Peer Pressure

No. I will not sign up for a race any time soon. I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to do it!

It’s amazing how many times I have to tell myself that to keep from signing up for a race. I suffer greatly from the triple dog dare syndrome. I usually succumb to most race challenges thrown my way. Now I am not talking about the normal events like 5k’s or sprint triathlons. Nor am I talking about being challenged based on speed. My greatest area of weakness covers the category which is best described by people as “You are going to do what?????” I am talking about Ironman triathlons, Ultra marathons, Rouge Roubaix bike races, & the Holy Toledo triathlons of the world. The races where the saying “Blood, Sweat & Tears” brings on a very literal connotation.

Here is a list of what I am talking about in terms of my historical insanity. Luckily for me they appear to be worst in odd number years.

2004 – First year of triathlons. What was I thinking?
2005 – Gulf Coast Half Ironman, Ironman Florida
2006 – Holy Toledo Triathlon, Baton Rouge Beach Marathon – 40th birthday race
2007 – 50K Trail Run, Rouge Roubaix, Holy Toledo, Ironman Florida
2008 – St. Jude Marathon
2009 – Rocky Raccoon 50 mile run, New Orleans Half Ironman, St. Jude Marathon

And that does not include anything shorter than a Half Ironman or marathon. There were numerous century rides, shorter triathlons and road races thrown in the mix.

Many of those races were well planned out for my own purposes of either building for a big event or destroying myself as a fundraiser. But an equal amount all started with someone throwing down that triple dog dare when I was in no way shape or form prepared for. But I caved to the peer pressure and did it anyway.

So here I am in the early stages of 2010 and I already have one marathon on the calendar. In a very twisted turn of events that have all fallen apart since then, I signed up for this race. And in one week, I will run the Mardi Gras marathon in New Orleans. Can you hear the joy in my voice?

And that will be it for 2010. Do you hear me? No more impossible races. No more gauntlet throwing friends sending me links to races. NO MORE TRIPLE DOG DARES! I still plan on running, riding and swimming as much as I can. More importantly, it will be as much as I want to as opposed to have to.

After next Sunday’s race, when I open my calendar for the year the only things I want to see on it are Mason’s swim meets, Lara’s track meets, high school football schedules, trips to the beach, dinners with my wife, parties by the pool. If I see something with the word race in it, I am not going to be happy. I just have to make sure I don’t look at any calendar for 2011.

By the way, Mason is starting a lawnmower repair business. Here is a good example of his work.