Monday, October 29, 2007

What a long strange trip it's been...part Deux

In November of 2003 I finished my first Ironman in Florida. I wrote a story about my trip from couch 'tater to Ironman and all of the detours along the way. I thought that I had the world by the huevos and there was no going back.......

Well that long strange trip had a few more detours, and some road construction, and a mirror. You see the mirror was there all along but I chose not to see it. The detours and bumps in the road were choices I made. I made a couple of choices over and over and kept getting it wrong.

About a month ago I woke up and found that years have passed, I gained weight, and I realized that alcohol had way to tight a hold on my life. I have never said it before, but I am an alcoholic......er recovering alcoholic. Those goals I penned after IMFL were still there, I just had a hard time seeing them. I won't be drinking again.

I took a long hard look in that mirror and felt ashamed. But inspired. I sat down and rewrote my goals. Number one goal: Face each day sober and thankfull. So far so good.

I went for a run....well shuffle...and felt like I just ran down the IM chute. I went for a ride.....and felt like I won the Tour de France. I went for a swim...and realized that I still stink at swimming...but I am thankful that I could do it.

In the past month I have eaten like I should have been eating, run, swam, and biked my way through 20lbs.

I have training goals, race goals, and more importantly I am fixing what I broke.

I am an Outlaw again. I am an Ironman again. And I am ready for what comes my way, sober.

3 comments:

SWTrigal said...

DD-
I have sooooo been there. Triathlon is a much healthier addiction and no shame involved! Good luck on your journey. Hang in there!
:)

Michael G said...

The point is....you went to the edge...and you came back. Many people don't make it.

Don't kid yourself...you still have the world by the balls..you just forgot for a while. I've been hoping you'd show up at a Roswell event for the past couple of years so we could talk...now you'll show up and beat me like you used to. Everyone abuses something....now we'll just all abuse our bodies...to the greater glory of us all.

I'm with you .....

AmyPharmBunny said...

Kudos to you! I, too, have been there, several times and with several different substances. I know I will never go back, not when I have triathlon, yoga, anything that gets my endorphins up in a healthy way...and of course my daughter. It takes a lot to come out and admit having an addiction, and that means you are through. yeah!!!