i am (not) ironman.

I love Ironman.

Actually, I could say that I love Ironman and Iron Man. That is not the point of this post.

I always knew such a thing as the Ironman existed, but for years I didn't realize what it was. Somehow I think I was getting it confused with some sort of body-building competition that takes place on the beach. It is not a body-building competition. Ironman Triathlon competitors are really on a whole different level.

Maybe it's because they compete in a race that lasts hours. Not just hours. The fastest Ironman competitors, (the pros, like Chrissie Wellington) take almost nine hours to finish. Chrissie, who is, at this point, the fastest woman in the Ironman, recently broke a course record at the 2009 Ironman World Championships in Kona by finishing in 8 hours and 54 minutes. This is unreal to me, mostly because this is longer than a third of a day. A third of a day, racing?

If you are competing in an Ironman Triathlon, you actually have 17 hours in which to finish the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run. Your heart has to be in it. It's not easy, and even if you want to finish, if you miss the cutoff, you're done. So what I'm saying is, you may pay $500+ to compete in a race that could take you 17 hours, and if you don't finish in the alloted time frame, you're pulled from the course.

You have to be a special kind of person to even want to compete in an Ironman. But the main focus is never on the money it costs or the equipment or the training or the fact that the time limits may end the race for you hours before you want to be done. Yes, these are very important factors, along with a few others (who knew nutrition would be so crucial!), but there is something more important and more inspiring than all those things. In truth, some of the most amazing stories come from Ironman athletes.

Don't take my word for it. Really, don't. Read Kyle Garlett's story. Or Brian Boyle's. These are just two stories of many; you'll find hundreds of reasons why people want to compete in such an elusive event. Most people probably wouldn't think of signing up for a 140.6 mile race on a normal day, much less after surviving cancer. Or a heart transplant. Or a near-fatal car crash.

I want to do a triathlon. I'll admit it here and now, although I know I've said it before. I really want to do a triathlon. It's probably my work environment. And my athletic co-workers. But when I say "I want to do a triathlon!" I really mean a sprint. I mean running a 5k after swimming less than 1000 yards and biking about 20 miles. I don't have a road bike. I've only swam in open water once. I can't even complete a 5k. I'm admitting this to you at the same time that I'm admitting I wish I possessed the prowess to do an Ironman. I watch highlights and read stories and I want to cross that finish line and hear the announcer shout, "Lindsay! You are an IRONMAN!"

I am realistic enough to realize this will not happen.

This will not stop me from being a fanatic. I cried watching the highlights on NBC this past weekend. Hell, I cried watching this promo video:



These athletes don't get the recognition they deserve. Sure, it's on TV. Sure, there's a large group of followers. But it reminds me of the Olympic Games. People do not pay as much attention to the commitment these athletes have to their sport, and the dedication they have to reach the top. The Olympic Games are only held and televised every two years, and Ironman highlights are only shown on NBC once a year. It often is overlooked that these athletes train for hours every day. You have to, if you want to compete, or even if you want a shot at finishing.


If you don't admire these athletes, you're crazy. We admire football players, baseball players, athletes with multi-million dollar contracts, but really we should be admiring the woman who finished an Ironman after having a stroke, or the 79 year old man who just finished his 20th. They may not be winning championships, but they are true athletes, and are the best motivation anyone, athlete or not, could have.

for the young and young at heart.

I am 23 years old.

I had a snow day the other day... and if you're wondering, yes, I have a real, full-time job. Whoever told you that adults don't have snow days didn't know any better.

On my snow day, I watched Walt Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

It's not like the snow day inspired me. Winnie the Pooh is one of my all-time favorite Disney characters, and actually, storybook characters in general (thank you, A.A. Milne). I own the movie on VHS. I watched it on my (old) 13" TV. Obviously, the entire experience was a blast from the past, at least in some way.

But I heard this line: something about it being perfect "for the young and young at heart." I wondered. How many people actually consider themselves to be young at heart? Some (say, my mom!) would argue that I am still young, and I suppose I still am. But I am also young at heart. The snow day is the perfect example.

I still get excited about Christmas, and not just because now it means flying home to see my family and friends. I still believe in Santa Claus. Most people stop believing in Santa long before they reach their twenties, but I will always believe. Maybe it's because Santa showed up at my house when I was five. Yes, really. I don't mean he showed up and left presents under the tree while we slept. Rather, he made his presence known. He knocked on the window. He came in with Mrs. Claus. He showed us the light of Rudolph's nose. We heard the reindeer bells. He talked like an elf. He had magic dust.

Maybe it was because we were younger than six, my brother and I needed that, seeing as how one of our parents had just had a major surgery. Our parents both witnessed the Santa moment... and to this day, we don't know who it was. Must have been Santa. No other explanation.

I still get excited about snow, and sledding. Skiing might be nice (I'll admit, I've never tried it), but that's for big kids. I would prefer to ride down a hill sitting down. I still get excited about decorating for holidays. All holidays. I send cards for Christmas and Valentine's Day... maybe wishing I still had a shoebox mailbox on my desk for cards for myself. I still have coloring books. I re-read books that I've read for well over half my life, many many times.

Actually, I still get excited about children's movies, as proved when I watched Winnie the Pooh the other day. I went to see the newest Disney movie tonight (The Princess and the Frog), and I found myself sucked into it as if I were five years old all over again. I recommend it if you've ever been a fan of The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, or any other Disney (Princess) movie.

What do you do to stay young at heart? Really, I'd like to know. I know I am not the only one.

We are adults, but that doesn't mean that we have to grow up. Our childhood selves are still busting with energy and promise for our futures, whether we're 23, 37, 61. We can be invincible. We have dreams! We can build forts out of blankets in the living room and paint with our fingers! We can jump on the bed! We can have cereal for dinner and pizza for breakfast. WE CAN STAY UP PAST OUR BEDTIMES! The world is our oyster.

We might age, we might become more mature, we might pay bills and work jobs, maybe even live 100 years... but we are still young.

At heart, anyway.

opportunity knocks.

Everywhere we look: opportunity.

Think about a normal day in your life. Even if you decide it is just another day and nothing "exciting" has happened, I bet you're wrong. We have so many unique opportunities every day that often times we don't even give them a second thought.

Where would our lives be without opportunity? No one would have ever gone West. No one would have fought for their own land, or the right to vote. No one would have created an Olympic Games or invented light-weight running shoes with a waffle iron.  Airplanes. Telephones. Automobiles. No one would go to college or move to a new state for a dream job. What would get accomplished without opportunity?

We actually are staring opportunity in the face every day. We look it square in the eye when we look in the mirror. We pass it on a sidewalk. We have frequent chats with it, though it may be miles away.

It. Is. Everywhere.

Opportunity relies on its golden counterparts - imagination, chance, determination. We might be able to easily find our opportunities, but we have to take chances and dream a little to make them realities. Actually, sometimes it may be the other way around, if you have a dream that you care enough for to make it come true.

The funny thing about our opportunities might be that one move might lead to another, and eventually you're finding yourself in a position you never thought possible. I wanted to work for the Olympic Movement. Everyone knew it. I took opportunities that were presented to me, as I participated in extra-curriculars, made the right connections and applied for an internship I thought I could only dream of landing. These small steps were all towards one giant goal, and I'm still taking steps to achieve the dream fully. It sounds kind of mushy (which is fine, because I'm well aware of my love affair with this sort of thing), but if I hadn't taken chances, jumping at opportunities, I may still be in my hometown. There might be opportunity there, but it's different than the reality I've been hoping for myself.

So what are you waiting for? You may not be the next 100m world record holder. You may not have the most number one albums in history. You may not be one of the greatest dancers who ever lived (despite what that wiggle or jump is to your favorite Madonna song). But certainly none of these people would have recognized their potential had they not seen what lay ahead of them. They saw an opening for opportunity, and they took it, leading them to greatness.

Where will your opportunity take you?

Open the door. Opportunity is knocking.