The Road to the Ironman #2 – WHAT IS AN IRONMAN?

I don’t know why it took me so long to write on this topic… What is an Ironman? Believe it or not the Ironman is more than the 140.6 miles we cover during that day. Simply crossing that finish line does not necessarily mean you are an Ironman. Being an Ironman does not mean having 6% body fat, the coolest bike or the fastest time. Being an Ironman does not mean you have to wear clothes that have the M-Dot logo of Ironman, nor does it mean having the M-dot logo tattooed somewhere on your body. Being an Ironman is so much more, in fact to have the spirit of an Ironman means you actually never have to race in an Ironman but more on that later…

What is an Ironman?

Just this morning I came across two examples of what it means to be an Ironman, one deals with internal demons and the other reaching out to a friend in need.

Internal Demons

It has been said training for an Ironman is very lonely. You generally start swimming before the “swim master” swimmers get in the pool and as the exit you are still in the pool. I have experienced the need to talk to the corn as I do my 100 mile bike ride because you simply have to talk to someone or thing after sitting on that little bike seat for 6 hours (I do get scared when the corn talks back). As far as the run, when your running clubs long runs are 6 miles and you know their 6 equals your 10 miler it will be a long lonely morning.

The internal demon is your gray matter. I am in a constant battle between the good and evil that the gray matter produces. Just like in the cartoons there is always a good angel and a bad angel on your shoulders. One is always screaming louder than the other and generally it is the bad angel screaming the loudest. That angel says just quit! Really 60 laps in the pool, skip it! 100 miles on the bike, that is far in a car why would you do that? 10 miler, really? Just do 5, come on no one will know…

I find training for an Ironman is similar to every day life. We all face demons in our daily lives. No it generally doesn’t involve swimming for an hour, riding a bike for 3 or going out and run when your legs are dead tried, but everyone faces challenges everyday.

So What is an Ironman?

Simple we are the people that listen to that good angel more often. We push through all the negativity and shout to the world not today! It takes a lot of brain power to over come the bad angel but more time than not we persevere and come out the other end better people.

Today’s example - Since doing the half Ironman last Sunday I am faced with the feeling of being mentally drained once again. The thought of getting into the pool, sitting on the bike and peddling or simply slipping on the running shoes I find nauseating. So last night I made myself a deal, get up early and get it done so you can have the rest of the day to do whatever you like. So I was up 5, a great start. Made it too the gym by 6, another great step. In the pool by 6:15, another great step and I was off to do 3,000 yards (60 laps or 120 lengths). This is where the problem started. In the pool more than on the bike or running you are really there alone with your thoughts, the other sports have distractions, the pool has the black line on the bottom of the pool. I found myself in a sea of funk and the funk was growing larger lap by lap. By lap 35 I sprung up out of the water, whipped the goggles off and I was ready to jump off the cliff, basically QUIT!

If you have followed my writings in the past I have a series of 4 letter words that really get under my skin. There are not the usual words that most think of, but they are words like LOST and the biggie QUIT! Ironman don’t quit! So I was faced with two options – 1. QUIT or 2. clear the brain, don’t listen to the bad angel and press on. I stood in the waist deep water staring at my goggles. I stood there for a few moments but it really felt longer. I thought 36 more days, that didn’t help. I thought just get out of the pool you quitter, that set off a spark. I thought do you know how many people in the world think you are foolish in doing this thing called an Ironman, the spark grew to a small frame. I thought you are at 70 lengths and 10 more would give you 2,000 yards a low amount but it would save some dignity, just swim. I put on the goggles entered back into the pool and shut the mind off. One lap became two, then three and I got up to the 80 lengths and I felt much better. I finished off the next 40 lengths hitting the desired 120 and I smiled. THAT IS AN IRONMAN!

Friend in Need

The first thing I checked when I got home was I had a message on Facebook. Facebook has really helped me in many ways during this Ironman journey. The people I have “met” have been my sounding board for all my whining and bitching as I go through this journey. In fact, I can call them friends, not just Facebook friend but FRIENDS. I still find it a bit weird since I have yet to meet these people face to face but still the group that has developed is probably the closest group of people I have associated with in my life time. Why? In many ways we are the same. Our ages are different, we hold different jobs, we are male/female and come from all different locations, but we have one thing in common, the Ironman.

So I get home and I have the message on Facebook and it is from Robert Key. Things you have to know about Robert is that in this group he is one of the most inspirational people of the group, but he also has a sense of humor and sarcasm that rivals mine (OK he may be is a little better at it than me). His journey to finish his Ironman was book worthy and lastly we are both competing in Ironman Florida. Him being in the same race has been one of my driving forces in my preparation for this race, the battle on the beach is what I have been calling it. He also finished his Ironman about 2 hours and 15 minutes better than mine, so I use that to see if I could quicken my time. Lately even from a distance I noticed a change in his mood. Similar to me he too has been dealing with a heel problem and by the sound of it his is worse than mine. In fact, it has Robert thinking of not coming to Florida. So his message here is my phone number call me… Now Robert and I have yet to have a vocal conversation so I knew something was up. I called, listened, gave him advice and unless his heel gets worse he is now on the side of coming to Florida.

Two people that have never met, but have a bond and a friendship because of Ironman.

His heel doesn’t hurt when he swims or bikes which is good. Now he has to come to some solution that it is OK if he walks the entire marathon. He is on his mental challenge now. How much will his head, his heart, his soul, his experience help carry him through that last 26.2 miles. Instead of running the marathon in 4 or 5 hours, it will take 6 maybe 7 to finish. Mentally is he up for that challenge? I reminded him that I walked the marathon in my Ironman and if we have to walk it together so be it. I will be there for him as he will be for me, plus there will be about another 2,500 or so other people out there helping us along.

Sometimes we get so caught up on numbers in this sport, when truthfully there is only one number we have to worry about… 17:00 hours. Finish before that number you are an Ironman, finish after… well you get the picture.

To Robert you have enough speed on your swim and bike that the marathon will be a walk in the park. Take it from who has been there, in fact in some way this Ironman may turn out to be even a better experience than the first. 36 days left, get to the starting line as healthy as we can. We are all hurting in some form or fashion. If we work on the mental side today until November 5, the rest is cake. Stay in the moment Robert and let everyone that is close to you carry you to that day.

Soon we will here those magical words, but you know what is even better? When someone asks us What is an Ironman? We know the answer in our heads, deep in our hearts, and down to our soul. WE ARE! THAT IS AN IRONMAN!

If that doesn’t help maybe we could buy t-shirts that have arrows pointing to each other when we stand next to each other with one single word on the front, IRONMAN! (of course mine on the back with have the same arrow pointing to you saying “I am with stupid.”)

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy