Okay, so here begins the woeful tale of the boy who shot for the moon and only got to the launch site, but I guess shooting for the moon is better than nothing at all...Pages and pages could be written on each second of tradgedy and triumph, but in the interest of time and interest I can sum up my 2009 Ironman Wisconsin experience in 1 phrase: "10 minutes"....The time seperating me from a trip to hawaii...There will be no regrets, only sorrow( however short-lived), and as attitude is the #1 defining characteristic of character in triathlon, I will admit that my most recent performance was the best I could do at that stage in my life, and I will just have to work smarter and harder next year to achieve these things beyond mediocrity that I wish to achieve.
It gets harder and harder to keep perspective, but we are only on this earth for a infentesimally short time and I yearn to leave something above and beyond personal glory and/or personal satisfaction. If I have to leave a story behind when I am long gone, I want it to be one of love, of one that describes a person who loved everything he did no matter the outcome as defined by modern societies structure of winning and losing and who was loved because he believed in that love. A story of a man risen from the ashes to try to become a better individual in his short life, and a story of redemption.
Triathlon to me is a metaphor for life, especially Ironman. A long slog with various highs and lows, a definable beginning and end, and an atmosphere of struggle for a common goal, which I take to be a purpose and understanding of our role in the universe. I am proud to be an Ironman, and I am proud to be human when I envision the possibilities for positive achievement and understanding within all of us.
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