I really love watching the Iron Man in St. George every year. This is the third year they've had it here and it will be the last year they hold a full race. The next two years that they are contracted to hold it here it will be only a half Iron Man. I had a couple of friends that did it the first year and I was so tempted back then to try and do it, but I knew at the end of the day that I just didn't have the time it would take that I could be away from the house to train. Now, three years later, I kinda don't want to ever be that narcissistic. Not that my friends that do it ARE, but I would have to be to do it. I'd have to ignore a whole lot of other people and things that need me. I still am in awe of these people though.
The woman that took first place, I was happy to see, was kinda short and stalky and not stick thin. It makes me happy to find people I can compare myself to physically (yes, I am that self conscious about my body) and see them do awesome things.
I put a lot of miles on after I had Sarah when I was in my postpartum depressed stupor and gave myself a few injuries. I have been thinking that maybe it's time to switch to lower impact cardio. I've been biking and swimming, which I have enjoyed a lot, but nothing will ever compare to the running high and I've missed that. I came across an article in a running magazine the other day that said that you don't ever need to give up running at any age, but just change the way you train to avoid injuries. That may or may not be true in my case, but I'm choosing to believe it because I need to. Running is one of my few pure joys in life. One thing that is always sure to make me feel happy and uplifted. Peace.
The first place male winner. He gave me a high five as he was rounding this corner to the finish line. I took it as a sign.
These two klassy ladies were standing next to me watching. One of them wreaked of pot and their banter was, I hate to admit, hysterical. They were both in their early sixties, admiring the athletes bodies and flirting with the volunteers. I couldn't help but think about the fact that I am closer to their age than I am to the age I was when I graduated from high school. I still feel like I just graduated from high school. How can it be that I am now done having babies and am officially exiting the 30 something young mom club?! It's insane. Where did my 30s go? At the same moment I'm happy to be almost 40. Finally no pressure to look perfect. It actually kinda looks sad to me when I see someone in their 40s trying to look 20 or 30 something. For instance, after these two women left, there came up an older woman, in her 70's, obviously an athlete herself because she was wearing Iron Man garb. She said she was cheering on her son that was competing in his first Iron Man. I asked her about her obvious involvement in Iron Man events and she told me that she was a 4 time champion at Kona in her 40+ divisions years ago, but that she is retired now. I remember thinking that she, with her leathery tanned skin and sparkling healthy eyes and muscle toned 70 something body was more beautiful to me than any smooth botoxed exfolioated lazered lifted tucked nipped or injected woman I had seen. Hers was real beauty. I don't know if any of my friends that do those things will ever read this and take offense. Please know that I mean this for ME. It's not that I think it's wrong for someone else to do it. I honestly don't think that. It's just that it's not the look that I think will make me feel beautiful. To me the more natural, the better. I was embarrassed to ask her if I could take a picture with her. She inspired me to what I want to be doing when I'm in my 70s. (My mom died at 71. Ugh.) Not that I'm ever going to be competitive with any sport, but just that I'm going to keep going with it and stay healthy.
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