new beginnings

This past Saturday marked the holding of Ironman Florida 2008. It also marked the official beginning of my training for IMFL 2009. The countdown has officially begun... 367 days as of this morning. November 7, 2009 is going to be the day I officially become an IRONMAN. The next chapter begins here... on multiple levels of my life, actually, and I couldn't be more excited.

I awoke early Saturday morning to an unusually thick layer of fog on a cool November morning. The houses across the street were barely visible through the dark as the yellow light luminescing from the street light was choked out by the fog. The air was brisk, visibility was dreadful, and daylight was still several hours away, however, I was undeterred from beginning my training regimen. I quietly dressed in my bike gear and slipped into the foggy abyss.

The elements seemed almost cliche for a post-Halloween morning. The cold air cut sharply through my extra layer underneath my cycling jersey and I longed to build that exercise- induced internal warmth. I made my way down the dark, deserted streets leading away from my warm home and soon realized I needed to deviate from the course I had originally mapped out. My bike courses have never been contingent upon the prescence of street lights, but this morning would prove it necessary to travel underneath only the most well lit streets. As I passed by the final street light, the street disappeared in front of me and I slipped blindly through the dark. I left my well-known outskirt streets and made my way towards the heart of the suburbs. As the miles passed and the stubborn fog remained, I noticed beads of dew beginning to form on my handlebars and bike frame. I gazed past the bike underneath me and could see droplets of water glistening on each individual hair on my legs. The remnants of fog soon covered every exposed inch and beads of dew constantly fell from my helmet and crashed onto my legs below.

The hours passed and an incredible peace washed over my body. I navigated through the dark morning w/ only a vague understanding of exactly where I was. As I stopped at each stoplight, the fog blinded me from seeing even the name on each street sign. The absence of lights and objects to process left my mind in a surreal state of nothingness. I didn't think. I just rode. The calm I experienced afterwards was incredible and a feeling I must learn to reciprocate a year from now.

The next day I sat in my living room, laptop open, anxiously awaiting the noon hour. I was on Ironman's website and nervous about being able to register for IMFL. I had watched IMOO sell out in a day and was not going to miss my opportunity to participate in this incredible challenge. As the clock struck noon, and the registration link went live, I preemptively started my race against the other thousands of athletes throughout the US. The website wasn't able to handle the influx of traffic and I spent the next half an hour wrestling w/ my laptop in agony that I couldn't get in. I even borrowed a second laptop and had my newly discovered advocate help me try to break my way in. 45 minutes and a large credit card charge later, I was officially registered! My excitement resembled that of a child's on the first day of school. I was beyond thrilled, a little nervous, and possibly even a bit naive. I've taken the first official step towards becoming an IRONMAN and am now more committed than ever. Now comes the fun part... the follow through. The training. The struggle. The pain and frustration. The progress. The pride and satisfaction. The rollercoaster of a ride this next year is going to bring.

A very significant page has been turned and I've started a new chapter in my life. This chapter begins with new challenges, new goals, a new career, new relationships, and a renewed invigoration to excel at everything I hold myself to. As the pages in this story that is my life are written, I couldn't be more excited about where this plot is leading. The end has yet to be written, but this tale is shaping up to be quite memorable.