Unhinged

Recovery from the Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman is going nicely. A light bike on Monday followed by a day off on Tuesday, and a swim / bike / run today. I am a bit tired, but muscle soreness has escaped me and I am feeling good. Admittedly I am having some issue getting rehydrated. My urine has been a pretty shade of neon yellow for a few days despite a gallon of water with Nuun per day. That'll come.

My head is in a good place. Special thanks to my friend Trevor, for helping me potentially identify the culprit of my 1/2 Ironman woes. I always tell my athletes that you can show up to a race in better shape than Natasha Badmann herself, but blow nutrition and you walk.

This lesson has terrific timing, as all of my lessons do.

But the important part of this lesson.... I still wake up hungry. In one way or another I have screwed up seven, yes seven 1/2 Ironmans in a row. It makes me laugh. I might even screw up seven more before I get it right.

It doesn't deter me. It doesn't depress me. It solidifies my passion for my sport. When I won everything I touched I did wonder if I would love it when I didn't win. Now I know. I love it any way it wants to come at me, through me, over me, or on top of me.

I love the feeling of coming unhinged. Man I come unhinged a lot. Because each time I come unhinged I get put back together a little stronger. No, I didn't quite realize all of the little places I could come unhinged.... but bring them on.

I am not afraid to fail. I am not afraid to lose. And I am not afraid to win. I am not afraid to fall, be laughed at, get stomped on.... I am afraid of nothing.

At the end of the day it is still me and the woman in the mirror. She often asks me if I gave it my all. And I always tell her that I did.

That's what my Dad taught me. He has taught me a lot. Show up 10 min early for everything you do. Finish what you start. If you give 100% it doesn't matter what the result or the score is. Giving 100% is the victory.

So this week it is an ease back into training with about 13 hours. The following 2 weeks will be gigantic as I will take them to 22 hours. Next week is the big "Weekend at Lake Placid Part Four" trip. 20 of my athletes are joining me in Lake Placid for 3 days of cycling and running. I will hit 300+ miles of cycling and 40+ miles of running.

Man does that make me smile.

So doubt me, poke fun at me, support me, or believe in me. Take me a part, run over me, land on top of me.

Because my friends I will get it right. Things will click. Maybe in July, maybe in 2010. And when they do, just look out. It's going to be pretty, at least from my view.

Thanks for stopping by.

:-) Mary Eggers