Thank you Ironman

Can you please pass the tissues?

Yesterday I watched the televised version of Ironman Hawaii. I have watched this event since it first premiered on television in the 1980's and Julie Moss struggled to complete the run.  Her struggle but utter determination in an event so extreme stuck with me. I have a very real, basic, visceral reaction to that memory.  The vision of her in her trucker hat and track shorts wobbling but willing herself forward sits in my mind and reminds me how much is possible.

Ever since that day triathlon, and specifically Ironman or the iron distance has been a seed in my mind. A little bit of a growth daring me to think about it, to feed it, to dare to dream about it.

I have completed the Try-a-Tri, Sprint and most of the Olympic Distance Triathlon. I have fed the seed and watered it and played in its playground.  I have ran many foot races, swam many laps in the pool, and bicycled for hours.  I have trained in the gym to make my body stronger, and I have stayed in the yoga hot room to make my body stronger and my mind stronger.  I have connected to the dream and I have committed to it.

I have many races and small goals set, all in line in one master plan to reach the pinnacle, the summit, to earn the chance to be called an "Ironman".  It is blocked out in time and space. I have picked the races and the places and know the path that I will take to get there. I will be counted among the few that have gone the distance.

Every year that I watched the race it added fuel to the dream. But it always seemed just a little unreachable. I always marvelled at the will and the ability of the people that were able to compete in and finish the Ironman Championship.  It always brought a tear to my eyes.

But now that I have started in the sport it resonates on a different level.  I feel the nerves and the anxiety at the daunting mass start swim. I can imagine fully how challenging and scary it must be for the first 10minutes or so of that race. I can also imagine the swelling of emotion at the start. The pride in oneself for having the determination to put in the effort and the miles to toe the start line. And I can appreciate the utter joy at crossing the finish line and becoming part of the elite group that is able to state "I am an Ironman".

So today I want to thank all of the professionals who make it look so elegant and show us what grace in human efficiency and form looks like.  I want to thank all of the age groupers who prove that with time and effort and a little discipline people like me, the every man can achieve what once seemed impossible. I thank you for showing me what we can do, and how great we can be.

I want to thank Mike Riley for being the voice in my head that spurs me on in my training. You might not ever actually call out my name in any of the races I compete at, but you challenge and encourage me all the same. I want to thank my friends and my brother for motivating me to start in the first place.  I want to thank Mitch and Janet Fraser, and Barry Sheply for your inclusion at making feel like part of the triathlon team in Ontario.  Thank you to Subaru, Milk, Ford, Ironman and Trisport for all of the races and all of the distances so that I can train and watch and learn and continue to be inspired to be a better me. Thank you Kona for the dream.

Now, I am off to run 12km so I can build myself up and take one more step toward the end goal.  Please pass the tissue so that I can wipe the tears of joy off of my face and focus on the dream that I am running toward.