Decisions

When was the last time you stayed up to watch a late night movie despite having work in the morning? Or got a drink with friends after work instead of going home? The last time you chose to live instead of rest? More times than not as endurance athletes, we choose to follow the plan and go home to rest after work or a good workout. Yesterday was not one of those times for me.

Sunday was such a productive day around the house I knew I would have the majority of the day to get a ride in. As I was thinking about where I wanted to go, one fact kept weighing on the decision making process. I just want to ride my bike. After filling bottles, getting dressed and stuffing my pockets full of food I scrolled through the courses loaded on the Garmin. I chose "Around the Lake" and shoved off. Which lake? Lake Chesdin of course. I hadn't been down there since last Fall and thought it would be fun to do something different.

And it was. I wouldn't think about doing this route on a warm weekend due to boat traffic and other overly excited lake goers but on a Monday, it was great. I was able to go for miles without seeing vehicles. It was nice to be out in the sun with the headwind blowing across my beautiful head of stubbly hair. The views couldn't have been more green.

Farm Pond in Mannboro

Shortly after stopping to take this photo, Mother Nature brought me back to reality. Open fields after open fields means two things. Nice vistas and no place to hide from the heat. About 10 miles from a small country store at the marina, I noticed I had stopped sweating despite being on schedule with my hydration. I stopped to refill and met a incredibly welcoming family running the store. They directed me towards the cold beverages. After a few minutes of small talk they asked if I needed anything more and wished me a safe ride. I was off with three more full bottles and one in my belly.

View of the Lake from the Bridge

The remainder of the ride home proved to be a bit tougher mentally as I tried to deal with the heat. Knowing I only had about 25 miles to get home, I focused on drinking not how hot it was. When my foot would start to ache due to the swelling caused by dehydration, I drank. When my legs burned, I drank. When small country dogs lying in wait charged into the road, I squirted them. Then I drank. My new schedule was to consume a bottle every ten miles. By the time I got back to the house, all three bottles were gone and I had started to sweat again. I layed on the cold bathroom floor and thought I'm tired but I'm sweating. It's a victory in my book.

Days like yesterday are the ones I look back on during races. When I get into tough spots on the road, I turn the memory back to these long hot days of training on the roads I love. I turn back to the days of battling through hard speed work which follow the days when I disregard the plan. I remind myself I chose to do this. When asked why, I reply "I just wanted to ride my bike."

A Mother's Love

When used as a noun, the word mother is defined as "a woman in relation to a child or children to whom she has given birth." However, the true impact on our lives is when we use the word mother as a verb. "To bring up a child with care and affection." This past weekend, while cheering on the Junior Elite Male race at the East Coast Triathlon Festivial, I was witness to an emotional 15 minute roller coaster of one mom's affection for her son. 

As most triathlons do, the race started with a swim and then proceeded to the bike course. I was among the Sea of Red cheering on the members of the Endorphin Fitness High Performance Team. The leaders were turning such quick laps we lost count. OK I lost count and thought they were starting lap 4 when it was truly lap 3. After going back and forth with the Sea, a lady next to me spoke up and said "They just started lap three." I joked by proclaiming I trusted her ability to count more so than my own or Tickle's.

She would then start talking to herself out loud cheering her son on without knowing his whereabouts. She nervously whispered, "Come on. Come On." When he came around the bend she erupted into a cheer frenzy for him. Those of you who know me, know I love to cheer for everyone except any team in the National League other than the Cubs. I joined in with the cheering for her son.

After he went by, I asked her where they were from to which I don't remember except it was in New England somewhere. She mentioned she was worried he was going to be lapped out of the race the leaders were moving so quickly. This was his third triathlon and only second draft legal race. In his first attempt at draft legal racing, he was lapped out very quickly.

Always the optimist when it comes to proving what the human body is capable of, I consoled her by telling her "He wasn't going to get lapped out today. He was going to finish this race I can feel it." As the leaders came around to start their last lap we waited for him to make his appearance around the bend. Minutes later, he popped up to the roar of the Sea. Less than a minute later the lead motorcycle came around the corner and there was an acceleration from the lead pack as one rider attacked. I felt her hand grasp my forearm with a firm squeeze. I turned and said "He is going to make."

The mental math game started with her as she was still learning the rules of draft legal racing. I explained to her, as long as he gets back to the entrance of transition without being passed, he was going to be allowed to finish. I reiterated to her confidently, my belief in his ability to hold off the pack. I told her, "He will hear the motorcycle and bury himself to stay in front. I believe it."

We then waited anxiously when we heard the race announcer proclaim the leaders were entering transition. Her son hadn't appeared and she released a loud gasp. Then around the corner he showed up. Digging hard. Burying himself with both the lead motorcycle and the official's motorcycle two seconds behind him. "Did he make it?!? Did he make it!?!" she asked. "HE MADE IT!" I yelled. By the time I turned to see her face, there was already a waterfall of happy tears flowing from her face as she cheered louder than she had cheered before.

You read stories like this and say "Wow that's something special." But to have been a part of it first hand, was something I will never forget. Her "mothering" couldn't have been more apparent. I fought back my own tears and invited her to join us on the run course. She had a runner to cheer on!

My mother has always been a true inspiration and believer in me. Even when I first speak of ways to push my body to new limits. For Mother's Day, I wanted to do something to celebrate all the mothers out there. We have put together a gift basket full of some of my mother's favorite relaxation items for which we will be raffling off at the end of this week. All entrys will receive a #NothingToItButToDoIt tee and one lucky person will win the basket to share with their mother. Your support will also help my mother see her son realize his next dream when he competes in the No Country for Old Men 1000 mile race. You can enter here.

Perception

With just a few days remaining in April, a few things are coming to an end yet so many are just beginning. All of Jenn and I's travels are over which means training is back in full effect. As I headed out for a quick ride on Monday afternoon, I knew the race between the rain and I would be a fierce one. Looking at the radar I hoped I wouldn't need the rain jacket I packed in my jersey pocket until the end of the ride when I was close to home. Alas, the rain started a mere 15 minutes into the ride.

A few minutes of talking to the many voices in my head debating whether to turn around and ride the rollers indoors or to keep going, left me five miles down the road without a decision. At some point in the process, I was taken back to a week prior when I sat on rock above Washington's State Waterfall admiring the beauty of untouched America.

The rain began to feel less like rain and more like the spray of the water in the air as it rushed across the rocks toward the waterfall. After sitting on the rock and continuing down the trail on the hike, I remember saying "You know it's funny. If we were getting this wet at home because it was raining, we would be annoyed. Yet I could sit there on that rock all day with no complaints. It's all a matter of perception."

Little did I know at that moment, I would be given the opportunity a week later to make the decision as to whether I would allow the rain to annoy me. Whether I would allow it to derail my efforts. Mental clarity soon followed and instead of turning the bike for home according to the original plan for the day, 

I headed for the river.

After playing with an Old Gun, I headed for home. Not far from the house as I slowed for a traffic signal, a silver Honda passed by with a teenager's dropped jaw hanging out the open passenger window. I had a good chuckle as I imagined his perception of me riding my bike in such a hard rain. A few miles later I arrived back at the house feeling great with a rejuvenated perception on all that is life. It quickly faded as I then perceived myself a dead man if Jenn were to find out just how much water I was about to track through the house.

What's next?

What is the million dollar question? Depending on who is being asked the question could be anything from "What is Angelina going to name her baby?" to "Does North Korea have the nerve to actually aim a rocket at another country?" The question asked the most of me is simply "What is next?" What grand torture plan do I have for my body this year?

Over the last few weeks, it has been really hard for me to not spill the beans until things fell into place. I didn't want to say I was going to be doing what was in the works until I knew that nothing was going to stop me from accomplishing my goal. I can now officially announce that I will be traveling to Alpine, TX to take part in the No Country for Old Men 1000 mile race (NCOM).

The NCOM 1000 mile is taking place in October this year and will have a time limit of 96 hours to complete. It is also the longest race in North America that is not Race Across America (RAAM). I am going to be using this as the last stepping stone before throwing my hat into the ring for solo RAAM.

Due to the length of the race, it proves to be not only a test of my own body, but an excellent opportunity for the crew to iron out any wrinkles prior to RAAM. The crew will be operating as two shifts, day and night to keep me riding no less than 21 or 22 hours a day until we reach the finish line. Because of this, we will be doing some fundraisers throughout the year to be able to offset the expenses of having two full crews traveling across the country.

The inspiration I gain from each of you is what keeps me going through the long training rides and on race days. I wish I could take each and every one of you along for the journey but unfortunately, I cannot. I've setup an online market which will allow you to become a Virtual Member of the crew and therefore allow me to have a small part of you there with us.

By visiting https://squareup.com/market/andywelch-dot-net, you can choose how you would like to support my insanity. As a thank you, I will send you an exclusive #NothingToItButToDoIt t-shirt. The crew and I are forever grateful for all your support in getting us to the starting line in October.

Finally, I would like to thank all the coaches at Endorphin Fitness, Tina at Lighten Up! and my fairy god mother for their continued hard work in helping me achieve all my goals and dreams.