Ironman - 100 days

Its been a while... Too long of a while since I last wrote. 78 days later it feels like my life has taken somewhat of a 150 degree turn.
Unplanned events. Like a major change in my world at work after three years of doing something I love. And on the personal front emotional roller coaster ride that caught me off guard. And then a job offer for a new company - one that couldn't be passed up.
Most people said that starting a new job in the midst of an ironman training wasn't a good idea. But I did it anyway. Priorities: Family, Job, Training....I adhere to the putting big rocks first in the aquarium philosophy. Its been a month now in the new job. I feel like I am learning to swim all over again... treading water very slowly, and not fast enough. I leave the office every day and i have to remind myself that it's normal. That its just a job...although i have already invested my heart and my brain and so much of my energy. My boss is a rock star. Inspiring. I know its going to go well. My intent is to succeed; the job posting had my name written on it.
Through the last 78 days since my last post, I have kept training... and I continue to hope I will finish the ironman. I swim 2 days a week now - roughly 7km in total. I have started biking again, although my distances are still too short. Running is going well! The highlight of my running season so far was running the half marathon in Madrid with my best friend. It was totally unexpected. We were in Madrid for a very short vacation, and found out that there was a race in the park on Sunday. We signed up last minute, got our numbers, and showed up in the park at 7am. It was a phenomenal and perfect experience. We searched and found pins to tie our bibs in a last minute panick, and found a creative way to get the timing chip in my zoot shoes...We lined up for the port-a-potties and managed to get in a few minutes before the race started. The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight. the air was crisp and the streets empty. Thirteen thousand runners formed a human wave which flowed through the downtown streets as far as the eye could see. We ran at a good pace... i felt as though I was flying. No pain, just a big silly grin plastered on my face and some playful bantering with my running buddy. I had brought the ipod and the running playlist, but there was no need for any extra motivation. And the run was a beautiful way to visit the magestic city of Madrid. What a change of pace from the normal run on the same course!
The course was both up and downhill... with a nice steep hill at kilometer 19 and then an ending in the park reminiscent of the NYC marathon ending.
It differed somewhat from North American runs in that there was only water for the runners at every 5km...no gatorade, or gel... and the finishers received a towel as memorabilia...with ONE banana to refuel. After a 21km on an almost empty stomach, I was longing for the bagels and drinks and the rest of the massive picnic normally handed out after a race at home!
I have great memories of that race... which was only 10 days ago but seems like way further back... since then I have gotten in about 2 one hour runs and a 3 hour run last Sunday... building up the endurance slowly but surely.
Most days I wake up and the pace of my life seems insane and unmanageable. But every day I just do the best that I can. The definition of that best differs from day to day - but I still give it my all. I worry too much about failing, especially at work - but it helps now to throw my fate into the universe. Not that I have no control over it, but it helps to worry less about what may go wrong.
Someone at work asked me why I was training for an Ironman... I thought about it for a few seconds and answered from my heart: Because I think I can do it. No one ever told me I couldn't.