When I taught in the classroom I taped a sign to the board: “If you think of it before you act, it’s a reason. If you think of it afterward, it’s an excuse.” This last weekend I completed my fourth Ironman triathlon in the last two years. I had reasons. No excuses. On one hand, these events seem goofy and selfish. I bought a bunch of gear and spent months training just to spend an entire day swimming, bicycling, and running. On the other hand, training has made my life better in all sorts of ...