Yesterday, the Ironman at St. George in Utah happened. I did not compete in this as I am far from being tough enough or in shape enough to even comprehend this event. However, a fellow friend of mine competed. He has an amazing blog where he shares his training and process for the Ironman.
The event was broadcast live online yesterday so I was able to watch the race while cleaning the house preparing for our new baby. Jeff started out good with a swim time of 1 hour 4 minutes on the 2.4 mile swim.
I was cheering for Jeff because I knew that he would tear it up on the bike and run because his training schedule is relentless and he is so mentally tough. He is a great example for all of us to learn from.
Well, things did not go as planned for him. His bike had all sorts of problems having to stop 4 times before he crashed and was rushed to the med tent.
He is okay and did not have any major injuries.
I have not been able to stop thinking about him all day and this morning. Here is someone who has prepared hours and hours everyday for this event. He was hoping for a top finish(he has his pro card) and due to things out of his control he was not able to finish. It almost makes me angry because why did this happen to him?
We can all learn from this. We can put all the energy, focus, and preparation into a project that we want and it might still not be enough. There are forces out of our control. In the case of Jeff, I know he was prepared. There was nothing that he was not ready for. He has to be able to hang his hat on that.
He also can hang his hat that he is inspiration for so many of us. He has provided the motivation to push when I don't want to. He helps by leading with this actions that I am capable of doing things I never thought I could do(half marathon last year). He is a teacher and can you just imagine how much of an influence he has on his students?
As I type this I am not running in a half marathon this morning that I wanted to run. I fell apart mentally. I ran the practice course/run a few weeks back and cut a huge amount of time off my PR. My foot started causing me problems. I took a week off and during that time lost all motivation. Following Jeff yesterday made me realize that I need to suck it up and get back at it. My good friends Chad and Brian are running today. I wish them the best. I am mad at myself for not staying mentally strong.
Thanks Jeff for reminding me that I need to push harder and see where it takes me. I had something out of my control(foot) that caused me to lose momentum. If I was tough like Jeff I would have bounced back.
I am putting together a new plan. A plan to be successful all summer and fall. A plan to learn to stay tough. A plan to fight through the obstacles we cannot control.
Tomorrow we bring a new baby into the world. I cannot wait for the new arrival of our daughter. I pray for all good things to happen and hope that all the things I have no control over go smoothly. I have been thinking about what type of father I want to be for my kids. It is time to change some habits and become the example I strive to be.
I am not sure how to wrap this post up. Stay tough. Stay strong. Happy Mother's Day to my wife, mom and all the wonderful mothers out there. Thanks Jeff for your inspiration to showcase how to be a competitor. You are such an inspiration. Despite the events of yesterday you are still a champion to so many. Lastly, be ready world for another addition to the Maurer clan.
Blog posting might be slow this upcoming week as I will be at the hospital.
That is all for now.
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