Ramblings

I haven't read the book (17 hours to Glory - stories about the people who get to Ironman Hawaii), but a friend posted this quote from it. I like it. I think the quote applies to all endurance sports, it fits me, and says a lot about why I have fallen for endurance sports.

"The Ironman has value because it demands value. It cannot be done in one blast of self-destruction or prodigal effort. What sets it apart from bungee jumping or other dares is that it cannot be done on a whim. And it is so hard that you cannot simply do it and risk damaging your body as a cheap price to pay. It demands a long-term physical and mental discipline, a careful accumulation of hard work, and control over the mind and emotions to allocate your energy to the last drop."

Hmmm.....mental discipline? Yup. Physical discipline? Yup. Willing to work hard? Yup. No wonder why I love endurance sports - it puts my powers to good use instead of evil.

When I think about Ironman I know I can finish - with the right training. The only thing that scares me is what can stop me - a structural injury. I will deal with it, heal, and try again. You can't plan for everything, but you can train for anything! This next year will be interesting!

And after I accomplish this goal? I can visualize more Ironman 70.3 (I won't say full Ironman competitions yet) competitions (Ireland, Spain,or Italy anyone?) and my first ultra marathon. But that is getting WAY ahead of myself. Let's see about this goal first! There are a lot of ifs, and no guarantees. I am pretty excited right now!