Sunday, December 11, 2011

I Am Not Ironman

Iron Man
I haven't been able to get to the gym all week long. Things aren't going well at work. I worked all week and Saturday, too.

I read a quote the other day, and I can't remember how it went exactly, but it was from a big successful CEO, I think it was Steve Jobs. He said that he considered the ability to encourage employees to be the most important management skill of all, and would pay top price for those who had it because it is so very important. Judging from my experience I must be the only person who ever heard of this.

Encouragement? What a novel concept.

I am exhausted. Even so, I plan to try to hit the gym tomorrow. I met with a group of triathletes and ironman competitors again this weekend. They always encourage me to compete. And encouragement, as I said above, motivates me.

I feel encouraged
I was reading up on what constitutes a full-on Ironman triathlon. There is no way I am doing this. Perhaps a half Ironman. Perhaps. But never a full Ironman. I just can't see ever wanting to do this, especially at this point in my life.

I am in pain
I also can't see my knee, which has endured 2 surgeries already, surviving a full Ironman. It's just the marathon part. I used to have the ability to run 26 miles and even try to go a reasonably good pace while doing it. But not now. My knee talks to me after 8 or 9 miles and lets me know that I should not go much further than that. I think a half-marathon would be about my limit before I had some serious swelling and possibly damage in that knee. Add to this the fact that I have never felt the desire to actually run a full marathon and you have a good understanding of why I don't plan to.

If I fart, they all suffer!
Still, they tell me that once you've done a half-Ironman you always find yourself planning to do a full one. It's a bit like tattoos that way. Once you get one you find yourself already planning the next. That's what they say, anyway.

7 comments:

  1. I always think "It's tough getting older" -- especially during my running moments when my knee talks back at me... Still, there are people who do not have those restraints, and keep doing like impossible (for me, anyway) things (like Ironman) even though they're way older than me (who is... 35...) and have more pain somewhere (but I think that's just stupid, you need to listen to your pain, it's there for a reason). Is it just me, or is it that when people reach a certain age, they have this urge to achieve something greater with their body? A couple of my male friends have reached the nearly 40's and are obsessing with Ironman and other extreme competitions. It's like duuudes, you only have one body, don't break it trying to prove something you don't have to... Just some random thoughts that came up reading your post :).

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  2. Don't believe everything they say...
    Sx

    You haven't been showing up in my Google Reader, so I have re-subscribed.

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  3. DarkHeart, I think when people hit their 40s they realize this might be their last chance to shine. Everything after that is a struggle to slow the descent downhill. So it's sort of now or never. And then there is the sudden realization that they are no longer young and yet haven't achieved any of these crazy milestones they might have considered while younger and time is just about up. I don't know. For me, if all my friends are doing an ironman then there is a strong possibility that I'm going to, but otherwise I'd rather not.

    ScarletBlue, I don't know why I'm not showing up on your reader. I'll have to check my settings. I appreciate you trying to subscribe to me, though.

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  4. I thought you were talking super heros when I saw your post title!!! Don't mind a bit of iron man myself.....


    Hope you are feeling a little better & that your cranky boss learns encouragement techniques in the new year!!!! Maybe he should go on a seminar with my boss.....

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  5. AlleyCat, I did used to love me some IronMan when I was a kid! I am super sore from a workout I did on Monday and stressed and tired. That's how I'm feeling. I hope you're feeling better than I am. Surely someone is feeling OK. :-)

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  6. The very thought of a triathlon frightens the crap right out of me. You are very brave and I'm sure if you set your goal to success, you will achieve.

    Best of luck with everything for 2012!!

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  7. SavvyFoodies, thank you, I hope that I do succeed in this. So far I haven't really gotten serious about it, but I have a feeling I'm going to take a shot at one. And best of luck to you in 2012, too!

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