Enjoying the journey

^ Lionel Richie (courtesy of: http://ultimative-80ere.dk/v2/gfx/images/artists/lionel_richie.jpg)


One of the reasons I do Ironman is because I love to train. There is nothing like fresh air, getting your blood moving, and spending time with friends. Saturday's ride with Heather and Tania was a perfect example.

I started off the ride feeling so fortunate. The sun was shining, good friends were accompanying me, and after watching Hotel Rwanda the night before, the appreciation for my safe and comfortable life was heightened.

As the miles ticked on, I couldn't stop smiling. Cumulatively, we gathered each little random 'bit of happiness' as we rolled by until we were all smiling and laughing.

• families & friends sitting down to barbecues
• wrap around porches with tall-back rocking chairs
• luscious green grass & vibrantly colored flowers
• the smells of freshly cut grass, lilacs, & pine trees
• working hard to crest a hill & being rewarded with a beautiful view and fast downhill (weeeee!)
• wooded back roads with very little traffic
• convenience stores en route with indoor bathrooms & Dunkin Donuts ice coffee

The icing on the cake

Despite being about 50+ miles into our ride, re-routed by an overflowing river, and having no clue how to get home, our spirits stayed up. We chose to stay positive. To accompany our situation, we started singing All night long by Lionel Richie. Yes, back-up singers and all.

Where did that come from...? Good question, I really don't have an answer for that, but it carried us through the remaining 20 miles of the ride.

All the small things

There wasn't any one moment that stood out. Each little part contributed to this great ride. I will be reminded of this experience when I am doing Ironman or any other time in my life when I need a reality check. It's not about that one event - it's really about the accumulation of each moment that leads up to it.