The exact situation changes from one iteration to the next but the basic root of the dream remains the same. Last night I was sitting in a high school English class near the end of the term, listening with the rest of the class to a sermon from the teacher about how we were almost out of time to pull up our socks for a last minute improvement in grades. I knew I was in trouble because I had not done any preparation for final exams and based on my performance throughout the year the only way I was gonna pass was with an exceptional final. As I'm sitting there bemoaning this latest failure and the waste of another year I never the less tried to have positive thoughts about doing a bunch of last minute cramming and squeezing my way through. After all this was a craft I was indeed practiced at, having worked this way my entire school career. That all came crashing down when the teacher nonchalantly referenced the one act play that each of us was supposed to have written (first I ever heard of it), and which was due tomorrow!!! Holy shit!!! That was the end for sure. I was doomed!!
Like I say, I've had this same dream in many variations, and running the entire breadth of grade school through college. While it probably doesn't qualify as a nightmare per say, it isn't a pleasant dream by any means. Certainly I wake up from it with some relief, but also with a lingering sense of failure. The funny thing is that although I never really applied myself all through school I did somehow manage to scrape my way through. Certainly I failed a few courses in my senior years of high school but it was never bad enough to keep me from getting the diploma. Even in my one year of college I dogged it and still got quite good marks. Probably because it was the first time I was learning something I enjoyed, and that I had some aptitude for.
Probably the sole reason I did escape my school years with a small measure of success was because of my creativity. Case in point. Somewhere in that funny space between sleeping and full wakefulness I had already hatched a scheme to turn one of my blog posts into a play. I even remember which one I thought may work without too much tweaking.
Here it is if you care to go back a few years. It's still one of my favorites.
And while I can't figure out why I have this recurring dream I am pretty sure I know why I had it last night. It was because today was "test day"!
The plan was to do the full race simulation that I missed out last week. This time I followed through including getting out of bed at 4:45 for breakfast. Unfortunately the weather didn't co-operate (cold and foggy), and it wasn't until 9 am that I slipped into the pool. Even at that I struggled with the decision to head out on my bike in soaked clothes, but in the end said screw it and off I went. Overall it went reasonably well with just a few mistakes, and as many learning's. After a few token laps in the pool I rode 90 kms at 31.3 km/hr, and then ran 10 kms in just under 50 minutes.
Here's what I learned.
1) I need to eat earlier the evening before, and/or get up earlier in the morning to get my bowels moving in a timely manner.
2) I need to keep my large GPS watch tucked inside the sleeve of my wetsuit or the suit doesn't want to come off well.
3) If I leave on my bike without my fluids or my nutrition it's gonna make for a long painful day. (idiot!)
4) My left quad needs some tender loving care. For the 3rd time in a row it simply did not want to relax on the bike. Maybe a massage this week eh?
5) I am very happy with all my gear. New this year are my goggles, my cycling and running shoes, as well as my GPS/heart rate watch, and my bike computer. Aside from some operator error they all worked flawlessly.
6) I already know this one but since I'm a poor student I needed to learn it one more time. I may be the luckiest guy on the planet to have all that I have, and I ain't talking about the gadgets!!
....and this one is priceless don't you think...
"The test of every religious, political, or educational system is the man that it forms.---Henri Frederic Amiel
Love
Peter
