So typical

This is exactly WHY I started this blog. It was for YOU. Since I spend so much time training I can't even keep it going. Arg. How many times have you heard that in the last year? Or how about these? "Honey, I promise I will get the house painted soon." Or, how about this one, "I promise as soon as Ironman is over." Oh yeah. I know.

I was reminded of this when someone asked if I had T-Shirts with the Iron Widow logo on it. Yep - I do! I don't make anything on these. I just think they would be cool to have for those of you that make this a reality.

Check out the Iron Widow T-Shirt here!

The Wish!

Many of us are in the middle of training. Yes it is only mid-February, but "base training" is in full force. So, this post is more of a reflection about why I do what I do....

It is the 10th anniversary of my daughter's diagnosis of Leukemia (AML). I wanted to see if I can make you all understand why people spend so much time training. I will post a series of articles, starting with the last one first and going back.

Rock and Roll Marathon 2000:

It wasn't the fact that I ran the marathon. It wasn't the fact that I finished the marathon. It wasn't the fact that I had a PR. It wasn't the fact that I ran my 5th marathon in 2 years. The fact was plain and simple: My daughter was able to take the trip with me!

Abby was diagnosed with AML (Acute Monocytic Leukemia) January 23rd, 1997. YES - this is the 10th anniversary. The battle was hard and long for Abby, but because of the awesome doctors and nurses at the University of Wisconsin hospital she was able to take the trip to San Diego with her dad some 3 years later. Abby had a great time the entire time while in San Diego. She didn't really understand the significance of this marathon to me. She didn't know that every step took those 26.2 miles was a step toward seeing her at the finish line.

It's funny, however, that I crossed the finish line alone. Abby was nowhere to be seen. This was sad to me. I wanted to see her so bad, I had dreamed about this scenario - I would run toward the finish line, grab Abby from the crowd, and cross the finish line with her in my arms.

I walked for about 15 min after the race looking for her (and the babysitter). I finally found her at the Leukemia Society Team in Training tent. When she saw me, she just smiled and screamed "DADDY." Looking back this was just perfect. Here is a little girl of 4 that was just on a trip to San Diego with her dad. She didn't care if I ran around the world, she just wanted to be a normal girl and do cool things. Maybe I didn't get to cross the finish line with her. I had something better. I had a healthy daughter, something I didn't think I would have when holding her so sick back in January 1997. Thanks to the research and advances in the cure, she got just what she wanted. Looking back, so did I - I had a healthy child!

So what do I want? I want to carry Abby across the 2007 Ironman Wisconsin finish line! that's why I do this!!!!!

Never underestimate the power of Ironman

I said that on SimplyStu MANY times. Each time I looked at it from the training side, the athlete side, the training for 15 hours a week side. I never really looked at that statement from the "IronWidow" side. Huh? Did I just say that? It's true in that I have tried on this site to look at all things from the other side, but never looked or thought about my statement.

"Never underestimate the power of Ironman." Now this is not unique to Ironman, but there is amazing power behind training for such an event. I'm not saying it's negative, it's just something that needs to be addressed. I have dealt with it in my family. Sometimes I've done a good job, and many times not so good. I have tried too hard at times, and not tried hard enough in others. Sometimes I do not think it is right, and other times I know it is wrong. The bottom line is simple, you need to deal with the "power" now, a week from now and a month from now. Talk things out. Talk to others that have done it. Learn, listen and remember there is a lot of power in Ironman - both good and bad (I never see the bad but I know it is a part of it).

I try SO hard to make things right. I've done it twice and you would think I get better at it? Well, not really! I do try and I give it 100%. Isn't that all one can ask? It is not worth loosing a friendship, marriage, or partnership over but it certainly does have the power to rock the boat a bit.