Thanksgiving Thoughts

On a yearly basis, most of us take some time throughout our day, to sit at a corner coffee shop or while out on a beautiful trail run, reflect on what we’ve been blessed with in our lives.

<

More so around this time of year, with family and friends surrounding us, the time to pause and appreciate the path each of us have taken, is more thought of.

<

The other day, a very good friend, asked me not what am I thankful of but what blessings have I had during this past year.

<

My initial thought was good health for myself, friends and family, a fantastic marriage to a beautiful woman and physically, the opportunity to be healthy enough to ask my body to swim, bike, run.

<

However, to just say that would be the easy way out…

<

Bear with me for a moment as I digress…this past weekend, my great friend and training partner did something absolutely amazing.  Asking both his mind and body to recover from racing in Hawaii just six weeks ago, Chad Holderbaum, crushed the Ironman Arizona course and qualified for 2011 Kona.  For the past couple weeks, Chad experienced a mix response from his body with slight knee pains and the unknown of how he would respond to three Ironman races in four months.

<

After 9 hr. and 28 minutes on Sunday in Tempe, Arizona, Chad found out his body responded just fine.

<

As I sat with my iPad the entire day hitting the refresh button of the IM website, my thoughts wondered to the countless time training, the sacrifices he made to focus on this achievement and the ability to conquer mind over body.

<

And for this, I say thanks, Chad.  Thanks for showing me the drive to that white line in the road after enduring the physical fatigue of the past four months.

<

For me, Chad’s accomplishment, although qualifying for Kona is impressive, is not about going back to the big island but being an example of fortitude to find his way through this mentally and physically part of life.

<

With my ever present life goal to become a better person each and everyday, examples such as Chad’s race this past weekend, allow me to strive to be just that.  In parallel, Kristen and I remind ourselves of the amazing people we are truly honored to call our ‘friends and family.’  From our friends who have defied human possibility and conquered swim, bike run races to those who go through life being the best role model for their children and family’s, and for us; for our family, who have shown us the confidence in life to make decisions some might not think are the best for everyone else but are the best for them at the time; our role models in life who never skip a beat to life’s challenges only to resurface with the determination to succeed.

<

From Kristen and I, to all of you who are in our lives, this Thanksgiving, we thank you.

Advertisement