A Moment in Time- A Look Back As we Look Forward

WARNING: Flight of Ideas.

In the Spring of 2013 after completing Ironman 70.3 New Orleans, we started to consider doing a full Ironman in 2014.  At the time we were looking at Ironman Louisville.  Before completing Ironman 70.3 Augusta we were preparing to sign up for the full.  Then things changed, a new Ironman opened up.  On 15 August 2013 Ironman Chattanooga came into view.  The race would open on noon 04 September 2013.  This meant a few things for us: 1) We would be signing up for a full before having done a second 70.3; 2) The last 70.3 [New Orleans] was rough; 3) We would have to sign up in the middle of a work day; 4) The question of would we both get in came up.



THE FIRST MOMENT
Given these questions on our mind I emailed the race organizer about the possibility of us both getting into the race.  I was told they did not expect the race to sell out quickly so there should be no problem with us both getting in to the event.  HA HA HA!!!  Well, it is a good thing I don't trust such advise.  Patrick and i were both at our computers at noon that day.  I left a training and he closed his office door.  At the ready when noon hit and the open indicator came up we both started.  Immediately I was in and registered. Then it happened.  The registration site went down Patrick's registration along with hundreds of others was stuck.  At first I thought he was joking.  I reentered the registration site and qued up a few more potential entries.  Waiting!!  I made a call to the registration site, the woman was nice but given that she was not the one to restart the system I made her stay on the phone with me till things were back up and running.  After a 2 hour wait Patrick was able to finally process his entry.  WE WERE NOW BOTH IN!!!  This was it we were going to Ironman!
We watched the news hit, a sell out race within minutes.  People angry with the crash, understandably angry.  A few were given entry.  Some were offered spots in other races before they opened.  Most were simply told "sorry".  We were given a gift, a opportunity.

THE INJURED MOMENTS
In November/ December 2013, I admitted defeat by admitting my foot was broken.  This was a disappointment to me, but earlier enough to train through and make a come back.  I would get the boot off in February and then off again in March- I was a little too quick to get back out on the road.  Thankfully I healed up and was back out.
In July I began to experience abdominal pain.  It went from possibly appendicitis to being an ovarian cyst, still not fun but manageable.    
In August 2014 Patrick injured his foot, making running difficult.  To top it off he injured his rib in a bike accident.  He continues to heal.
We have both had to push through moments of pain, doubt, and frustration.  

THE RACE MOMENTS

During this adventure we have raced almost every weekend, sometimes twice in the weekend.  We will have over 30 races by the time we race IMCHOO.  We have raced 5Ks to 70.3s and everything in between. 
We raced in the cold, in the heat, and in the rain.
We had races that seemed to go on forever and those done in a few seconds.  We challenged ourselves every step of the way. 
Bib numbers flipped past.

THE TRAINING MOMENTS
Joy. Tears. Screams. High Fives. Smiles. Growls. Side Stitches. Laughter. Mornings. Pain. Progress.
Everyday there was a mix of feelings, physical and emotional.  We pressed on from winter to spring to summer.  The seasons changed and we changed too.  Our bodies adapted to the training, to running, biking, and swimming.  Our bodies sometimes tried to say NO; sometimes we gave in to this demand.  In training we realized a very important factor we are human- we have jobs which are demanding, we have social clubs which are our destressors, we have our fur babies who deserve our time and love, we have friends and family who are our ever lasting support and sanity, and we have each other who without we would have so little.  Realizing in our training the importance of all of these factors we trained as to not forget about life.  We did not want to loose us in this adventure.

THE FINAL MOMENTS
Here we are 12 days out. These moments have been dreamed about.  We take a deep breath with each movement.  We try to live in the here and now, to breath in and breath out and move forward.  We are driven to push on despite short times and long roads, with the ever changing race.  This is an amazing place to be, like being 6 and counting down to Christmas.  There will be no Santa, it will not be so easy as opening packages, there will be no toys to play with afterwards.  No our day will be different it will be a gathering of athletes, volunteers, and spectators; we will open up bags of our own items sending us out to the next stage; in the end we will wear the medal of our victory.

THE MOMENTS OF WHY
We ask why, a lot.  Sometimes there are answers, sometimes there is only silence.
I can say this about the "whys" for me.  They are answered all with "because". 
Because my love, Patrick, love me, stands beside me, and believes in me.  Because he started a fire with a single spark in 2008.  Because life is meant to be challenged. Because the beauty of this world is best seen through goggles, with sounds of wind through your wheels, and the beat of your feet on the ground.  Because there are no better people in the world than those on the road, first timers to old timers.  Because adventure is the reason we thrive.  Because dreams are meant to be achieved.  Because someone said it wasn't  possible. Because someone said it could be done.  Because I want it. 
Why?
Because.  

Because I CAN!!!!