Our modern lives are arranged around being comfortable. Physical exertion is intentionally minimized, our climate is precisely controlled, every pain should have an instant cure, and any diet must include chocolate flavored (fill in the blank) so we can have our cake and eat it too.
With discomfort banished, we now demand instant satisfaction, instant cures from all ailments, and instant food. "Want to lose 20 pounds? With our special program you can lose all the weight you want without exercising and without changing your eating!" People buy that stuff, and not just once but repeatedly. Sacrifice is discouraged.
Tomorrow will not be an easy or comfortable day. Tomorrow I will not be thinking about work or bills or home decorating. By 2:00 PM tomorrow I will be thinking about my instant needs, not wants. Ironman is one of the few times when that change occurs -- when real needs fully occupy one's mind. The satisfaction I get from my race tomorrow will be directly related to the work I've put in and the sacrifices I've made.
Hopefully this post doesn't come across as a crazy rant! My guess is that if you've done a few Ironmans you understand what I mean.
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My family and I drove from Denver to Coeur D'Alene earlier this week, opting for the scenic route. We passed through both Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, but didn't have the time to get too far away from our cars. Nonetheless, the scenery was spectacular and I plan on considering a circum-Yellowstone cycling trip next summer. Random photos below:
Awesome post - we share the same thoughts on societal comforts.
ReplyDeleteSweet pics - make them bigger next time. I've wanted to go to Grand Teton for a while - this only confirms.
Will be checking in throughout the day on your race.
By the time you get this, it may be the last thing you would be thinking about, but we are looking for those interested in doing RAAM next year. You're a bad ass cyclist, so naturally, I thought I'd ask to see if you are interested. No need for an answer now, but chew on it.