Lessons in Perspective – Ironman Style

Perspective is an amazing thing.

Just over a week ago, I completed an Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run – 140.6 miles in 14h:23m:27s). When I signed up six months ago, I was sure this would be the hardest thing I’d ever do.

April 29th and May 26th proved that not to be true, but I learned a lot about perspective.

For five months, my focus was training. I remember doing “long” runs that were about an hour in the beginning. Sometimes they were hard, but doable.

As the training progressed, the ‘long runs’ became 2-3 hour runs. The ‘long rides’ were 5-6 hours.

My perspective shifted. What started as “long” workouts became my ‘short’ workouts.

My body and my brain adapted – I became stronger both physically and mentally. There’s A LOT of alone time on a bike or in a pair of running shoes. You have to learn to entertain yourself and shift your thinking.

As I hit mile 17 of the run on race day, I’d officially run longer than I ever had in my life. It was an amazing feeling, that was quickly replaced by doubt and exhaustion. Miles 18-20 were some of the hardest I’d ever run.

At mile 20, though, my perspective changed. I realized I only had 6.2 miles to go! That was the equivalent of a Thursday ‘short run’. That was doable!

I shifted my thinking and realized the goal in front of me wasn’t insurmountable. It was just something that I had done every week for the past almost 30 weeks.

As I head into a weekend that will be filled with emotions and other firsts, I hope to bring with me that idea of perspective.

Since the accident on April 29th, I’ve looked to the next milestone – to the next medical milestone, to the next event or to the task to cross off my list. It’s how I coped.

Honestly, though that’s how I’ve lived pretty much my whole life. It’s my default. One I’m truly hoping to change.

I’m trying to focus less on those milestones and more on the people who are surrounding me. Because truly, it’s not about crossing something off the list, it’s about experiencing life.

So this weekend, I will channel my inner Rylie and focus on experiencing life.

I will see people gathered from all walks of our life in celebration of the amazing young lady that she was.

I will soak up the stories that capture her quirks and her true essence.

I will be touched by friends traveling across the country to be with us.

I will savor the pictures and stories of those people who can’t be with us, but are having their own celebrations in Rylie’s honor.

Will I cry? Yes. Will I laugh? Yes. Will I hug? Yes. Will I want to scream and yell? Probably.

But most of all I’ll treat this as mile 18-20 of the run. It will be hard, but with the support of those around me, I will make it to mile 20. Then it’s just a ‘short’ Thursday run. Followed by lots of other ‘short’ runs. And I’m lucky to have crowds of people cheering me along every step of the way.