the inspiration station

Nothing is more inspiring than being parked on Ironman dot com all day long. Carrying around your laptops, studying with Roch Frey, PNB and Welchie in the background. I give myself the opportunity to follow along all day long. The online coverage is so much better than the NBC coverage.

I watched Marit and Ryan , Bree, Kerrie, and Ange. I loved how Kerrie's daughter was updating her FB status all day long (best daughter ever). I watched my QT2 teammates completely rock the house. I sat and waited holding my breath while one of my teammates had to make a very tough but very smart decision about her day.

I found myself screaming at Chrissie to go go go when we realized it was not a matter of whether she would break the record but...... by how much?

I found myself screaming at Chris Lieto as Crowie passed him..... I told Lieto to hang onto him and do not give up that podium.

I just get into the race. I love it. But..... sit down for this one..... I don't' aspire to compete in Kona. I have qualified and turned down 3 spots. The year I felt like going 3 spots slipped through my hands. I have been to Kona. I have been to the big island twice. I know the winds. I know the heat. I know the looks. I know the ocean.

I am okay without that race being on my calendar. It doesn't mean I don't love the race. I know it would be terribly difficult for me to have a good race there. No matter how many layers of clothing or biking in the bathroom, I can't train to race in the jungle.

If I qualify at my next qualifier will I go? I have no clue. It's not so easy to drag a family across the world for an Ironman. We'd cross that bridge when we came to it.

I have goals that I want to accomplish right here. I am a northeasterner and I race will in northeast weather. Which means fall Ironmans and I love one another. So that's my aim for 2010. Either Ironman Florida or Ironman Arizona, and with coach Jesse leading the way in so many ways I really get that what I am doing right now is paying the foundation for the work that will begin in December. In some ways Clearwater is a test. For me it's the completion of a journey that I began last year.

A journey back to health. An opportunity to best myself, to continue to build on the athlete I am today. an opportunity to race against the best in the world without depleting my 401K account or disrupting my family.

A chance to swim in the ocean and see some faces I have not seen in a while.

I get to race with a new friend...... who is soon to be a QT2 Teammate of mine.

I get to have some serious ass kicking fun. The ass kicking will be my own and if I am lucky a few of my competitors.

Here I sit at the beginning of 2 twenty hour run focused training weeks. I also have 2 weeks of intense exams, so this work comes at the prefect time. The balance of hard work is destressing. What takes away the panic of academic on the day of an exam is a good tempo bike and mile repeat run. Ahhhh..... I am so lucky to be able to be in this sport.

My coach will hate it but I will be the girl smiling in Clearwater. answering the question 'are you Mary?" from those I am hoping to meet. I will be easier to recognize to you, than you to me. I am in QT2 gear and I might be the only QT2'er in Clearwater.

And when I get to meet you please know how much gratitude I have in my heart for you and the words we have exchanged.

Believe me many people mock me out for this attitude of gratitude that I have. I am told to have more fight and be meaner. But that's not me. When I have my big victory next season I will be the same way. Nothing will ever stop me from cheering you on in your race whether you are ahead or behind me.

Yesterday I watched Chrissie Wellington do the very same thing. I saw her smile. I saw her commend, congratulate and I saw her cheer. That's the example I will follow. records, victories or not..... that's what a true champion does.