Overheard

'Blue. You there?

Always.

What do you think?

About what?

About everything. How we're doing. Where we are. Where we're going.

Solid. You see all the ghosts we left behind out there?

Yeah. But not all of them.

No, and a few new ones. But it's a long road, man. Best taken mile by mile, you know?

True.

It's not rocket science, kid.

Yeah, in some ways it is.

It is what you make it. Give me your earliest memory of swimming.

What?

Your earliest memory. What is it, swimming?

Standing at the edge of the diving board with my teacher down at the bottom, splashing so I could see where the water was. Scary as hell.

Did you jump?

Sure.

Do you remember it? How it felt?

Like a carnival ride. A mad rush, terrifying, exhilarating, over before you know it.

Huh. Sounds like racing.

Yes it does.

You remember when you used to teach swimming lessons to little kids, and you were the teacher splashing at the bottom?

Yeah.

What was the first thing those kids did when they came up and realized they were alive?

They smiled. Great big holy-shit smiles. And looked over to their moms and Dads who were cheering for them.

Right. Your first memory of a bicycle, what's that?

My parents had these bright orange road bikes. They had child-carriers on the back of each, and they'd strap me and my brother on to each bike and we'd go cruise around the neighborhood. I was seriously 3 or 4 years old, but I still have the vaguest memory of it. It was awesome. My first bike was a purple thing, with a banana seat. And then when I was ten years old I won a bike. Red and White. Killer.

Ironman colors.

Huh, yeah. It was named Chaser.

Appropriate. And running?

We had "Olympics" every spring in school, where our elementary school would have basically a big track meet with all the other schools in town. I ran the 100 yard dash in 2nd grade. Took 2nd place, too. Got a red ribbon. And I wore a dope blue velour track suit. Looked like a little mafioso.

Well there you go, then.

What?

That's all you need to know about Ironman. You've been doing it all your life. Just hang in and have fun man. The rest figures itself out.

No ghosts chasing me back then, though.

That's why you've got me. We've still got more than 8 weeks man. Just ramping up into the serious stuff now. You will do this. Ghosts be damned.

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

One question.

Shoot.

Can you rock the blue velour on the next long ride?

Shut it.