Together we shed blood, shared tears and drowned in our sweat. One look at each other is enough. We know what we sacrificed and the sacrifices we asked from our loved ones.
The long practice hours; before work, after work, during the weekend. Waking up at 6 AM to do a light swim work out. Skipping after-work drinks, nights out with the boys or family obligation because you’re working on your bricks. Our idea of a nice weekend breakfast is first do a 80km bike workout, followed by a nice a lovely meal.
We don’t have to explain why. We know. We try to explain our passion to others, but we realize that there will always be people that ‘will never get it’. No, swimming in open water won’t kill you and yes we prefer a run work out above watching re-runs of Lost.
We track progress and we count. Calories. Watt. Heart rate. Speed. Carbs. Weight. Cadence. Transition times. VO2 max. We (try to) eat healthy, because we know that when the input is crap, the output will be too.
And we love our gear. It’s not only about the bike. A new taste of gel can get us stoked and eager to try out. We drool over running shoes, watches and the tiniest bits of equipment… because it will make a difference and make us faster (even if it’s only between our ears).
Because that’s what it’s all about. Be faster, stronger, better .
I’m your competition. I want to be stronger than you. I want to be faster. I want to kick your ass. I want my better to be better than your better. But I respect you. Because I know. You know.
This is the Band of Athletes.
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother
- William Shakespeare in The Chronicle History of Henry the Fifth
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Written by Simon
Topics: 529IronMan