Monday, September 23, 2013

Graduations and racing

I finally decided that IMAZ in 2014 was a fantasy for me completely due to my lack of focus and training so I decided to ask for the token $150 refund. About the same time I started thinking about registering for the inaugural Challenge Family Atlantic City Full since it looks like a great race for me.

My mind went into hyperdrive. I'm in such bad shape now that doing a full next June would be a reach. A better choice would to do a HIM instead or an Oly to get back into the race game. I looked at the date and saw that Rev3Quassy (a course I hate anyway) was probably a little late for a shake out half but found that Bassman the first week or so in May could work nice. I could do the Memorial Day Fireman Ironman camp at Placid, mix in a little NY Fondo (a ride I hate too), a Montauk Century training ride, and everything was coming together. I even started looking at the race fees but then realized something.

The date of the Challenge Family 2014 Atlantic City race is the same date as my daughter's high school graduation.

Now, I am not a fan of graduations. I didn't like when I graduated years ago and my mother made me go by threatening to kick me out of the house if I didn't participate. There was no chance of me going to my MBA graduation. If I decide to go back to school now, I wouldn't dream of going to a graduation ceremony. I think kids now celebrate many minuscule milestones unnecessarily but finishing HS is a real accomplishment and worthy of recognition. It would be hard to sneak out and race this race during intermission or something so the 2014 version was out. Luckily I realized this before sending in all the money.

My  younger daughter will graduate in 2016 so that year would probably be out too. But 2015 is looking good. It gives me a chance to get in shape in 2014 and go for it in 2015.

I told my wife the plan and she said that could work. She did say it would be a good idea to actually race a race that I've registered for. That means training and everything, not just sending in the money.

Time to give that plan a chance. What a novel idea.

6 comments:

Teamarcia said...

You are hilarious.

Big Daddy Diesel said...

I came over to try to convince you to race AC till I saw why you said 2015. Graduation is a legitimate big deal, so I understand

Diane said...

Love your wife's sense of humor. Start training!

jdbadger said...

LOL..My wife has told me the same thing. But there was no humor involved. Good luck buddy. I am jsut trying to figure out what to do for next year and the races that I have leading up to IM Boulder. I think I have to sign up for small races..even 5ks to keep motivated and that is my plan..If I sign up for larger races without the smaller once I tend to convince myself I am not race ready and then blow it off..We will see if it works.

MILF Runner said...

"...a course I hate..."
"...a ride I hate..."
hating on graduations...

Dude, what do you LOVE? Now let that love into your life. And go to your kids' graduations.

Kate Geisen said...

Re your blog comment, I think we all know there's no topping the speedo bet -- or we're afraid of what would happen if we up the ante. Hopefully we'll come up with a good script. :)