"you can't train for an ironman and work 40 hrs a week"

Just something I overheard at work tonight that got me thinking. I don't know the first thing about actually doing an ironman (seeing as how I can't swim or run at all at this point) but I can do some math on the distances and I know there is a 17 hr time cutoff. I also know a few people who have finished them in the past in the 12-14 hr range. Now even if you are under the assumption that it's much harder than just riding a bike for the same length of time (it's probably slightly harder than riding reasonably fast on the road, but easier than riding fast on singletrack) that still makes it a whole lot less of an accomplishment than a competitively run 24 hr race, the arrowhead 135, trans iowa or a whole host of other endurance cycling races... ones that people I know have completed and even won while holding real jobs!

From another angle- I was on my bike 18 hrs last week while working 40 hrs at the same job as the people having that conversation. I also found time to read a couple of books, play with the dogs, do some blogging, watch the superbowl, take 2 days off and celebrate my birthday. I'd imagine that even if 18 hrs was your toughest week in some sort of training cycle or period that could give a decent athlete enough fitness/training to be pretty competitive.

The point of all this-

I stupidly (but pretty quietly) opened my mouth and said "yes you can", only to be totally shot down... "you don't know, you don't have to swim first". At first I was angry at the slight, but then it shifted to just angry... Angry that 'our' culture has become one where anything athletic is impossible. Everything is possible!

What does it take to make others believe? How much would it improve their lives (and the world) if they just realized they can do whatever they fucking want to if they just do it?

Obviously, for them I'm not the answer (and I doubt I am for anyone else either), but I know the whole network of people doing real stuff has been that answer for me. From my brother to Richzilla to the DBDers. I lost sight of my own capabilities and potential there for a few years and I thank you all for helping me find it again.