Anyone that's ever gotten involved in this sport knows that the amount of time, energy, and resources required can oftentimes be overwhelming. This is a choice that we make... based off of whatever need we may have. There is a desire in all of us... on whatever level to, compete... to push ourselves... to overcome obstacles and be challenged in a very specific way. I can only truly speak for myself... but before I found triathlon... I was lost for about 10 years. I just kind of floundered around out there... being a husband and father and employee as best as I knew how. You would think that that would be enough. Aren't we told that our greatest purpose in life is to be a good spouse, parent, friend, citizen, patriot, etc.? While all that may be true... for me personally there was always a gap... there was something missing and triathlon filled it. I remember being a very young boy and watching my dad work his ass off and thinking,"Where's the freakin ADVENTURE? There's GOT to be more to it than THIS.". That thought as a little guy has really dictated a lot of the paths that I've chosen... right or wrong. Here's the point... my family came with me on this triathlon thing... not really by choice... I just kinda started and there they were. There hasn't been a single moment where my family hasn't completely supported me in this sport. Does that mean that they never said, "God... 8 hours? I wish you didn't have to be gone all day." Hellz no! They're human. I didn't really WANT to be away from them for 8 hours on the weekends either! They might not fully understand it... but they recognize that this is part of what makes Rob/Husband/Daddy tick... and they love me for it... and in turn... I love them back... and ultimately... this sport, or rather the journey that navigates through this sport... makes ME a better human beingSo... from the top to the bottom of my heart... thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to my amazing family! Kathryn, Jack, Lila, Tom, and Aggie... I love you.
Then there's Liz. If you've read this blog... you know who Liz is. For you first-timers... Liz has been, is, and will be my coach. Although, it could be argued that she's much more than that. She is my friend and confidant. She is my psychologist and drill instructor. She is... well... Liz is Liz. I have cursed her in the past... particularly during races. "That f'ing B**** did NOT prepare me for this!!!!" Yeah... remember that? I certainly do. The thing is... she DID prepare me for everything you could possibly think of. I'm not sure that I can say much more than that... sometimes the extent to which one is grateful... just can't be properly expressed.
Liz? Thank you SO much!
Hmmmm... there are so many people that I want to thank... but then everyone would get PISSED b/c I'm not getting to my race report. I DO have to thank Sally... thank you Sally... I love you!
Thank you for taking the time to read. Thank you for all the kind support and well-wishes. Thank you for coming with me. I hope you're all happy, healthy, and whole. Stay tuned... the pole is clear... people like the loooooooong version.
Breathe...
7 comments:
Good post. There is a but... WHERE IS SAID RACE REPORT?!?!?
Hey dude...
I completely concur with the whole first part of the post...
I really feel bad for some guys I know who don't get the support from the family - it makes life hell and the enjoyment and fun of triathlon can be killed in an instant by an unsupportive spouse.
Looking forward to the RR!
An absolute pleasure to work with you and for you. To be your ... bitch. Yeah. Anyways, I'm a little worried because you have not texted me in a few days. What, am I nothing now that you are done with Ironman? :)
Nicely said Sir Rob. And we all love our Coach Liz.
Oh and that's crap, when did you get to meet Liz??? You Dog!
I really enjoy your posts. I look forward to your entries as I find them to be both thoughtful and though provoking.
This sport IS demanding. It's demanding on the athlete AND the family. It's nice to have a team of people who understand...ok maybe not "understand" but who accept that you NEED triathlon to make you better....to test your limits..to provide a challenge and to give you time to be in your own head, spinning, pushing, resolving.
I too had a dad that worked a lot when I was a kid. I too decided at a young age that there was more to life. I truly believe that you won't ever look back at your life and wish that you would have worked MORE! I imagine most people wish that they would have developed better, closer relationships when they had the chance, right? I like your philosophy. But then...why wouldn't I? Hmmm.
Now get to the DAMN RR!!!
NICE post - and very thoughtful!!
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