Ironman Wisconsin 2016… Yes, No, Maybe?

Once again I am staring at an Ironman registration screen before I’ve completed the next one on my list.  Chattanooga is in twelve days and Ironman Wisconsin 2016 is baiting me with all its glory.  Unfortunately my competitive and sign-up windows are both closing quickly.

I think most of us go through this phase.  The last couple months before your race you make a lot of claims about taking the next year off.  I almost actually did this last year, but caved in to Louisville 3 months before the race.  Louisville was slow to sell out in August, but Wisconsin will likely be gone in a day or two.  So, what should I do?

IF I was set on doing an Ironman next year, I would pull the trigger in a second.  Wisconsin is the race I want to do.  It’s a great course, the atmosphere is incredible, and it’s home.  The swim alone is almost worth the entry fee.

The “transfer” option isn’t really a question.  It’s whether or not I want to race.

I think my competitive nature makes this decision so hard.  I’m just not the kind of guy to sign up and do it “for fun.”  I mean, obviously I love this stuff or I wouldn’t keep racing or writing about it all the time, but . . . it’s hard!

I’ve tried to compartmentalize my training, but Ironman has a way of taking over your life.  And, that’s the second catch . . . in the big perspective, that’s not such a bad thing.

Ironman training is the big-picture-guide for my life.  It deters me from falling off the rails and sauntering into the murky marsh.

But, it also saps my energy for other things.  And, frankly, I should probably get on with my life as an entrepreneur one of these days.

So, I sit here in contemplation with a peaceful monk on my left shoulder and a lycra-clad competitor on my right.  Each urging me to be myself and make the right decision.  That, of course, is the always the dilemma.

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