Sea Change

In the workplace, fancy business magazines and consultants call it a "sea change" when something profound occurs to shift not just a business, but an industry or a movement. I feel like I experienced something similar to a sea change ironically in the pool tonight. Maybe it's merely an epiphany but I realized that instead of lamenting all the training and counting the days until "the end" (IM Coeur d' Alene), I need to really savor these moments while I can. Truth is, "the end" is nearer than I'd care to admit -- and that will be the real end of my racing and serious training for 2011.  In June.  Just two months away.

Whereas not having a set schedule sounded so appealing, now I realize it also means the absence of something special.  A bond with teammates. A common goal.  The chance to put myself to the test.

In other words, a void.

In two months, I'll be putting it all on the line for my second Ironman within a calendar year.  And then, that's it.  No race goals.  No training goals other than what I choose for myself.

I'm excited for the free time and of course the biggest day of all -- my wedding.  But instead of just getting through each day of training, I'm going to try harder to take it all in and enjoy each workout for what it is -- a pronouncement that I have big goals and am achieving them.  None of this comes easy, but the knowledge that I've vowed to do something for myself and am actually seeing it through is something I'm proud of.  And, none of this is guaranteed.  I could get hurt tomorrow and my break would start a lot sooner than I wanted.

So, here's to being grateful for every workout.  Here's to savoring an accomplishment.  Here's to enjoying the stretch run, and this Saturday's race.

Maybe that's why my water bottle quote for Wildflower will be "Peace Within."

Now THAT is a sea change for me.

61 days and counting.