REPOST from Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 10:50pm
(Shamelessly stolen and slightly modified.)
»001. Makes everything else seem so SHORT.
»002. The 3 week taper before the race.
»003. The 4 week recovery after the race.
»004. I want to beat my pace from the last one
»005. I can eat WHATEVER I want
»006. So that when the car runs out of gas, I can still get away from the Police under my own power.
»007. Beats watching the new Survivor, Big Brother, or anything else on TV.
»008. For all the times you heard someone say "I'd do one of those ... I just can't swim."
»009. To say you got swum OVER
»010. Because Old Sauk and Timber aren't enough, you also want Midtown
»011. Mike Reilly's hoarse voice still bringing people home at 11:30pm
»012. The KA-RAZY crowd at the finish line at 11:59pm
»013. You can't live in Madison and NOT want to do it.
»014. The Massage Tent
»015. Chalk on the road.
»016. Because I am in awe at what my body can do.
»017. Easy rides and runs the week before.
»018. Finishing your last workout and smiling because you know "I'm SO ready."
»019. For everyone who as ever asked you "Why?"
»020. For the people who told you you'd amount to nothing.
»021. To silence the one voice inside your head that still believes that bunk.
»022. You want to test the endurance limits of the music collection in your head.
»023. So you can laugh in the face of the devil with bacon and eggs on Old Sauk
»024. Spectators looking up your name and cheering as you plod past at sunset.
»025. Where else can a stripper ripping off your suit in public be considered a benefit of a big race?
»026. Miles in the Run
»027. Want to see the world and eat the food in each country, guilt free.
»028. So you can answer "One." When people ask "How many days does that take?"
»029. To wave at the scuba divers.
»030. To backstroke at the TV helicopter.
»031. Cards and notes in your special needs bags.
»032. Cards and notes in your T1 and T2 bags.
»033. CHICKEN SOUP!
»034. CHICKEN SOUP AGAIN! (Yes - it's worth 2 by itself)
»035. The moment you realize you have to swim in the algae in Lake Monona
»036. ... realizing you're swimming in Lake Monona - and it's not that bad
»037. For the young kids who run water to you
»038. Driving the bike course in a caravan of friends.
»039. Valet Parking and Catering ... all day long.
»040. You might get on TV
»041. I want to laugh at the former cool (now fat) kids at my 20th High School Reunion.
»042. The Marines and the Army and the Navy competitors
»043.
Takes as long as having a baby, nearly as satisfying, only without the
morning sickness and the 21 years of bills that follow.
»044. Flying with a bike case makes business trips seem EASY.
»045. Sharing a smile with people wearing the finishers T-shirt the next day.
»046. Knowing that as you step in the water on race day - YOU MADE IT THIS FAR! Now just get home.
»047. How many people can say they did anything for 12,13, 14, 15, 16...hours?
»048. The first loop - and feeling like you could do this all day
»049. The wristband that somehow becomes your favorite fashion accessory.
»050. So that when you tell your grandchildren stories about what you did when you were young...yours will be true.
»051. Because you've always wondered what it'd be like to run on the turf at Camp Randall
»052. High fives from people you don't know.
»053. The Sponge as a fashion statement
»054. Coke and Chicken soup - the ultimate power cocktail
»055. Knowing that after the gun goes off, you don't have to worry anymore.
»056. First Place and Last Place get the same amount of cheers.
»057. Walking to the start, side by side with the pros...
»058. Getting lapped by the pros...
»059. Getting lapped again on the run by the pros...
»060. Because you are stronger than a stupid blister
»061. Because MolybdenumMan doesn't trip off the tongue in quite the same way
»062. If Judy Molnar can, dammit, so can you.
»063. If Randy Caddell can do it with just his arms, you can certainly do it with your legs.
»064. Because Team Hoyt makes you cry
»065. To hear "Go EHouse!"
»066. Cheering on both your teammates and random people you don't even know as you pass or they pass.
»067. My friends are waiting for me at the finish line.
»068. So is my family....
»069. ...and my teammates.
»070. Easier than Eco-Challenge.
»071. Makes US Navy SEAL training seem like a good idea.
»072. You enjoy the smell of chlorine in the morning.
»073. You've had enough with your current social life.
»074. For the love of Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream!
»075. Your friends are watching on the web.
»076. You need to prove to your mom that it really isn't that hard.
»077. Quite literally "running off into the sunset"
»078. Roadies think you're nuts.
»079. Masters swimmers think you're nuts.
»080. Your running club KNOWS you're nuts.
»081. So that you can master the bottle grab
»082. Morning swims
»083. 3 hour breakfasts after the morning swims
»084. The Underpants Run
»085. Laughing at people in the Underpants Run.
»086. Seeing my dad's message on the screen
»087. Glowsticks
»088. To live up to "Amazon woman" and "beast"
»089. Because Winston Churchill said I can't ever give up.
»090. The 12-step program to make me stop hasn't been invented yet.
»091. Any National Anthem, before the start, anywhere.
»092. Knowing that when you wake up at 4:00am, the next time you go to bed you will be VERY different person.
»093. Heading for the turn around on MLK Drive
»094. Dear God, not a second loop!
»095.
Because you've always wanted to see how many CD's and towels it would
take to ride the whole IMoo course on the CompuTrainer
»096. Makes your next marathon just a nice morning run.
»097. To make your Boss jealous because YOU have a life that doesn't involve the office.
»098. Because the longer you're out there, the less per hour it really costs!
»099. Being there is way better than watching on Pay-Per-View
»100. Finding yourself in the middle of your doubts ... finding a new meaning of being scared.
»101. Finding out that you're far stronger than those doubts a few miles later.
»102. Falling in step on the run and making a friend to the end, without having to say a word.
»103. A fried breakfast the day after.
»104. Watching people headed home while you're headed out, thinking "I'll be there soon ..." and they cheer for you.
»105. Understanding why that is as you're cheering for people headed out when you're finally headed home.
»106. That feeling of ice cubes in your hat on a hot run never getting too cold.
»107. Telling folks with flat tires "It's a long day - hang in there!" and seeing them breathe and smile for a moment.
»108. Hearing people cheer you up while you're changing a damn flat tire.
»109. Rolling into T2 knowing that no matter what - you can't have a flat sneaker from here on in.
»110. Having someone catch you, and hold you up when you can't do it anymore.
»111. The IV's feel SO good the next day.
»112. Miles in the Bike.
»113. To see if it really feels as good to do as it does to dream.
»114. To see if it really feels as good the second time.
»115. And a third...
»116. And a fourth...
»117. To try and finish in daylight.
»118. To try and finish before midnight.
»119. To try and NOT get stung by that (#*@! bee this time.
»120. Someone already thinks you're a hero - prove them right.
»121. Someone doesn't...but you might prove it to them, too.
»122. An M-Dot Tattoo would look swanky on your hip.
»123. 5000 Volunteers - all for you.
»124. Hearing them say "You're almost there!" all day long.
»125. Being nearly almost there - for real.
»126. CHICKEN SOUP! (It's been awhile)
»127. Quiet hugs before the start.
»128. Kissing him goodbye, and promising "I'll see you at the finish line..."
»129. The first time you think "Holy crap - I'm doing an Ironman!"
»130. Beating back the voices that say "Holy crap - you can't do an Ironman!"
»131. Mile 26.
»132. That moment when you KNOW you're going to make it for the first time all day.
»133. Rounding the first corner by the capitol
»134. Rounding the second corner
»135. Entering the finisher's shoot
»136. The Finish Line
»137. Mike Reilly saying, "YOU are an IRONMAN."
»138. The first step after you cross the line and think "Oh, My....God....!"
»139. The taste of cold pizza at the finish
»140.1 Because "What you only dream about, wild women do."
»140.2 Because "the credit belongs to the man in the arena" (Roosevelt 1910)
»140.3 Because so many people can't and I can
»140.4 The Medal
»140.5 Because they said I can't
»140.6 Because I say I can.
"It
is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong
man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The
credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is
marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and
comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great
devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause. Who, at the best, knows
in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, at
least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with
those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." — President
Theodore Roosevelt, "The Man in the Arena", Paris, 1910
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