With the prospect of two (possibly 3) Ironman events looming on this year’s calendar, I spent a lot of time going back and forth on whether or not to use a coach this year. In theory, it’s easy to know what a race will consist of – my next race in Santa Rosa is a half-Ironman. And, in theory it’s simple to determine how your body will adapt in order to get you there. But in the end I decided that professional guidance was a bit like insurance––you might not need it, but you know you’ll be taken care of if you do.
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Back in the Saddle
This post is long overdue. I’m not sure what it was, but something happened in August. Maybe it was the changing of seasons or the tilt in the air as we slipped from summer into fall. Maybe after half a year of tracking candidates and following campaigns, I was ready for a new challenge. Or maybe, simply enough, it was just unfinished business.
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First Half Marathon Race Report – Rock N Roll Los Angeles 2014
Somewhere along Mile 11, an excited stranger jogged up alongside me, announcing that this was the farthest he had ever run in his life and that we were almost finished. He asked if it was also my first half marathon. I awkwardly negotiated my response. “Yes,” I replied. “But…I also did LA Marathon…” “What??” he called back, a judging sting of disbelief in voice. “This should be easy for you!” “Yeah,” I said. “It should be. But it’s really not…”
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Up in Smoke – Ironman Lake Tahoe 2014
A lot of people were surprised to hear that I had signed up for the half Ironman at Lake Tahoe this year, and assumed that it was a last minute decision. I had actually signed up in April shortly after the 70.3 race was announced, but I didn’t tell anyone, save for a select inner circle of need to know personnel. I like to think that I kept it under wraps because I tend to be a fairly quiet and private person, preferring not to draw attention to myself. But the deeper truth is one that I’m ashamed to admit — I didn’t think I could do it.
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On Perseverance
When I was little and wanted to quit something, my mother would say, “There will be things you won’t want to do at West Point, but you’ll still have to do them.” Even though I ultimately chose not to follow in my father’s footsteps and attend the US Military Academy at West Point, the lesson was still learned—that life would present obstacles that, while unappealing, I would have to find ways to persevere through.
