It's funny how life happens. Two years ago I was nearly 30 pounds over weight, I couldn't swim and standing at the finish line of the Ford Ironman World Championship watching those amazing people - young and old - stagger down the chute exhausted, yet exhilarated, I never believed that I would ever have the chance to be among them.
The day I decided I would compete in my first triathlon, I had no idea that it would be the beginning of a new lifestyle. A journey that would lead to self-discovery and a lifetime of memories.
Before I began to train for Ironman, I really didn't appreciate or understand the effort, the sacrifice or the inner strength it takes to make it to the starting line of the 140.6-mile race. All the hours the athletes train. Sacrificing sleep, family-time and money just to have the opportunity to walk down that ramp into Kailua Bay, swim out and tread water and wait for the cannon to fire. The end of one journey - months of training - and the beginning of another - the Ironman world championship.
The swim start of the Ironman.American author Louis L'Amour once said, "There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning." A year of learning how to swim, and finding my limits, then pushing beyond them, having knee surgery last November followed by 10 straight months of six days a week of swimming, biking and running.
This week is Ironman week and my training is finished. But it is only the beginning.
1 comment:
Here's to new beginnings!!
Post a Comment