Thoughts on “Friends Coping with Cancer”
I think this whole TNT business is so interesting on a personal level. There are so many life lessons encased in this experience. We constantly use our growing understanding of what “endurance” actually means, and I would venture that the mental aspect is about 80% vs. 20% physical. I know athletes know this, but I didn’t and not in this context. I’m sick at the moment and have felt crappy for a few weeks, now. I have limped along or skipped altogether my workouts, both team-based and the “OYO” (on your own), and am now one step away from pure panic. We’ve entered the training realm that goes beyond what we had to do for the Olympic distance tri last year (which is approximately half the distance demanded in a 1/2 IM). That makes me very, very afraid, I must say, and even moreso when I’ve felt unable to keep up with all the training demands the past few weeks.
But, with that said (and after having a conniption fit with Mark this afternoon), I think I can still complete the deed if I decide to keep my head cool and just do what they tell me. The trick, for me, is not to think about it too much. The numbers freak me out so much so that I convince myself it’s not possible to: ride my bike for 50 miles or run for 9 or swim for 1…
But, I have done the swimming leg of it regularly, now, for a month or so (1.2 miles); I have ridden 35 miles; I have run 8 miles.
Our old swimming coach from last year used to say, “If we could only unscrew that thing on top of your neck, we’d be able to do a LOT more than we ever thought possible…” Julie is right on that score.
Which is the perfect marriage for helping to raise awareness and $$ for LLS – the folks they are attending to are on their very own endurance competition, and one they didn’t have the absolute luxury to choose. Jonelle Horn, our Honorary Teammate, says that in order for her to get through her treatment, she just put one foot in front of the other, every minute, every hour, every day. She tried not to look too far down the road, but just continued with that very AA concept of doing it one day/step at a time.
Yep. That’s what I need to do. Thanks, Mark, for the reminder.
- April
