After the race, a lot of my friends expressed their concerns about how I felt about this. At first, I found this real surprising because it never occurred to me to feel bad about it. I guess at one level I did indeed fail. I didn't qualify. But in my failure, I received and experienced a lot of gifts:
1. Once again I was able to do this real fun, positive thing with my son of 21. We travelled to Spain, France, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida together (among other places). We did our thing together and my heart is filled with 100s of fantastic memories.
2. Along the way we did have our way at a few races like Metroman and White Lake and the competitor in me appreciates that.
3. I LOVE that qualifying is hard. I may never be able to do it but that in part is what makes it great! To quote president Kennedy: "We choose to go to the moon in this decade not because it is easy, but because it is hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win." I'll try again (several times in 2008) and I may not make it but that will just make the quest even more important for me.
4. After my bike accident and surgeries 2 years ago, it was unclear if I would ever be able to do another one of these things. When I was out there at IMFL this year and really hurting on the run I had this clear thought that here I was, still doing it and I was very thankful to still be able to do an IM. I'm very thankful that I'm getting mature enough now to appreciate experiences while they happen, not just when I can no longer do them.
5. I did make real breakthroughs in fitness this year and as i enter 2008, I'm pumped and primed--it's great to be 50 years old and still moving ahead physically.
There are others but you get the point. If failure is this good, I can only hope that success, if it comes, can live up to this standard.
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