Lessons Learned

Whoa, I am a month, yes a month, away from race weekend. This time next month I will be standing on the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene trying not to vomit...imagining what will be in store for me the next day. I will be surrounded by my family and friends and probably be highly distracted with the upcoming events and high on excitement of making it to this day...probably wishing I were just "high" on some substance so I could just forget my worries!

I have become, simply put, IronObsessed. It has been on the front of my mind for months (obvi) but now it's totally, completely, all consuming. If someone asks "how's your day?" I simply respond "I'm training for an Ironman!" Like a special kid, it's all I can say or talk about. "Tilghman, we need that report ASAP!"..."uh, did I tell you I'm training for an Ironman?" I'm like a kid with her first crush, scribbling out her new last name on anything resembling paper and drawing hearts in her mashed potatoes in the cafeteria.

There have been some lessons learned through all this and I've learned a lot about myself. A taste of some of my treasures gained from this experience:

• I can get 5 hours of sleep and still function (never thought this was possible). Starbucks is necessary, but I can still function.
• If I get more than two consecutive nights in a row of said sleep time, I become highly susceptible to such illnesses as "swine flu" and "smokers cough"
• If I get said amount of sleep, I am still functional but highly sensitive and can switch into b*tch mode at an extremely rapid pace
• A dog's love is truly unconditional...he may give me the "you look like a pork chop and I'm going to kill you in your sleep" glare every now and again, but he still loves me regardless
• I can get ready for work in 15 minutes and still look the same as if I'd taken an hour
• My toenails will take on the look of my fathers if I am not careful, I have apparently inherited his feet...pedicures are necessary
• The pedicure place does not give an 8 toenail discount, you still have to pay for the full 10 because they paint the skin of anything lost
• Peeing in the pool was considered social suicide as a kid, but highly acceptable as an adult, even encouraged by your coach
• It's completely ok to talk about GI issues at the dinner table as long as you are with your tri friends
• I have somehow forgotten the art of making my bed and cleaning my house...thankfully you can pay someone to do these things for you
• There is nothing better than a cold beer after a long workout...however, more than two and I may pass out at the table
• I have learned to appreciate the simple things in life...like an afternoon off lounging in the park with a good book and your dog...or a hot shower after a soggy 7 hour bike ride.
• The grocery store does stay open past 6:00 and I can get things done when it's dark out
• I can still carry on a conversation about things other than triathlon training, but currently much prefer to discuss mile splits, avg mph and T30 times
• I really can do pretty much anything I put my mind to and heart in!