Well, I’m back in Colorado Springs after two weeks of mostly ups, and a big down to finish off the trip. Like I mentioned in my last blog, I had a lot of fun the first week in Seattle. Then I kicked my training into high gear, put in a solid week of training leading up to my birthday last sunday. It was my “golden” birthday, meaning my age and the day of the month were the same. I turned 27 on the 27th. I had a bunch of friends over for pizza making and cake, and got to see Courtenay for the first time in well over a month.
That was a big up, but also the big down. Courtenay has been struggling with my travel and the difficulties of a boyfriend living at the training center and prioritizing an Olympic Dream over her. And I admit it. I have been so involved in training that I’ve allowed us to spend more than five of the past six months apart. Not to mention that visitor limitations at the training center make it really hard for her to visit me here. For me it was all short term. Two years until the Olympics, and perhaps I could move to Boulder before then, and what’s two years in a long term relationship? But we aren’t on the same page. She’s moving on. I’m back to being single. Not too thrilled about it, but hopefully she’ll be happier for it.
After Courtenay collected her belongings in Seattle, she came back to Colorado Springs with me for a short (2 hour) visit to collect her things from my room at the training center. Saying goodbye sucked. I think this may be the most I’ve ever mentioned my relationship (21 months of it!) on the blog, having tried to keep some level of personal-life privacy, it’s certainly weighing heavily on my mind, and the causes for the breakup are a dynamic of my lifestyle, a sacrifice that many of my peers have also made, that most people wouldn’t think of when they think of “young up-and-coming pro triathletes”.
To finish on a positive note, I came back to Colorado to find that my first batch of home-brew Kombucha is finished, and it’s delicious! Perfect timing too, since Dave’s G.T. Kombucha has been temporarily pulled from the shelves in many states, pending a liquor board review of the alcohol content. I’m pretty sure it’s negligible, but it’ll be interesting to find out if we will need to show our IDs to buy Kombucha from Wholefoods.
Chin up Collins. Life is long and you never know what is around the corner. Keep up the hard work. I didn’t buy all of that food when you lived with us for nothing. 2012, 2012, 2012….
tough read, hope some time will do you good.
BTW Gemini’s rock the cashbah
Ah, but Gemini’s only go until the solstice. The 27th is Cancer, and as much as I’d like to cheer for Cancer, I’m not sure it would sound right out of context.