Feeling Great!

Jack went to Zion National Park yesterday. And he was recognized! Lots of triathletes were roaming the park and some folks remembered seeing Jack roadside in different places around St George..."IT'S JACK!" We felt like Rock Star escorts as we hiked about 10 miles throughout the park. (I even got a warm fuzzy as we were about 5 miles into a steep trail and some guy says, "Hey, you're Cindy!" Huh?? I thought I'd been mistaken for a "Most Wanted" or "Missing" poster when he said, "I'm Christian. We passed each other back on forth biking yesterday." (Our IM race numbers had our names printed below the number, so if you were one of the 1% of the athletes not totally focused on the yellow line and cones in front of you, you may have captured a person's name - and NOTE: of COURSE his name would be CHRISTIAN! Not Frank, Bob or Joe - but CHRISTIAN! The ONLY person in the IM that shouted out my name was named CHRISTIAN...Hello, God.) How amazing is that...recognized in totally different clothes, not looking like a drown rat, not shadowed under a bike helmet, hiking out in the middle of nowhere on a cliff on top of the world. Very cool.

It was interesting hiking through Zion, running into triathletes from around the world - and even Austin - Kevin, Denise and Betsy. They were all friendly, greeting you like family. Many wanted to rehash their experiences, especially those that found it debilitating, ruthless, miserable and never to be experienced again (apparently many seasoned age groupers have found the water temperature and course a, well, "not enjoyable" experience, quoted by some as the "toughest IM in North America" with unbearable water temps and grueling bike and run hills). In several conversations Steve found himself, in his typical counseling style, reframing athletes' mindsets that this course was not about time comparisons from other courses, but about beating the course, the day and the odds that were against us all. God Bless OSHA.

Recovery has been great. I was a little stiff and my quads were a little sore Sunday; blood blister a bit full. We did have a bought with leg cramps Sunday to deal with - Steve's. His glutes pretzeled up from "standing so much following the race." I'm guessing I just had him "puckered" all day :-)

But yesterday I felt great. Quads barely sore and blood blister subsiding. I even felt the urge and had the energy to lightly trail run some while hiking (Who could resist trail running in God's country?!?! Just way too perfect to hold back.) I did have 48 hours of not being tired or able to sleep after the event. Kind of expected that as I usually have about 24 hours of not being tired after a half IM. Maybe adrenaline, maybe endorphins, but feeling like you're on a caffeine high for two days when you know you've been awake for 22 hours and exerting for 13 and a half is a baffling feeling. But last night my body finally relaxed and I tucked in for about 10 hours of good sleep. God Bless Zion Canyon Jamaican Style Lager.

We're still so much enjoying all the emails, texts, facebook posts and shout outs from friends and family. Thank you. It's been fun spending the time leading up to, during and post-event activities taking all of this in with Steve. It's been 27 years since we started spending time together as a couple and 21 years married as of next week. I guess we could reflect on that as an Ironcouple event :-) But all journeys grow us and spending this time together as grown both of us even closer together - a time we all need as couples - so important for every relationship. I certainly have to thank Steve for being there, being here, for simply "being" for me. "Grateful" doesn't even explain the peace and completeness that his unconditional love, support, and understanding provide me (seriously, I sometimes can't even understand myself, so its so nice to have a life time "interpreter" for who I am and why I am as I am :-) Someone said "spectating" is probably the toughest job on Ironman day - but being the husband of an athlete with the mindset, heart and soul of someone that is in the constant pursuit of growth and purpose has got to be one the toughest callings to any relationship. I'm eternally grateful, Steve. xo

So life rolls on...extraordinary love and support for something that now feels so ordinary. I'm assessing what this has meant to me, how I will apply it and how I will grow from it. What next? Who knows. But for the immediate and most important, Ironmom returns to action tomorrow - and I now know that's pretty much the toughest endurance activity I participate in.