An anonymous rant...

Today I was going to write my final commentary about Ironman China. The objective stuff, like the race course and organization.

I got the idea from Simon at Tritwins. He did a very good and concise review. I thought my review may also help others who want to know more about the race before doing it.

Then I got a comment on my blog from anonymous. If I have one pet peeve, it's I don't like anonymous comments. If a blog is written by someone anonymous, then anonymous comments are fine. Fair's fair. But if a blog is not written by someone anonymous, I don't think it's right to leave an anonymous comment, unless it's positive.

Day in and day out, I disclose personal information about my life, my deepest thoughts and feelings. I lay them out for the world to see, even in the face of judgement, ridicule and embarrassment. It was my choice and I decided to do that from day one. I have no regrets about that decision.

When someone leaves me an anonymous comment, specifically a critical one, I think they should respect that I have the courage to share my identity and they should reciprocate by providing their own. It is so easy to throw stones, when no one knows who you are, even if your advice is valid. In my book its a cowardly thing to do.

One could argue, "I don't have an account with google or blogger and have no choice but to use an anonymous comment account". Valid point. But why not type in your name at the bottom of the comment as a courtesy? You don't need an account to do that.

That is part one of my rant. Now part two.

I want to review your comment. For those that didn't see it. It is as follows:

It's funny how things come up

Let me get this straight. You said you "need to be more realistic" and you "intuitively feel (your) performance will start to decline without an active recovery off-season", yet you signed up for St. George 42 days from now and are doing Lake Placid on July 25th?

I commend you for your dedication but I'm afraid that you need to take your own advice.

Then this was my response:

A, thanks for your comment. Yes, I may be going against what I said over the longer term, but I am where I am and have spent 14 weeks in heavy training and didn't finish my race. My body was not harmed.

If you trained as hard as me, putting in a level of commitment very few understand, and weren't able to race, you'd know how I feel inside and completely understand and agree my decision. I also discussed it with Mark Allen, arguably the best triathete of all time and he felt it was the right thing to do.

I appreciate your comment and hopefully this gives you a clearer understanding of my position.

One other thing, I'm always curious who leaves me messages, respectfully, please let me know who anonymous is.

B

I thought my response was very measured and respectful. Yet, since I received the comment, it has been bothering me, actually it's been eating at me, and it took me a while to figure out why. It bothered me for two reasons. First was how it was worded and the second was it was then sent by Anonymous.

Lets start with the wording. It was in the wrong tense. It was in aggressive cross examination lawyer speak. It used,"You said", "yet you", "you need to take your own advice". It didn't say, "are you sure this is a good thing?" or "what was your thought process on why you changed your mind?" or "what does your coach think?" or "if you do Utah, are you still going to do Lake Placid?" It was completely aggressive in an "holier than thou tone". Anonymous was telling me I made the wrong choice by using the "bitch slap me with my own words approach".

I was trying to think, based on the words, who anonymous is and what does their life look like? Is it a he or a she? Have they done and Ironman or not? Is it a friend or family? Is it a someone who normally comments with their own name and didn't have the guts to use it for this one?

This is what I ascertained in my mind about anonymous. As a sidebar, I'm not good at remembering how to spell the word anonymous, so I'm just going to refer to them as Cowardly Commentator or, or CC for short.

First off, CC, has a high need to be right. I wouldn't want to be married to CC. I imagine it being quite a head game. You'd be afraid to say something to CC, because they would put it in their back pocket and should a discussion come up they disagree with, they'd pull it out and use it against you.

Rather than CC asking "why the change of heart sweetie?" CC would disagree and at some point may try to bully you by using your previous words against you. They'd "rub your nose in it", saying, "how do you like that smell?", "do you like it?", "Hun, Hun". I see CC as being stifling. Which is a shame, because I'm sure there's been many a night were CC went to bed horny without getting laid, maybe for weeks or months. Or worse, CC can never find that RIGHT relationship. Of course it's NEVER CC's fault.

I see CC as delusional. I envision CC in a room giving expert assertive advice and thinking they are doing the other person a favour. The other person probably can't get a word in edgewise. CC may even be thinking they are being helpful. I see CC as overpowering and the other person being polite and saying to themselves " how the F*#K do I get away from this person?". Then when CC sees that other person again, perhaps in the future, CC continues the berating where they left off from the previous conversation.

I see CC as thinking they are being helpful. That their comments are going to positively impact the other person's life. CC sees themselves as God like. Like they're doing you a favour by telling you "what's wrong with you". CC is just trying to "screw your head on right". Life is a tough thing for someone like CC, they walk around all day with a big heavy wrench, screwing other peoples heads on straight. Poor CC, they never get to rest.

Essentially, I think CC is always thinking they are right, "that they're the smartest person in every room they enter". If you disagree with them, for your own good they will have to set you straight, even if it's a backhanded compliment like the one CC gave me; "I commend you for your dedication, BUT". There's always a BUT with CC. I can see their favourite approach is, "Don't take this personally, BUT, (insert how the other person is wrong here)".

What CC doesn't posses is empathy. CC would probably do well and move up the ranks in the SS like a Champion. Even Hitler would have to watch his back with CC around.

By now you probably think I've crossed the line using the Hilter reference. And your right. The reference to Hitler is all wrong. You see, CC wouldn't want Hitlers job, because then CC would have no one to criticize but CC.

Can you tell I'm pissed at the CC's of the world?

I'm now off my rant. What I didn't add to the response to CC was CC doesn't live in my head and heart. You see, CC didn't train with all their might and make the sacrifice's I made on so many levels. Only to have "bad-luck" deal me a "bad hand" and "shake me to the core for not finishing. Forget about not getting a Kona slot, that I could live with, but not finishing eats at me ".

You see, CC doesn't understand that even though an issue is "medical", it doesn't take away from the fact that one will question their abilities, no matter how unreasonable that may sound. It's not logical, yes, but people's feeling's aren't logical.

I had the choice, wait 4-months until Lake Placid and in those 4-months wake up and everyday, all day long, think and wait for Ironman redemption. While it "eats away at my soul". Or, I could take advantage of the fitness that I've worked SO HARD to achieve and deal with my demons in 41 days. I chose to "get back on that horse, sooner, rather than later".

What CC doesn't consider is after I finish Ironman St. George, if I don't feel well, who says I have to race Lake Placid? I may also make another mid course adjustment and choose to do Ironman Lake Placid at an enjoyable and relaxing training pace. Or forego it all together. You see CC, life isn't linear, you CAN get from point A to B by going through C.

In short, all I have to say to CC is at one time or another we all "say one thing and do another". Heck, if after child birth every women who said, "I'm never going through that pain and suffering again" actually followed their own advice, the world would be a pretty small place.

CC, if that happened, you may never have been born and that would've been a shame. What would we do without the CC's of the world "putting our heads on straight"?

With all that said, if CC actually made the comment and left his or her name, I'd have no problem with it. I'd still think they were an Insensitive A-hole, but I'd respect that they were prepared to at least OWN their comment. I just owned mine.

Now I've got to go clean up, the dishes are piling up. I'm bachelor-ing it this week. If CC really wants to help me, come on over and clean up my kitchen.

Rest, Recovery & Rant Day - No training.

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