Lessons I've Learned in 2007 (Well, September, Anyway!)

The number one lesson I've learned this year is that I can't do everything.

I guess I've known that for a long time, but one of the problems with having an abundance of choices in our lives is that sometimes we have to choose to choose.
Which brings me to another lesson in time management. Ask a busy person...
Well, with teaching and training and smiling and laughing at people's lame jokes and bringing them absoltely whatever they ask for (those last few are all waiting tables, of course,) I just can't seem to find the time to update this gosh darned blog 'o mine.

So, I've been thinking (usually on a four plus hour bike ride or a two-mile timed swim) of what I could actually post that would in some way represent my last month or so of triathlon without actually covering all of it.

And, in the spirit of Things You May or May Not Want to Know About Me, I offer you the following Lessons, in no particular order.

1. Life does indeed get in the way.
2. No matter how many times you've lost the weight, or how much you exercise, you still have to pay attention to everything you put in your mouth.
3. And what comes out of it! Even I have found someone who, as Susie puts it, "makes Carmen sound like a kindergarten teacher."
4. Sometimes the best race is the slowest one.
5. There are pages of things I could do instead of the race, but I'll probably still end up out there. Thanks, Anna.
6. A new bike is going to have it's own new set of things to get used to, but boy do I love it anyway. And it gets better and better every ride.
7. I guess it's inevitable that I'm going to bawl like a baby at some point during Ironman since I do during at least half my training sessions these days. Don't worry--it's just my sensitive side.
8. I can't really drop out if twelve of my training partners are racing with me, and thirteen of my family members along with countless friends and TRIgirls are coming out to cheer and support, now can I? See #7.
9. If you can't run, walk.
10. January to November is a long, long, long time.
11. I'm glad none of my college professors were training for Ironman. I'm not so amenable to excuses these days.
12. I'm just a slow-twitch kind of girl.
13. There are times when I would do anything to have someone to train with and others when I really need four hours completely to myself. At those times, running is a pleasant excuse.
14. Girls do have outside parts.
15. Training is hard.

My Weight Watchers leader used to say (and probably still does; I just haven't been around those parts in several months,) "When you have a bad week, you need the meeting. When you have a good week, the meeting needs you." I may have quoted that here before. There are different times during my training that I have needed something from a training partner, coach, family member, or sometimes, Someone Who Is Completely Not Involved In Any Of This. Actually, there have been several times when I was so happy to talk to a friend who couldn't care less about triathlon, just so I could take a mental break, if not a physical one. Oh, but how soon do we get caught right back up in planning the next race, the next team event, the next carpool to a training ride. Thank goodness for those girls!

During the past month, I've given myself permission to go slow, to sleep in, to ignore my blog. I've met fifty-four new students and gotten to know them and their research subjects. We've discussed conocimiento, the paradox of seeing beyond belief, and what school uniforms mean. I've convinced (some of) them that they get to take a class as opposed to have to take a class. I use the same tactics on myself.

In the meantime, is there anything nicer than a long bike ride on a sunny afternoon with the Beebs? More entertaining than a run and coffee date with SanDee J? More motivational than a training race with the TRIgirls? Better than postPatriot dinner with Anna and Deanna? I think not.

But ask me again at 11:59 on November 3.