Taking Down the Christmas Lights

I'm still alive.  In case you were wondering.  Life has been a whirlwind since my last post.  The only constant in my day-to-day schedule has been my preparations for the Ironman.  Otherwise, I've been busy moving, unpacking, exploring new territory, being with family, reconnecting with old friends, transitioning my daughters to a new life and, this coming week, to a new school with friends yet to be made.  It's been an emotionally and physically trying journey.  On top of all this, I've been busy preparing for the next stage of my career. 

Many wonder what's next for me.  My next "gig" will utelize the pastoral skills I've hopefully refined in the active rabbinate, the people skills I've hopefully acquired over a lifetime of, well, interacting with people, and the business and sales prowess I hopefully have inherited from my family.  Tomorrow I am leaving Chicago for two weeks of business training in Omaha, Nebraska to prepare for the opening of my new business, Right at Home, a home care services business providing much needed support to the elderly and others who cannot fully care for themselves without an extra set of hands.

This very moment is one of the first undistracted hours I have had since leaving Rochester.  Just last week I was busy taking down the Christmas lights.  Yes, I know, it's August.  Yes, I know, I'm Jewish and we don't celebrate Christmas.  But we found more than just a few old strings of light strangling a couple trees just behind the house.  Every time I am about to sit down, I find something else that needs to be done.  Right now I see nothing.  Maybe I'm just too tired to see anything at all.

The training has been going strong.  I've exlored old routes and discovered new.  I've done multiple 100+ mile training rides, 20 mile runs, 2 mile swims.  My open water swims have been limited lately as there seems to be warnings of rip currents in Lake Michigan practically every day.  I'm not ready to be swept out to sea.  Yet.  This is the final week of heavy training before I begin the coveted taper weeks.  The race is coming!! 

This was supposed to be one of my heaviest training weeks.  It turns out I've missed two key workouts.  I missed a 65 mile ride earlier this week because of, well, this:

I hate riding in rain.  But I'll do it.  Lighting?  Not if I could help it.  And I could.  And I missed my final 100+ mile training ride the morning after Rachel broke her nose.  She took a shot from a 5-year-old head square in nose and everyone within earshot hear a loud crack.  X-rays confirmed it and, if God was giving me a test, I passed.  I chose my wife over training.  There is no choice.  In the end, the Ironman is all about me, but my life is all about those around me.  Am I worried about missing these workouts?  Not a bit.  If I missed long runs, I'd be more concerned.  But with a year of training in my legs, I know I can go the distance on the bike.  God willing...

So this is a glimpse of my life now.  Sorry for the absence over the past month.  I'm still alive.  And kicking.  This IronJew has just been too busy taking down the Christmas lights.