During miles and minutes and hours of training there has been one constant. Aside from the sacrifice of time that would have spent otherwise and with other people, and the extra laundry, groceries, need for sleep, and desire for massage, I mean one constant besides those!
It's been a spiritual experience. Any longer run, swim or bike can do that on some level. But over these months it's been especially true. So many more people around me, next to me, and just one person away from me have had health issues during my training time. To be here. To have the ability to choose this goal, in itself has been a blessing. Last night before I went to sleep I realized next Sunday (November 21) I most likely would still be out there. Prior to the marathons I've done I always told myself or anyone training with me that getting to the starting line healthy was the goal. So it is with this. Looking back at this year, its been amazing. I've had maybe one or two days of not feeling good. I had half a week where I didn't hit the workouts in time or distance. That at the time seemed like a loss. In the scheme of things you train that long and it's built in; its OK and you can adjust.
I've thought about people who have passed through my life who got me to this place of thinking I can and wanting to push limits.
My grandmother McCaw who was always so glad to see me and sorry to see me go; first to praise efforts of creativity and taught me to dream about what I could do with those early talents; and provided me with opportunities.
Sharon Mathes who was my major professor and who until recently rejected my early ideas about thesis work for reasons I only now understand. Handling life with her ease and grace of touching people is a worthy goal.
Don Palmer who began his life over at 54 with a woman with a 6 year old and three older children to boot. He taught me most about how to define a well-lived life. When I'm forgetting to laugh at things that are out of my control and when I'm being small, I'm reminded of what he might do instead.
There are more, but these three I know are somewhere that they can see the start and finish. I'm hoping to see them between mile 1 and 140 - in a tailwind through the bike, or a second wind on a hill in the run, even better yet in that little swim start amongst 2000 people.
I see myself at least now soaking up the day and the experience and knowing there's only one first time. I see myself thanking the volunteers and officials and the spectators who are there for others but encouraging everyone. I know that feeling of having a day of racing like that will be my goal much more than any time. And that the richness of that experience is based on the people who have influenced those kinds of values in me.
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