Final Day At The Beach!

(For the Ironman Florida Race Report… please scroll down.)

Each of us has our passion. Something we really love. Something that challenges us, drives us, inspires us. For my mother it is design whether it is interior, exterior, furniture. For my father it's buildings.

For another person it might be creating the perfect painting to represent themselves. To another it might be the thrill of the stock market trade.

For me it is athletics. For me it is triathlon. For me my sport challenges, inspires, drives me and allows me to express who I am. Those challenges have come in many forms, and those victories have come in many forms also.

Ironman Florida was the closing of one door, and at the same time the opening of another. I closed the door on doubt. I opened the door to possibility.

This evening Coach T and I emailed briefly about 2008 goals, and what we thought was possible. Of course what will make this possible is the next four weeks. Active recovery is in tall order. A good mental health break. Even though right now I don't want it at all.

In 2008 I will aim to go sub eleven at Ironman Lake Placid. It will be my fifth Ironman and beyond that I will take another Ironman break while I focus on half Ironman distances. One of my favorite things about the Ironman is that it is there to visit for a bit, and there to step back from a bit. What I love about the Ironman is that there is an opportunity to learn so much. About me, about life. All through swimming, biking and running.

I did not get a Kona roll down spot, and I felt relieved. As I said before most of the people who took Kona spots were cheating. They were drafting. Which means that those who go to Kona are drafters too. So why would I want to be a part of that, when something even better jumped up today?

My husband took a voucher for the 2008 edition of Ironman Florida.

I was so excited I wanted to scream. You see Curt's done Hawaii, he's done Ironman Canada. He didn't reach his potential. His last Ironman was in 2001, and I have always told him when he wants to do another, I will happily step aside and go shorter. I know what he is capable of and I would love to see him go for it.

And he just might do that. How great does that fit in? A July Ironman for me, then some shorter races. That rolls perfectly into Curt going longer and another trip here to Panama City Beach. It's the off-season down here and we have reveled in barren beaches and empty hotels. It's just us Iron Folk down here and we love it.

Tonight I get to sleep with the sound of the waves crashing upon the shore. Monday night very late we'll be back in the Northeast where winter is beginning to settle in. I am watching as Curt and Luc lay sleeping with tanned faces and sand in the sheets. We played 40+ holes of miniature golf just today. Luc is at home in the ocean. His blond hair has summer highlights once again and he's walking beautifully without his walker.

Does it get any better than this?

Spending time together, letting the sun shine on our shoulders, shaking the sand out of our shoes. Laughing so hard while we are playing miniature golf that my ribs hurt. Eating at places called Hammerhead Harry's and Captain Anderson's. Watching Luc's eyes grow wide with wonder as he plays in the ocean.

Last night he told me that way out at the edge of the ocean… there is a great big waterfall. Before I told him that wasn't true… I stopped myself. Why squash that imagination? Why not allow him to dream too? He lets me dream… my dreams just happen to be measured in Ironman miles.

But we all have dreams. Don't we?
What's yours?