Ironman Quest

Why did I decide I want to do an Ironman Triathlon? What in me desires that... and really why did I sign up for one knowing that my preparation for such an arduous event would lack any swimming or actual bicycling for 90% of the training -

Questions that perplex the mind (my mind anyway).

My rationale for deciding to attempt, rather accomplish this race immediately following my post-deployment from Kosovo is two-fold (I insist on using the word accomplish here - because I'm crossing that finish line no-matter-what).

1. I figure to pull off a race of this magnitude, I'm going to have to train anywhere from 10-15 hours a week at a minimum. That's averaging over 2 hours a day training on some weeks. I definitely don't feel that I have this time available to me while I'm in the states and NOT take time away from my family. Work has x number of hours requirement - I can't go very long when I subtract sleep from my schedule, so the only flexible number in that equation is time with family. While I'm here - any time I'm NOT working, I can devote to training (if I so choose).

2. This gives me a goal & something to focus on while I'm here... if I start getting down on myself due to being away from family, I can redirect that focus/energy towards this race. In addition, with the amount of time I have to train, I'm usually too tired to be upset at anything when I do have time to sit down and think.

Big picture for me though. I've ALWAYS wanted to complete an Ironman Triathlon. Ever since I was old enough to understand what it was - 11 or 12 years old. Something in me, in each of us, desires to be challenged... to see what we're made of - to see if we stand up to the test.

...I definitely learned this lesson in the military. I grew SO much in such a short amount of time and it was because I WAS challenged. I think that a lot of young people today don't have that. They expect things to be easy and if they're not... then "obviously" they're not worth doing.

-back to Ironman. I want to push myself to the limit and I think, physically, the Ironman provides that.

www.ironmanlouisville.com