Bob-o's Going to Taupo.

That's right I'm deciding to take the leap and enter Ironman New Zealand. Am I crazy, most likely, do I need to be locked in a room with a little white jacket, hopefully not. But yes, I think I'm going to bite the bullet and spend the small fortune to go to New Zealand. Why? I'm obseessed with doing an Ironman and trying to get my lycra clad ass to Kona. What better place to do an Ironman than among the Kiwis. Sure it's an early season race, yes it's going to require me getting out of bed a 5am every freaking morning to get in a run or bike. Yes I'm going to freeze my beans off in the winter going out for 20-25 mile training runs or the imfamous 120 mile training ride (Melissa have the car ready to meet me in Richmond, RI ). Yes I know I will have to get a bike trainer and run on a treadmill, or ( my kness are aching just hearing this) running laps around CCSU's 200 meter track in the bubble, when mother nature or my professors (whomever is worse ) force me to run indoors to avoid:

a) getting mugged trying to do campus loops in New Britain

b) the teeny boppers mentioned in previous posts from hitting me as they try to do make up, talk on their cell, and try to control their crappy little civic on icy back roads.

c) having my hands get numb so I can type the 20 page paper on Balzac that I should have done 3 weeks eariler that I put off to get in more training.

I could sit here and come up with the million reasons why I shouldn't do this race. The million and a half of why I can't afford it. And the other two million of why my first IM should be something close to home. The sad thing is though I don't want to be one of the legions of New England triathletes that did Placid as their first IM ( not to distract anything from Lake Placid, the course is brutal and anyone who finished it has my full admiration and congratulations on completing such a difficult race. Holla Ken, Cristiano, Mandy, and the other HEATers) I want to do something different, I want to live a life less ordinary. I want to know that if god forbid I reach forty and I can't run or cycle anymore due to overuse injuries, or when I'm ninety and a 17 hour time limit is looking shaky, that I did the crazy races that I wanted to do when I was capable, and that if I have the means I can support some other psyco 20 something year-old whose planning on doing the samething. In grade school I was always that kid who was picked last for kick ball. When I swam and ran track I was told I'd never be a champion,but I busted my balls off harder than any other guy on the team. I know I have the stamina to do this, and I want a Kona slot more than anything, so maybe New Zealand is my ticket in. Yes I know I have Eagleman after that and I could always go for the lottery, but I would like to race my way in, and if I don't get a slot then I want a race experience that will last a lifetime. I want to be more than your average joe Ironman. I want to be that guy running out of T-1 at Taupo whom the Annoucers are saying " here he is the kid from the United States, the 22 year old college student who has traveled half-way around the world from the ice and snow of Connecticut to compete here today..." The kid who despite the fact his some of his teammates were laughing in his face still laced up his New balances and busted his hump at track practice. The kid whose high school swim coach told him junior year "You'll never make a Division-I swim team" , and then two years later was dropping his sister off for swim practice wearing his Fordham swimming t-shirt. And Now as my rational side screams " you can't afford it." "You'll never pay it off." " Wait until you have a cushy job with better pay and stock options." I'm pushing it's negativity out of my head. I will do this just like I've done everything else. I live to beat the odds and I'm going to do it again. I'm going to be an Ironman and I'm going to do it down under.