It's almost here...where did the weeks go? Tonight's swim training was tough...drills, drills and more drills! My "favorite"...swimming 50 yards freestyle...oh, yeah...but you can only breathe every FIVE strokes! I thought I was going to have a stroke! Your lungs burn like nothing you can imagine while you are doing it and then...it's over and you catch your breath during your 15 second "rest"...that's what our coach calls it!
Saturday is a huge bike clinic where they are going to teach us how to pick up something from the road while riding [if I drop it...it'll stay there], how to maneuver your bike in a straight line even when looking back [like I really want to see where I came from] or even better yet...how to put your hands on another rider’s shoulder while looking back [now WHY would I even think about doing that???]...oh well, I guess I have a lot to learn! Seriously, they will be teaching us some really useful skills that day...how to ride on open roads and in a paceline of 8-12 riders.
Some folks have been asking me if I am running anymore since all they hear about is the swimming and cycling! Well, duh...I love to run! But, since I know that I can easily run 6.2 miles...I'm not focused on the last leg of the triathlon. But, I ought to since my guesstimate is that I will be about 2-1/2 to 3 hours into the race by that time and starting to feel the strain of the day. At some point I know my brain will start to say, "Suck it up...FINISH...SURVIVE! You can do this!"
And, that is when I will think of Matt and his struggle just a little over a year ago when he was in the midst of his treatments and working hard to get to the next level. He will be my inspiration as I look down at the orange bracelet he gave me: STRENGTH - HOPE - FAITH - COURAGE! Time doesn't fly by when you have cancer...but now with every passing day he gets stronger...and those days retreat further into memory. "FINISH...SURVIVE! You WILL do this!"
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