.388 and a brick wall

7 of 18 and the totals are...

28,350 yards swimming (16.11 miles)
224.6 miles pedaling
87 miles just a running

brick walls are there for a reason.  the brick walls are not there to keep us out.  the brick walls are there to show how badly we want something.  because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want something badly enough.  they are there to keep out the other people. - randy pausch


my brick wall appeared last october when i was training to run my first marathon.  i saw it clear in front of me, but thought i was strong enough to run through it.  guess what, i'm not superman.  i developed a slight tear in my achilles.  doctor's orders were to rest and not to run the marathon.  i listened and rested, but wanted to no longer be a runner, i wanted to be a marathoner.  so i found my opening through the wall, and snuck by.  competed in tough mudder, finished the philly and disney marathon without properly training, and set my sights on the half ironman.

as training began for the half, the brick layers worked tirelessly to fix the opening i found.  for seven weeks now i searched for the opening, but i've been stopped, can't find it.  doctor gave me two options - rest for weeks and see if it heals or prp injection to increase recovery time.  both options leave the possibility that the aluminum boy won't become an ironman on june 24.

my foot is throbbing from the tremendous pain the prp injection causes.  no way around it, biting my lip to bear it.  but how i see it, the prp injection is like a step ladder that was left by those same brick layers.  it will help me to jump over, help me to cross that finish line.

everyday we come face to face with brick walls.  whether at work, with friends, or in everyday life, we slam into them.  the others will remain on their backs, bewildered.  but those who want to get around or over it, will get up, maybe take some tylenol, and begin searching for that ladder or opening.  maybe i'm foolish, but i want it badly enough.  maybe i push too hard, but i have the courage to follow (my) your heart and intuition.  they somehow already know what you truly want to become. - steve jobs

i will never be part of the others