Archives for "Ironman Posts"

Posted by Jim on 17th October 2011
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The Road to the Ironman #2 – See what happens when you believe in yourself.

This comes from a friend, James Small who just finished running his 1st marathon.

  • I thought it was an excellent recap, so I stole it from him.
  • Proves that I am not alone in my journey.
  • It shows when someone has had enough with the way life is going the only person that can change it is YOU.
  • Best of all it shows one does not have any limits and the support that surrounds you grows and soon you become the inspiration to others!

Way to go James, This is one Ironman that thinks the world of you.

It was finally here; my 340 days of training were about to be tested. I’d been watching the forecast for about two weeks, and each day it was revised, it looked like it was even more perfect than the day before!  I was glad about that, because I had done a few long runs in the heat of the summer and they didn’t go well at all. Saturday night’s pre-race meal was at my in-law’s house, I considered attending the pasta party for the TCM itself, but opted not to, as I did not want to deal with any digestive issues during the race.  So, Kimberly and I shopped, and cooked, and were able to control what went into the meal. After dinner, Kimberly and I sat down with my in-laws and developed a plan for Kimberly and the kids to be stationed at mile 16, then again at the finish for the next day.  Thankfully, my brother in law was willing to help out with some of the logistics and getting Kimberly picked up and brought to where she needed to go. With the plan in place, we departed Coon Rapids for the Marquette Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.  I needed to finish some of the smaller details for the morning, so things would go smoothly for me. After a good night sleep (even though people told me to anticipate not sleeping well that night), the alarm went off at 4:45, despite the race time of 8:00.  I knew what I needed to do for the morning, and I needed that time to myself to take each step one by one making sure they all got done.

After a calculated, relaxed morning, I left the Marquette Hotel for the Metrodome.  I had intended on taking a taxi to the dome because at 6:45 it was still only about 45 degrees.  However, when I got outside seeing other runners walking the 8-block walk, I decided to join them.  Most of those runners were headed to the 10-mile run which started an hour before the marathon. Upon reaching the start line for the 10-mile run, I turned and headed toward the dome, made my way inside, and walked toward the marathon side of it.  There were already thousands of runners inside eating, stretching, and waiting in line for the toilets.  I found a spot near a stairwell and sat down and began to stretch. I had about 40 minutes before I needed to head outside to the corrals for the start.  This would allow me plenty of time to ensure a very thorough warm up.  Lots of families came with to take pictures with the runners.

Those without families present were not very friendly, and didn’t really want to talk. At 7:40 I made my way outside and began the walk to my corral (#3-the slow runners).  Once there, I found the pace group that I signed up to run with, 5 hours, and continued to stretch a bit.  The corral began to fill up.  There was a woman next to me, that I struck up a conversation with, Jen; it was her first marathon also.  We talked for a few minutes, asking each other about spouses, kids, etc and that helped pass the time until the singing of the National Anthem and the start of the race.  As the wheel chair racers started, then the elites at 8:00, then corral #2 at 8:05, soon it was our turn.

As we made the turn from Carew Dr onto 5th Street, I asked if she cared if I ran with her for a while.  She thought that would be great.

At 8:09:50 the countdown started for our corral, and we were released at 8:10 on the dot! It took me about a minute to cross the starting line, and knew that all I had trained for was now in front of me, and I could not wait! Jen and I started together, she warned me in the first few steps that she was a talker, and asked if that made a difference to me running with her.  I simply smiled and we continued together for the next 20 miles.

The streets of Minneapolis were pretty quiet. I actually expected a few more spectators to be out along 5th street.  When we made the turn on Hennepin Ave, there were a few more people that accompanied a very strong headwind. Thankfully that was short lived. Jen and I made our way through the early miles of the course together continuing to talk about training, the pace group we were with, and anything else that entered our mind.  Around mile 3 she had a friend that was planning to hop in and run with her for a little while.  That woman ran with Jen and I for about the next 4 miles.  They talked, I ran.  I was simply trying to take in as much as I possibly could of this day, and this experience.  That was the advice that was given to me, and that is what I intended on doing.  As we approached the lakes of Minneapolis, the spectators began to grow, which was great to see!  In fact, I couldn’t believe how many people we were seeing now.  Not to mention the countless number of signs, cowbells, and yard parties! During the run around the first 3 lakes, I must have heard the theme to Rocky about 4 times, and thought that was getting a bit old.  I did have an iPod with me, but wanted to save that for when things weren’t going so well, or if I just needed a boost.  Probably the most entertaining part of the day was all the signs people made for the runners. There were quite a few good ones too!  I think my favorite one was “26.2, because 26.3 would be crazy!”  That along with “Worst parade ever!” were my two favorites.

The first 8 miles went by faster than any run I had ever done in training.  In fact, one woman who was near me said, what happened to the mile 7 marker? I missed that!  I said, well, looks like you are one more mile closer then!

After Jen’s friend left, we were headed toward Lake Nakomis, and mile 11.  This was important because this is where my first support was going to come.  My dad, Debbie, Ryan and Annie were all going to be there before we turned south on Cedar Ave.  I could see them as I approached waving there bright pink signs they made up.  I smiled as they took a picture and cheered for me, then grabbed a bottle of Heed and a Hammergel and continued on toward mile 12. At the half marathon point, still running around Lake Nakomis I looked at my time on my watch.  My time was only 1 minute slower than I ran the half marathon on Sept 11.  I thought if I kept that pace I’d be in under 5 hours for sure!

Mile 14, and Dad & Crew again!  Another Hammergel and bottle of Heed.  I didn’t drink much of the first one, but it was nice to have for extra insurance.  I appreciated them walking the almost mile from 11 to 14, it was great seeing familiar faces in the streets!

Mile 15.  Barry and Erin Ellinger, along with their two daughters and dog!  It is a cool feeling to hear your name called out, but when your friends are SCREAMING it out and then jump in and run with you, so much better! Thanks Barry and Erin for coming out! Also at this point, my new running friend Jen, husband joined us for some added support.

Mile 16. This is a big one for me for more than one reason.  First, 2 Mondays ago, while doing my 20 mile run, as I approached mile 16, I felt a “pop” in my left foot.  Long story short, it was an irritated tendon, that rest and ice made possible to run today.  Secondly, Kimberly, Jonah, Janae, and my entire In-Law family unit was going to be at this mark.  I was excited to see them, even though it was for about 15 whole seconds.  They would also be giving me yet another bottle of Heed and a Hammergel for fuel.  As I ran by, everything went silent for me.  I was focused on Kim and the kids.  I ran up to Janae who had my fuel, grabbed it from her, gave her a kiss on the forehead, and moved on to Jonah.  I did the same to him.  At the end of the line was Kimberly, I gave her a quick hug and kiss, and she told me to keep going, so off I went.  I was glad that everything worked out that morning for her to get to the point where she did.  Now, I was anxious to see them all again at the finish.

Mile 18, I knew my best friend in school from 5th grade on was going to be near this mark, who also would be handing over more fuel!  I was beginning to get tired of the constant holding of a water bottle, and many times, after only a few sips I would toss them aside.  I think being handed a bottle was more of a mental game for me than anything.  When I got close to 18, I noticed my buddy Dan, and he brought with him our other good friend Kristen Bebeau.  I stopped quickly to give them both a hug and a thank you, then continued on, asking if they’d make it out to the bar that night.  Unfortunately, they were not able to. Crossing the Franklin Street Bridge was perhaps the most beautiful point of the day.  Looking south over the Mississippi River with the fall colors in their peak season was absolutely beautiful.  I pointed it out to Jen and her husband and they all agreed.  I am glad that I took time to look, again, part of enjoying the day.

Mile 19, this is the furthest I had ran/walked (traveled) during my training.  I never did finish the 20-mile run.  As we passed this mark, I told Jen that with each step I am covering distance I’d not gone before.  She congratulated me, and we continued.  At 19.1, the named sponsor of the TCM had a lot going on, water spot, bands, crowds, etc.  It was great.

Mile 20.  Bittersweet. The long awaited uphill battle begins – literally.  I finally made my 20 mile run, pain free from my foot, feeling great, had a friend to run with, and then Jen said to me, “I really want to try and finish under 5 hours, would you be upset with me if I picked up my pace a little bit?”  I said, “Absolutely not, good luck, it’s been great running with you!”  We gave each other sort of a “side hug type thing while running” and that was it.  I was now alone for the last 6 miles, 385 yards.  Oddly enough, at this point in the day, the 5 hour pace group had also caught back up to me, so I decided that I would try and run with them to the finish, which is what my plan was at the beginning of the day.

Mile 21.  I was beginning to tire, my feet were sore, but only from using them, not pain like I had experienced 2 weeks prior.  I started to walk a bit.  I could still see the 5 hour pace group, but knew that I would not finish with them.

Mile 22.  This marked the turn on to Summit Avenue.  This is where mom was going to be.  As I approached the turn, I noticed mom’s husband, David, I smiled, and waved, said hello, and he took a couple pictures.  Then, mom was around the corner, with yet another bottle of Heed, and offered me Hammergel, but I declined them, I was still carrying about 6 of them in my fuel belt.

Mile 22.5 Anne (Cardwell) Jones.  A long time friend from working at the pools together to attending UND together for a couple years also.  I was running with my iPod at this point, and just happened to take out 1 ear bud.  When I did, I could hear someone screaming my name!  I looked and there she was, with her two daughters looking at her like she was crazy!  I ran towards her and grabbed her for a big hug.  She encouraged me to keep going, and it took everything I had to let go of her and do that.  It was so great to see her for those 25 seconds.

Mile 22.8.  Another long time friend, someone I consider a big sister.  This woman took me under her wing in high school and sorta showed me the ropes.  Last year, when I began running and posting workouts on Facebook, she would encourage me on each one.  At New Year’s this year, we had a text message conversation, and agreed to become each other’s training partner from a distance.  We’d text each other our workouts; results, calories burned, etc, and for the most part we did a great job doing that this year.  So, at mile 22.8 (or so), my big sis, Kirsten Johnson Kjome took care of me.  She saw me at a brisk walk, I was tired, emotional, could picture myself finishing, but just was having a hard time getting my legs to run.  She brought me a bag of wet wipes to wash my face, a towel to dry it, another Hammergel (which was declined), and a much needed bottle of water.  I was tired of Heed and Perpetuem that I’d been drinking all day.  She gave me some encouraging words, told me how far the finish line was, and sent me on my way running.  I needed this push.

Mile 23-25 may have been the longest 2 miles of the entire day.  It was a combination of running and brisk walking.  Summit Ave was packed with spectators and runners.  I was noticing the people around me, many of them I recognized from early in the day, others were people that started strong and slowed down, or got hurt and were simply walking now to the finish.  One pair of individuals were both jogging with bags of ice tapped to their knees.  I was thankful and fortunate not to be in that situation.

Mile 25. The last water stop, put on by Delta Airlines.  One of my Fraternity Brothers, a Delta Pilot told me he was going to be at this stop.  As I approached the stop I spotted him, in the clothes that he said he’d be wearing.  Chris Beaucage gave me a big high five as I got to him, and he dropped what he was doing and ran along side me.  He told me I needed to carry a flag to the finish.  I said, “No, I don’t. I have enough to carry, but you are welcome to carry one for me”.  I walked through the water stop (some very good advice I received, and did that through each one), and Chris sent me on my way.  I know had 6435 feet to go (1.2 miles).

Mile 25-26 were a time of some self-reflection from the last 340 days of my life.  To think, on October 29, 2010 I could not even run for 2 minutes on a treadmill, and now, I am 1 mile from finishing a marathon.  I began to think again about why I was doing this.

  • I did this marathon for myself.
  • I did this marathon because when I started training for it, I could not stand to look at myself in the mirror.  340 days later, I look better, feel better, but still have work to do.
  • I did this marathon because I wanted to help teach my children that you only get one body and you need to take care of what God has given you.
  • I did this marathon because I am tired of people at work telling me how fat I am.
  • I did this marathon because people told me that I would not finish, that I would either quit or die.
  • I did this marathon because I could.

Approaching Mile 26.  Finally, it was here, and I could see the finish.  It was finally, literally “all down hill from here”.  I had been thinking about this moment since April 6th.  How was it all going to end?  There were a lot of songs that I trained to over the past 18 weeks, and a few stood out as contenders for me to run the last few hundred yards.  I decided on “Lose Yourself” by Eminem.  As I turned it on, I began to sprint and listening to the music.  If you haven’t heard the song, listen to it.

Approximately 50 yards from the finish, I popped my ear buds out, to experience, everything that I was feeling.  The crowd was going nuts for each and every finisher! Cowbells, people whistling, screaming people, clapping, and the type of thing that would give anyone the chills.  Then, I crossed the first set of mats, before the finish line. I wasn’t sure what these were for, but then, a few seconds later, I heard my name!  Then, it happened. My arms went up, a smile crossed my face and I crossed the finish line! I was a marathon finisher, at a chip time of 5 hours 7 minutes 44 seconds.

After receiving my finisher’s medal, I made my way through the finishers chute, and grabbed a little bit of food, and a bottle of water.  I looked for the area for a massage, and saw that I would be standing for quite some time if I was going to get a massage.  I skipped that part.  Then, I found the area to receive my new favorite shirt, my Twin Cities Marathon finisher’s shirt!  I got that, and then headed out to the designated and pre determined meeting location for Kimberly, the kids, and me.

As I have thought back over the last 2 weeks since I finished, I would not have changed anything about October 2, 2011.  This day marked the day that I made a change for myself, a change for my health, the proof that I can actually set a goal and obtain it.  On this day no matter what or no matter who doubts you, no matter who says you can’t do it, if you believe in your heart and your mind, you can do anything!

Thank you to all of my friends and family who put up with me talking about this race for 6 months, training for 6 months, and thank you all for believing in me.

Posted by Jim on 14th October 2011
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The Road to the Ironman #2 – I think…

This chapter is about to close… 21 days!

Am I more excited for the race or am I more excited for the training to be done? That is a tough question as I head into the final days of this chapter of my Ironman life. Physically there is little to improve on, I am what I am. No 100 mile bike ride or 20 mile run or 4,000 yard swim will make much of a difference in the overall outcome of November 5. So now I look toward the mental side and the small things to get me through these final days. I find most of these days the thinking side has taken over. I look back and think of the people and situations that have helped me to get to this point.

I think about …

  • Kim, who has been writing me little Ironman messages on 3 x 5 cards everyday that help brighten my day…
  • My 8 year niece who is coming down to Florida to support and watch and why she wrote a paper about her Ironman uncle and how he inspires her…
  • A client of mine that was so unfit and so unhealthy 2 years ago he couldn’t even do a push up, now has no problem doing 20…
  • Former client and now a good friend who just finished his first marathon recently because I was a big influence in making himself healthier and fitter and now he is talking about his first 1/2 Ironman….
  • Another Personal Trainer friend that inspired her clients to become runners…
  • The person running in the lava fields of Hawaii and finishing the Ironman in 17 hours and 4 seconds. Meaning everything she did meant nothing because of finishing 4 seconds over the 17 hour mark, but how the crowd stayed and gave her the biggest cheers of any racer that day.
  • Four 80 year old Ironmen racing to get to a finish line proving that age is no barrier…
  • The friends that I have made through this journey, some are Ironman and some are not… Even though I know I talk way too much about this Ironman thing they are there supporting me and keeping me humble during this journey…
  • How I got passed by an 81 one year old…
  • All the posts I have wrote over the last 2+ years recounting my thoughts and how much I have learned about myself during this time…
  • Watching the fireman crossing the finish line in full gear at this year Ironman Wisconsin…
  • Doughnuts…
  • My father who has passed long ago and wonder what he would think about all this Ironman stuff…
  • A brother-in-law who quit smoking, dropped weight, focuses on his great family and still has the time to help out his brother-in-law do these stupid races…
  • Hamburgers…
  • Hearing my name once again once I cross that finish line…
  • That guy who once was lost in life…
  • That guy on a journey discovering life…
  • Ice Cream…
  • The new career challenges and how inspires me even more to be the best person I can be…
  • Being an Ironman…

There are many more thoughts that pass through this coconut, when you spend hours in a pool, on a bike or on a run it is amazing what can run through it.

Mostly I think about how lucky I am in turning this life around and how I can inspire others to find their journey.

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy!

Posted by Jim on 11th October 2011
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The Road to the Ironman #2 – A vision…

The evening was cool, I know the heat of the sun was long gone, I could even feel a breeze as I stared forward shading my eyes from the bright light in front of me…

No I am not dying… even though reading that back I could see how you would get that impression… even better if you had a chance to look at me at that moment maybe I would be looking like I had one foot in the grave, but I am actually in the middle of living life. I will feel like death many times during that day but still there would be nothing I rather do at that moment, at that time.

Maybe a vision is a strong word to use, perhaps a picture holds a better idea of what I am drawing in my minds eye as I am just a few short strides away from completing Ironman #2.

This morning’s bike ride provided me with that vision/picture on how it is going to be in those closing moments of this Ironman journey. I have made it no secret that this time around it has been a bigger challenge than #1. Everything seemed harder to accomplish. Everything seemed more like a job versus a passion. Everything simply sucked more, but in the end that might be the reason why I will get more out of this race than the the first.

You never forget the first in anything in life. The first time you rode your bike without training wheels. The first vacation. The first kiss. Yes, the first Ironman. The second time around for any of these things is simply not the same. Yes, I have had the thought of doing this Ironman thing faster, but that is not my reason for doing #2. The reason for doing #2 is this, until I find something more challenging in life to do, Ironman is it. Whether it is your 1st, your 10th, 100th (yes there are people out there that have done 100) the Ironman has a way of peeling the layers off of you and reducing you down to your core. You find out what you are made of. This is what I have learned by training for my second Ironman.

Many of us are simply to afraid to do this. Many are simply not willing to peel back the layers because they are afraid on what they will find and they probably would not like what they see. The Ironman is a selfish endeavor. I will be the first to admit that, but until you answer the questions that surround you about… you… How do expect to be there for anyone else? Does it have to be an Ironman? No. The Ironman is my choice, my cool-aid, my way of answering back I am more than the sum of my parts.

You learn a lot about yourself when you are out there riding for hours, running for miles or looking at the never ending blue stripe on the bottom of the pool.

Who am I? Well I am an Ironman, that is true. Better… I am a person always seeking to be better today than I was yesterday. Tomorrow I will strive to be even better in the things I do. Will I always succeed? Nope and that is OK. I know how to pick myself up, fight through the pain, the frustration and move on.

Yes I know I am different than most, but on November 5, 2011 I will be surrounded by like minded people on their journey’s. I will be a part of a 2,000 person family. That in itself is the reward.

I find I am slowly entering the phase I discovered last year. There is this sense of calmness surrounding me. The training is almost done. I have fought my way though the mental peaks and valley’s. It is almost time to race. Everything is moving slower, the air is crisper, the sun seems brighter and I am ready. A few more long training rides, runs, and swims really won’t mean much in the scope of the day. Now it is time to celebrate the accomplishment of being an Ironman once again!

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy

Posted by Jim on 6th October 2011
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The Road to the Ironman – 30 days!

I started this Ironman journey on September 9, 2009. It has been two plus years of highs and lows when I look back, the changes in one’s life in just two years are incredible. The people I have become associated with are truly some of  the best people one can associate with. Sharing in their journey’s has been something I find inspiration from when I feel like I just can’t go any further. There have been a fair share of lows in this journey but I take comfort I find something to learn from those experiences and apply them to my every day normal life.

The Ironman has molded me into a new person. The items I have learned from it help me in everyday normal life as I go forward trying my best to create a new company. Where most people would have folded, the Ironman has taught me discipline, perseverance and most of all patience.  Where would I have been if I didn’t go through this journey? That is hard to say, but one thing is for sure I am a different person because of it. Not because I earned the right to where the clothes, not because I earned the right to hear those magical words, not because I earned the right to scream at the top of my lungs that I am an Ironman, I am a different person because I took a chance. I took something that most people simply shake their head at and ask why and I said why not.

With the help of the Ironman I believe in myself and I use that everyday. Sure there are bad days, just like training for an Ironman. But what really separates one from another person is this… WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? The day I stopped blaming others for my troubles was the day I started to live. I took a chance with this Ironman idea and I have to remind myself that I completed something that 99% of the worlds population will never do, for that I will always be a changed person.

30 days and this chapter comes to a close. It has been a long journey and there will be other Ironman races in my lifetime, but it is 30 days plus one long race until a well deserved break. I am tired both physically and mentally. Look forward to running this race with a person I have developed a good relationship with and I also take comfort that there will be people all over the world tracking my progress through that day.

So I am here to say as of October 6, 2011 there will be no full Ironman’s in 2012. I will do my share of triathlons in 2012 and in fact I am planning on several 70.3 Ironman distances so I will never be that far away from something that has truly changed my life. Of course by now you should have learned when a person says they are on a break from the Ironman distance you should never really believe him. Give me a couple of good months of recovery who knows, especially when it comes to a certain lottery that comes around in February for a certain race in Kona in October. That would change everything, stayed tuned that information comes out in April. Until that time I have 4 more weeks, which 2 or 2 1/2 will still be very intense training. Then the taper begins and soon those toes will be on Panama City Beach, Florida ready to jump into the frenzy of the swim start.

Robert Key I am coming after you!

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy

Posted by Jim on 2nd October 2011
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The Road to the Ironman #2 – Rookie mistakes – The Augusta 70.3 recap

Let’s see I have doing this Triathlon thing for 5 years now, but you would think I would have this down by now. Well, I always seem to find something to do wrong at everyone of these events. Just as all the other races the race result depends on how you adapt and overcome. I chose Augusta, GA because it was 6 weeks out from Ironman Florida and it would give a good gauge on how well my Ironman training. If you want the quick recap here it is B-. If you want to read on about all the drama in this Ironman’s life continue.

Really? You want to read on about the rants about my journey again? Man, you like punishment. OK I will keep this brief (if you believe that this must be our first read).

The one problem that Augusta had it about a million miles away from Chicago and since I was doing this trip solo it made for a really boring and long car ride. I mean all the radio stations play the same type of music in the south. Country, Southern Fried Rock and/or hip hop country (yes there is really something called hip hop country.)

I made it into Augusta on Friday like I planned for a long Saturday, even though the race is on Sunday. The pre race day can be just as long if not longer than the actual race day.

  1. Swim Start – I was a bit early for check in so I decided to find the swim start. This swim was going to be different since it took place in a river, not a lake.
  2. Check in – I found out this was going to be one of the larger Ironman 70.3 races in the world with 3,300 people signed up to do the race. I actually got there right as the doors opened to wait an hour and half in line just to sign in. This is were you pick up your race numbers, swim cap and get the instruction for the race.
  3. Ironman store – Yes this is the highlight of the day, because an Ironman can never have too much Ironman stuff. Problem that line was also an hour long, I did purchase a t-shirt, water bottle, a cow bell and a magnet.
  4. Lunch – There was a Quizno’s in the hotel so I would grab a quick bite to eat, 1/2 hour in line.
  5. Bike course – I wanted to drive the 56 mile bike course to see what I was in store for and I am glad I did.
  6. Transition – These type of races you must rack the bike the day before, so after driving the course I found myself near the transition area and checked in my bike.
  7. 1/2 Marathon course – I did drive the course.
  8. 7 pm – dinner time
  9. Groceries – not for the race but for the ride home
  10. 9 pm back to the hotel to stage everything. Staging is just making sure you have everything in the morning.

Rookie mistakes –

  1. Setting the alarm on your phone and forgetting you are now in the Eastern time zone… whoops! Needless I woke up late. Still not much of a problem since I was close to the race area and quickly made up that time.
  2. Sunglasses – Since the swim start, transition area and finishing area were in three different spots I had to decided where to park and take shuttle buses. On the first trip I thought I had everything, but low and behold I forgot my sunglasses in the car. Which meant a few more bus rides back and forth, but I still had plenty of time.

Swim – The race started at 7:30 with the pro’s launching themselves into the river, but all I had was time with my wave going off at 8:23. It was already getting warm with temps. close to 80 and high humidity. There was no way I was going to put my wetsuit on until I had too. I had time to look over my wetsuit and it was a good ting. The history of this wetsuit and I is not too good. See this wetsuit has a history of popping open by itself. Just by the look of it I knew what was going to happen if I put it on. Now that situation was avoided I slow started the process of putting on the rubber suit of death. If you have any concerns of being in a tight closed area, wetsuits are not for you. As the time for my wave drew closer I continued to slowly roll the sucker up, stopping at my waist, no need to fully roll it up until the last moment. As the 45-49 year olds (Yes I am getting old) slowly made their way to the starting line I proceeded to finish putting it on. As soon as the suit was on you really start to feel the body temperature rise. We made it onto the dock and slowly into the water, there was a 4 minute wait. I could really feel the current, it was fast and strong. Then the horn sounded and we were off. Three strokes into the swim, you guessed it my wetsuit popped open. GRRRRRRRRRR! My mind quickly raced trying to figure out a solution to the problem, but my options were limited. Option 1 – call it a day or Option 2 – deal with it and swim. I chose #2 and swam. The problem was the sleeves would fill up with water making my upper arms look like Popeye. I never quite got into a rhythm and never had the chance to enjoy the current, but I forged on. I was told you would feel the current more in the middle of the river and to stay away from the shore. Well I found out the real reason why to avoid the shore… that is where all the sticks, sea weed and other junk floats too. There where a few times where I swam through piles of this stuff. The first few times didn’t bother me too much, but wave after wave I would say I started to freak out. Well a good thing the swim was quick, finishing just over 30 minutes. A normal 1.2 miles swim usually is 40 to 42 minutes for me. I exited the swim, ran up the boat ramp and found the wetsuit strippers. I came up to a rather testosterone looking teenager screaming for me to sit on my butt. So I did and proceeded to rip my wetsuit off. One problem, he also tore my wetsuit and now it has a brand new 8 inch rip starting from the zipper all the way around my waist. Side note: I have to purchase a new wetsuit. Side note #2 – Run to the girls versus the angry male teenager.

T1 – About 6 minutes, not bad considering the wetsuit issue, a rather long run to my bike and a rather long run to the bike exit.

Bike – I would say going into the bike I was unsure how I was going to do, but looking back it was by far the best part of the race. Quick highlight of the course – first half flat, second half hillier (not Wisconsin hilly).

Most of the bike happens in South Carolina and I got to see many interesting things during the ride. Do you know why stereo types exist? Because they are usually true, sad I know. The countryside is everything you think of when thinking of the deep south. I found my rhythm pretty quickly and started to wonder when the first female would pass me. Their waves started after all the guys where done. It only took about 10 miles before the first female passed me. The guy riding next to me said WOW, were we even moving? I have to say in the first half of the ride people were passing me more than I was passing them. I was averaging a little over 17 mph, well off my goal of 18.5 (18.5 gets you back in 3 hours). As soon as the hillier portion started that all changed, for some reason my speed really picked up generally staying above 20 mph. The hills were no match for Wisconsin, but what they did have that Wisconsin does not have is they were long, some 3 to 4 miles long. What I found out is the longer the hill momentum builds and you actually can increase your speed even when going up. The second part of the course also had more turns and curves keeping one on his toes. It was very enjoyable. I rolled into T2 with a 3 hour bike!!!!

T2 – Long run back to rack my bike, a quick porta potty stop and I was off. I believe I was around 4 minutes.

Run - If history was on my side I knew this was going to be the longest part of the day. Just running by itself I am average, add in a swim and a bike ride the run becomes worse, add in a longer swim and bike well it just gets ugly. On to the run, as soon as I started to run the clouds parted and quickly the temp went up. Mile 1 I wasn’t doing too bad in fact I had to tell myself to slow down. The body temp quickly rose to dizzying levels as I came up to the first water station, I was already in survival mode. Everything cold and wet I grabbed, ice, sponges and cold water. I tried to hold a 10 to a 11 minute mile pace but I could tell by mile 3 I was losing the battle. This is a two lap run, first lap 7 miles and the second loop 6.1 miles finishing downtown. This was a great run for spectators easily seeing their loved ones at least 6 times throughout the run, this was really the first time I felt alone. First lap done I focused on the second loop. Two highlights were being passed by a 71 year old and the mega storm rolling in. I stuck with 71 year old throughout the second loop and yes I passed him a block away from the finish. The storm on the other hand beat me and I had to run the last 3 miles in the storm. You would think the rain would have helped, right? Nope think steam room. Later I found out I was running in a severe thunderstorm warning and a little later they closed the race, meaning some people were not allowed to finish.

Lessons learned –

1. You can plan for every situation, but things happen. The wetsuit issue was major, but I take it as a victory I was able to over come.

2. My biking has actually improved and I think I should finish well below my 7 hour 10 minute IMWI ride. By how much? Stayed tune…

3. The run at these distances will start as a run, but quickly goes down from there. As far as Florida I think I have a pretty good idea how it will go and let’s just say when I finish it will be dark, it will be cool, but I will finish.

4. I am guessing when I finish that little 140.6 miles I will look back at all the things I went through and smile knowing that this time around has been a rougher ride!

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy.

Posted by Jim on 30th September 2011
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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

Posted by Jim on 20th September 2011
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The Road to the Ironman #2 – 600 pound Gorilla

I am often asked what is the hardest part of the Ironman and my general response is “what do they think the hardest part of an Ironman is?”. After a few more questions about the distances and a general description their answers vary.

  • Some will say the swim, because it is 2.4 miles with 2,000+ elbows, knees, legs and feet smashing into you.
  • Some will say the bike, knowing that 112 miles is far to drive in a car, but to do it on a bike adding in hills, wind, heat/cold, and rain.
  • Some will say it is the run, a marathon alone is considered one of the toughest things any human can do but to do it after a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike ride is just plain nuts.

I like hearing everyone’s answers aware that I have not given my answer as of yet.

For me the answer played out this past Sunday morning…

Sunday was a planned 100 mile bike ride. You see most of us training for such a race do these silly things. Just you, the wind in your face, your legs in a continuous circling motion and that skinny unpadded seat for hours. Sounds like fun! Right! Don’t you all answer back at one time…

Back to the story…

There are us who train for these Ironman that will end up doing 5, 10, 15 or more of these 100 mile ride preparing for the big day. Me? Not so much. I guess if I really had the desire to finish closer to the front compared to my finishes near the back I would be on that bike for that many 100 mile rides. I simply don’t have the time or patience to do so. My handful of 100 mile bike rides are carefully planned so that at most I will be doing 3 maybe 4.  I know I have to DO a few of these rides so I do them hopefully before the big race.

Back to the story…

Knowing there is only 7 weeks left in my training, Sunday seem to be a good choice to get my 2nd 100 miler done. The air has turned cool and crisp. The sun still rises early enough so I would get done before noon and mentally I was as ready as I could be. You know what they say about the weather and the people that forecast the weather… yep what was suppose to be a nice morning with showers heading into the late afternoon, was a miserable, damp, showery morning. I looked at the radar and it looked like it would clear in about an hour, so one more hour of sleep! After my quick hour nap the weather was no better in fact it was worse. It simply was going to be one of those early falls days in Chicago where one is to hunker in and in enjoy the inside.

Now there will be those die hard cyclists out there that would say it wasn’t too bad. Get you butt out there and just do it. Add in the temperature hadn’t reached 60 and the need and desire of getting to the race healthy, I didn’t see the need to slip around a corner and break something.

So I was left with two options…

1. Do it another day. If I took that option there might be a chance I would never do it.

2. Place the bike trainer in the sun room, connect the bike to it and start to peddle.

Neither option made me happy.

Here is my idea of the hardest part of the Ironman… THE GREY MATTER BETWEEN THE EARS!

It is simple… The Ironman or anything difficult in life does not happen unless you figure out what you have between your ears!

Yes the distances are daunting, that is why they call it an Ironman. Yes the time you spend swimming, riding and running in the race are daunting, that is why they call it an Ironman. But for me and I would think most of us it is the time leading up to the race is the most daunting part of any Ironman… That is what makes you an Ironman!

Back to the story…

So there I was at another cross road in my journey to Ironman #2… What will I do? I have made it very clear the hardest part of doing this a second time around is the mental side. It has felt like a 600 pound gorilla has been on my shoulders this whole time. I needed to do this 100 mile ride for my training, but I needed it more to see if I am still was an Ironman.

So the bike went on the trainer, not looking forward to this because that stupid trainer is by far the worst way to ride a bike. In a runner’s sense it is similar to a treadmill, but about 100x worse. I set up my area with the nutrition I am using on the race, Ironman DVD’s ready to play, an iPad full of music and I was off. I was estimating this would be a 6 HOUR ride to finish 100 miles. Up to this point the longest I had ever ridden on the trainer was 56 miles, which was close to 3 hours.

I started with the 2007 Ironman World Championship DVD with the hopes of it helping me get into the right frame of mind, the DVD lasts a little over an hour or roughly 20 miles.

A second reason to do the ride was fine tuning my nutrition, because it is a bit different than most. I like the taste of real food, not gels, gu’s, bars and so on, I fully admit my choices are a bit unusual.

1. Drink an entire bike bottle every 20 miles. 3 water bottles with Carbo Pro, 1 with Gatorade with Carbo Pro.

2. 1/2 of a Twizzler every 5 miles. Nice treat, plus much needed sugar for fuel.

3. PayDay bar every 33 miles. Tastes better than a PowerBar, packed with protein, salt and sugar.

4. Salt Tablet every 1 1/2 hours. Keep sodium high lessen the chance of cramping.

As I continued to peddle I noticed this ride was feeling a bit different to most, I was strong, time seemed to be whisking by and soon I found myself at mile 56 and I looked I was under 3 hours. That alone was a bit unusual, so I pressed on. The mental side of the ride was just as strong as the physical side also another rarity. I melted away and it was just me and my thoughts, even the cranked up music fell into the background and soon found myself at mile 80. Still strong I pushed on putting in Ironman DVD #2 and peddled until the number 100 crossed my bike odometer. What a rush to see that number and to make it better I was at 5 hours and 15 minutes, NOT 6 HOURS!

My thoughts turned to thinking you know what is another 12 miles? So I pushed on…

Only once in my life had I rode 112 miles and I was on that bike for 7 hours and 10 minutes of pure torture. Here I was 12 short miles away and only at 5 hours and 15 minutes, game on! As soon as I saw the number change over to 112 miles and looked at the time I knew I just experienced my Ironman training moment that I had been searching so long for, 5 hours 52 minutes! That meant I took off a whole hour and 17 minutes off my previous and only attempt at 112 miles! 1 HOUR AND 17 MINUTES IS HUGE!!!!

Better yet finally that 600 pound gorilla was gone. I am not sure if others have Ironman moments in their training, but for me it is something that I look for during the whole process. Is it a good thing that I do this? Probably not because it simply adds more unneeded pressure to an already pressure filled challenge, but for me it is who I am. It is similar to last year when I went on a 16 mile run with my friend Katie only to make it 22 miles. I knew I was ready.

So it looks like September 18, 2011 was that moment for me. I am ready physically and now mentally. Does that mean I will have a 5 hour 52 minute bike ride in Florida? Probably not once you factor in the actual riding on a road, temperature, wind, humidity and so on there is a good chance it will be slower, but it should mean I will be faster than 7 hours and 10 minutes.

So if you ask me what is the hardest part of the Ironman, for me it is simple it is the mental side of the whole experience. This is also the hardest part of life, the mental side. Sometimes the hardest part of anything is just getting out of your own way. If you practice that the journey becomes much more enjoyable and simple.

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy!

Posted by Jim on 13th September 2011
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The Road to the Ironman #2 – Being a Spectator…

The air was cool and crisp, the harvest moon was out and there I was looking down the finishing chute with the clock ticking closer and closer to 15 hours and 35 minutes… there was one difference this year I was a spectator, not a competitor but that remained the only difference of the day, a really long day that started at 4 am and went until my head hit the pillow around 1 am the next day.

It was one year later + one day, September 11, 2011.

September 11 in this country thoughts turn to an obvious date ten years ago. This September 11 in Madison, WI proves there is more good out there than evil.

I have said this many times, but I say it once more… Go to an Ironman! You will see things that will shake you down to your core and make you say “Why Not”, instead of “Why Me.” Yes it is a long day and I do suggest finding a hotel close to the race to you can take breaks from the day, but if you are there for the swim start and the 8pm to midnight finishers you will thank me.

Do you ever get to experience or witness the following?

  • People reaching for what most think is impossible.
  • Race, sex, religion, politics don’t matter.
  • People of different ages and sizes putting it all out there for everyone to see.

If you answer no… Go experience an Ironman in your lifetime.

Spectator versus competitor

This season I have been looking for inspiration, answers and direction as I race towards #2. I found my direction once again, not being a competitor but being a spectator. The whole day I found myself actually having flashbacks to remind me why I do this, but it was the swim start and the 8 pm to midnight finish brought it all back into focus.

Swim Start

It starts early, athletes start to arrive around 4 30 am to put the finishing touches on what has been a long journey just getting to the starting line. The spectating for the swim start in Madison, WI is different to all others in the Ironman world because of the vantage point. If you get there early enough you can park yourself 4 stories up getting a fantastic view of the entire course.

As the clock ticks towards 7 am the tension builds not only on the competitors side, but the mood changes on the spectator side, strangers become friends, Ironman finishers swap wars stories and relive all their glory. As 6:45 approaches there is a small relief to the tension as the pro’s get a 15 minute head start, but soon the anticipation returns as the remaining 2,700+ slowly make their way out to the swim start, the mass start.

My mind started to drift to that morning a year earlier as I waited for the cannon to go off, I remember everything slowing down, looking at the faces of my fellow competitors and wondered what waited for me on that day. The anxiety was so think you could have cut it with a knife and I suspect it was no different this year to those bobbing up and down in Lake Monona this time around.

I am brought back to the present with the cannon going off and the largest school of fish you have ever seen was off. Last year I was in that washing machine of elbows and legs, this year a spectator. Last year and this year’s weather paralleled each other, cool, calm and a gorgeous sunrise as the mayhem unfolded in front of my eyes. I will admit there were a few tears as I watched what I was part of last year. My biggest spectator discovery this time around it is amazing the sound of 2,700 + swimmers make as they pass, it sounded like a waterfall.

As the main pack past my attention turned to those already struggling at the rear of the pack, I was taken a back on how many people were hanging on kayaks and boats.

  • Were they just catching there breath?
  • Did they get kicked or elbowed?
  • Were they about to quit just a few strokes into the 140.6 mile race.

My heart sank. I thought about all the time and expense it took to get to the starting line and I saw them being pulled from the water. It was unclear why these people quit but it was the second saddest part of the day for me. The hopes, the dreams, the inspiration gone in that moment… I reflected how fortunate I had been last year.

The middle part of the day

Spectator = boring, competitor = boring but at least you are doing something.

This part of the Ironman is not a spectator sport. I found this to be the hardest part of the day. They are out in the fields and hills of Wisconsin, spectators need to keep busy. I found myself wondering this is boring. This is what I did to pass the time.

  • Lunch
  • Ice Cream
  • Walk
  • Hotel
  • Pool
  • Nap
  • Dinner

The highlight to that part of the day was walking around the marathon course reliving that day a year ago. I watched as supporters took chalk in hand writing supporting and inspirational messages to their loved ones on the street. I took many pictures of these messages and realized they could be directed to anyone looking down searching for inspiration.

The last goal was to make sure I was there from 8 pm to midnight, the magical hours of the Ironman!

4 hours that change lives

Spectator to stand in one place for four hours is almost as bad on the feet as running 26.2 miles.

As the sun fades there are a few things that happen

  • Music gets louder
  • Cheering starts to grows
  • Just like in movies the whole time seem to be in slow motion

During this time I drifted back and forth from the present to a year ago, fighting back the emotions and the emotions won when I totally fell into the moment.

Discovered my finishing time for IMFL.

  • 9 pm or 14 hours
  • The tradition is to play U2’s Where the Street Have No Name. Why? I am not sure but this is when the the music is taken to a new level. How the song builds and yes how it sounds rev’s everyone into a frenzy. I was transported to Florida and I could feel myself running down that finishers chute during that moment.

15 hours and 35 minutes

As the noise continues to grow moment by moment to watch each person take their final few steps in a 140.6 mile race is simply an honor. Hundreds if not thousands of stories pass right by you at that moment. My attention turned to watch for my finishing time and thinking back on how I had the whole finishers chute to myself. Having that moment in front of all those people cheering for me made the journey all worth it.

The final moments

11 pm the noise continues to grow and these shadowy figures come into the bright lights one by one, some look as fresh and some look like death but they all have one thing on their mind. 2.4 mile swim – check, 112 miles on the bike – check, 26.2 mile run – JUST A FEW MORE STEPS!

Mike Reilly, the voice of Ironman comes down from his perch, comes to street level and pours out every last bit of his energy in that last hour. Soon you see what he calls the leaner’s. The leaner’s are people leaning to one side or the other as they are trying so hard to finish the race. These are the people that might be falling, crawling and doing anything possible just to cross a line on a street. One lady sticks out. She was leaning pretty bad, bent over and walking more side to side than in a straight line. This was about 2 minutes before the 17 hour mark! The crowd noise increases 10 fold doing everything we could to help her to the promise land. Mike was there preventing her from falling, but knowing he really could do anything to help because if he did she would be disqualified. As she approached the finish she collapsed across the line and the crowd went nuts! She put everything into the day to finish with about a minute to spare! What a way to closed out the day.

Mike Reilly said there was one more person out they hoped could finish under 17, but was going to miss the time cut off. We all stayed and cheered her in :50 seconds over the 17 hour mark! No she did not get the medal, no she did not hear those magical words and to me that was the saddest moment of the day.

Just imagine this person for one moment…

  • Countless hours of training
  • The expense of the Ironman
  • Her dreams on why doing the Ironman was so important
  • 17+ hours battling the swim, bike and run

All for what? Well that is an Ironman’s worst nightmare…

Will she do it again? I hope so. I told Kim that day I got it again, why I do this thing called Ironman. I can’t really describe it in words to you, but I get it again.

I am an Ironman! Unless you experience it you may not really get it. Does that mean you have to compete in one? No, not really. Just be a spectator through out the day and you may get it after that long day.

So being a Ironman spectator is not easy, I found that out, but again I wouldn’t miss it for a moment.

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy