Let me state that this race was not my idea. I was kicking around the idea (again) of doing an Ironman either this year or next. A friend of mine lost his mind and said he was doing "this one", figuring that if he was going to pull the trigger he was going to do so with a really hard race. My ego being what it is, I couldn't let him have all the fun and do HIS first Iron-distance without the "me too" effect kicking in. And so the saga began....most of you reading this have been involved with this story at some point or another and know a good deal of it...I need to point out a couple of individuals...
Noah - Dude has taken the brunt of the punishment on this endeavor. Living with me in general isn't easy. Make me tired, cranky, hungry, tired, over-extended, injured, cranky and just a little tired and it gets even worse. I don't think I've cleaned the house in months, my laundry has become our third roommate and both my dogs and the yard are more his than mine. And that's not even to mention the crankiness he's crossed or how much he's had to cook for me. I've even complained to his girlfriend in Jersey!! It's been amazingly hard for him to watch me train as he's been laid up on the couch after knee surgery, but he's coming back with a vengance. I may have some swimming competition on my hands...but I'll never admit it.
The Dan - If there's anyone that's dealt with more crap than Noah, it's Dan. I'm not the most stable person when I'm exhausted, and Dan makes a pretty easy target (he's 6'8", pretty hard to miss, eh?). He's been yelled at, cried to, picked on and has had to deal with just a whole bunch of shit from me. Not to say he didn't deserve it all, but I might have made up for lost time....he calls what I do 'suicide' and thinks I'm crazy. He may also be the only person that will be sad when this is over, because I'll inevitably have more free time to nag him and whine about seeing him and such. What a lucky guy.....
Tanya & Nila - Holy crap, I wouldn't be close to trained enough without my girls. They've drug me out for long runs, accompanied me on boring swims, gone on grand adventures to races, listened to me whine and complain and in general just kept me going. Neither has done an IM before, but I'm hoping that when the time comes, I can help them half as much as they have me. Or I'm at least hoping that they'll let me know so I can keep calling them SUCKERS.....
Gar - I'm blaming him, officially, for this whole thing. From putting my bike together every year, to buying bottles and Gus, to doing my laundry when I'm out to visit, to cooking my meals when I'm too sick to function in California, to providing a constant sounding board for all sorts of stupid questions (why does - insert any body part that has hurt, ever - hurt and what did I do?) Gar is the one that pushes me to go further and keep pushing myself. Not only is this single race his fault, but my whole triathlon career can be placed singly on his shoulders. I thank him for that but my bank account, on the other hand, feels nothing but pain and rues the day Megan Quigley gave me his name for a coach.
Smeltzer - I really hate to say "thanks" to him and to be nice at all, but he's been a fantastic sounding board and has guided and encouraged me throughout this process. He's kept things in a pretty good perspective. He's still a sarcastic ass, but I appreciate that, too.
The Parents - Of course, there's always the parents. Mine have given me motivation and encouragement, of course. A large part of that has been through doubt and fear. They know me better than anyone and are perfectly right in their feelings. They have funded a large portion of my endeavors far longer than they should....They are also my #1 fans and will be waiting at the finish line with a cheeseburger and a beer - possibly crying harder than me!
There are so many people I can point out directly for various reasons - helping me with running advice, telling me to pull the trigger, listening to me whine, riding with me in Louisville, putting up with my slacking, travelling to Vegas to cheer, fitting me on my bike, etc. and I appreciate everyone that's in my life and has played a part in this. The next episode of this should be a bit more entertaining....but I wanted to make sure I got my thank you's made public BEFORE I forget what a great idea this is...and how great everyone else is. You are all a part of my family and thank you.
There will be a point in a number of days where I call you all mean names because you are relaxing somewhere and haven't been sweating for multiple hours. Think of me and laugh.
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