Family Support

I have a photo of my sister-in-law in a frame as she's surrounded by three of her now four grandsons (that's it - just boys!). And she's going through cancer treatment at the time. Her little army of support surround her.
Its my brother who is married to her that was my hero as a child. It was he who used to hide on top of the washer and dryer (every time!) for hide-and-seek with me, and who I'd run all the way home from school to see when he came home from the Navy or later from out of state.

He twice has been the soulmate to her in two statements that I'll never forget and always covet. At their son's wedding I sat behind them with my other siblings in the second pew. As the bride and groom went up to light the candle he slipped his hand into my sister-in-law's. That gesture made a lump catch in my throat and said so much about all the shared years of worry and joys and sitting on bleachers and waiting up late for this moment when this young man was being the man they together raised him to be.

The second time I was taken by my brother's commitment  I was talking to him, on the phone I think though that part is fuzzy. We were discussing her journey through alarm and diagnosis, decisions on treatment, and hope for the results. I'd asked something to the effect of how he was doing, acknowledging that it was hard for him too.
He agreed. "If it happens to her it happens to me," was his reply.

I don't know when that happens for a couple but I do think of all the people who like to say I don't know where you end or I start that they've got it.

Just how that ties to my Iron Journey we'd all like to know. But in the miles and minutes and hours I've put in on trails and streets and pools some of these thoughts come to me about my life and moments when I've been blessed and how I've been rich.

Recently someone told me that conference presenter suggested that during an interview for potential employee you ask them how lucky they've been in life. It will tell you about whether or not they're optimistic and how appreciative they are of the smaller things in life no matter what their situation when they're asked. I'm an ideal employee in that regard. I'd be at the least an 11 on a 1-10 scale. It doesn't I think have to be you who things happened to in order to appreciate then but to have simply witnessed them and realize how special they are is the blessing.

Mother of Encouragement

One of my earliest blogs last year occurred when I told my mother at lunch one day what I was doing. Or rather my son brought it up, no doubt knowing that there would be some confusion and fun around explaining to my 84 year old mother why I was doing it.

From her initial "your going to kill yourself" response to the phone call with her last weekend. I expressed that I was sorry now that I hadn't taken Dustin out of school for a couple days to come along- to have someone there, knowing it was going to be emotional both at the beginning and at the end, and that recounts of other athlete's Ironman experiences revealed how important that family or friends siting along the way was to them.

I'm prepared to throw up, or have diarrhea and to suffer the pain through it telling myself to keep moving forward but I'm not prepared for starting or crossing the finish line alone. That will be tougher than anything I've ever done. And I've had a big big baby, and felt that great sense of alone that follows a divorce. I didn't expect it. I didn't expect to need that so much.

I told my mom how I was excited, nervous, and a little scared- all true, but that my goal was to focus on enjoying the experience - and realizing all the time that this "first" will never come again- regardless of whether another Ironman does or not.

She piped in- "right, you don't have to win it, just do well." How far has she come?? To be referring to Ironman and winning in the same sentence! One thing is for sure- I can't keep up!!
Oh my. Winning in this event is finishing for me! And having the experience of a lifetime, being able to walk away choosing to do it again or to be satisfied with the day.