I looked at the calendar the other day and YOU GUYS. The Ironman is ten weeks away. How did this happen? Remember when I did the half Ironman in May and when it was over you guys were like, "you have PLENTY of time, Eli! Rest for a little while! Take a break! Your hair looks amazing and we all heard that NASA is planning on naming its next project after you because your hair has become the poster child for consistency in the world."
You guys. I remember you reassuring me that the full Ironman was so far away and that I had nothing to worry about.
Well now it's ten weeks away. I knew it was coming up because I was starting to get daily reminder emails from Bob and Cathie.
From: Bob and Cathie
To: Eli
Subject: ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO US?!?!
Son. Have you booked a hotel room in Tahoe yet for the weekend of the Ironman? Your father and I booked ours WEEKS ago and we had a hard time finding a place. We have been bugging you about this and you haven't been responding to us. It's making us very nervous. Why haven't you given us grandchildren yet? Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo.
From: Eli
To: Bob and Cathie
Subject: re: ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO US?!?!
You guys. I'm 30 years old now. Your need to be responsible for my life so ended like 2 years ago. I'm a grown up. I'll get a hotel room. Don't worry. And maybe I haven't given you grandchildren, but I've given you lots of love and good memories and in my book THAT'S JUST AS GOOD.
From: Bob and Cathie
To: Eli
Subject: re: ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO US?!?!
Well, try to do it soon. We would hate for you to have to sleep on the street. Also, we would like to trade in the love and good memories for grandchildren. Thank you. Xoxoxoxoxoxo
From: Eli
To: Bob and Cathie
Subject: re: ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO US?!?!
So I can't find a hotel room. Can I just stay with you guys?
From: Bob and Cathie
To: Eli
Subject: re: ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO US?!?!
No.
Xoxoxoxoxo
So now not only do I have to train for a freaking Ironman, I also have to try to get my parents to love me enough to let me stay with them. MY OWN FLESH AND BLOOD!
See if I change their diapers twenty years from now.
Note: My younger sister Micalyne will be doing ALL of the family diaper changing. She has experience having worked as a nurse for a long time in the Alzheimer's wing of a rest home where she was bit once on the chest so hard that the bite marks left in her skin are still one of the few man-made creations you can see from space.
The Ironman training has been trucking along just fine, although it has been somewhat difficult to stay on task. I'm doing this race all by my lonesome and it's the first time I've ever trained for a triathlon alone. The first time I had Daniel. And an endless round of Meow that Tune to keep me going. Then, of course, Brandt and I trained for the half Ironman together earlier this year. But as you can imagine, it's hard to find anyone who wants to waste their summer away training for 15 to 20 hours a week. Especially when a lot of that training is in a pool. AKA: HELL ON EARTH.
But I carry on. The September race approaches, and with it, an opportunity to finally and totally tackle a long-time dream. I'm nervous and excited.
This race has taken on much more meaning recently. My patience has been tried dearly in 2014. This has been a wonderful year for me in so many ways. But it hasn't been without its discouragement and tears. With each bike ride or run or miserable swim in the pool, I feel myself become more empowered. It's like pushing myself to do something that is hard each day serves as a consistent refresher that I'm in control of my own destiny, even if some hurtful things happen along the way. And no matter what disappointment I have to face, this race is something in my control. How it plays out doesn't depend on the actions of others. Success is mine for the taking. And I'll take it, or get miserably injured trying.
But seriously. Bob and Cathie could really do me a solid here and let me stay with them.
~It Just Gets Stranger
My favorite is when I stay up late and check Stranger just before going to bed and there is a new post. Also, 10 weeks is ages and ages away, and your hair is fabulous.
ReplyDeleteEli, thank you so much for posting about your progress! It has really helped me to focus on training for my first marathon (one month from today). You are a fabulous inspiration! And your hair look amazing, Paul Simon must be jealous.
ReplyDeleteWill it help motivate you in your training if I send you a wallet size portrait of Paul Simon?
ReplyDeleteEli, I know tons of people provide positive reinforcement for you on your blog, but I really care too. It's hard to watch a friend in pain and whether your my best friend, a casual acquaintance, or perfect stranger, you are a wonderful and caring person, you are beautiful inside and out, and I really do wish you all the happiness and success in the world. Thank you for every laugh and every tear... -your secret crush
ReplyDeleteBUT WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE A SECRET?! Wait. Is this one of those "meet on top of the Empire State Building on Valentine's Day" things? Because I will totally be there next year if it is.
DeleteAmazingly well said! Word for word I totally agree with Secret Crush. Thank you for sharing your life with us Eli.
Delete"After you climb up the ladder of time
ReplyDeleteThe Lord God is near
Face-to-face in the vastness of space
Your words disappear
And you feel like you’re swimming in an ocean of love
And the current is strong
But all that remains when you try to explain
Is a fragment of song
Lord, is it Be Bop a Lula? Or ooh Papa Doo?
Lord, Be Bop a Lula? Or ooh Papa Doo?
Be Bop a Lula"
© 2010 Words and Music by Paul Simon
Hope this inspires you to swim on - swim on - Be Bop a Lula!
Eli, you're going to blow the Ironman out of the water! And your hair will be IMMACULATE the entire time, i know it will.
ReplyDeleteThis lovely morning when I woke up, Stranger was one of the first things that I read. And while I was reading it, my memory of what I dreamed about last night solidified! I had a dream about YOU last night. (Now don't get worried. My obsession with you is only a degree less than yours for Paul Simon) And I couldn't remember it until I read your post this morning! Sooo, you had put together a contest for us Strangers where 2 of us could meet you! (Are you secretly Mr.Wonka?? I mean. Your hair IS fabulous.) Anyways. I, of course, along with some other kid won! and we had lunch at your house with 2 of your friends. And your very large dog. It was lovely. Except for the fact that you wore sunglasses throughout the entire interaction! *shrug* It was still very nice to meet you in dream form.Twice up the barrel, once down the side.
ReplyDeleteEli, sounds like your Dad has been calling you.....right!?! He does like to "bug"! hehehehehe
ReplyDeletePS You did get a room ....RIGHT!?!
Cathie
XoxoXoXoXOOX
Wait--ten weeks? No! I leave for my mission in nine! I'll miss the report and what if you need rescuing?! I won't be able to join the rest of the Strangers! I'm sorry, Eli, but you're going to have to move the race up so it's in eight weeks. Everyone will be cool with that, right? And an added bonus is that if you're changing the date, you can get the first pick hotel rooms! See? Everyone wins!
ReplyDeleteHaven't they made Stranger a part of the MTC curriculum yet?
DeleteI had a friend of mine print out and mail me stranger posts while i was gone. Then they changed the age and she left for a mission too. I had to go back and read every single post i missed. I just caught up today... And I've been home six months next week. Curse that age change!
DeleteElisabeth, who is this friend? I think I need to send her something.
DeleteYa know, my husband has been a lifelong sleep talker and I have an little series on my FB page called 'Travis Sleep Talking Chronicles,' and the things he says in his sleep and the things that come out of your mouth while you're awake are disturbingly similar.
ReplyDeleteHow do you pronounce Micalyne?
ReplyDeleteMike-a-lynn. Emphasis on "Mike." Most people call her "Mikey." My family now calls her "Muggy" or "Muggs," inspired by my oldest niece who pronounced Mikey that way when she first started to talk almost 10 years ago.
DeleteI feel like my entire life is a lie. In my head I always pronounced her name as Mick-alne or Mick-kailyn. Mike-a-lynn, hmmm Miiikee-aaa-lyynnn, it just seems wrong now. Maybe I'll just think her name as Mikey now, yup that works, it doesn't seem like as dramatic of a change.
Deletei pronounced it "Mick-uh-leen"
DeleteI was pronouncing it Mick-ay-lynn. And I'm going to keep doing it and there's nothing you or anyone else can do about it...MUAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahahahaa.......cough....hack...cough........
Delete...AHEM...
O_O
Who in their right mind doesn't want to spend the summer in a pool!? I think it might be the time you are doing this that is tough.
ReplyDeleteI hear there are lovely places to camp in Tahoe.
ReplyDeleteCamping for the Ironman? Hell to the No. BECAUSE CAMPING.
DeleteFor realsies you can stay in Reno with my sister or man friends if you need to. Reno is not that far away, and she would probs make you muffins or something. I would let you stay with me but I am travelling then.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read "in my book" in your response to Cathie, I prematurely freaked out and assumed you were referring to the book you wrote (which I would buy immediately) but then I re-read the sentence haha. WHERE IS YOUR BOOK?!
ReplyDeleteUgh. It's coming. Slowly but surely.
DeleteI appreciate the bold statement of being 2 years beyond the age limit for parents being responsible for you and the not so subtle backtracking when in desperate need of a room, in this case, their room. You better find a room Eli, because camping NOT.
ReplyDeleteWhat about renting a house for the week? Is that even possible? Might be more cost effective, and then you would have a whole house to eat whatever you wanted and stuff....
ReplyDeleteWonderful idea!
DeleteTry AirBnB. It's like a safe and awesome combination of couch surfing and bead and breakfasts... Without the breakfast. So that's maybe not as awesome.
ReplyDelete