Do I call?

“I want to do an Ironman.”

I don’t remember the details or the moment he said those words, but I remember it happened. Let me try to put myself back in that day. He looked me straight in the eye and basically asked my permission to do something he’s been dreaming to achieve. An item on his bucket list. But an Ironman? Really?

A lot of husbands might approach a request to their wives with, “Hey, fixing that car just might not be worth it; I already have a new one in mind,” or “So, a new grill would be great this summer…” But, no, not mine. He wants to suffer. What’s more, he’s going to take me down with him. I just know it!

This was last July. We have since nested in our new home, married and hosted our first Christmas. Now that 2014 is here, the test has come. Can I possibly support this? I said I would, no matter what. I’m only now beginning to understand the sacrifices I will have to make along the way over the next 28 weeks while he trains. Devin is already doing some work to prepare for the structured regimen he intends to follow.

The competition will be an inaugural event in Boulder, Colorado, this August. That’s not far away. We’ve been to Colorado once before, and I enjoyed it, but this time, on race day, I will be alone for about half the day. Watching. Waiting. Wondering. Maybe shopping (don’t judge me). I’ve seen him compete in triathlons and other races before, but nothing this extreme. I’m concerned, yet I’m proud to know someone who is brave enough and disciplined enough to take on such a training plan and grueling journey that will take him through Colorado waters and roads to a finish line that few get to cross.

It’s nice to have a light at the end of this tunnel, and there’s talk of spending some extra time near the mountains as sort of a getaway. Every “vacation” we’ve taken has been rushed over a weekend, usually combined with a holiday to allot that extra day of travel. But we’ve never gone away together for an extended amount of time that required any time off work. Not even a honeymoon yet.

For now, I don’t know how this is going to work. I don’t know how hard it will be for him. I don’t know how hard it will be for me. He's all in. Will I be able to support him, or will the required energy and sacrifices along the way prove too much?