Aloha! Nate and I are finally settling in after arriving on the Big Island Saturday. It’s a little odd being here and not racing, every so often I get a wave of panic thinking ahead to Saturday but then I remember, I’m just spectating! There is a teeny part of me that wishes I was one of the athletes, but really this is more in the context that I get asked about racing many times a day and I have to keep answering that I’m only here for my husband, which basically reminds me that I’m not currently good enough to race here as a pro. But honestly if that’s the only price I have to pay for freedom to eat, drink and exercise at my liesure on a tropical island, I will gladly take it.

It’s been 3 years since I’ve had a vacation, literally since October 2014, the last time we were in Hawaii. I think this is exactly what I needed to recharge and remember why I love this sport. I’ve been thinking a lot about triathlon and Ironman lately, especially when people ask me why I do it, and I can’t really explain it. It makes me start to question why I like it myself, if you start looking too hard it’s like we’re just swimming, biking, running a ton and where’s the good in that? We’re not making money, we’re not helping people, we’re not furthering society, so why bother? Then on the flight to Hawaii on Saturday I watched this documentary on Warren Buffet that a friend recommended a couple months ago (highly recommended if you’re on a United flight in the near future). The whole thing is fascinating and the way Warren is so obsessed with his business which he sees as a game where making money is just a way to keep score (which he’s winning by the way). Near the end of the documentary Warren says, “being successful at anything means having a passion for it” and I can’t find the direct quote for the last part, but he goes on to say that you don’t need a reason for why you’re passionate about something, finding and doing that passion is enough. This resonated with me, I don’t need meaning or reasons to fill all my free time with triathlon, I can actually just do it because I like it.

So now that I have that all figured out and especially since I’m in Hawaii with a ton of friends watching everyone train, I’m getting pretty excited to start things up again. It’s funny because right before Chattanooga I wanted to be off until December 1, which is how long I though it would take me to snap out of my funk, but apparently it only took two weeks!