Back to Life, Back to Reality

Sometimes I get what I like to call Post Race Blues.  Even though I did not participate in the Louisville Ironman, I was involved in all the hype and excitement just like Jason.  I was exhausted after spending over 12 hours waiting, watching, cheering, running from here to there, and wondering how Jason was doing.  I'd say it took us both a day or two to get back to our usual running schedules, but the hardest part for me was to return to life as usual after being a part of such an event. 

Now, life as usual is pretty great.  But it is strange to come back, have people ask how it went, and give them the surface version, "He did great!  It was hard, but he pushed through and did really well."  What is really well?  What is an Ironman anyway?  Most people don't know, and even if they do know what it entails, it is hard to imagine what that must be like unless one does something in the swimming, cycling, running family.

I expressed my "blues" to Jason, who is much more practical than I am.  He said it was okay if others didn't know what it felt like because we knew and that was enough.  And he was right.  I am grateful to know.  I love sharing this kind of thing with Jason.  I think we make a pretty good husband and wife team that way.  We even got to celebrate that this weekend as we hit the 3 year mark on September 3.

As crazy as it may seem, I think this Ironman business has brought us even closer.  For Jason, he has seen that I support him, I am proud of him, and that I will gladly go with him to these events and even participate in them when I can.  For me, it reminds me of all the reasons I admire him.  I think it is good for a wife to be reminded that her husband is someone she has a crush on and to be impressed by him.  Completing the Ironman does not only mean he's a tough, athletic guy, it also means he's committed, driven, hardworking, focused and well...pretty cute if I do say so myself.

This long Labor Day weekend has been a blast, and despite my post race blues, I had something to look forward to during the week.  Friday night we went out to eat at Bonefish Grill.  We got the perfect booth, set off to the side with romantic, dim lighting and we enjoyed a delicious meal while remembering the past 3 years and what led us up to this point.

And I am going to claim the # 1 Wife Award, because I totally ROCKED the anniversary gift.  I went to Madison Cycles on my lunch break Thursday and pestered the cycling guy to death until we found the perfect present.  I got Jason a bike stand that holds both a road bike and a tri bike so that Jason could work on his bikes without having to sit them on the ground.  He loved it.  He put it together Friday night and replaced several parts on his tri bike.  The more he used it, the more he liked it.  I must say I was pretty impressed with myself.

Saturday I got in a great 20 miler and then came home to shower and pack for Lenoir, TN.  My crazy husband had signed up for 3 triathlons in a package deal, and one of them was the Atomic Man Triathlon Sept 5.  A half-Ironman distance.  I only supported this if he promised to be careful, listen to his body, and to pull out if the thought he might hurt himself.  He said he would, but of course he blew it away finishing in 5:11 and he felt completely fine throughout.

As for me, the temperatures have finally become pleasant in the mornings and I have been increasing my mileage steadily to get ready for my upcoming races.  This taste of fall invigorates me, and each morning I step outside into the cool, crisp temps, I have to smile despite the fact that it is 4:00 a.m.  My pace is beginning to gradually pick up and my running times are beginning to drop.

So with the celebrating of an anniversary, the cooling of the weather as fall begins to make an appearance, the upcoming races to which I look forward, my post race blues did not last very long.  There are simply too many good things all around me to let the blues stick around anyway.