Monday, September 03, 2007

Moving on.


It is a truth universal that at some point in a young man's development, he will hate his father.

His father will hate him back.

And they will both want Mom/wife to do something about it.

So I did. I took a warm bath. And did sudoku.

Ahhh, but it was lovely....epsom salts, lavendar oil, and the window next to the tub open and a nice breeze flowing over me.

I'm not saying that teenage Mini-me isn't without his faults. Oh, my. If you only knew. I'll spare you the details, being as some of you are planning your families, some of you have children on the way, and others have already young children in the house so it's too late for you; who am I to ruin what little time you have left to enjoy them?

It's just that Mini-Baboo is a bit, shall we say, difficult these days, refusing to do what is expected of him.

He claims he "forgot" that he wasn't supposed to do that, or that he was supposed to do this...etc.

And, because Sweet Baboo was never, ever this irascible as a teenager he simply doesn't understand why we just can't sell him to the circus right now.

So, anyway.
While I was taking my warm bath I was thinking about all the things I'd like to do in the future.

The thing is, every time I do something difficult, especially something that I wasn't sure I could actually do, I go through the following stages:


Stage 1: During the event itself, I curse it and everyone whose involved with it and anyone who ever encouraged me to do it. I curse the natural elements that are making my progress difficult. I curse my mother for bequeathing to me her short and stubby legs. etc., etc.

Stage 2: Immediately after the event, I refuse to think about it.

Stage 3: A few days later, the painful details of the event start to wash hazy in my brain. I have a horrible memory, which is why I'm such a good friend to have. Most of the time, I won't remember what it was you did to piss me off, or I'll forget how angry it made me and think it couldn't have been THAT bad. Like right now, I'm thinking my sister and I must have been in a fight, and that's why I haven't heard from her in nearly a month, nor did she congratulate me on my Ironman finish, nor have I gotten any responses to my five emails.

I also forget about how long and arduous the training was. I recall vaguely thinking to myself at some point during July, Oh, my GAWD this is hard. How do non-teachers fit all this in?

Stage 4:
It settles in, and I begin to have dangerous thoughts, such as, "I wonder what else I could do?"

So here I am at stage four. I've been mousing around the Internet and racking up a fantasy list of races I'd like to do someday.

I'm already signed up for Ironman Coeur D'Arlen since, while a judicous response to Sweet Baboo's pronouncement that he was going to do it would have been something like, "Good for you! What is the course like? How about the climate that time of year? Any wind on the course?"

yes, that would have been judicious of me, wouldn't it?

Instead, I said, "Cool! Put me down too."

So like I said, fantasy things. Actually, more than fantasy, a sort-of to-do list of things I'd like to accomplish in the world of endurance stuff.

First, I'd like to do a marathon in every state. I'm wise enough to realize that in order to do this I'm going to have to do at least three or so a year. (Except Alabama. Until my sister starts returning my emails, Alabama is blacklisted from my marathon goals for, like, EVAR) The run at the end of an Ironman counts, too.
I must be pretty lucky because at the end of each of the two marathons I've done, and most of my long runs these days, I'm usually not sore, nor have I had problems with blisters or muscle spasms.

Second, I'd like to do one or two more Ironman races, carefully avoiding any that have the word "challenging" and "rolling" in their course descriptions from now on, but mostly I think I'd like to do a few 70.3's in nice locals.

So here's my fantasy list of to-do endurance races, for now.

I'll probably add to this list as time goes by, but that's what's on my mind for now.

As for the rest of 2007, I'm "off" until the end of October, when I do the SOMA half -iron in tempe. Duane will be there, doing the quarterman, and I think Nytro and Benny will be there, and Pirate is doing the half, too, although I'm fairly certain that she'll have time to finish, shower, and freshen up before meandering over to the finish line to wave me in.

Oh, and I have an appointment on September 15th for the IM tattoo.

...

23 comments:

  1. I have 2 boys at the same stage of life..... feeling your pain. And sharing your love of sudoku.
    Interested in your race list and thinking about which ones we might be able to join you for (then for SURE you would have someone behind you on the course.... ;-)

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  2. Me Casa is su casa. Or whatever. Let us know if you are ever in the area or if we can do any research or anything to help you out. I'd love to try to keep up with Sweet Baboo, and with my wife being a nurse, CPR is never more than a couple minutes behind me.
    I can tell our kids something right to their face and they go..You never told me that.
    Yeah...I feel your pain.

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  3. I didn't see Wildflower on your list. You must consider it.

    I will be at SOMA doing the Quarterman. That's how I'll be sure to finish in enough time to cheer everyone else across the finish line.

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  4. "Most of the time, I won't remember what it was you did to piss me off, or I'll forget how angry it made me and think it couldn't have been THAT bad"

    and now I'm thinking, did I piss her off? Oh no! (I'm probably the most insecure friend you'll have)

    I've heard both the Duck City and the Fiesta de are sucky courses - but I'll share whatever I find out.

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  5. Anonymous9:28 PM

    We have two teenage boys in our house, 14 and almost 17...I feel your pain. I had to laugh because I told one of them today he should go join the circus (in my nice, sarcastic mom voice).

    That's an exciting to-do list! I'll be doing the Duke City this year for my first full marathon, if all goes well with my training. I did the Fiesta de ABQ half marathon in 2006, and it was nice with hot air balloons at the start. My friend was a voluteer for the full mary. She helped with the aid stations, but said it was disappointing because they ran out of food/drinks for the runners. I don't think they had the full marathon last year.

    Have fun with the new goals!!

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  6. The Disney Goofy is great. It's my only marathon to date and I'm pretty much ruined to think anything will measure up!

    Thanks for your encouraging words in your last post. I felt like you were talking to me even though we don't know one another. All those voices of doubt suck! Thanks for the pep talk!

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  7. What about the Half Silverman? :-)

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  8. Silverman and Wildflower both violate the "no 'challenging' in the description or the course" rule, for now. But they're on my "hmmm...if only hills didn't suck so much" list.

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  9. Thank you for your blog. I've just come home from holiday (heavier than expected) and reading your posts really cheered me up. YOU ARE AN IRONMAN - nothing but respect for that. I was 204lb now down to 175lb and expecting to make it lighter. Reading blogs really helps. An embodiment of feel the fear and do it anyway.Huge congratulations.

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  10. I'll host you for the Shamrock Sports fest in March and the OBX Marathon in Oct.

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  11. Impressive list! I'm sure you'll do all that and more.

    (p.s...Walt Disney World [and the Goofy challenge] is actually in Florida. ;) Disneyland in CA has a half-marathon event, but it's not like WDW's offerings.)

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  12. The kid relationship gets better when they finally move out...(I am speaking from a mother/daughter perspective here...)
    Man, you DO have some goals...Buffalo and Vineman are "hilly and challenging"- just for the record...but then they are "only" a 1/2...
    You have been BITTEN and BITTEN good!

    And after the 15th...we want pictures please! (depending of course on where it is going to be strategically placed...!) :-)

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  13. I always do the same thing with race plans. If you come to Chicago for a marathon - let me know. For rolling hills be sure to look at the Flying Pig in Cincinnati on the Ohio River.

    Can;t wait to see photos of your tatoo.What about a video???

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  14. any tatoo previews?

    I'm wanting to do Cancun too - just have to watch it, it's held at the tail end of Hurricane season.

    And you do realize that the Goofy is the half Mary on Saturday and the full Mary on sunday, right?

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  15. You have a place to stay in Mississippi should you choose to do the Mississippi Blues Marathon. And you should add Richmond Marathon to your list. Oh yeah, and Mayor's Midnight Sun in Anchorage.

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  16. Just so you know, Cancun is very hot and humid. Make sure to factor that in. :)

    Tattoo - what will it look like and where will it be placed...or are you waiting for the unveiling after you get it?

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  17. Kids are a problem? who would have thunk it.

    I'm going to watch the soma tri in tempe. good luck with it. Oh, what I'm I saying. Your an Ironman. It'll be a breeze.

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  18. I think that the Goofy one is only in FL. Disney World - Land is CA ?? But, if you did opt for the one in FL, you have a place to crash. IMFL is 8 hours north of us. So, you could stay with us but it would be a REALLY long drive to the race... ;)
    You are already a busy girl. Bummed about the 101 - wait did I already tell you that? Probably. Hell, I have been out of it. Pick a race anywhere in our neck of the woods, would love to have you guys here - what about St Anthony's? It's probably sold out already

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  19. Amen.

    The 16.17 year old boy in this house is hell-bent on becoming not much. He tries his damndest to fail as many classes as possible each year, yet they continue to shuffle him along.

    His passing a class revolves around whether or not he likes the teacher. So he's basing his whole future on if he thinks the teacher is cool or not.

    Amazing.

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  20. I believe I went through those stages during childbirth. So, the last one was a long time ago. I'm pretty sure I remember really cussing at Mr. Tea (stage 1) and saying something afteward like (stage 2) "pls let's never talk about the birth."

    I like the list. I've been looking at Oceanside 70.3, but Cancun....that sounds even nicer.

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  21. I'm down for Cancun with you! I am stunned you are even thinking of racing again so soon! I was out for about 18 months after IM. SO GLAD you already signed up for IMCDA!

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Moved.

 I'm no longer involved in multisport or endurance sports. I've started my own business, a psychotherapist specializing in anxiety d...