The Three Coconuts

Being active people with type A personalities Blain and I have always pushed the envelope in our work and play. No holding back. Tyler has been raised in this environment and has only recently begun to realize how "totally NOT normal" we are, thankfully she thinks we're very cool and everyday that we wake up, a new adventure begins. We could never be described as an average family.

Showing horses we aspired to lofty goals, we developed a lifestyle as necessary to achieve those goals and we lived it 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Doing so enabled us to earn awards at national and world events over a period of years. It is this same devotion that we now apply to the triathlon lifestyle. Maybe we're a little over the top, but we don't seem to be able to dip into a hobby, we go total immersion into one. Because of this enthusiasm there will always be a risk of physical injury and/or mental burnout. That's OK, it's accepted because there is no place as exciting (mentally or physically) as treading that red line and attempting something that you didn't think you could ever accomplish. If you're not near that line, then you're not really ever going to learn what you're capable of. The irony is that by our excess and enthusiasm there will be periods of required mental and physical rest.

One of our compatriots is our brother in law, Alan. He came to triathlon of his own course, after starting as a runner. He is always our go to guy, when we need a team mate for an adventure or someone who doesn't think we're nuts to talk about events, training, mental aspects of training and racing. He was there with Tyler and Mom for support crew at our first Ironman. We were there for his first Half. He was first to sign on when I called and said "lets do this 178 mile run accross Florida". Unfortunatly, he has been injured all summer. A stress pelvic fracture that reared it's ugly head somewhere around Lake Okeechobee on our now infamous run.

Still he supported our team and with everyone else used completely up, ran in the final leg with excrutiating pain and courage to finish the relay on the west coast of the state. He couldn't walk the next day or for weeks afterward but he did something most people would never even consider trying. He has had to stay home from work because of the physical nature of his job......and no training......all summer. I don't know how he has done it. I don't handle even a minor 1-2 week lay up well. I become evil.......I start thinking I may never be able to run again and all my plans might be gone.

But that's how we choose to live. Every jump I aimed a horse at was a risk, every time I get on a bike there is risk, I would still make the same choices. Alan is coming up on another check up. He is signed up for his first Ironman at Florida in November. It won't be the fast and furious or as highly trained as he had planned, but he is adapting and accepting that IF he can train and finish and experience the day, it will be reward enough. There will be many other opportunities to worry about going fast. So take your fast races with your slow ones, and just be happy that you're out there running :)

UPDATE!!!!!!!..........On Wednesday the Dr. gave Alan the OK to start swimming, biking, and water jogging or eliptical. Although his pelvis is not 100%, he is 95%, and is released for anything non-weight bearing. He goes back on Sept. 3rd and the Dr. thinks at by that time things should be 100% and he should be good to run...............easy. When I called to find out the results he sounded like a kid in a candy shop. After so many months of darkness, the sun has started to rise and begin a new day. My only concern is that he over does and reinjures himself.........we are Type A personalities........Alan is Type AAA.........this guy can log some serious miles. The next race on his calendar of Xs is IM Augusta 70.3, the end of September. Barring no hickups my bet is he will toe the line. In the mean time I better stock up on plenty of butt cream, keep my recovery socks handy, and get ready to suffer.................from now till IM Florida, Alan, "the Diesel", and I have some catching up to do :)

... and to show that the horse front is still covered, Cody (Alan and Joy's youngest daughter) just won two World Championships at the Buckskin World Show in Memphis. Way to carry on the tradition.

Aloha for now!

The Three Coconuts