Out in the cold...

Last night was an interesting one. After a short run, I hopped on my bike for spin class and quickly realized that my m-dot necklace was missing.

DAMN!

I hopped off my bike and did a quick search of the dressing room, my running clothes, my bag and all surrounding areas...no luck.

After class I decided it would be my mission to go out and retrace my steps to search for it. No problem, right? Right. Except that it was now after 8:00 p.m. and the temperature was a brisk 30 degrees with north winds sustained at about 20 mph. I was not quite appropriately dressed, but then again, I was only hoping to be out there for 20-30 minutes.

So I started walking. And I walked. And I walked some more. Slowly. Patiently. Realizing that I was the only person on the streets gave me some comfort of safety...but only from people, the cold was harsh. Finally, a spark of hope! I found the chain that the m-dot had been on, but that was it. I looked frantically around the entire area, hoping that it had fallen close by but that was not to be...so I kept walking. Now I had a bit of hope and that seemed to warm me a bit, but not for long. Again, I was creeping along the sidewalk. As I was walking, I started to laugh (out of delirium? perhaps) because only a crazy triathlete would be out in this weather looking for something that was completely replaceable!! It's not like it was a wedding ring or other highly valuable gem. It's just a little piece of jewelry that I bought to commemorate something special to me. Something that I worked very hard for, and now, here I was working hard for it again.

For almost two hours, I walked from the PTC (Oltorf and Lamar), crossed the Pedestrian bridge and began to head back. Fortunately, that's when C found me and saved my toes from frostbite. We drove back to the site where I had found the chain and this time he gave it a look. Nothing.

I know I am not defined by a piece of jewelry or by any branded product like a t-shirt, a backpack, a hat or any other tangible item that states I've completed an event; and beyond any finishing time in any record book, solely by the nature of my ability to set out on a mission, even if it results in failure, and see it through to the end...makes me an Ironman.

I set out in adverse conditions to complete something that was important to me...not to anyone else, but to me...and I failed.

I couldn't be happier.

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p.s. don't get me wrong, I LOVE all the marketing swag and jewelry!!