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‘Adulting’ has been a constant topic on my mind this past year and what is now 2 years since participating in the 2022 IRONMAN World Championships in Kona.
I haven’t written since finishing Kona. A few times people have asked – surprising faces in my community actually; I guess just not one’s that I might expect – about actually looking forward to race recaps and updates.
There are many due:
- year 8 recap
- Finishing IRONMAN California in 2023 in very wet conditions; my Kona DNF ‘revenge tour to finish’ is what I called it.
- Serving as a pacer for the lululemon 10K Tour in Los Angeles and the completion of my 2 years as the Malibu lululemon store ambassador.
- Finishing 3rd in the IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman in Cambridge, Maryland this past June.
Most of those will come forthwith in abbreviated format.
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That’s where adulting comes in. Kona was the big hairy audacious goal set in year 2 of my wheelchair journey. Apparently I also had an unspoken assumption that after Kona I was going to … adult.
But then I didn’t finish at Kona.
And I had this deferred paid entry to IRONMAN California the following year.
And I had worked so hard to build the fitness and skills to race the full IRONMAN distances.
And we had both earned and raised so much money for the expensive adaptive equipment.
And, I decided I couldn’t go out on a DNF (racing-speak for ‘Did Not Finish’).
So I committed to racing IRONMAN California.
And as last year progressed, my biggest challenge each day and week was to decide what was getting sacrificed: training, work, relationships, stretching, or sleep?
This is what defined my little adulting dilemma.
In the deeper existential sense, it was decision between doing the responsible thing, or continue pursuing the dream.
For the prior 7-8 years since my crash, I was really clear what pursuing the dream meant for me in this wheelchair life. I committed to the dream and I gave it priority.
It required a lot.
It required a lot of me, of course. It also required a lot of support from non-profits who’s charter is supporting people with disabilities like me; it required a lot from those closest to me; and it required a lot of crowdfunding (as long-time community know).
And ya’ll came through every time and my gratitude runs deep and will forevermore.
But a funny thing happened along the way on the IRONMAN California ‘revenge tour’.
I looked up and realized I made more money in 2023 than I had in any year since my injury. Coupled with the fact that IRONMAN California was not on a Hawaiian island, continuing non-profit support, and work opportunities that have fortunately come my way; I was able to self-fund the trip.
It turned out, while I was stressing out over the proverbial race/life balance, it was actually balancing itself out over the course of the year.
It was yet another valuable life lesson learned from triathlon in 2023.
Then came 2024 … was it time to hang it up? I mean … hey … I’ve come so far and worked so hard to build a level of endurance fitness and invested so much.
https://www.ironman.com/im703-world-championship-2024AND, the IRONMAN 70.3 (half IRONMAN distance) World Championships are in Taupō, New Zealand this year.
AND, the qualifying race is in Maryland near some of my favorite friends.
So much for turning the corner to adulting.
I signed up for the qualifying race in Maryland, which was last June. After having a terrible swim (primarily because my leg strap came off) and coming out of the water last of the 5 in my division, I had my fastest handbike leg and run leg and overall race time in a half IRONMAN.
I finished third.
I qualified for the New Zealand IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships this December.
Here’s the moral of this year’s story: we have to work for it, we have to figure out a way, but sometimes we can do both the adulting and the dream. It includes a lot of consternation and deciding sacrifices along the way.
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Lastly, a humble brag: with only the financial support of my non-profit community, I’m self-funding my way to New Zealand. I say that not to brag.
I say that to make a point to you, my friends & family who have supported me with funding at every ask, that my version of gratitude to you is to not have to ask anymore.
Adulting. Nailed it.
And I love ya’ll. Forevermore.
Post-script: the financial picture has always been top of mind for me. But it has been acute during this Paralympic season because major outlets have been reporting on the broader conundrum for disabled folk. Where living costs more, where participation in sport at any level be it recreational or elite, and where finding employment opportunities is ripe with discrimination.
I am one of the very fortunate exceptions that ‘make the rule’.
Read on if you are inclined:
Self Magazine: It Shouldn’t Be This Expensive to Be a Paralympic Athlete
NPR Marketplace: For many Olympians and Paralympians, the path to Paris is self-funded