After analyzing my horrific experience at the Red Top Roaster with Coach Monster, I told him that I am just glad that I get to do this, to be a part of triathlon, and experience it. (This was channeling my girl, Charlie who just completed her first 70.3).
Coach Monster wisdom followed, and hit me like a slap your momma piece of Southern cornbread:
Triathlon will teach you alot about yourself. The time in the saddle, the quiet in the swim, and the pain of the run. The time in your head creates a space of quiet, a space of reflection. Triathlon will teach you things about yourself ….that sometimes ….you wish you didn’t know. You have found your strength when you figure out how to handle those things. The question is: what are you going to do next?
I have this magnet on my fridge. And I think about it often…
Triathlon is the quiet space in my head. But sometimes, this silence makes a whole helluva lot of confusing noise. Happy Monday everyone. Boy, I’m glad it’s over.
Yowza. That's surely something to think about this Tuesday morning. One smart Coach Monster you've got there.
I end up remembering all my races, even the not so good ones, fondly.
A good book to read if you are so inclined is Zendurance by Shane Alton Eversfield. I agree that triathlon will teach you a lot about yourself, but whether you ultimately want to know what you are learning is up to you. I had a crap load of demons coming into this experience and I am happy (though humbled) to say that I've beat them all back.
Yes, Coach Monster is a treasure… one of the best people I know. Thanks, Patrick for the recommendation.