A New Way of Looking at It

Tomorrow I leave for Coeur d'Alene. I am actually excited and looking forward to it, despite the fact that I am feeling a little bit nervous as it approaches. For me to be excited about it is a big step. When I signed up for the race, almost a year ago, I burst into tears when the website told me that my registration had been accepted. I was terrified, wondering what on earth I'd gotten myself into. I spent the first few months of my training thinking I had bitten off more than I could chew. I couldn't imagine myself doing such a thing as Ironman and I often joked that I'd be standing on the beach on race day, crying into my goggles, still terrified of what I was about to do.

Maybe I will still cry into my goggles on the beach - it will be a big day and I might feel the magnitude of it in that moment. But I am going into this race with a very different attitude than I ever expected. My change in perspective has a lot to do with what the people around me have taught me over this year of training and the things that they have said to me in the last couple of weeks, as I get closer to race day.

A lot of people have expressed their faith in my ability to do it. They are people who know what this race is like and I know they aren't lying to me. It means a lot to me to hear things like:

"You are so ready for this."
"I have no doubt you can and will finish this race."
"Whatever happens on that day, you are better than that."
"I'm very proud of you and I know you will have a great day."

These statements build my confidence and help me to believe.

As well, beyond learning to believe in myself, I have learned that I don't have to go into this race with a fearful attitude. So many people have told me to have fun out there. I never even would have considered that before. Have fun? Won't I be suffering all day? Well, I'm sure there will be some low points in the day, but I have learned that it's also possible to approach it as something enjoyable! One friend told me that she just stood on the beach before the race and focused on how happy she was to be there, to have the means to participate in such a race, to be healthy and fit, to have the opportunity. Another friend said that the race is a celebration of your training. I love that. Yet another said, "Don't be nervous, just don't be nervous." Wow. I don't have to get worked up and be terrified of it.

Today I am excited that my opportunity to become an Ironman is just a few days away. I am visualizing a good race and thinking of all these amazingly positive things that people have said to me. I have learned, with the help of some amazing people, to talk myself off the ledge and for me that is huge. I know there are no guarantees on the day, but faith and a positive attitude will help me a lot and I will be taking that with me when I head off tomorrow.