2019 -July 08 - Check-In - #ZENTRIATHLETE

Checkin' IN!!!

July 16 is nearly upon us. It's July 8th today!

Sometimes I get a good post in and others, well. I have been taking a soft break from all things triathlon for a few days - two weeks. Today the plan is to go out and meet up with some swimmer friends and Open Water Swim (OWS) in Hyrum Reservoir in Cach Valley. HYRUM State Park Official Site Link (Click Here). So it looks like the water temp is a healthy and brisk 68 degrees which is far better than my last OWS in Bear Lake the other day that was approx 58-59 degrees. A local friend is trying to get a OWS swim group going and I guess its time for me to pony up and join.

It's time for me to start building my base. I need to concentrate on the run and cycling a bit differently as I begin to maintain fitness, begin the builds re-focus my discipline in nutrition. Swim, I will sprinkle in OWS when I am in town and where I can and the rest will be to begin extending my time in the water at the pool in the late evenings after the kiddos wind down. It's going to be a chore to get to the safe space to successfully complete the 2.4-mile swim, the 112-mile bike ride and the 26.2-mile run I signed up for on May 02, 2020.

Recently, the Swim, Bike and run courses were shared by the St George IM planning folks. They aren't finalized and they are working through those details. Unfortunately one of the local cities isn't being as friendly as folks would like, unsure to details - which I have no insight on and frankly not going to worry about. The tourism and IM planning commissions are being good and not throwing them under the bus and at least we still get to swim in Sand Hollow. It appears they are planning a looped swim course, which should help manage the surface area and coverage for the emergency professionals and volunteers but, some of the participants will be able to swim that first lap and catch the rolling start entrants. That density is going to be like a mass start, so will be interesting to see how they try to manage the on-course swim density, and then the rest, b/c up to snow canyon, that cycling course will be dense with participants too. It's times like this that participants start to gain an appreciation for what planning and other behind the scenes details that the Race Directors must manage. So far, I am liking what I am seeing, and hope they can keep the two main transitions - one at Sand Hollow from swim start to bike transfer, then the bike to run transition in the city center of St George about where it has traditionally been.

Liz and I have been concentrating on family dynamics lately. Trying to keep our little circus happy and content. We took them up to Bear Lake for an extended family reunion and then yesterday on a whim went down and wandered and meandered SLC Temple Square.

Juniper turned 4 on July 3
Dennis - encampment - trek is coming (faith-based activity) and a camping excursion to Jax hole wilderness
Astrid - she is just GROWING and her personality is beaming

Anyway. Sometimes life and hobbies are so inter-mixed that its hard to find space for both let alone one or the other. So, at times, I have to stop. Focus on what's most important - Liz and my relationship with our nuclear family and its well-being and health. Then I get to concentrate on me and this hobby of triathlon. Liz floated an idea for a monster road trip. MONSTER!!! I guess I didn't say no.

Well on a highly personal note - Liz and I embarked on a relationship years ago. On July 16th, 2004 - in Kensington Maryland, she and I both said yes to an eternal journey together. That being said. I have heard a few folks say they look at us as an inspiration and a few other kind and notable attributes. This has been one of the hardest endeavors either of us have undertaken. We sure have grown in ways we can't describe. The only real marital advice I give are two things:

Take the time it takes to do it right one time
Invest in a good couch or secondary sleeping surface - it can/will save your marriage and all hearts involved

Reminds me of triathlon in some ways fast forwarding to today. Looking back and measuring backwards, I know for me it was a very calculated and long thought out decision and I can't really pinpoint when I knew exactly it was more of a growth and there it is, and now hold on and do it right kind of thing. We were young, well, she was a lot younger. We knew that it was more than just simple affections and feelings and all the other things that lead to family growth. We had plenty of trials and obstacles, minds to persuade and convince that we were ok. That we were making solid decisions. That we kinda had a direction of where we wanted to go.

Well, a few cross country moves, a few times apart, 3 kids (and a 9 year bout of secondary infertility without any answers), lots of animals and plenty of rented residences and 3 owned homes later, 15 years has proven for plenty more BEST times than worse times. I'd like to believe along the way I have cared more about her than me but at times care more about us than her. It's allowed me in specific to wake up when needed. To stop at other times. And to move, no hustle forward at others. Some folks have said they don't know how we deal with us travelling so much apart - for work I travel a lot at times - and we tend to respond with we don't know how we do it without - its just what we know. I am home a bit more, and change and growth has always been a part of our solution and growth cycle. To be clear to those that look up to us, we struggle a lot. We ONLY know deep waters and have learned to jump in before it swallows us. As we jump in we try to make sure we aren't carrying back packs full of bricks, rather tools to help us be effective in the waters we often know little or nothing about.

So anyway, on July 16, 2019 - we will celeberate 15 years. We are in a good and solid space. We are hoping to continue in furthering our relationship and strengthening our family unit. We tend to try to include others where we can, help where folks allow us to help and other times, we just keep to ourselves standing on the sidelines observing and often ready to jump in. We are no where near perfect, Liz can attest to some of my gravest and also shallowest faults. I can admit that I have learned more in the last 15 years than ever I did solo. I'm grateful Liz let's me play triathlon. It's a facet that helped me wake up and become ever mindful of necessary things. I have learned how to tune out unrequired noise and focus on today - sure I measure backwards as I look to the future. I am able to be STILL, and know. I am feeling lately that the act of being STILL is also known as being present. Being available in the MOMENT and knowing who I am so I can focus on what's right in front of me. I have also learned through triathlon participation what endurance truly is and what its like to both suck at 3 sports but also excel at 3 sports ALL at once. I feel in marriage and triathlon I have not yet achieved my BEST and think I can keep in a growth cycle that will allow me, perhaps many years from now, to measure back and say Liz, who would have thought?

Anyway, Triathlon is life. It is a multi-disciplined set of activities that is far-reaching. Much further than a simple swim, a bike ride and a jog in the park as it were. It requires attention to detail, sometime not given a crap about the SUFFER and learning to engage in healthy consistent patterns that require care, discipline, kindness, grace, forgiveness, courage, faith and much much more. BUt we tend to only see the swim, bike and run. If that's all it is to another - their loss, my gain. There you go Liz, a glimpse of why I can't just articulate outside of Shane speak. It's so much larger than me, and us! So, I choose you and us! Let's keep this circus happy, healthy and alive. Cheers!