New Pathways open New Communities

After having spent a year after running my ultra at Tunnel Hill and working hard at work to make up for staff losses and changes of direction I needed something to challenge and build my body. The ultra broke my body down quite a bit and I didn’t do the diligence to build it back up properly. I needed something that would do an all around buildup of it but also be a big enough challenge to keep me interested. I decided after many years away to go back to triathlon.

I signed up for the the Ironman 70.3 Memphis which is right in my backyard. I had been supplementing my running with swimming occasionally but not really ridden my bike seriously for quite some time. This was going to be a fun challenge to balance work, family, and multiple discipline training. From my point of view that’s part of the NQD way. Don’t worry how you’re going to accomplish it but figure it out and execute. The rest will fall into place.

I knew I had to take it slow and build up to my target race as I had 9 months to put it all together. I had my road bike overhauled and tuned figuring I’d wait to get on my Tri bike once I build up strength and stamina. I started picking up my swimming strength and speed. Swim speed is a bit relative since I was moving through the water but not too may people would call it fast. I knew that running needed to pick up slowly as to not cause injury. I was almost too deliberate on my build but I can say I successfully got through to race day injury free.

A fun part of the training was that every Sunday there was an open water swimming time to practice in the very body of water I was to swim in during the race. One evening they even had a mock swim course mapped out so we could practice the actual swim route. That was priceless as for most triathletes the swim brings the biggest anxiety. Open water with a lot of people and their arms and legs moving around and over you can be daunting. I also met new people and a new community in the local triathlon scene that were extremely nice people. I even had a wheel problem a few days before the race and someone loaned me the exact wheel so I could race on familiar equipment. A very generous gesture considering how expensive these things are.

Race day was very cold to begin where even standing around in my wetsuit didn’t help at all. I looked forward to jumping into the 74 degree water and warm up. Once I got in the chute to start and they told me to go the adventure was on! I had prepared very well to be able to finish. I wasn’t looking for glory but the ability to finish proudly and strong. My family was out on the bike course and one of my great friends was there before the swim and cheering me on during the run. Turning into the finishing shoot always gives the energy a boost and I loved crossing that finishing line.

I sometime wonder what I am proving when I do things like this. Am I trying to be cool to say I doing triathlon and Ironman events or even ultra running? There’s got to be a part of that or I wouldn’t be human. I believe that setting out a goal that is a true challenge motivates me to get up every day even when I don’t want to. I balance work, family and training to the best of my ability and then accomplish that goal and feel good that I could balance all of that and make it across the line. I had an absolute blast doing the Memphis Ironman 70.3 and didn’t bury my work life or family life. That was quite the accomplishment. It was exciting and added to my life in a positive way. Although I often live with stress and anxiety as much as I try not to, my constant pursuit of adventure and challenges guarantees I don’t have a live strife with quiet desperation. As I look ahead to my next adventure I will look with the intention to live more of my life with NO Quiet Desperation!