Down Time

I trained hard, raced hard, and celebrated hard. Everything went as well as I could have planned. That moment, crossing the finish line, was undoubtedly the best moment of my life - a moment that only happened with my own hard work and the support of people who genuinely care about me. The whole thing exceeded by expectations, and the high has been unreal. Now what?

Neglected group projects, essay due tomorrow, normal sized portions at meals, that's what. I totally get the post-Ironman blues now. With my schedule all opened up, I'm free to do things I normally wouldn't have time to. But guess what I want to do? Swim, bike, and run. That's why I started Ironman training to begin with - because I like to train for triathlons. It's kind of weird to just admit that. For so long, I've been able to pull the Ironman training card to justify my ridiculous workout schedule. Should I be embarassed to tell people that I just flat out like putting myself through all that? I mean I was only training for an Ironman because I wanted to do an Ironman, but somehow that's more acceptable. At any rate, right now, while I am most amped up about my sport, is when I really should be on the sidelines. School provides a somewhat unwelcome distraction, and as the end of the semester nears, it's much easier to get caught up in the projects and papers and not miss training so much.

When I'm forced to have down time, like I am right now, my favorite activity is planning what I'm going to do when I get back out there. Fortunately, I have a lot to look forward to. A month in New England for winter break will definitely have its perks. I have always loved winter running - there's something so serene yet badass about bundling up and pounding the pavement while snow is falling. Then there's the potential for some quality cross country skiing and the certainty of at least one trip up to Maine to just appreciate the vacation. Coming back to 'SC in the spring will bring a new level of intensity in triathlon training as the team gets ready for Nationals in April. Junior year in engineering also promises to continue to hold new challenges, and hopefully new opportunities to get a job. The more I think about it, there's going to be a lot going on very soon.

Maybe this down time is just the calm before the storm.