WI Ironman 2014 Race Report

I wrote this race report before the birth of my son this past week.  At the time this race was the most important thing and was the peak of my life experiences.  In the past week this race and everything else in my life was put into perspective.  I experienced the lowest point in my life when my son and wife were suffering medically and then the new peak when everyone came home safe.  Through this experience it was reaffirmed that Jess, my family and friends are the most important things in my life.  It matters what we accomplish in life but it matters more who we impact and love.

This is a long report and in case you don’t get a chance to read all of it I wanted to call out some individuals that honestly made this race so very memorable and tolerable because they cheered me on out there.  My parents Tom and Nora, my brother Jeff, my sister Megan, PC, Brett Kudick, Melanie Gray, Jerry and MJ, Sam and Natalie, Sara and Wayne, Molly, Mya, Maddy, Carter, VJ Scully, Kate Goodall, Sarah and Ryan Nechvatal, Mike, Laura and Mallory Taake, Kathleen and  Kevin Marien, Leslie, Doug, and Denise Householder.  Thank you all for coming out to cheer and helping me through the race. Without the positive energy I received from seeing each of you, I would not have been able to power through the day.  Some of you were out there just as long as me (4am to after midnight) and in my opinion are just as deserving of a medal.  Speaking of medals, mine goes to my wife Jess who at 8.5 months pregnant spent the entire day on her feet helping lead the charge for my fans and she was there with me till the very end which was well into the next day.  She helped me through all the training and cheered me along every step of the way through this journey and in the end was the motivation to get me to the finish line.  I also want to thank anyone that was watching from afar, or encouraging me during training, or maybe even out on race day but I didn’t see you…thank you all for the tremendous support!

Race day started out at 3:20am with breakfast and coffee and some nervous conversation with my parents and Jess.  We left our house at 4:15am to get down to the race start.  We dropped off my special needs bags (contain supplies that can be used at the half way point of the bike and run) and met up with Julie Lonergan by the capitol for some more nervous conversation.  We made our way to the Terrace to load up the bike with nutrition and get my race numbers marked.  I didn’t let any air out of my tires the day before because it was so cool and let my imagination run all night long thinking for sure I would have two flat tires when I arrived, the bike was fine.  From this point on it was standing around waiting to head towards the water for the cannon at 7am.

My Mom and Dad went to the helix early to grab the best location overseeing the water entry/exit and high enough to see over the trees and view the swimmers.    Jess and I headed down the helix to the point where only athletes could proceed.  This was one of the many times throughout the day when I was overcome with emotions as I had to say good-bye and thank-you to Jess with tears in my eyes.  On a side note there were so many emotional moments throughout the day that this race is truly the greatest roller-coaster ride I have ever been on and struggle to put it into words for those who are unfamiliar with Ironman.   With Jess and fans in my rear-view mirror I stood in line to get in the water at 6:30am and swam out near the first buoy (farthest from shore).

I went back and forth in my mind on the start strategy and thanks to my friend Melanie; I was convinced to start just behind the fastest swimmers on the course closest to the buoys.  The thinking by most is that this area would be crowded with fast swimmers that would aggressively swim over the top of anyone in their way.  That couldn’t be further from the truth as I found this area very much void of swimmers and by hanging just behind the fastest swimmers was able to swim in open water.  While waiting for the race to begin, I treaded water for quite some time while holding onto a kayak and making small talk with some other athletes.  There was another emotional moment when I took a minute during the singing of the nation anthem to look back at the spectators gathered on shore.  It was then that I realized how blessed and lucky I was to get to this point and take in a view of 10,000 + spectators from a perspective that only 2,826 people had earned.  Cannon goes off and my game face goes on.

I darted for the inside of the buoys (most of the other swimmers were outside the buoys) and swam in open water the entire time…except for the turns.  The swim course is basically in the shape of a rectangle, so long as you go around the corners you are swimming the same distance as everyone else.  The turns were a little more challenging as traffic backed up and I was closed in on by the rest of the athletes.  I never panicked and just started getting physical to swim out of the congestion and back to open water on the inside track.  I highly recommend this strategy for anyone considering a mass start open water swim race.  I never pushed hard and came out of the water refreshed in 1:17, which is faster than I expected but my longest swim was only 2 miles so it was difficult to truly estimate my projected time.

Wetsuit strippers struggled to get my suit off over my size 15 feet (may help explain the fast swim time), but before I knew it I was running up the helix; a quick shout to my fan base and another emotional moment that I had to keep in check as to not exert too much energy and fuel so early in the day.  I ran into the Terrace and into T1 (transition 1) to change into my bike gear, pretty uneventful and I was out the door to the bike.  I was told to keep my shoes off as to not risk slipping in my bike cleats before getting out of the Terrace with my bike; this was sound advice because there is a long distance to cover between T1 and your bike.

Two miles into the bike course and I saw someone who had crashed and was out of the race already.  I could not imagine what this person was feeling but it was a cold reminder to me that danger lies all over the place today and I need to keep my head in the game at all times and stay aware.  The first 3 hours of the bike was me getting passed by damn near everyone on the course!  My strategy for the entire race was to consider what mile 18 of the run would feel like if I spent too much energy early on.  The thinking is that mile 18 of the run is going to suck no matter what and you need to be prepared to handle that suck with some mental tricks to get you through the final 8.2 miles.  If you spend more energy on the swim or the bike then instead of the “suck” starting at mile 18 it’s going to start at mile 15, or 10, or 4, etc.  The sooner is starts, the more time you have to spend in it and the less likely you are to perform well on the final discipline.  So I just let people keep passing me and kept repeating to myself ‘mile 18 of the run…mile 18 of the run.’ 

My nutrition and my pace were my top priorities on the bike.  I ate something every 30 minutes, rotating between gu and bonk breakers (energy bars), and a salt tablet every hour.  I drank at least 32 oz of water every hour and reloaded with water at every aid station.   I also had another bottle on my bike filled with the sport drink that I thought I was taking enough of but in the end wasn’t (more on that later).  The bike was going to plan and my legs felt great the entire ride.  I made it to the 3^rd bitch (there are 3 large hills on this bike course each labeled a ‘bitch’ because of their difficulty – especially after getting up each twice because of the two loop format), to where my family and friends were stationed.  It was great seeing them and felt strong coming through to the end of the first lap but that was expected, it was the second lap where my legs have felt tired in training rides. 

The spectators on the bike course are amazing between the costumes/signs that make you laugh and the loud cheering that help you push through the pain.  Many of the fans are stacked up at the hills and crowd the road so you pedal up this gauntlet of screams and cheers…truly makes the hills very easy to maneuver.  I experienced so many emotional moments on the bike between the fan base and seeing my wife, family and friends out there that I couldn’t possibly recall each.  The problem now that I didn’t realize at the time is that I kept repeating to myself to stop the emotion as I would need it on mile 18 of the run and I didn’t want to use it up here when I didn’t truly need it.  So several times throughout the day I would stop myself from getting emotional because I didn’t want to use up that currency.  If I had to do it all over again I would not have fought anything out there and just let it be. 

After seeing my family again at the 3^rd bitch for the 2^nd time I was back on the ‘stick’ portion of the course to head home to Madison and T2.  While on the stick back to Madison I saw Katie and Kevin Marien which was a great surprise and helped power me through the last little bit.  I recall being surprised at how good my legs felt while biking back to the Terrace and was hopeful I could say the same after the upcoming 26.2 mile run.  The bike took me a total of 7:07 to finish, which averages just under 16 miles/hour which is exactly where I wanted to come in.  I made several bathroom stops along the course, as well as a stop at special needs, and stopped at every aid station to make sure I had enough water and nutrition supplies.  Having the fortune of living on this bike course and riding it well over 30 times during training I knew what it could do to your legs if I pushed too hard, and I knew that I was capable of ridding that course in a total of 6 hours or better but I made myself take it slow to ensure a good run.

I was in and out of T2 to begin the run and again nothing out of the ordinary.  At the start of the run I saw my high school football coach Mike Taake as well as his wife and daughter Laura and Mallory.  What a tremendous source of motivation for me to see this family so many years after my football career still cheering me on.  Coach jogged along side of me for a bit and asked me how I was feeling, I told him ‘I’m finishing this F-----g thing’ and he said ‘I have no doubt you will’…another emotional moment for me.  I saw that my first mile of the run was a 9:30/mile pace, a bit too fast for me to maintain and I was warned that this would be the case.  In fact I was told that everyone will be running too fast in the first 6 miles and that you have to control this if you want to have a good performance on the marathon.  So I hit the brakes and started cranking out 10 – 10:30/miles.  Anytime I would push a little harder or try to extend my stride I could feel my hamstring want to tighten like a cramp was coming so I’d back it down.  I quickly figured this marathon was just going to be about running the entire time rather than walking and that whatever pace resulted would be a victory. 

Around mile 2 I saw Sara and Wayne cheering on State Street and taking pictures.  They have been tremendous fans and supportive of both Jess and I throughout this journey and I truly appreciate them both.  Shortly after that while exiting campus I see Leslie, Denise and Doug Householder cheering me coming their way.  They are all dear friends of mine from high school days and wonderful people for coming out to cheer for me on race day.  Seeing Doug in his wheel chair with a huge smile on his face was plenty motivation for me to keep on my pace and finish the day.   These three stayed out there in the sun for well over 3 hours to see me run by 4 times (run course is a two loop track as well), I can’t thank them enough for their support. 

At each aid station I drank at least two cups of water and then would take a cup of ice with me as I left to make sure I kept hydrated.  I recall drinking a mouthful of sports drink at most aid stations and would also consume at least a bit of banana and couple of pretzels and oranges.  Later in the evening I had a couple of mouthfuls of the chicken broth and flat cola and of course more water.  I carried gu with me on the run and I think I consumed 3 or 4 of them out of the 6 that I had with me.  I know I got to a point in the run where I was sick of everything at the aid stations and just said screw it, I’m close enough to the finish that I’m just putting my head down and get there.

Still on the first lap and making my way to State St where a rowdy bunch of (mostly drunk) spectators reside, it’s an awesome spectacle to experience.  Just before State St. is a monster hill on Observatory Drive, I challenged myself to run the entire course and that included this hill (twice)…slow and steady powered by the thought of kissing my wife at the finish line I ran up the hill.  Just over the top I saw my cheering section again of Jess, Jeff, Mom, Dad, PC, Brett, Sam, Natalie, Jerry, and MJ, after a round of high fives and smiles I was still chugging along.  Quite frankly I felt great this entire time, I was consuming nutrition, going to the bathroom and running strong so I figured mile 18 might not be so bad.

I made turn on State St. and then headed back through campus and along the lake front to another turn around before heading back to the capitol.  This stretch along the lake is where the unsure runners go to die, this place gets quiet, dark, and cold later at night and is the place that runners need to mentally prepare for on race day.  On the second loop it would equate to around 21 miles of the 26.2 and I’m sure it’s where ‘the suck’ really over powers many runners.  I cruised past this spot on the first loop back towards the capitol where I spotted my cousin VJ Scully and his son Jaden who made the trip over from Milwaukee to cheer me on.  This was a total surprise to me and sparked yet another emotional moment that helped power me through the halfway point turn around which happens to be right next to the finish line.  Being this close to the finish line and not getting to cross it but instead turn around for another 13.1 miles is a substantial mental challenge to overcome. 

On this second loop of the run I was powered by the same group of fans that had been cheering for me all day and with each encounter I was no less over taken with emotion than the previous encounters.  Again I swallowed the emotion to hopefully retrieve it at mile 18 of the run, which just happens to be at the top of the largest hill on Observatory Drive.  The second time around I was coming through a water station just at the bottom of the start to this hill and was walking to finish up my nutrition and contemplated walking up this hill to save energy for the final 8 miles when I saw Sam and Natalie Jonas standing on the hill.  Immediately I engaged the running motion and was quickly joined by those two, running alongside me up the hill.  Once at the top they handed me off to the next group of fans to carry me with cheers, that group handed me off to another group, and another, and another.  Jess had told my fan base about mile 18 of the run and with the help of Brett Kudick, who himself is a 2X Ironman finisher; they strategically spread-out along the course to help carry me through mile 18 of the run!  Emotional moment number 100 of the day!  I quickly realized that mile 18 still hadn’t brought me to ‘the suck’, so I adjusted it to mile 19, 20, 21, 22…I told myself that mile 24 was right outside of Camp Randal football stadium and if I could get to there I was home free.  Next thing I knew I was running past the front gates of the stadium and overcome with emotion…I was home free.

I came to the last water station by the Capitol and started dumping all the nutrition out of my pockets and preparing to run down the finisher’s shoot.   I remember thinking that this was the moment I was waiting for, this was the goal of all the training…to come down to the finish line, kiss and thank Jess and hear the announcer call out ‘Kevin Scully you are an Ironman’!  That is exactly what happened and it was fantastic.  Jess and I had planned where she would be waiting for me and my eyes immediately saw most everyone from my cheering section there except for Jess.  I high fived and hugged those that were there and they directed my across the other side of the finisher shoot where Jess was standing.  I ran over to her, with tears running down my face, thanked her for this and gave her a kiss.  I proceeded to the finish line and conceded to the course…I was done.

Now all along I was feeling great, just a steady stream of emotion and effort all day long to power me through to the finish.  I never pushed hard on any given part of the course, I never worked so hard at any particular point where I need to pull back and rest to regain composure.  All that being said I figured I did everything just right for my first attempt at an Ironman.  I finished the run in 4:52 around an 11:00/mile which included walking a few steps through the aid station at each mile and then running the rest of the course.  My total time for the day was 13:37:03; this would be considered a respectable time for a first attempt at a full triathlon (ironman) distance.  I’m sure I can go faster but I did not know what to expect and instead decided to play it safe and keep it slow and steady for the first time out. 

I stood around a bit chatting with my fan base and then went into the food tent to try to find something I wanted to eat.  I tried to eat the salty potato chips and even some pizza but quickly started to realize I was in trouble.  I tried to get the attention of the food service people but couldn’t muster the energy.  Finally I think someone from my cheering section got a volunteer to check on me and they didn’t hesitate to drag me into the medical tent.  From then on it was a sharp downward spiral of puking and IVs to try and get me back on my feet.  I spent around 3 hours in the tent to the point where they were starting to shut down for the night (race finishes at midnight).  They were asking ME if I wanted to go home or go to the hospital, when I didn’t have a clue which way was up.  I do recall thinking; I’m not taking a $2500 ambulance ride because I’m dehydrated.  It was eventually decided that I could go home, where I spent several hours in the shower and eventually helped into bed where I spent the evening repeatedly getting sick.  Jess took me into the ER the next day for more IVs and more blood work and they confirmed what I was told in the medical tent in that I drank too much water throughout the day resulting in hyponatremia.  In the medical tent I remember them propping me up on a scale and telling me that I gained 8 pounds throughout the day (they weigh you at race registration for just this purpose) and that was a big red flag for hyponatremia.  This is where you basically drown out the necessary levels of sodium in your body and disrupt the proper balance of electrolytes.  This can lead to water intoxication, an illness whose symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination and mental disorientation…check, check, check, check, check, check to all the symptoms. 

If I had to do it all over again, I would’ve alternated between water and the sports drink on the course throughout the bike.  I think this would’ve made me feel better throughout the run and allowed for me to have more of an appetite for some of the other offerings at the run aid stations.  I’m a big guy and I sweat a ton so I thought just keep drinking and peeing and you’ll be fine, after all this is what I’ve done in all my marathon races.  If there is a next time, I need to calculate how much I should drink throughout an effort like this and to do so would require me weighing myself before and after a strenuous workout, then do the math to determine how much liquid weight needs to be replaced through liquid intake.  I think now that I’ve experienced the hell of hyponatremia, I will know to force myself to consume more during the run no matter how I feel at the time.  I feel that if I had eaten a few more offerings I think it would’ve been enough to counteract the amount of water I consumed.  I should have been less concerned with how I would feel at the finish line and instead focus on how I would feel well after the finish line.

 I thought the finishers shoot was going to be the best part of the day but I was wrong, the best part was seeing all my fans that are so important in my life!  I was disappointed I didn’t get to celebrate and thank each person that came down to the race.  In the end I feel that even though I felt good throughout the day and across the finish line, the race still got the better of me and ultimately final word.  I don’t feel like a failure by any means, I completed the distance when 496 people signed up and didn’t even start and 156 started but didn’t get to the finish line.  I didn’t know what to expect out of this race and I didn’t have a good feeling for what it would take to finish strong, but I learned all of that throughout this experience.  I’m excited to begin the next chapter in my life as a father and want to redirect the focus and attention to where it should be and that is on my family.  I’ll be back some day to take on this challenge again and in the mean time I hope I’ve inspired some to do something out of their comfort zone or get out and exercise, if I have I would love to hear about it.

Weeks 33 and 34 of Ironman training – It’s go time

The last two weeks of taper are behind me and I’m currently in race week as the Ironman is this Sunday, September 7^th beginning at 7am.  If you are around and able to attend any or all of the day’s event, you won’t be disappointed.  There will be 2,500-3,000 other souls each with compelling stories that foreshadow their journey to the starting line of this race.  Whether attending in person or watching from afar you can track my progress in two ways; 1) www.myathletelive.com and view on the website or download an app that will be transmitting my real time location on the course.  It can be used to predict my ETA to your location (if you’re spectating on the course) or to the finish line.  2) www.ironman.com/triathlon/coverage/live and view when I cross certain checkpoints on the course (historically not that reliable) as well as a live web camera of the finish line.

Whether you’re able to attend in person, watch from afar, or have read this blog at some point over the past year, I want to say thank you in case I don’t get the chance.  Thank you for supporting me and my dream to become an Ironman.  It’s not for everyone and it’s not easy to comprehend but thank you for not doubting or questioning my motives.  Thank you for asking me about training it when I saw you.  Thank you for commenting or clicking the like button on facebook.  Thank you for still being my friend even though I’ve had my head in the Ironman sand for the past year.  Thank you.  I will be thinking of all of you at some point on race day in hopes that I won’t let you down.

Speaking of race day…finally it has arrived.  For me to achieve healthy living I have to set a goal to work towards.  I wish I was one of those people that could religiously go to the gym just to get in shape…I’m not.  Granted this is a bit of a lofty goal, but they don’t all have to be.  Start small, gain some momentum and confidence by achieving your goal.  Then set another and another and another; don’t stop.  The pain will at times be great, the commitment will be tested, the reason will often be questioned…I expect all of this on Sunday.  Just keep chopping down the obstacles and negative thoughts that stand in your way and tell yourself “It’s go time”.

Weeks 31 and 32 of Ironman training – I know why

These past two weeks were the peak of my training effort, they included multiple 100+ mile bike rides and a couple of 18+ mile runs…I’m tried just writing it.  The best part about the last two weeks is that they are behind me and now it’s time to taper.  Tapering is reducing the workload as to allow your body to recover and get strong before the big race.  Tapering, as I need to keep reminding myself, doesn't mean I get to slack off until race day so I still have a little work to do over these last 3 weeks. 

My very first blog entry back in January of this past year was titled ‘Why the Hell’ as to mean why the hell am I doing this?  I’m not sure there is one clear cut answer as to why I’m doing it but I certainly can speak to one central source of motivation that has come to light over the past nine months, and that’s my wife Jessica.  Before you roll your eyes and think ‘sappy’, just hear me out.  At a time in her life when the spot light should shine solely on her and the baby she is carrying, she deflects the attention to me and my challenge.  She has heard me complain about being sore and tired, rather than firing back about the human she is carrying around with her, she offers a back rub.  She comes home from a long day at work, entirely on her feet, and cooks me a healthy meal with love.  She never complained when I went to bed at 8pm each night for the past 9 months, instead she prepared coffee (which she doesn't drink) and my lunch for the next day.  She wrote out 100 index cards with motivational sayings on each and places one on my dresser every morning.  She didn't complain when I was buying new clothes for training while she was trying to avoid having to purchase maternity clothes that would make her more comfortable.  Rather than being consumed with any baby showers she spent her efforts organizing who would be staying at our house on race weekend.  Simply stated she has not once, not for a single second, complained about all the attention getting paid to this Ironman challenge.  I know she will put as much effort and dedication into being a Mom as she has in getting me prepared for the Ironman and she’ll be one of the best ever for it.  She is my motivation, she is who I want to share the finish line with, she is my greatest fan, and I am hers. 

Weeks 29 & 30 of Ironman training – Doubt

Two more weeks closer to Sept 7th and the big day; just trying to hang on.  I'm currently in the midst of my peak training schedule which includes days filled with 6 hour bike rides and 3 hour runs, followed by eating, sleeping, and then repeating.  This week and next I'm told can be more difficult than the Ironman race itself in that I'll be tested mentally to keep up with the pace and monotony of the training schedule.  Jess is really earning her stripes lately by keeping me feed, being patient with my lack of help around the house, allowing me to complain as well as sleeping and resting on my off days.  For being 7+ months pregnant in the hot summer months she is a blessing and tremendous asset to me and this goal…I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to repay her (although somehow I suspect she’ll provide a few ideas of how I could try).

So this past weekend brought to town 100’s of athletes in the peak of their training schedules do participate in an organized training event Thursday through Sunday.  Some athletes rode most of the bike course (105 miles), Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and then ran nearly 20 miles on Sunday.  I did not participate to the extent that some of the others did; my body simply could not take that much without breaking down.  Needless to say when you see your ‘peers’ performing to this level and you’re not it allows some doubt to start creeping into your head.  I’m told that this is not the last time that doubt will try to knock me off course.  I’m told the doubt will attempt several times on race day to derail my goal, it will tell me the swim is too crowded, the bike is too hilly, and there’s just no way to run the entire 26.2 miles all in 17 hours. 

Fortunately for me I have been preparing for the doubt, I knew it was coming and actually for a while I thought it would pass me by.  It’s here, I’ll swat it away this next week as I get back into my peak training schedule but I know it will be back again soon.  I’m excited for the challenge because I know the support that I have in place won’t allow the doubt to win.  My wife, family, friends and fellow Ironmen-in-training won’t let anything get in my way of becoming an Ironman and for that I thank you all!

Weeks 27 & 28 of Ironman training – Friends

Week 27 and 28 in the books and with it brought my very first half Ironman distance or sometimes called a 70.3 race.  The race comprises of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run.  The race that I participated in was in Racine, WI this past Sunday.  We swam in Lake Michigan which last week had temperatures hovering around 55 degrees, on this past Sunday however it was 61 degrees...and thankfully very calm (last year's event was so rough that several racers were pulled during the swim).  The swim went well for me except for the first 300 yards or so as I was trying to catch my breath and get my man parts out of my throat because the water was so cold!  Onto the bike which got me getting passed by every sub 36 year old in the event.  I managed to make up ground during the second part of the bike and on the run.  The run also was uneventful for me which was a good thing, I just kept chipping away at the 13.1 and before I knew it I was crossing the finish line feeling great.  I'm sure I could have pushed myself much more and turned in a better overall time but I really wanted the day to be a dress rehearsal for the full Ironman in September and that means NO RACING!!  I really don't know what to expect on race day but this past weekend was a big confidence builder for me that I will finish the Ironman (so long as no outside catastrophes factor into the day).

Something that really helped me not push too hard this weekend was the fact that I knew so many people at this event.  I was constantly talking to others or looking for others on the bike and run portion that I never had time to take things too seriously and get caught up in competing against other racers.  I met a lot of these people through an Ironman WI Facebook group which has been a tremendous source for knowledge and camaraderie.  These people are from all walks of life and each has their own story for getting here, whether it's their first or their 20th Ironman, they all have been helping me out on this challenge.  Taking advantage of the opportunity to meet new people has been probably one of the greatest take-aways for me throughout this training.  I mentioned in a previous post that misery enjoys company and that rings true for any challenge we face.  I would challenge you to find others that are going through the same challenges you are facing and lean on them to pick you up and help carry you over any obstacles that stand in your way.  In the end you are the only one that can accomplish your goals, but it's nice to make some new friends along the way that can support and cheer you on your way.

Weeks 25 & 26 of Ironman training – Lessons Learned

Weeks 25 and 26 of training brought me to my very first triathlon event.  I participated in an Olympic distance tri in my current city of Verona.  For those not familiar with, the Olympic distance is a .93 mile swim, a 25.5 mile bike and a 6.2 mile run.  I completed all disciplines without incident in a just under 3 hours and took away a few nuggets from the experience.  1) The swim doesn't bother me at all, I'm calm, fast, and relaxed in the water and the crowd.  Now I'm told this can change at any moment but I don't imagine a scenario where I really panic as I can always roll to my back and float in the buoyant wet-suit until I settle down.  2) I'm slow on the bike, I seem to make up for it on the up hills but on the straight-a-ways I'm getting passed by Ms. Daisy.  I let this get into my head a few too many times during the race.  3) I need to focus more during the transition.  I left the transition from the bike to the run still wearing my biking shorts.  Now this is fine for a short 6 mile run, but this could be problematic during the 26.2 mile run as the bike shorts have considerably more padding in them which makes running uncomfortable.  4)  I'm letting my competitive nature get the best of me and I start racing the event.  This is bad, very bad as the full Ironman (the first time around) is not about racing against others or for a particular time, it's about finishing the race in the allotted 17 hours.  It doesn't matter if you come in 2,500 out of 2,500 so long as it's by 16:59:59.  If I don't come to terms with this I could have a disastrous day on September 7th risking going out way too hard and bonking at some point during the event.  I have one more practice event to get my pace under control at the half Ironman in Racine on July 20th.  This will truly be a dress rehearsal for the big day in September.  I want to have the correct pace to easily make the finish line feeling like I could continue going if necessary.

I guess you should do as I say and not as I do in your own training, even if you're not targeting any events to demonstrate your fitness.  There are lessons to be learned from each workout you do, in the form of what clothes to wear, how far to go, whether or not to pack toilet paper, what you should eat before/during/after, etc.  Store these little nuggets away and don't let anyone tell you differently about what you've learned personally about your body.  You will, over time and given enough opportunities, become an expert in what it takes to get you to your goals.  Keep after it!

Weeks 22, 23 & 24 of Ironman training – Affirmation

Three more weeks of training behind me and now only 11 weeks until we lace them up for the real thing!  The last three weeks saw a well needed increase in outdoor activities, including several open water swims (swimming anywhere but the pool).  It is vital getting comfortable in open water as to not totally loose your sh*t on race day when the cannon fires and 2,500 people start swinging arms and legs.  With this in mind I participated in an 'aquathon' race this past week to get just that experience.  The race had a little over 150 people and it consisted of a 1,000 meter swim followed by a 5K foot race.  I started the swim right in the mix because I wanted to get bounced around a bit and to my surprise it wasn't nearly as bad as described by others.  I was grabbed a couple of times and thankfully with my football background was able to throw a few shoulders and haymakers myself.  Eventually I got back to the beach and ran a fast race and was able to get across the finish line feeling affirmed that my training has been making a difference.

I think it's incredibly important when setting a goal, to occasionally seek out some reassurance that you're doing the right things and a difference is being made.  Whether your goal is to lose weight, run a certain mileage, feel better, have more energy, or fit into some piece of clothing, you need to 'check-in' along the way to determine if you're on the right track.  I'm not talking about winning a competition or stepping on the scale each week and seeing another 10 pounds dropped, I'm talking about much smaller victories to keep you motivated.  So maybe you didn't drop any weight this week, but instead you fit into a piece of clothing or you have more energy, that's a win and that's affirmation that your hard work is paying off.  You may not have been able to run the full 2 miles, but if you ran a few blocks further today than you did last week then again it's a win because your training is paying off and making a difference.

I think it's much easier to set a goal and achieve it if you have check-points along the way that reassure you that the hard work and dedication is making a difference.  Your goals are personal to you and should never be compared with anyone else's, and the same about the grandeur of your check-points.  Don't get down on yourself because someone lost 5 pounds and you didn't loose any, be honest with yourself and find the silver lining in what you accomplished and did to make yourself better that day.  Keep your head up and get back to work on achieving your goals!

Weeks 19, 20, & 21 of Ironman training – Enough already!

I had no idea that I slacked off this much; I looked at the calendar today and realized I let a week slip by without a blog entry.  I’ll blame it on the holiday weekend and throwing my schedule for a loop.  Weeks 19, 20, & 21 are in the books and I’m still upright and making progress.  For many in my network of fellow competitors my week 20 marked the halfway point for their same 30 week training programs (remember I started my training 5 weeks early), so it’s a cause to celebrate…even though the most difficult training lies ahead.  Week 19 concluded with a great bike ride with a bunch of people I met from a Facebook group I joined, week 20 was my first trip of making two loops around the Ironman bike course, and week 21 was capped off by a 2 mile swim with the assistance of my Dad paddling next to me in his kayak (not exactly great Father-Son bonding time but thanks Dad!).

The point of this blog was twofold, 1) for me to document my journey so I could look back on it should I ever consider doing something so dumb again and 2) for me to express myself about training without having to annoy everyone with constantly talking about training.  I’m finding though that writing it down here is not enough to satisfy the urge to constantly talk about my training…and now I’m annoying!  The fact is that Ironman is dominating my life right now and it’s the only thing on my mind so naturally it’s the first thing out of my mouth when someone asks what I’ve been up to.  Every morning when my alarm clock goes off at 4:20 the first thought in my head is about the Ironman race.  I want to share my experiences with those that I see so that they can maybe be inspired, but at the very least learn from any of my mistakes. 

I appreciate when others tell me about their accomplishments or post them online.  It’s a badge of honor that you should be able to wear with pride and not have to worry about it getting compared to others.  I remember my first running race and each one of my training days I ran another distance that I had never run before, 3 miles, 5, 10, 15, etc. and that was exciting to me to reach a little further with each effort.  So I say bring on the bragging people!  If you walked a mile or ran 100 and you’re proud of the effort and time it took to accomplish this then tell those around you.  If you hear someone talking about their accomplishment, don’t compare it to anything just congratulate them and go about your day.   So please forgive me for the rest of the summer when I’m talking about training for the Ironman, I truly don’t want to sound smug or arrogant, it’s just my focus right now until September…then I’ll be talking about my new son or daughter!

Weeks 17 & 18 of Ironman training – Getting Lucky

Week 17 was a recovery week and week 18 was getting back into the swing of training.  My recovery weeks basically mean that I’m doing slightly less than I did the week before and not increasing the time and/or effort it takes to complete my workouts (remember all my workouts are time based and not distance based).  Then the week right after a recovery week is a slight increase to what I did the week before my recovery week.  It can get confusing, that why I've got it all written down and planned out beforehand.   I’m making progress and feeling stronger and faster mostly every day.  There have been a few more days lately that I’m not feeling ‘it’ and I need a little kick in the butt to get my engine started.  All in all, my spirits are up and I’m still excited about the training and the races ahead of me.  So far I've been extremely fortunate to have the support of Jess for this adventure and she takes great care of me so that I can concentrate on training and not get distracted. 

I've also been very lucky thus far in my training to not suffer any physical or mental setbacks…come on now people get your heads out of the gutter; what did you think this entry was going to be about?  Every now and again you hear someone say ‘I don’t believe in luck’, or ‘I make my own luck’.  I can’t help but think how much luck is going to play into whether or not I cross that finish line on September 7^th.  I can take precautions to help alleviate something bad happening to me, but in the end I can’t wrap myself in bubble-wrap until race day. 

I can buy the right equipment and rest when something gets sore, but I can’t totally prevent an injury from occurring; I have to get lucky.  I can have my bike checked over by a professional and take good care of it up to the race, but I can’t prevent blowing a tire on race day; I have to get lucky.  I can practice some open water swims and do all of my swim workouts, but I can’t prevent someone from kicking me in the face and ending my day early; I have to get lucky.  You’re starting to get the point about how many different variables are at play during this 17 hour race day: weather, equipment, strategy, nutrition, other racers, allergies, etc.  I've been lucky thus far and I need to continue getting lucky all the way through race day.  One could easily get consumed by how much luck you need on your side to complete anything in life, but as my brother Jeff told me a long time ago, ‘worrying is a useless emotion’.  All you can do is prepare for the things you can control, and roll with the things you can’t.

Weeks 15 & 16 of Ironman training – Appreciation

Weeks 15 and 16 have proven to be the most difficult yet.  Week 15 brought about a 3 hour bike workout on the Ironman bike course around my home town of Verona (funny that this was difficult considering I’m going to be on the bike over 6 hours on race day).  Week 16 was the 3^rd time I’ve ridden the course and each time, and I’m sure every ride between now and September 7^th, reiterates that I need to get stronger on the bike.  I’ve got a little over 4 months until race day and come hell or high water I’m going to get stronger on the bike, that’s my new obsession.

A question has been floating around my house lately as to which will prove to be more difficult, the Ironman race or childbirth?  I am kidding of course!  I have to keep reminding myself (and I’m doing a horrible job) to not complain to Jess about any of my aches or pains due to self-inflicted training.  Jess has been a champ throughout my training thus far.  She’s always there to listen to me talk about training, which frankly is a boring topic if you’re not training for an Ironman.  Jess does all the food shopping which can be a full time job feeding an Ironman-in-training and a pregnant woman.  She makes healthy meals for me to eat (my Dad and I both believe we could survive on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches).  Jess keeps me grounded when I get worked up about some aspect of training (see the obsession with biking above).  She cheers me on and keeps me going when I start to waver in my resolve to complete this race.  Quite simply, and I know this is a bold statement, she is the greatest wife in the world! 

There are those of you who have been showing support in other ways and I greatly appreciate all of you as well.  Whether it’s reading this blog, commenting on Facebook or asking me how training is going.  I appreciate all of you and recognize the strength of my support group is going to directly contribute to the strength necessary to complete the race on September 7^th!

Weeks 13 & 14 of Ironman training - Adjustments

The training is getting very real now as I've wrapped up weeks 13 and 14.  I have one more week in my base building phase and then I'm a third of the way through the program with the next 10 week phase focusing on building strength.  The next phase will incorporate some higher heart rate workouts even though for the majority of the race I will be operating in a lower heart rate zone.  The thinking is that there will be times throughout the race day that I'll run my heart rate up to a higher zone and I'll need to be able to pull it back down into a sustainable range.
The theme of this entry is adjustments to the workout plan; adjustments to the workout itself and adjustments to the schedule.  I've already made the adjustments to the workout plan before I started any of this training, I believe this is vital to success as you need to prioritize the workout schedule around your previous commitments to family or work.  I've discovered over the past two weeks a couple of other adjustments I'm going to need to make.
The next two phases of my training plan calls for swimming workouts three days per week (currently the plan has two per week).  I had a long workout day last week that called for swimming 2,500 yards straight without rest, and I accomplished it with ease; another 1,724 yards and I'm at the entire 2.4 Ironman swim distance.  Also just yesterday I had a 2 hour 45 minute bike workout in which I rode the Ironman bike course loop around Verona, Mt. Horeb, Cross Plains, and Middleton, and this I did not accomplish with ease!  So in the next phase I'm making the adjustment to eliminate the extra swim day and replace it with an extra bike workout.
The point is, I'm not afraid or concerned about making adjustments to my workouts.  What I am very careful to do is plan my adjustments ahead of time and make them in writing as to not question or forget them.  I find that if I wait until the day of my workout or actually during my workout to make the adjustments then I'm taking the easy way out and cutting corners off my workout.  Make the adjustments to your workout to fit your life, but do them ahead of time and prioritize your workouts among the other items that are important to you.  

Weeks 11 & 12 of Ironman training - vacation

Everyone needs a little time off from work and working out.  When I was growing up, about every other year, my parents would load all of us kids into the station wagon and drive to CO to one of the ski resorts.  So in the spirit of reliving my past, I loaded my parents up into their SUV and drove with them to Breckenridge, CO this past week for one last family ski vacation hooray!  Most of my family and their families made the trip and we had a great time together; I was even able to get in a few workouts.  Thanks to others that have trained for the Ironman race before me I was able to take their advice to just enjoy myself and family while on vacation and not get too concerned with not getting in all of my workouts (5 months to go so there's plenty of time to make it up).

The few workouts that I did get accomplished, both on the trip and right when I got home, made me feel a little more at ease with taking the vacation.  For the most part I didn't notice the thin air in CO during my runs or while skiing, where it really hit me was in the pool.  I could hardly swim 200 yards without feeling like I was going to drown.  Now that I'm back I'm refreshed and ready to attack the next 5 months of training!

I guess the message of this entry is that it's OK to take some time away from work and working out to spend with your family and show them your true appreciation for their support.  After all, what are you more likely to remember, the great day of skiing you had or that great 5 mile run you got in?  I'm not saying you need to abandon your workouts altogether while on vacation, but you could certainly dial them back to make sure you spend time appreciating those around you.  I do like to get a few workouts in while I'm away from home mostly to justify the food and drink over consumption that is bound to happen.  

Weeks 9 & 10 of Ironman training - Excuses, excuses

Weeks 9 and 10 are in the books and boy do I have some excuses brewing.  If you're an avid reader of this blog (wishful thinking, I know), you noticed that I missed a blog entry last week.  I was out of town in Atlanta two weeks ago for work and spent all of this past week getting all caught up on work, life, and training.  This is my excuse for not getting the blog done, but I tell you the excuses were starting to come into play and influencing my motivation to get my workouts done too.

I got back from ATL last Saturday afternoon and was planning all along to get my long bike ride in upon my return.  I told Jess after the ride that it was my most difficult workout to date, for the mere fact I just didn't feel like doing it after my long week and flight.  I really had to push myself this past week to find the motivation for the workouts as I had so many things pilling up at work.  My legs were tired, I'm sick of working out inside, I needed to catch up on sleep, etc, we've heard them all before.  Then yesterday I packed both my weekend workouts into one day, first I tackled the two hour bike ride and then immediately jumped on the treadmill for an hour long run...and it felt great!

My point is we all have the excuses, they will be there every single day for the rest of our lives...if you can suck it up and push yourself through the difficult times, there's going to be greatness again on the other side.  I would estimate that 25% of everyone's workouts are terrible, 50% of them are just OK and sufficient, but the 25% that feel great are the ones that keep us coming back for more.  Keep pushing yourself through the difficult times and stay focused on the greatness of the 25%!

Week 8 of Ironman training - On the road

Greetings from Atlanta. I'm at a work conference this week which is severely competing with my workout plan for my attention. Another week of training behind me and so far so good. Last week was my last before a "down" week; every 4th week is a recovery week where time and mileage is dialed down a bit to give you a chance to rest a bit. It's not a significant rest, for example last week was 8 hours of training and this week is 7. I'll take the little victories where I can get them.

My challenge this week is getting all of my workouts in while being away from home. There are some adjustments to be made, for example there's no pool at my hotel so I'm supplementing my swim workouts with weight lifting. I'm making good use of the hotel workout facilities and hopefully will get a run or two in outside before I leave. It's around 50 degrees here, I'll be the only one outside in shorts and a t-shirt!  The training plan I'm using is made for the obstacles of work travel in that the workouts are all time based so I don't have to know my way around town I just need to go out and run for an hour.

The other big challenge is to avoid too many Miller Lites each night so I get the workouts in...this morning was a bit painful!

Week 7 of Ironman Training - Rise and Shine!

I wrapped up week 7 of training and so far one of the only significant gains I'm seeing are on the scale, which makes little to no sense but that's a separate blog topic altogether.  I guess the other gain that I'm seeing is my tolerance for boredom on the bike trainer and treadmill.  Even though I've setup a TV and stereo in my workout room I still just can't get used to indoor workouts.  Jess is able to throw on a good TV show or movie and hit the treadmill for hours, but I'm overwhelmed after 15 minutes.  I need to get outside!  The problem to overcome is the lack of daylight so early in the morning...speaking of early mornings.

The book I'm using to facilitate my training dedicates some significant print space to time management and the importance of it while training for an Ironman.  Last week's post focused on breaking down the hours in the week, which came directly from the book (Be Iron Fit by Don Fink).  One of the main points of this book was that in order to dedicate the necessary amount of time needed to train for an Ironman, you have to get your workouts done in the morning.  I cringed when first reading this, much like all of you are right now.  The book describes all the scenarios at play throughout the day and how each of those will inevitably impact your ability to workout in the afternoon.  The concept is simple; commit to getting up early and working out to start your day for 1 month.  No excuses, every day for a month get up and first thing you do is knock out today's workout.  Then at the end of the month, it will become a habit if you can appreciate all the benefits.

I have taken this approach to my training and I have to admit it's spot on.  Don't get me wrong, there are more days than not that I don't want to do it, but I do.  I sleep better at night (out before my head hits the pillow), I'm wide awake when I'm done with the workout (saves money on coffee), I feel much less stressed at the end of my workday because I don't feel annoyed that now I have to squeeze in a workout (Jess appreciates this).  Start little and build some momentum, wake up 30 mins early for a quick run.  After time you can build that up to 1 or 2 hours early to get in a larger workout and even get some other things done before heading off to work.  If you're reading this blog hopefully you're open to learning a thing or two from my experiences and this would be a great takeaway for you, trust me.  I hated the idea at first but have really grown to appreciate (not love) the morning workouts.

Week 6 of Ironman Training - Who has the time?

Week 6 is behind me, and speaking of behinds holy hell was mine hurting this week.  This was the first week I was back on the bike since last Fall.  This past week marked the first week of my full ironman training schedule which is basically 3 sessions of biking, 4 of running, and 2  of swimming.  I learned very quickly the value of training aids, of the specific uses I won't go into detail, "butt" some are essential for long bike rides.  A big thank you to Melanie Gray who gave me a tri-training care package that had several helpful items.

Melanie completed her first Ironman last September (I say first because I suspect she's going to make a habit of these).  I was able to watch Melanie first hand on race day and had the honor of being the first to congratulate her when she RAN across the finish line.  Being an Ironman finisher is an amazing accomplishment for anyone and especially for a busy mom like her.  Melanie has 4 boys to look after, I'm lumping her husband Jeff in that count.  Her days are filled with sporting events, school activities, refereeing fights, feedings, and managing lives.  All of that alone is a full time job for any person, but on top of that she threw in training for an Ironman.  Ask her and I'm sure she will tell you that she made some sacrifices along the way but I'm willing to bet they were at her own expense and not her family's.

My point is that we all have the ability to create some time in our schedules to achieve the goals that are most important to us, we just need to prioritize and make some sacrifices.  The math is simple, there are 168 hours in a week.  Let's say you work 50 of them and another 5 hours commuting to and from, down to 113 hours.  Take out another 56 for 8 hours of sleep (this is a necessity for a major athletic undertaking) and you're down to 57.  Let's say there's another 10 hours a week doing things around the house (grocery shopping, mowing the lawn, etc), now you've got 47.  Say another 21 hours of family activities and you're left with 26 hours.  26 hours each week to do with whatever you want:  get in shape, expand your education, volunteer, learn a new hobby.  I realize my math makes some grand assumptions and that everyone has different demands of their time, but if you do the exercise yourself I think you'd be surprised at how you're currently using your time and that maybe you can make some adjustments to take on a new challenge.

Don't get caught up in the excuse that you hear from everyone that there's not enough time for this or that.  Evaluate your schedule and understand where you are spending these precious hours and then use any left over time to go out and do something you've always wanted to do.  You may have to make a couple of sacrifices but in the end you'll be amazed at what you did with what little time you have.

Week 5 of Ironman Training - From within

Week 5 was dialed back a bit due to the injury suffered last week.  My calf and knee just felt a little bit 'off' this past week so I took it pretty easy.  Stuck to both of my swim workouts, did some lighter P90X workouts and then did my long run on Saturday, so in the end I was still making progress.  The good news is that the leg feels good and I'm ready to dive into the full training plan.  

Up to this point I was prepping for the training program as to maintain some gains made from last year.  I was running 3 times a week, swimming twice a week and doing P90X 3 times a week.  Now starting this week the real deal begins and I'm pretty fired up to get started.  My workouts will consist of a brick workout on Mondays (bike then a quick transition to a run), Tuesdays will be swim and run, Wednesdays will be a swim and bike, Thursdays are a  swim and run, Friday is a long run, and Saturday is a long bike.  The workout times start at 6 hours per week in the beginning and peak at 15 hours per week later in the summer.  Basically my life is going to be eating, sleeping, and breathing training until September 7th.  

I saw a very interesting news story this week about a former Olympic athlete from my town of Verona, WI.  They interviewed this man about his experiences in the Olympics, what he has being doing since then, and what impacts that experience has had on him coaching his kids who have just started in the same sport.  It was something he said when talking about the later that really caught my attention.  He said he doesn't push his kids to excel, he knows that his kids must push themselves if they want to be great; it must come from within.  It is such a simple concept but it rings so very true; no one else is going to do the work or motivate you.  Others may pick you up when you're down or help steer you back on track when you've strayed but it's up to you to get yourself to the starting line.  Others may inspire you to take the first step or cheer you along the way, but it's up to you to push yourself a little further.  Others might workout with you, or coach you in the proper technique, but it's up to you, it has to come from within.

Week 4 of Ironman training: Injury

Another week in the bag.  I did lower my temperature threshold this week and got outside for my long run, it felt good for being 10 degrees.  There is such a huge difference between the feeling of a treadmill vs the road.  I've read that you should set your treadmill at a 1 degree incline to simulate the resistance of running outside, but even with that I feel much more of a workout when I'm outside.  I keep a close eye on the weather report each week looking for a glimmer of hope that we're getting close to the downside of the winter weather.  If that damn groundhog is right we've got six more weeks...seems like close to 12.

As I'm writing this blog I've got a bag of ice on my calf.  I strained it during swimming this week using the swim fins (how sad is that?).  I've got enough experience with these types of injuries to know that if you don't deal with it right away it's going to get worse or hang around for a long time.  That was a difficult concept for me to accept when I first started running.  I for the longest time had the mentality to just tough it out and get through the pain.  My very first marathon I developed runner's knee and had to take a month off before it got any better.

I'm not looking to write a whoa-is-me post for the week.  This is a minor injury and what I'm sure is the first of many during my training.  My point is that when/if you develop a nagging discomfort somewhere on your body during training do not ignore it or tough  it out.  It has to be one of the most frustrating and difficult things to happen to anyone while training for some athletic event.  Frustrating in accepting that you're no longer invincible in your old age and that your body is something that can easily break down.  Difficult in that you are motivated enough to push your body to the point of failure, but now you have to 100% shut down and let it mend.  It is the only way to get better and get back to training full time, trust me when I say this, there is just no other way.  Accept it, put the same amount of dedication into getting better (ice, elevate, rest, stretch, etc), and be patient.  It also helps to have someone around to pull back the reins on your training and do some clear-headed thinking for you, in my case Jess is great at making sure I don't get back at it too soon.

So suck it up when you're out on the long training runs and feeling tired but shut it down when you feel something isn't quite right!

Week 3 of Ironman training: Competition

Much like everyone else in the state of Wisconsin, I'm not a fan of the weather lately.  I have the bar set at 20 degrees as far as going outside for a run and this past week I didn't get out once.  I either have to adjust my bar down a bit or find more crap to DVR to keep me entertained on the treadmill.  Groundhog's Day is just around the corner and I'm betting on an early spring so I should be outside in no time.  

I was down on Regent St. this past fall taking in the Badger Saturday festivities at a local watering hole and ran into several Mauston High School Alumni.  One of them played football at UWEC a bit after I graduated and he was asking me if I ever missed the game.  I've been asked this several times and my answer has always been no, now granted it's been 15 years since I played and I'd break a dozen bones if I actually hit someone, but my answer was no immediately following my tenure as well.  I've always said that I missed the camaraderie (not the bar on Water St. - but that one too) of the team more so than any game or practice.  My brother Mark played at EC before me and one of the many things he taught me was to give it everything you have when given the opportunity because those opportunities have an expiration date.  The point is I gave it my all for each and every game so there's nothing for me to miss or regret.  Then this guy asked me if I missed the competition, and that had me a bit stumped.

I guess in a way I did miss the competition and that's what is driving me to compete in marathons and this Ironman.  I don't miss competing against others, I did that for several years in those other sports and frankly that is a full time job in itself.  To compete against others you have to dedicate all your time to working harder than the person you're competing against...I don't have the time or the desire to compete against others.  Instead I now choose to compete against myself.  Can I work hard enough or long enough to drown out the voice in my head telling me 'that's good enough for today' or 'you can take a day off to rest'?  I'm less concerned about beating anyone else across the finish line and instead focused on pushing myself to do things I didn't think I could do.  Have you ever told someone that you participated in some kind of a fun-run race only to have them ask you what place you came in?  No, because that doesn't matter to others, they're only interested in hearing that you completed the race and achieved your goal.  

I believe we're all capable of more than we give ourselves credit for, so whether you're working towards a 2014 New Year's goal, running a 5k, or walking a mile without stopping, just keep competing against that voice in your head telling you to stop!  

Week 2 of Ironman Training: Sink or Swim

Another week down, only 33 more to go!  It's a bit early to start the countdown.  This past week was more of the same regarding the 'building phase'.  I'm running 3 days a week, with the longer run on the weekend.  I actually got outside on Saturday for my 5 miles as I couldn't stand the thought of another minute on the treadmill.  The other 3 days of the week I'm doing the P90X workout videos.  Then twice a week on Tuesday's and Thursday's I'm taking a masters swim course at my gym.

I started to venture into the swimming arena a couple of years ago.  I was running races and felt like I was in pretty good shape but after two laps I was practically drowning.  All the things I read about swimming is that it compares to a golf swing...it's all technique.  What I was doing in the pool at the time would be the equivalent of going to the golf course driving range and swinging as hard as you can at the ball...a lot of fun but just not getting you anywhere.  So I sought out some help from the only swimmer I knew; my mother (this was a humbling experience asking one's mother for athletic advise).  I won't list her age but I will tell you she gets a discounted ticket at the movie theater.  All joking aside her help made all the difference in the world.  She goes to the pool 3+ days a week and swims for over an hour each time, she's obviously doing something right.  She explained the technique to me - the proper way to breath and the timing of each stroke.  With her advice and coaching I was up to swimming a mile last summer.

With the progress I had made I debated whether or not paying for a masters swim course would be worth it. I figured what the hell it can't hurt, so I went out and bought the speedo and hit the pool (in the interest of full disclosure this speedo is more like running spandex in that it covers my quads).  I'm up to my 5th session this week and am starting to notice some differences, mainly how slow I am.  I mean for crying out loud I've got size 15 feet, I should be a damn dolphin!  It is getting better and starting to feel a little more natural with each class.  The key to the swim in the race is 1) don't panic and 2) conserve energy.  You jump into the murky water with 2500 other people and you're bound to get kicked, punched, and pulled a few times, I have to teach myself to stay calm and throw a couple of hay-makers to keep my position.  All the while over the 2.4 mile swim course I have to save my energy for the upcoming bike and swim and that's where the technique comes into play.  Thanks to my Mom, I should be able to stay afloat!

Week one of Ironman Training: Misery enjoys company

Today is the conclusion of week 1 training for the Ironman.  I'm really in a building phase at this point as the official training plan that I have covers only 30 weeks and I wanted to get started early, I'm sure I'll regret this decision come July and August when I'll be wanting it to be all over.  Jess and I ran a marathon in November so naturally by the time that event comes around you're in pretty good shape, I didn't want to take so much time off that I lost those gains, thus getting started now.

Week one in the books, pretty light stuff each day, the main goal in this phase is to get your body accustomed to working out 6 days a week and the mental and physical endurance that requires.  Everyone losses it mentally at some point, hopefully the support of family and friends as well as a 'Suck it Up' attitude keeps me on track.  Staying on track physically I'm speculating takes some experience and luck.  The experience first, hopefully the luck comes later.

I decided to run my first marathon shortly before Jess and I got married in 2007 (right, 2007?).  It was a means to get in shape for the wedding.  I don't particularly care for running but I've realized that once you're over the age of around 25, it's the fastest way of dropping pounds.  Before 25 I'd be in basketball leagues, lifting weights, softball, football, etc and had the benefit on youth on my side to help keep me in shape.  So I ran one, and then another, and another and so on and got caught up in the benefits of running (and frankly any exercise).  I dropped some weight, slept better, felt less stressed, blah, blah, blah...I'm not here to sell anyone on the idea of exercise, 7 marathons later it's still working for me.  There's just something about the simplicity for me, e.g. on day one run X miles, on day two run X miles...it takes all the thinking out of it.

One of the greatest enjoyments I experience from running, is seeing others sign up and run the races with me.  First my very good friend Greg McMillan signed up for Grandma's marathon in Duluth.  We had a great time training together and ultimately running the race.  The next year we recruited Smeltzer and Mueller as well as Greg's mom Tina to run the race with us.  Grandma's has a great party afterward and we certainly got our money's worth out of the races and after parties.  I'm most proud of Jess for joining me recently, she started with a 1/2 marathon and has graduated to her first full marathon this past May and followed it up with the aforementioned kick-ass marathon in November of this year.  I had the best seat in the house running beside her and beaming when she pushed herself across those finish lines.  I believe this saying comes from the Navy Seals but one of my college football coaches would also scream it during difficult workouts..."Misery enjoys company!"

Why the hell?

Today marks the first in a long 35 week journey to the Ironman finish line.  Before I even begin to attempt to explain why I'm taking this on, I must thank my wife Jessica for giving me the green light to pursue this nonsense.  She will (and has already) put up with all kinds of crap from me over the next 8 months about how I'm tired, hungry, sore, pissed, annoyed, frustrated, bored, scared, excited, etc.  Along with Jess, the support from my friends and family (you if you're reading this) will play a significant role in helping me cross that finish line.  So before we even get started I'll say 'thank you', and I'll be sure to say it several times along the way.  We're going to have a lot of fun!

First, an Ironman is a race comprising of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, followed by a 26.2 mile run (marathon) all to be completed in 17 hours or less (let's hope for less).  It's a substantial commitment of time, effort, and money (holy crap is it expensive).  Helping me save on one big expense is my brother Jeff as he has loaned me his tri-bike for this little 'experiment', so if for some reason I sign up for this again I can then go out and buy my own.  

Second, 'why?!!!' you may be asking yourself.  There's a number of reasons:  1) I'm always looking for a challenge.  I recently renovated my house and have absolutely nothing left on the honey-do list (Jess will disagree) so I need something to keep me busy, 2) I take pride in doing things that others don't want to do or think they can't do. I believe we are all capable of more, we have to push ourselves to make things happen, 3) I think it's quite an elite club - calling ones self an Ironman.  I only know personally of two people who have completed the race.  The race in Madison only starts 2,500 racers and there are a number that don't get across the line by midnight.  4)  I dare you to come to the finish line of an Ironman race and walk away at least not imagining what it would be like to run down the finishers shoot and hear the MC announce '(Insert Name Here) you are an Ironman!'.  Jess and I were downtown Madison 3 years ago when I first saw this spectacle and I said to her 'I've got to do that someday.'

Lastly, the reason for the blog is a few fold.  I want to give people the option of reading about my training, rather than being forced to scroll through my updates on facebook.  I'm hoping to capture my thoughts and feelings to be able to look back on this and either laugh or cry.  Maybe, just maybe this will inspire a reader to give it a tri (very cheesy)!