I'm Out

[Deleted User]

Good luck on your training.

You know how RnP stress the importance of SAUs, and setting up your family's schedule to accomodate IM training?

Well, I didn't do it. And I have paid the price. We had an aggressive schedule of summer vacation and kid activities that we knew about. Then my wife took a new job in a different city a month+1/2 ago. That was unexpected. She is the breadwinner; I do everything (and I mean everything) else. We have no family, no friends, no back-up support network, nearby to help cover the load.

I have reached the difficult, but I believe ultimately sensible, conclusion that this is not my year for a full IM. Next year will not be the year, either. My conditioning is nowhere near where I want it to be, and the demands on my time have been and will be too great so as to prevent changing that situation.

I wish you all the best in the event. I will not  be watching the live tracking results. It will be too painful for me. Well, painful in a theoretical sense. Rest assured that I will be with you in spirit, for whatever that is worth.

Andrew

Paul Hough

Best of luck, Andrew. But you MUST watch the tracker. It will hurt but it will also ensure you are motivated when the time comes.

tim cronk

Andrew gonna miss ya at IMMT but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.... Take care!

Nemo Brauch

Andrew, I'm so sorry to hear the news. However, you are making a smart decision. I've had to DNS before and it really sucked. I had a large group of friends going to the race and they begged me to come along anyway just for the fun and to Sherpa. I couldn't do it. I knew it would make me sad. But I did follow them online on race day and you know what? It actually made me feel even better about my decision. All day long I kept thinking "holy crap, there's no way I could have done that swim in those temps" and "oh lord, they are still on the bike- I was sooooo not ready for this". In a way, it just confirmed for me that the DNS was the right decision.

Best of luck in the new location and start focusing your energy on building your support system for next time!

[Deleted User]

Live and learn. I'm better prepared for the future. The decision has certainly taken a big load off of my shoulders. Maybe I'll wait 3 yrs so I hit the 50-54 AG as a youngster! 

Reading about Tim's crash kinda reinforced the decision -- if that happened to me, I would be in a big stinky pile of trouble. Without backup, I'm hosed. 

OK, I'll watch the tracker. 

Coach Rich

Andrew,

You're a big boy, making the big boy call. In the end, this is all just a game. 

Brenda Ross

It sounds like it was a hard decision, but one that needed to be made. You are being very responsible and I am sure your family appreciates your efforts.