The Ironman 70.3 Boulder triathlon was for my friend Pete. His cancer treatments were successfully wrapping up about the same time this race was occurring.
When I started training for Ironman 70.3 Boulder, I had a variety of plans. The progression of training with sprints, olympic’s and half’s were building for a second Ironman. Life has a way of keeping me in check. It turns out this would be my last race of 2018 due to a season ending cycling crash three weeks after this race.
Ironically, my first trip to Ironman 70.3 Boulder ended with me in a sling.
I had many reasons not to return. My top three reasons all came back to that sling!
Return?! Like a moth is attracted to the flame!
The fact that I made it to this race was a feat in and of itself. Seven months earlier, after finishing the Houston Marathon, I couldn’t hear out of my left ear. Visits with two doctors resulted in a biopsy and surgery to remove a rapidly growing cyst in my ear canal. It was benign and the incision healed. Parts of the cyst, or whatever it is, remain wrapped around my ear canal. A souvenir? Probably too glib. A reminder. Yes, more appropriate. A reminder of life’s unexpected turns.
Time to look for a race.
Both the Milkman Sprint Triathlon and City of Lakes Olympic Triathlon served as great builds for Boulder. It would seem only natural that this race cycle would be complete running for Pete.
How did the race turnout?
How did the moth fare?
Finished!
Interestingly, it was a slower time than the previous year.
If I want a faster finish maybe I should sport a sling?
There will not be a third bite of this Boulder size 70.3 apple.
