Tilting at a windmill?

On Tuesday night down in NZ a group of us were sitting at the pub waiting for food. The usual tri geek speak came up. Talk about races, Kona Qualifiers, fastest bike splits, best way to shave legs, how much riding the trainer sucks. Then one person asked us Why New Zealand?
The usual chorus of Answers came up "Just wanted to do it." "Doesn't sell out" "Get me out of the Canadian/Mid-Western/ Northeastern Winter." The question was then posed to me...I tried to go with the "It doesn't sell out like the NA sports events route" But I guess that pint of Speights loosened my tongue a little bit. "Well I sort of have a friend down here that I wanted to see again...I had met her last year when I did this..." before you could say hopeless romantic, the cry came out "You're doing Ironman because of a girl? Wow!" Alright I'll admit it it's a little far fetched even for me. I'm Mr. Afraid of committing to anyone with a set of Double X chromosomes. But there was something about her... also the fact that she had driven 3 hours to see me and a few of her friends in town. Part of me feels how feel toward her is stupid, she has a boyfriend, she is happy, how the hell could I take care of a relationship this long distance, hell I couldn't even hold up with a girl an hour drive away let alone an 18 hour flight. She is a good friend, I can talk to her like one of the guys, no pretensions, just plainly ,simply, and frankly. I can be me. She accepts me for who I am and I do likewise, I'm at ease around her, I don't have to be something I'm not. Maybe that's why I like being around her....maybe that's why as much as my heart wants to, but I won't pursue her ( I don't want to be a D-bag to her BF...if she picked him he's got to be doing something right because she doesn't take shit from anybody.) To go after her would be like being like Don Quixote tilting at a windmill, gallant, chivalrous, and completely misplaced and borderline idiotic....but prehaps that is the entire context of love....we go in a full charge,bordering on insanity, hoping not to land flat on our asses...with everyone telling us how much of a moron we were we come to our senses. When we land flat, our hearts crushed into millions of pieces and we vow not to be as foolish ever again. We look at maybe being alone isn't so bad...we prepare for a life devoted to careers, sport and solitude only to have our foolish adventurer once again reawakened and once again find ourseleves charging full speed into the unknown...into ruin, heroics, misplaced courage we never knew we had...but for me I just can't seem to bring myself to pursue...I'm content to have her as a friend and am oh so afraid to have her leave my life...
So why did I go to New Zealand? Was I titlting at a windmill? Maybe in one aspect, but in another I got to touch base with good friend.