"The Wizard"

While blog hopping this weekend, I found an awesome post, "Off to See the Wizard," by Elizabeth Fedofsky.

For those out there like me, finding The Wizard is not always easy.

Some of you may not know this, but I used to be a teacher, actually, a special educator, for nine years. (This will become more relavant, please bear with me.)

When teaching, especially kids with special needs, you become proficient in task analysis. I wanted my students to succeed - and I would figure out the interim objectives and activities needed to help them master their long term goals. For some, the next step would be just a tiny jump from a previous accomplishment. Some preschoolers would learn a letter a day merely looking at flashcards. Some would need a week, adding songs and games. Some would need a month, requiring multiple lessons using every modality, from drawing in sand to physically creating the letter (think the YMCA song).

I’ve been able to apply this skill to other areas of my life. Like training. But I’ve always considered my non-athletic self to be like the preschoolers who needed plenty of extra time and a lot of creative tutoring to learn the entire alphabet compared to their peers. I'd defined myself as slow for so long, I made assumptions about my limits and extrapolated my slowness to cover longer distances.

There were a few moments during last year’s training when, reflecting back, I think The Wizard might have been peeking in. Eagleman morning. The torturous BB&T trail run. Miles 80-90 during the Eastern Shore Bike ride. But, thanks to my excellent coaches, most of my Ironman workouts were a gradual progression of building up hours and miles. Like a giant 140.6 mile task analysis.

Since Ironman, but before learning about The Wizard, I’ve been wondering about strange, new ideas – like pushing beyond my comfort zone and believing improvements are possible.

I think there have been a few times these past few months when I could have caught a glimpse of The Wizard had I known he existed. A few PR runs. My first 25 meter no breather.

He still has not made grand entrance, but I think he is inching closer.