THE DARK SIDE OF IRONMAN

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, ONE COULD SAY I HAVE BEEN HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE WITH MARATHONS AND TRIATHLONS. THE TRAVEL, THE RACES AND THE COOL GADGETS ALL SEEM PRETTY COOL RIGHT? YOU MIGHT SEE PHOTOS OF STEALTH, YES MY BIKE HAS A NAME, IT'S WHAT US TRIATHLETES DO. YOU MIGHT THINK IT LOOKS PRETTY COOL. YOU MIGHT SEE PHOTOS OR POST ABOUT MY TRAVELS TO RACES AROUND MINNESOTA, WISCONISIN AND ARIZONA AND THINK THEY ARE FUN TRIPS AND VACATIONS. YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN SOME FINISHER MEDALS AND/OR RACE BIBS AND THINK THOSE ARE PRETTY NIFFTY TOO. I GUESS WHAT I AM GETTING AT IS BEING AN OUTSIDER, ONE WOULD THINK THIS IS A ROCKSTAR WAY OF LIVING.
 
NEW FLASH, IT’S NOT. THOSE GADGETS AND GEAR, STUPID EXPENSIVE AND DAMN NEAR OUTDATED THE DAY YOU BUY THEM. STEALTH, WELL THAT TOOK A LOAN TO PURCHASE. RELAXING VACATIONS TO RACES ARE ACTUALLY JUST CONSIDERED AN ADDITIONAL RACE EXPENSE AND I HAVE SLEPT IN MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING JUST TO SAVE SOME MONEY. AS FOR THOSE FINISHER MEDALS, UNLIKE TODAYS WORTHLESS SOCIETY WHO IS REWARDED WITH PARTICIPATION AWARDS FOR JUST SHOWING UP, THOSE WERE EARNED. WHILE SOME RACES DON’T GO AS PLANNED OR THE PERFORMANCE IS LACKLUSTER, THEY STILL ONLY HAND THOSE OUT AT THE FINISH LINE.

​I’M SURE YOU HAVE ALL SEEN THE ICEBERG PHOTO WHERE YOU ONLY SEE A FRACTION OF IT’S TRUE SIZE. WHAT YOU SEE IS ME RACING AROUND AT MARATHONS AND TRIATHLONS AND YOU MIGHT THINK TO YOURSELF, WOW, HE’S HAVING FUN. OR MAYBE SOME FIND THEMSELVES ON THE JEALOUS SIDE OR WHATEVER FEELINGS YOU MAY HAVE. WHAT YOU PEOPLE DON’T SEE IS THE RIDICULOUS CREDIT CARD STATEMENT, THE 20 SOME HOURS A WEEK SPENT TRAINING OR THE INJURIES AND PAIN. ON TOP OF THE TRAINING HOURS, THERE'S THE ACTUAL TIME SPENT GETTING TO THE RACES AND THE ACTUAL RACE. YOU CAN’T MAKE OR BUY TIME. EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS LITTLE PLANET GETS THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME EACH DAY. SO WHEN I MAKE THE CHOICE TO SET OFF ON A TRAINING RIDE OR BRICK AND AM GONE FOR 7 OR SO HOURS, GUESS WHAT. THAT IS TIME SPENT AWAY FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY OR ANY OTHER ASPECT OF HUMAN LIFE.
 
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS USED TO BE FILLED WITH FRIENDS AND HECK, EVEN SOME BEERS. NOW, THOSE NIGHTS I USUALLY FIND MYSELF IN BED EARLIER THAN I AM DURING THE WEEK. EVEN MIDWEEK I’LL BE AT THE GYM OR POOL AT 5AM TO FREE UP TIME AFTER WORK. I’VE NEVER BEEN A PERSON TO HAVE A HUGE LIST OF FRIENDS AND WITH MY LIFE REVOLVING AROUND MY IRONMAN RACES AGAIN THIS YEAR, A GOOD TRUE FRIEND IS HARD TO COME BY THESE DAYS. NOT SURE IF IT'S THAT THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY ONE WOULD HAVE THE URGE TO DO THIS OR IF THEY JUST THINK I’M AN ANTI-SOCIAL JERK. SURE I WOULD LOVE TO SPEND A WEEKEND AT THE LAKE ENJOYING SOME COLD BEER AND PIZZA BUT THAT ISN’T EXACTLY GOING TO HELP ME ACHIEVE THE END GOAL. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT WHEN WE DO HANG OUT, WHEN YOU ARE DOWNING THAT DELICIOUS COLD BEER, I JUST MIGHT BE ENJOYING A WATER WITH A SLICE OF LEMON. DON'T FEEL THE URGE TO PRESSURE ME INTO HAVING JUST ONE, WE ALL KNOW WHERE THAT LEADS TO.

​AFTER ALL THAT NONSENSE ABOVE, WHAT I HOPE ANYONE STILL READING TAKES FROM THIS IS THAT WHAT YOU SEE AND WHAT ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE IS VASTLY DIFFERENT. WHILE IT'S MY CHOICE TO RUN MARATHONS AND TRAIN FOR A SECOND IRONMAN, PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THE DARK SIDE AS WELL. THE AMOUNT OF SACRIFICE ONE MAKES TO OBTAIN THIS END GOAL. EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT REASON FOR WANTING TO FINISH A 140.6 MILE EVENT. I’M NOT EVEN SURE I HAVE NARROWED IT DOWN MYSELF. AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT’S PROBABLY A BLEND OF MY NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE WITH MY APPENDIX, BEING TEASED FOR BEING FAT, PROVING PEOPLE WRONG AND TO BE PART OF THE .01% OF THE POPULATION THAT CAN CALL THEMSELVES IRONMAN FINISHERS. FOR SOME UNEXPLAINABLE REASON, WITH EVERY STROKE, PEDAL AND STRIDE, PUSHING MYSELF TO THE BRINK OF EXHAUSTION IS RELAXING AND PUTS A SMILE ON MY FACE.
 
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING BAD ENOUGH, YOU CAN AND WILL FIND A WAY TO ACHIEVE IT. AND WITH THIS COMES THE PEOPLE WHO RATHER THAN PUTTING THE HARD WORK IN THEMSELVES FIND IT EASIER AND MORE ENJOYABLE TO BRING YOU DOWN TO THIER LEVEL.