore, at about 7:35am, the sun was starting to peep through and the adrenaline started to pump. Looking out into the water I was amazed at the beauty surrounding me; 550 athletes, all ready to take on the day- all strong & beautiful & offering a part of themselves not only to the race but to the memory of those we lost in 9/11. We honored the brave, applauded our freedom, and took in the awesome energy the morning sunshine offfered down to us. Tears flowed, muscles warmed up, and slowly the fog lifted revealing the 1km loop that would start our day.
Age group W30-34 dove in as the last wave. I was with a group of mostly local ladies- they knew the course. I knew nothing. 8:02am, my fight began.
T1 is on the top of a big ass hill that they challenge you to run up after the swim. Half way to the top of this mini ski hill I stopped to take my wetsuit off. There is a prize for the fastest man / woman to summit this beast of a hill- I say take off your wet suit at the bottom and use this hill drill as prep for the run course (more on that in a bit). It’s a sign for things to come. I was expecting a much slower swim on my part- because my swim training fell to pieces this season. I’ve done 1 or 2 OW swims p/wk, nothing I could say was adequate for a Half Iron. But I enjoyed the swim course and once we, the last swim wave, had passed the slower swimmers who took off ahead of us, the water opened up and I was able to cut almost a minute off last yr. HAPPY!
The bike is B U tiful. Stunning. Practically traffic free in regards to cars, because security is on high alert. It’s also almost traffic free in regards to bikes too…which, after having done Timberman last year, I can say this free- to- ride race has given my future races a new standard. Kat limits the field to 550 athletes, and although I wasn’t sure how fun that would be, it was awesome. At Timber I spent the bike focused on everyone else around me…. We rode in packs only because there were so many of us out on the course. It sucked. At Pumpkinman, you get passed, or you pass, but besides a rider several meters out in front, and one several meters in back, you can put your head down and work. 2 packs of about 5-6 athletes came by, drafting off each other, which at first frustrated me, but then I brushed it off and got back to racing my race. If people want to cheat to gain an advantage, go ahead. I’m staying 3 bike lengths back and will have an honest time for myself.
The bike is not rolling accept for 4 very fun rollers in the middle of the loop, but it is gradual. The ups are gradual and there are plenty of them. Sneaky buggers. The downs are just as lazy, nothing steep enough to allow you a recovery break- just throw it in high gear and make up some time lost from the ups. In no way would I call the bike course flat, it goes up, an although I saw a few in front of me get up and stand on the pedals, I kept it low and in aero for (mostly) the entire course.
Mercy was loving the ride, and my legs had a good burn to them. Mentally I allowed myself the freedom to push, knowing my bike is what would place me where I wanted to be. Last year I relied on my run, this year, the training meant ride on the edge of too hard, then hold on for the run. So I rode, and enjoyed every painful second of it. I let the tears flow twice on the ride- with an overwhelming feeling of joy, relief, and Thankfulness. The scenery fed my fairytale, while the race itself gave me time to think of all the wonderful people in my life- Mom, Derek, Ian, Lynn, Francois & Do, Ellen, Liz, Jesse, everyone at Immunotec and on FB and the boys @ SynergyCycle who showed such awesome support this season, and of course my baby boy who was waiting for me at T2- I cried and blew snot bombs in total gratitude of my life and how brilliant this sport is. If Timberman was the start line to freedom, Pumpkinman was a celebration of how far we’ve come.
I rode into T2 right where I wanted to be. Cut 22 minutes off last yr, in what I consider to be a tougher course for a few reasons. HAPPY!
Run- OH MY GOSH. I let my run fall apart this yr to focus on the bike. That was a choice I made. I'm happy with it.... mais, this course was up hill… up up up hill. A superb challenge! My plan was to 1) remember I have a base, dig deep & find it. 2) not allow myself to be intimidated by the fact that I was totally unaware of what the course was. I hadn’t previewed it, had never trained on it, and had zero idea of what I was in for- I had to forget that and just go forward as fast as I could one mile at a time. 3) run the race, walk the water stations to get in good nutrition. I’ve had my family come to only 1 other race, where they saw me collapse due to dehydration. The run course didn’t offer the shade that the bike did; it was sunny & it was time to be smart. So I followed my plan and it worked. I ran as fast as I could, never gave in even on the big ups, walked when drinking. When I did want to stop, I knew it was because I was simply fed up, but I had no real physical pain until the last 2 mi. Then it was obvious the bike & the hills had worn into me and it was time to HTFU to the finish. Turn the last corner and there is a big, steep, mother of a hill. It felt like an eternity. It put me in a place of pain I had never ever been before. Somewhere on that hill I lost all concept of reality, I went into a daze and only knew that Dylan was waiting for me. It took all my will, all my sanity, all my might to get me to the finish…. I saw stars and pink bunnies and as I gave my legs over to a higher power, I ran on determination….I was empowered to run with perseverance and I just counted my steps, followed the pink bunnies & fuzzy stars, gave thanks for the moment and kept going. Rounding the corner on the up & over the finishing chute appears. It’s the longest and steepest downhill of the day and it took every last ounce of me to not embarrass my mother by simply tucking it in and rolling down.
I saw Dylan on the sideline, I burst into tears, and ran smack into the volunteer who held my medal.
Pain, joy, gratitude, more pain and more pain all came over me at once. It was over, and I knew I had more than beat my time, I had kicked it’s scrawny butt. I only got my time once they posted it an hour later- holding onto the bouquet of dead dandelions that Dylan gave me, I found my name on the list: Julie Gorham 5:45. 11th in my AG of 32 women. HAPPY!!
I AM A PUMPKINWOMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I couldn’t eat, could hardly walk. We sat at the top of that last hill and cheered on the last athletes coming in. In the midst of cheers and encouragement, with salt and snot and sweat caked on my face, I felt like to most beautiful Mommy alive. PPD has left a black hole of missing memories- so be it. Dylan & I are building new ones. Sitting in the grass that afternoon, hearing my baby cheer and play his harmonica for these awesome athletes- I lingered in my physical pain knowing I wanted it to last, so I could remember it and how worthy and deserving this celebration race was. Dylan and I both learned a lot during the 70.3 miles that make up Pumpkinman- we learned that our family, as silly and irrational as we might seem, we are a team. We are strong and able and totally blessed to be who we are. For as long as I don’t finish last, then we will be on the sidelines to cheer that last person on. We know what it means to need some support. And since life gave us that chance, since we got through and we survived the toughest race, we will be here to cheer on the other families who are raging the battle against PPD…..There is a finish line, there is passion where the void now rests, there is love waiting to fill up the darkness- just walk, one step at a time, through the aid stations and hold on….
Most people finish a race thinking, "I could have done this better, or pushed more there..." No Way! I was at the limit and I knew it and that is what balancing 3 sports + life + being a Mommy is about. It’s what I’m striving & learning for everyday in training- to simply be the best I can for those I love. 5:45 is the best I could have done on Sunday, and I'm darn proud of it.
Thank you, all of you, YOU ARE AWSOME!!
The day I have waited for all year has come and gone, leaving it’s mark both in my hamstrings and in my heart. How smart of Little Miss. Me to make this year about Pumpkinman, because truly, I’m honored. I’m a Pumpkinwoman and darn proud of it! What an awesome day it was.
Writing a race report is not always the easiest thing to do. People want to know about the race, yet, often times we have so much reason & emotion weaved into the miles that it’s hard to only write about the swim, bike, run, volunteers, RD, organization, and what food they offered at the aid stations. I can say this, short & sweet, about Pumpkinman- it’s top notch. Kat, the RD, does an awesome job, and as a woman who still races endurance events herself, she knows what she is doing. If you need a later season Sprint or Half distance race- do the Pumpkin- you’ll be thrilled you did.
The longer, more descriptive RR starts here: The swim. The swim is gorgeous in crystal clear water- a 2 loop course. We started almost an hour late because the thick fog was hiding our course markers. About an hour after we all had gathered on the shore, at about 7:35am, the sun was starting to peep through and the adrenaline started to pump. Looking out into the water I was amazed at the beauty surrounding me; 550 athletes, all ready to take on the day- all strong & beautiful & offering a part of themselves not only to the race but to the memory of those we lost in 9/11. We honored the brave, applauded our freedom, and took in the awesome energy the morning sunshine offfered down to us. Tears flowed, muscles warmed up, and slowly the fog lifted revealing the 1km loop that would start our day.
Age group W30-34 dove in as the last wave. I was with a group of mostly local ladies- they knew the course. I knew nothing. 8:02am, my fight began.
T1 is on the top of a big ass hill that they challenge you to run up after the swim. Half way to the top of this mini ski hill I stopped to take my wetsuit off. There is a prize for the fastest man / woman to summit this beast of a hill- I say take off your wet suit at the bottom and use this hill drill as prep for the run course (more on that in a bit). It’s a sign for things to come. I was expecting a much slower swim on my part- because my swim training fell to pieces this season. I’ve done 1 or 2 OW swims p/wk, nothing I could say was adequate for a Half Iron. But I enjoyed the swim course and once we, the last swim wave, had passed the slower swimmers who took off ahead of us, the water opened up and I was able to cut almost a minute off last yr. HAPPY!
The bike is B U tiful. Stunning. Practically traffic free in regards to cars, because security is on high alert. It’s also almost traffic free in regards to bikes too…which, after having done Timberman last year, I can say this free- to- ride race has given my future races a new standard. Kat limits the field to 550 athletes, and although I wasn’t sure how fun that would be, it was awesome. At Timber I spent the bike focused on everyone else around me…. We rode in packs only because there were so many of us out on the course. It sucked. At Pumpkinman, you get passed, or you pass, but besides a rider several meters out in front, and one several meters in back, you can put your head down and work. 2 packs of about 5-6 athletes came by, drafting off each other, which at first frustrated me, but then I brushed it off and got back to racing my race. If people want to cheat to gain an advantage, go ahead. I’m staying 3 bike lengths back and will have an honest time for myself.
The bike is not rolling accept for 4 very fun rollers in the middle of the loop, but it is gradual. The ups are gradual and there are plenty of them. Sneaky buggers. The downs are just as lazy, nothing steep enough to allow you a recovery break- just throw it in high gear and make up some time lost from the ups. In no way would I call the bike course flat, it goes up, an although I saw a few in front of me get up and stand on the pedals, I kept it low and in aero for (mostly) the entire course.
Mercy was loving the ride, and my legs had a good burn to them. Mentally I allowed myself the freedom to push, knowing my bike is what would place me where I wanted to be. Last year I relied on my run, this year, the training meant ride on the edge of too hard, then hold on for the run. So I rode, and enjoyed every painful second of it. I let the tears flow twice on the ride- with an overwhelming feeling of joy, relief, and Thankfulness. The scenery fed my fairytale, while the race itself gave me time to think of all the wonderful people in my life- Mom, Derek, Ian, Lynn, Francois & Do, Ellen, Liz, Jesse, everyone at Immunotec and on FB and the boys @ SynergyCycle who showed such awesome support this season, and of course my baby boy who was waiting for me at T2- I cried and blew snot bombs in total gratitude of my life and how brilliant this sport is. If Timberman was the start line to freedom, Pumpkinman was a celebration of how far we’ve come.
I rode into T2 right where I wanted to be. Cut 22 minutes off last yr, in what I consider to be a tougher course for a few reasons. HAPPY!
Run- OH MY GOSH. I let my run fall apart this yr to focus on the bike. That was a choice I made. I'm happy with it.... mais, this course was up hill… up up up hill. A superb challenge! My plan was to 1) remember I have a base, dig deep & find it. 2) not allow myself to be intimidated by the fact that I was totally unaware of what the course was. I hadn’t previewed it, had never trained on it, and had zero idea of what I was in for- I had to forget that and just go forward as fast as I could one mile at a time. 3) run the race, walk the water stations to get in good nutrition. I’ve had my family come to only 1 other race, where they saw me collapse due to dehydration. The run course didn’t offer the shade that the bike did; it was sunny & it was time to be smart. So I followed my plan and it worked. I ran as fast as I could, never gave in even on the big ups, walked when drinking. When I did want to stop, I knew it was because I was simply fed up, but I had no real physical pain until the last 2 mi. Then it was obvious the bike & the hills had worn into me and it was time to HTFU to the finish. Turn the last corner and there is a big, steep, mother of a hill. It felt like an eternity. It put me in a place of pain I had never ever been before. Somewhere on that hill I lost all concept of reality, I went into a daze and only knew that Dylan was waiting for me. It took all my will, all my sanity, all my might to get me to the finish…. I saw stars and pink bunnies and as I gave my legs over to a higher power, I ran on determination….I was empowered to run with perseverance and I just counted my steps, followed the pink bunnies & fuzzy stars, gave thanks for the moment and kept going. Rounding the corner on the up & over the finishing chute appears. It’s the longest and steepest downhill of the day and it took every last ounce of me to not embarrass my mother by simply tucking it in and rolling down.
I saw Dylan on the sideline, I burst into tears, and ran smack into the volunteer who held my medal.
Pain, joy, gratitude, more pain and more pain all came over me at once. It was over, and I knew I had more than beat my time, I had kicked it’s scrawny butt. I only got my time once they posted it an hour later- holding onto the bouquet of dead dandelions that Dylan gave me, I found my name on the list: Julie Gorham 5:45. 11th in my AG of 32 women. HAPPY!!
I AM A PUMPKINWOMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I couldn’t eat, could hardly walk. We sat at the top of that last hill and cheered on the last athletes coming in. In the midst of cheers and encouragement, with salt and snot and sweat caked on my face, I felt like to most beautiful Mommy alive. PPD has left a black hole of missing memories- so be it. Dylan & I are building new ones. Sitting in the grass that afternoon, hearing my baby cheer and play his harmonica for these awesome athletes- I lingered in my physical pain knowing I wanted it to last, so I could remember it and how worthy and deserving this celebration race was. Dylan and I both learned a lot during the 70.3 miles that make up Pumpkinman- we learned that our family, as silly and irrational as we might seem, we are a team. We are strong and able and totally blessed to be who we are. For as long as I don’t finish last, then we will be on the sidelines to cheer that last person on. We know what it means to need some support. And since life gave us that chance, since we got through and we survived the toughest race, we will be here to cheer on the other families who are raging the battle against PPD…..There is a finish line, there is passion where the void now rests, there is love waiting to fill up the darkness- just walk, one step at a time, through the aid stations and hold on….
Most people finish a race thinking, "I could have done this better, or pushed more there..." No Way! I was at the limit and I knew it and that is what balancing 3 sports + life + being a Mommy is about. It’s what I’m striving & learning for everyday in training- to simply be the best I can for those I love. 5:45 is the best I could have done on Sunday, and I'm darn proud of it.
Thank you, all of you, YOU ARE AWSOME!!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
WOW! Summer has flown past me… perhaps because I’ve been blessed to log in some serious bike mileage this season, so everything went by in a whirl (I’m fast like that!) or simply because this summer was truly about finding that balance between Awesome-Triathlete-Wannabe and Awesomest-Mommy-Tryingtobe. A win win situation really, and thanks to my mom, some sexy compression socks and lots of coffee I have been able to make it all happen without falling asleep in aero. ☺ (Thank goodness, cause I spent most of my training time riding my bike!)
The start line is 1 week away. That’s close enough to smell, not yet close enough to taste. That means 1) I should probably look back on my program and do all that speed work I skipped over 2) I should be feeling ready, and almost at peak, to take on anther 70.3 mile sandwich.
1) I hate speed work. I’ll be slower yet longer my entire life. That’s OK with me. I’ll rep the MOP’s, no problem.
2) I’m ready physically (ok, my run sucks) but I’m ready to START. Just not ready to FINISH.
If I could spend the next few months out on the race course I’d be uber-joyed. I’m not at all ready for the season to be over. Because although I’ve been putting in lots of mileage- I’m not tired yet. I’m having too much fun.
That’s my only fear now that taper time has settled in my mind. Did I spend too much time having fun in training, that I forgot the purpose of it all was to become a faster AGer? Perhaps. But that’s life as I know it. That’s the ultimate joy for me- being able to balance 18hrs a week of training with raising a little person. Training, quite simply, is my twisted idea of fun.
If it’s my party, can I cry if I want to now that taper is here and I’m not quite ready to turn down the volume?
See, life, my dear reader, is truly shits & giggles. This sport, however, is not. It’s pain and gain and just when those two come together it’ll beat the BAMF out of you. Chop wood, carry water. All play and no work doesn’t make for a strong FINISH…. Or does it?
I can take the next 7 days and try to figure out where I missed out or left out a precious swim session. Or, I can focus on the now, knowing that 70.3 miles has got nothing on me… I’m a tough cookie!!
Maybe, for the next few days at least, it’s about finding the road less taken, to the outcome most sought after.
I’ve got 1 week tilll race day, and about 4 weeks of warm weather left to go…. If you need me, I’ll be on my bike. Enjoying the ride- living my good life. My smile is still there. My cheeks still hurt. My legs are thick as trunks. Who said I can’t float, ride, crawl?
You guys are awesome… TRAIN SAFE!
The start line is 1 week away. That’s close enough to smell, not yet close enough to taste. That means 1) I should probably look back on my program and do all that speed work I skipped over 2) I should be feeling ready, and almost at peak, to take on anther 70.3 mile sandwich.
1) I hate speed work. I’ll be slower yet longer my entire life. That’s OK with me. I’ll rep the MOP’s, no problem.
2) I’m ready physically (ok, my run sucks) but I’m ready to START. Just not ready to FINISH.
If I could spend the next few months out on the race course I’d be uber-joyed. I’m not at all ready for the season to be over. Because although I’ve been putting in lots of mileage- I’m not tired yet. I’m having too much fun.
That’s my only fear now that taper time has settled in my mind. Did I spend too much time having fun in training, that I forgot the purpose of it all was to become a faster AGer? Perhaps. But that’s life as I know it. That’s the ultimate joy for me- being able to balance 18hrs a week of training with raising a little person. Training, quite simply, is my twisted idea of fun.
If it’s my party, can I cry if I want to now that taper is here and I’m not quite ready to turn down the volume?
See, life, my dear reader, is truly shits & giggles. This sport, however, is not. It’s pain and gain and just when those two come together it’ll beat the BAMF out of you. Chop wood, carry water. All play and no work doesn’t make for a strong FINISH…. Or does it?
I can take the next 7 days and try to figure out where I missed out or left out a precious swim session. Or, I can focus on the now, knowing that 70.3 miles has got nothing on me… I’m a tough cookie!!
Maybe, for the next few days at least, it’s about finding the road less taken, to the outcome most sought after.
I’ve got 1 week tilll race day, and about 4 weeks of warm weather left to go…. If you need me, I’ll be on my bike. Enjoying the ride- living my good life. My smile is still there. My cheeks still hurt. My legs are thick as trunks. Who said I can’t float, ride, crawl?
You guys are awesome… TRAIN SAFE!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Roth is not in Africa
So, WOW, it happened. Sometimes I think I am so brilliant- because I knew this was going to happen, and now it has, too bad so sad I didn’t use my awesome smarts to come up with a plan B for when it did happen like it just happened cause now I don’t know what’s going to happen at all.
Roth sold out. In 47 minutes. Before I got a chance to register. Now, if you are that one person who reads this blog you know that Challenge Roth is my ultimate dream. It’s my IM, my line to cross, my course to race… it’s THE race for me. Given all the huppla I’ve put around it I should have been sitting in front of the computer for hours waiting to sign up, so missing the ‘race’ on this one is, technically, my bad. I know if you are that one person then you’re wondering how the heck…..
So here’s the story, straight from the donkey’s mouth, so that we all know, or so that I can allow myself just one more cry about it, because I might really need a hug.
I don’t know at this point if I can go to Roth next year. My number 1 supporter in life, my mommy, might not be able to make it. Yes, I know, this is the same mommy-person who told me to live my dream & do it & she would come along so that Dylan could be there, blah blah blah… BUT, mommy dearest might be hitting the high road for South Africa. MIGHT. She’s kinda undecided right now. So until she knows where she’s headed, what life changing decisions she is making (my dad is included here too, but, he’s a smart man (my brains are genetic, my lack-of-speed is too!) he’s going where mom goes) but until they know, well, I can’t know.
Hence this blog title changed some time ago. If my biggest supporter & race /training camp co-traveling Nanny decides to go live in SA- well, Roth will have to wait.
So, here is the question everyone is asking… I’ll forget Roth and do IMSA, right? No. Wrong. SA70.3 yes. IMSA, no. WTF? Well, because really, the 140.6mi race I want to do is Roth. Kinda that simple- so let me complicate it:
Completing Roth as my first biggie is where my heart is. It’s where a lot of emotions lie for me, where the desire to train so many, many miles will motivate me everyday. I don’t think I could ask Dylan for that much e-motional drainage if it didn’t really, really matter to me.
This sport is a tricky one. It’s feisty and opinionated. It’s darn expensive in roller coaster emotions, time, physical ability, and money. I am one person raising another one person- I need him to learn by example that when you dedicate your heart to something you go for it, blood sweat tears and joy. And you never, ever yo-yo string along your cheerleaders for something you’re only going to half-ass. I have learned in life that the people who will stick with you, who will high 5 you and push you along are rare, and golden. Those most awesome people are worthy of nothing less than all of your best.
I also know from Timberville that the moments that define me are the moments I need to share with Dylan. He wakes up each day to a sweaty, got-in-just-in-time-to-make-pancakes type of mother—he deserves even more than I do to be at the finish line. So unless I chain him to the bike rack in Roth, well, Roth will simply have to wait for Nana to return from her safari. Then I can simply chain Nana to Dylan for the day!
We’ll get there, one day. Que sera, sera. In the meantime, I’ll keep trecking along these Yellow Bricks, with my eye on the prize and a silly song in my heart, enjoying every awesome training day & every mile of each 70.3, with you.
Thank you, for all you do, to keep my big dream big. You are all awesome!!
Train safe, race smart!!
Roth sold out. In 47 minutes. Before I got a chance to register. Now, if you are that one person who reads this blog you know that Challenge Roth is my ultimate dream. It’s my IM, my line to cross, my course to race… it’s THE race for me. Given all the huppla I’ve put around it I should have been sitting in front of the computer for hours waiting to sign up, so missing the ‘race’ on this one is, technically, my bad. I know if you are that one person then you’re wondering how the heck…..
So here’s the story, straight from the donkey’s mouth, so that we all know, or so that I can allow myself just one more cry about it, because I might really need a hug.
I don’t know at this point if I can go to Roth next year. My number 1 supporter in life, my mommy, might not be able to make it. Yes, I know, this is the same mommy-person who told me to live my dream & do it & she would come along so that Dylan could be there, blah blah blah… BUT, mommy dearest might be hitting the high road for South Africa. MIGHT. She’s kinda undecided right now. So until she knows where she’s headed, what life changing decisions she is making (my dad is included here too, but, he’s a smart man (my brains are genetic, my lack-of-speed is too!) he’s going where mom goes) but until they know, well, I can’t know.
Hence this blog title changed some time ago. If my biggest supporter & race /training camp co-traveling Nanny decides to go live in SA- well, Roth will have to wait.
So, here is the question everyone is asking… I’ll forget Roth and do IMSA, right? No. Wrong. SA70.3 yes. IMSA, no. WTF? Well, because really, the 140.6mi race I want to do is Roth. Kinda that simple- so let me complicate it:
Completing Roth as my first biggie is where my heart is. It’s where a lot of emotions lie for me, where the desire to train so many, many miles will motivate me everyday. I don’t think I could ask Dylan for that much e-motional drainage if it didn’t really, really matter to me.
This sport is a tricky one. It’s feisty and opinionated. It’s darn expensive in roller coaster emotions, time, physical ability, and money. I am one person raising another one person- I need him to learn by example that when you dedicate your heart to something you go for it, blood sweat tears and joy. And you never, ever yo-yo string along your cheerleaders for something you’re only going to half-ass. I have learned in life that the people who will stick with you, who will high 5 you and push you along are rare, and golden. Those most awesome people are worthy of nothing less than all of your best.
I also know from Timberville that the moments that define me are the moments I need to share with Dylan. He wakes up each day to a sweaty, got-in-just-in-time-to-make-pancakes type of mother—he deserves even more than I do to be at the finish line. So unless I chain him to the bike rack in Roth, well, Roth will simply have to wait for Nana to return from her safari. Then I can simply chain Nana to Dylan for the day!
We’ll get there, one day. Que sera, sera. In the meantime, I’ll keep trecking along these Yellow Bricks, with my eye on the prize and a silly song in my heart, enjoying every awesome training day & every mile of each 70.3, with you.
Thank you, for all you do, to keep my big dream big. You are all awesome!!
Train safe, race smart!!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
This is War
Yesterday I was almost crushed on my bike by some loser who rode into my back wheel at the red light. He was cursing at me to get off "his" road.... We all know what I'm talking about, those stupid people are out there.
Train safe, and remind others to DRIVE safe!!
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