Ironman Cozumel Trilogy - Part 4: The Sequel

The Sequel

I paid R$170 for these shoes Calvin Klein shoes and I have never worn them.  Ditch.  I like this one- piece jumpsuit.  “Should I keep it?”  I ask.  “It’s nice!” he responds, I don’t ditch it.  I wrote a blog post called to ditch or not to ditch; and guess what?  I am at it again.

“The best things in life aren’t things.”  ~ Art Buchwald

Excerpt from Ironman Cozumel Trilogy Part 3 – The Run: 

It happened again (my laugh muted).  With 200 meters left, I started to sprint.  I don’t know why I did it, but I did.  The other finishers were calm and cool, giving high fives to the rows of people lined to congratulate them.  I only know this because I looked at the finishing photos of several people.  I didn’t see anyone.  All I knew, what that I wanted to air –guitar, and I wanted it bad.  I didn’t even hear the announcer say, “Diane from Canada, You are an Ironman.”  Seriously, I didn’t hear it.  I crossed the finish line with a HUGE smile on my face, and I strummed a chord.  I jumped up and down, and up and down and was happier than words can describe.  I was truly proud and I was truly grateful. 

I had no idea what was about to unfold.  No idea that my life was going to become very clear.

I waved to Carol and stopped for another picture.  She was far from the finish line, but I stopped anyways and posed again.  The race volunteers removed my timing chip, and I made my way for the finisher photo line up.  Adrenaline was keeping my legs in motion and a smile on my face.  Seconds later, someone joined the line behind me.  I turned around and said, “Parabens, felicitaciones, congratulations … what language do you speak?”  (I think that’s what I said)

“Spanish.” I took a look at his race bib, Ricardo: Mexico.  “Felicitaciones!”  He must have seen that I was Canadian and asked if I spoke French.  I have a linguistic capacity of 1.6.  English, and 0.6 (60%) proficiency in one more language.  Currently, that language is Portuguese, so I replied with, “No, I don’t speak French.”  We congratulated each other for the race and started to talk about how great it was. 

“Was this your first Ironman?” 

“Yes.”

“Me too!”

“I loved it!”

“Me too!”

“I can’t wait to have a beer, it was my birthday last weekend and I couldn’t drink!”

“Me too”

“When is your birthday?”

“November 20”

“Mine’s on the 21^st.  How old did you turn?”

“34”

Smile.  “I turned 35”

“Not drinking for four months was the hardest part of training”

I have definitely used those exact words. This guy is like the guy version of myself.  He’s cute.

Shortly after, I saw Niva and gave her a gigantic hug.  We were Irongirls, and we were damn proud.  I made my way to the front of the line, had my picture taken and moved onward to find Karina.  I had no intention of “picking up” at the end of the race.  None whatsoever.

Athlete's Secret: My visor is on backwards, I am not wearing a sweatband on my head.

I found Karina and chatted for a bit, looked for Carol (but didn’t find her), got my bike and gear and made my way back to the hotel.  I Skyped Carol to let her know I was back at the hotel, and she came to meet me for “the” margarita.  I had been talking about this margarita for 4 long months.

Monday November 28

I wonder who that guy was behind me in line. 

Google: ironmancozumel.com/raceresults/m30-34/12:56 …. Ricardo Godinez.

Search: facebook.com/search/ricardo/godinez …. Scroll …. Guy holding bike in front of cruise ship in Cozumel, click, bingo!

Messages “Felicitaciones Ricardo! How was the cerveca? I totally missed getting a "finisher" shirt ... perhaps there will be an XXL somewhere around town. Are you going to the fiesta tonight?” Send

And Carol and I were off to get my nose pierced, traveller in hand.  As we walked, I was talking to her about the cute guy that was behind me in line, “We have birthdays one day apart, he is from Mexico, I facebook friended him this morning.”  

“Nellie!”

We stopped to take a picture of a family when a familiar voice called out, “Diane.”  I knew who it was, but I concentrated on taking the picture and didn’t look.  Snap.  Give camera back. Look. 

Ricardo and his friends were in Sr. Frogs having a well-earned beer.  He invited us to join them, but I had business in the piercing studio to take care of … so we met up after. 

Who meets at the finish line of the Ironman.  Lots of people; each unfolding in their own way. 

I am pretty sure however, none have unfolded quite like this one. 

“Was that him, Diane?” 

Diane does internal happy dance while crossing street.

“Yes, it was him.”

“Oh, he’s cute!!”

“I know!”

Athlete's Secret:  I am more nervous about the one minute on discomfort I am about to endure than I was about yesterday's race

Athlete's Secret:  It wasn't bad at all!

We joined them for drinks and conversation came very easily.  There seems to be too much in common.  We finished the race at 12:56:_ _ , our birthdays are a day apart, we are the youngest children in large families, we have moved the same amount of times in the last 17 years (18 times … see “I Traded it in for an Air Mattress” September 3). We love to swim, bike and run and people who stand and block us on escalators annoy us both.  

The rest of the trip finds us to be pretty much inseparable.  Sorry Carol. 

The rest of the trip was 2 days. 

“Come to Mexico City.” He suggests.

“Do you think that’s crazy?” I inquire.

Gmail inbox – November 28 (the day after the race)

There is currently an urgent need for a grade 4 teacher of ASF Mexico and two primary teachers for a new school in Indonesia run by a US mining company - all of which positions are to start in January. If anyone is interested in knowing more about either of these please let me know a.s.a.p.

Bob

Bob is my international job-search representative.

This was my life plan prior to Ironman Cozumel.  I had a plane ticket leaving December 20 for Thailand.  I was going to spend three months and attend the Bangkok job fair.  I was eyeing International School of Kenya but their positions were listed as tentative, and there were no confirmed openings.  I would do the following travel route.  I wasn’t committed to this plan.

Am I going to Thailand for 3 months because I feel like I should be doing something?  Am I going to get bored by myself?  What’s my objective?  I am feeling wishy-washy.  Am I making myself fit into something?

I created a chart for my type A personality needs called the “Possibility of Everything.”  (Title inspired by the book my sister Sharon sent to me in Mexico via a friend.  I listed all possibilities and then I ranked them by score in terms of how well they fit with my 4 current-core values. High score for the list was 38.

What ends up happening?  I contacted the school as soon as I got back from Mexico to see about this January job opening.  Securing the position would have its pros and cons.  The job is given internally.

Five days after my return from mexico, I am offered a position at a great school with an August start date.

“If you don’t know where you are going you might end up some place else.” 

~Yogi Berra

I cancelled my trip to Thailand, and will head to Mexico City instead.  I have always enjoyed tracing life backwards to identify what I used to call “pivotal moments.”  Those moments that helped shape and define who you are.  What I am experiencing right now, however is probably the greatest gift I have ever received.  It’s a moment in my life where everything seems right.  It feels perfectly connected and aligned.  It exactly where I want to be.  Precisely.

I know it’s crazy.  But I assure you, crazy isn’t always wrong.  I am prepared to take on life with a perspective that “anything really IS possible.”  I am also sure that what I quoted from Baron Baptiste in a previous post, “We are where we are because we got ourselves there.” Is in fact true.  Every second matters.  Every choice you make matters.  And you will get to where you want to be if you maintain focus and LIVE intentionally and actively rather than passively. 

I sprinted to that finish line, because I had to.  I move to Mexico City on Saturday.

“The best things in life aren’t things.”  ~ Art Buchwald

Tacos and Tequila will be served.  Please meet Ricardo.

Athlete's Secret:  Ricardo beat me by 27 seconds, because he had to.



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