I almost never cry at movies… but put on an Ironman race and I'm tearing up through half of it. IM Lake Placid 2005r is one of my favorites. Heather Furh had an amazing race to win, a once 400lb man feld on the edge of a DNF and just made the bike cut off "nothing's gonna stop me now. nothing" (unfortunately didn't finish the run, but said he'd be back). And they showed the DNFs at the end of the bike course — "it's ok… you did the best you could do". And Desiree Ficker and Andrea Fisher walking the marathon, with a goal of finishing. A man ran by and said "way to stick with it Desiree! Appreciate that!" and I agree… pros finishing even if they can't win… walking, and "cheering for others out here" as Desiree planned. When Heather won, she told something that she'd been thinking — ""drive for 5 in '05" — and had never shared with anyone — crying when she finally did say it. And the volunteers clapping at the start of the finish chute "you're an ironman… you can do it!"
(oh and a great bike ride and learning that we have til Dec. 1st on our current rent rate means moving to Claremont area around Dec. Too bad I already got plane tickets home for xmas from the airport close to here…)
(oh and also a great 28 mile bike with Stephen, my roommate, yesterday. Hopefully he'll wake up soon and have time for a long ride today. It was followed yesterday by about 10 miles of kayaking with a teammate for a race in a few weeks, and that was also a blast. And then fun halloween parties. Whee!)