Catchup and Tag

Ok, so first I have to apologize for posting so infrequently over the last week or so. Last weekend we had a new addition to our family - a 16 month old golden lab named Luke. To say he's been a handful is a tremendous understatement. We're the third family he's had and he's had little to no training and needs a lot of work. The good news though is that every once in a while we get a glimpse of the dog he'll become and we know he's going to be worth it.

As it turns out I've been tagged by Sheila! So here are my responses to the tag questions:

1. Describe a memory from your first triathlon ever. During my first open water swim at the Lake Zurich tri I remember thinking "that's it?" as I hauled myself up and onto the beach. Before the triathlon began I remember looking out at the 1K course and doubting that I'd actually be able to make it. The turn buoys looked so far away. Fortunately it was a time trial start so I didn't have to worry about a mass start. Despite that though I was consumed by doubt and trepidation as the official gave me the nod and I reluctantly waded into the water. In the end the swim went by much faster and much easier than I expected - proving once again that the anticipation is much worse than the reality.
   
2. Describe a memory from your most recent triathlon. At the Deer Creek tri I remember turning a corner and being blown to a standstill on the bike. The winds that day were some of the worst I've ever encountered during a triathlon.
   
3. What's the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you in a tri?. I once started out of T1 without my bike. Somehow I momentarily lost my mind after putting on my helmet and cycling shoes and thought I was starting the run. A volunteer saw me coming towards the run course entrance and began laughing hysterically. It was then that I realized that not only was I going the wrong way, but I was also missing my bike!
   
4. What's the most thrilling thing that's happened to you in a tri? Turning the corner and seeing the finish line at Ironman Wisconsin. Added bonuses were seeing that my time was under 13 hours and catching sight of my family cheering wildly moments before I ran across the finishing line.
   
5. What is something you discovered about yourself by doing triathlons? I discovered that a lot of decisions I've made were based more on fear avoidance than personal fulfillment. Fear of failure. Fear of not being accepted. Fear of not measuring up. Triathlon has taught me to face and exorcise fear which has empowered me to make decisions for more significant reasons than simple fear avoidance.
   
6. What is The Big Goal that you're working towards? The Big Goal this year is Ironman USA. Every day I make sure that I'm doing something to contribute towards the achievement of that goal.