its okay......

i've learned its okay to wear your medal
its okay to wear your shirt
its okay to keep on that bracelet until it literally falls off your wrist
its okay to eat cookies and drink every margarita known to man when you finish
its okay to cry on the bike and the run and the swim
its okay to test yourself
its okay to let yourself down just to pick yourself back up
you will find something that you once deemed impossible
you will get that strength you never thought you had
you will do things that others can't imagine
you will push yourself to the limit
the mantra is in your mind
the mantra is your struggle
the mantra is one foot in front of the other
the race report is written in your head long before you cross that finish line
a test of yourself
a test of the elements
the course may be long
you will want to quit
you will want to give up
but you WILL dig deeper
you will PUSH harder
you will Be an IRONMAN!

and you will swear you will NEVER sign up for another one
but of course you will
because crossing that finish line never, never gets old.