I did it. No, we did it. I am an Ironman....forever. In my life, I may lose a lot of things, but this is something that cannot be taken away and will remain with me forever. I am an Ironman.
On Thursday, Kenny (the camera man!) and I got up to start our journey to Louisville, Kentucky. The bags were packed, and I said goodbye to my roommate Arin as he wished me luck. Kenny and I got in the car and headed to the cemetery. I got there and I wasn't sad at all, as I normally am when I go there. I said a few words to Jared and asked him to help me during what would become the hardest challenge I'd ever encounter. I felt very content leaving the cemetery.
We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare, and at no point were we rushing. This was really good and helped with the nerves. Our flight had a stopover in Chicago, and we finally got to Louisville around 5 PM on Thursday. All we did that night was go over the schedule of what we had to do on Friday and we got to bed at a decent hour. Slept very well on Thursday night, which was great. Friday, we got up bright and early and I went to athlete check-in where I got weighed in, got my body fat reading and my hydration level reading. I tried to gain a bit of weight for this race knowing that my fat stores would be tapped after my carbohydrate and protein stores were tapped out late in the race, and therefore i was 4 pounds heavier than I was when I raced the half Ironman at Providence a month and a half ago. My body fat was at 10%, which was very good...anything less would be too little for this race, for me at least. My hydration level was at 61% which was extremely good according to the nurse. That was very relieving because that told me that I hydrated properly and took in plenty of sodium prior to getting the reading. After I got checked in, Kenny and I went to the Media Center where Kenny received his credentials for race day. He got his official media pass and shirt, and he was one of about only 10 media people there. They ranged from ESPN, to local TV stations, to someone covering the Mexican triathlon team here. I think I should take this opportunity to say Thank You to Kenny for what he did. I want everyone to know that Kenny sacrificed a lot to be here, and it seemed like every move I made this past week, he was there with the camera and he captured the essence of this effort. I can't wait to see the video. Thank you Kenny. After we got finished with that, I attended the athlete race briefing where all the rules were made clear. If anything, it helped to answer many questions about where i had to be at what time on race day. For the remainder of the afternoon, I rested up in bed before waiting for Jared's parents and my family to get here in time for the Welcome dinner. They all finally got here around 4:30 PM, and we all met up before heading over to the Kentucky International Convention Center, where the dinner was held. We got there, and it was HUGE. Picture 2000 athletes and their friends and family in one room, with a huge stage set up, with an Ironman backdrop and huge video screens to the sides of the stage. We ate and chatted as we listened to the speakers. They showed a video and the words will resonate in my heart for the rest of my life. The speaker on the video said, as Jim Collins did in 1978, "Swim 2.4 miles, bike 112, run 26.2....brag for the rest of your life." After we were done eating and the speakers finished up, we took some photos of all of us and we called it a night. We headed back to the hotel and waited for my friend Kelly to get into town, as her flight was a later flight. She got in around 10 and she went with my brother to Fourth Street Live! where all the bars and restaurants are. Kenny and I hit the hay, as I would have to check in my bike and gear bags the next day.
We had breakfast in the morning and I made sure all of my gear bags were properly packed with all the right things. After that, I met up with a teammate, CJ, from HEAT and we went for a light 13 mile bike ride at a very slow pace. We rode the marathon course (which was a two loop course). I noticed that it was very flat, which would be good. When we finished that, we rode to the tranistion area where I checked in my bike and CJ dropped me off back at the hotel. We wished each other luck. That evening, we all went and got dinner at The Spaghetti Factory and I downed as much pasta as my body could take in. I felt like I was ready to go and i was properly fueled for the next day. I made my way back to the hotel, and tried to sleep - the day would undoubtedly be the biggest and greatest day of my life.
I got up at 4:30 AM, and had 1.5 cups of oatmeal before heading to the transition area with my father, Jared's father, and Kenny. I put my iPod on and zoned out, trying not to think about the task ahead. I pumped my tires up to 115 psi, which is 5 pounds less than the max. I did that because of the heat and humidity and did not want to risk a blown tire because of the air inside the tires expanding as the day got warmer. Did my final check on my bike and everything seemed to be in order. I then was driven over to the swim start which was about 1.5 miles away from the transition area. There I got my body marking. A volunteer wrote my race number on both my biceps and then asked me "Who are you racing for today?" and I said "my friends" and he asked their names. He wrote "Jared" in big letters on my right arm, and wrote "Mike, Muff, Kush, Tyler" on my left arm. At that point, I knew I was ready to go.
I then got in line for the swim start. It was a time trial start, so athletes started the race in the order they were lined up. There was a few hundred people in front of me, so I wouldn't start until about 7:20 AM. Right before the cannon went off, I saw all my friends, who had gotten there at 3 AM that morning. They ran down to where I was in line and wished me luck. It was incredible seeing them. Muff, Mike, Kush, Kelly, Jeff, Kristin, Ashley, Jared's parents and my family were there. Then the line started moving and athletes were entering the water about every second. As I made my way down to the pier, all the sudden there was only about 20 athletes ahead of me, and a volunteer said in a stern voice to me "Goggles on" and I dropped my goggles over my eyes and I was at the timing chip mat (which would mark my personal start time, which was about 7:20) and the chip mat beeped and I was jumping in the water. I was officially starting my Ironman.
As I started my swim, I just thought, "My God, here I am, doing an Ironman. I have sacrificed so much and worked so hard and it's here." I was really settling in and my swim stroke felt great, even going against the current at that point. I wasn't worried about going fast, just being efficient, after all, this was 2.4 miles, this isn't just a half mile swim. You would think it would be pretty spread out, but it was packed in the water. I got kicked and punched and did some inadvertant kicking and punching myself. With that being said, once I hit the turnaround about 3/4 mile upriver, it spread out much more, and then all of a sudden I was swimming with the current. At that point, i think i was going into a swimming daze, everything felt very calm and relaxed and I was really enjoying myself. Before I knew it, I could see the swim finish, and then i was about 100 yards away. At that point, I started to kick (which I don't do during the whole swim to save my legs) to get the bloodflow back to my legs and to get them ready for the transition. All of a sudden, I was there, with a volunteer helping me out of the water. I just swam 2.4 miles! My swim split: 1 hour, 20 minutes. So fast compared to what I would have done had I not hired a swim coach for the past month and a half. Fans were everywhere and the roar of the crowd got my adrenaline going. I ran into transition and got my bike bag and headed into the changing tent. I methodically got all my bike gear in order and then ran to my bike. My fans were screaming "Go Tony!" "Great swim!" as I put on my sunglasses and cycling shoes. I grabbed my bike and ran to the bike out Ironman arch where I mounted my bike. I was off on a 112 mile ride. About 200 yards into the ride, there was my cheering section again! I cannot tell you what it feels like to see those people. Lifted my spirits.
The first 10-12 miles were very flat with some slight downhills. I knew I had to be smart and had to take the advice of my teammates Dave and Doug, and my father. I would not push it at all and would not "eat the paste." I relaxed and went easy. At about mile 7 or 8, a motorcycle pulls up next to me, and Kenny is on the back, filming away. I said some words to the camera. I think after Kenny pulled away, I got into my bike daze state. The course was a lot tougher than I thought, a lot of rolling hills. The scenery was amazing though. The countryside was incredibly beautiful. All the while I was enjoying the scenery I was sticking to my nutrition plan as well as I could, eating a half powerbar every, taking 3 electrolyte pills every half hour, while taking in 5 oz of Accelerade every 5-10 minutes. Before long, I noticed my nutrtion strategy was failing. I developed a stitch pain in my side and I concluded that it was because of the solid food and the accelerade. I had to make a quick decision to go to my backup nutrtition strategy, or my race would be going down the tubes. I switched to all water, electrolyte pills and PowerGel only. My body was rejecting any solid food I was putting in it, and clearly telling me "No" to solids. That's ok, as there were so many aid stations with gel and water. I knew that I'd have to take in a lot of gel to replace the calories that would have been in the solid food. But it seemed to be working, as the cramps subsided and I felt pretty good. All of a sudden it was about noon, and the summer Kentucky heat started to kick in. It was getting very hot. Already it was in the mid-90's, although I did not feel like it was bothering me at all at that point, even with the fact that I wore an Aero helmet rather than my standard highly vented road helmet. At mile 38, I passed through the town of LaGrange which held a huge Ironman festival. The streets were lined with spectators and fans, both from that town, and people that came from Louisville on the free shuttle that was provided by Ironman. I looked around for my cheering section, all the while going over 25 mph (as it was a downhill for that whole stretch) but I didnt' see anyone. That was ok because my spirits were still high, and I was ok mentally. The bike course again took me through LaGrange at mile 68 and I was desperately hoping to see my cheering section. I slowed down a bit on the main strip to look for them, but no luck, didnt' see anyone. I was feeling a bit down because of that. Why didn't I see them? All of a sudden about a half mile up the road, I saw Jeff and Kristin. SOOO awesome to see them! It was literally touching to see Jeff out there, as he used to go see his father race in Ironmans before he passed away in 2005. I slowed down so I could hear him, he asked me how I was doing, and I said good, and gave him a thumbs up. All of a sudden I felt good again. I continued on and continued to race within myself to save as much energy as possible for the marathon that lay ahead. I kept seeing the mile markers get higher and higher..."mile 80....mile 90....mile 100." All of a sudden, I was thinking about my transition to run! I saw the river and at that point, I think I got a little excited. I picked up the pace for the last 12 miles and then I was on the cusp of the tranistion area when I saw my fans AGAIN! I dismounted my bike and handed it to a volunteer and ran down the transition chute to get my run gear bag. Back into the changing tent I went, a volunteer grabbed me, emptied my bag, put on my running shoes for me while another volunteer sprayed sunblock all over me. I felt like royalty. I must have thanked them about 30 times before I headed out onto the marathon course. I started running down the chute again when I saw Kush and Stasiuk to my right. I stopped and gave Mike a hug and gave Kush a high five and then took off. i saw the rest of my fans a few hundred yards up. I then took a right over the bridge to a turn around and hit the Mile 1 marker. I remember thinking "wow, I have 25 more of those signs to see before I can call myself an Ironman." I looped back into town and there was my cheering section again. I was so glad that I was running at a good pace. I hit the marathon course like I was possessed, running an 8:28 pace for the first 4 miles. I was running through the aid stations, taking in Gatorade endurance formula and water. Then the heat started to wear on me. This heat was like nothing I've ever come across. Debilitating I think is the correct word for it. At mile 5, I decided to start walking the aid stations and decided on the strategy of making it a race to each aid station, where I would enjoy the small victory of getting ice cold sponges to put down my shirt, ice cubes in my hat, and cold water and gatorade to take in. I was diligent about taking in fluids because i knew how dangerous this heat was, as I constantly heard the ring of sirens and saw the sights of countless competitors on the side of the road, being put on a stretcher and being taken away by ambulances. I refused to let myself become one of them. The pain started, and my legs were hurting like they've never hurt before. It was excruciating. Somewhere between mile 10 and 12, one of my worst fears were realized. I stopped sweating. This could mean certain failure had I not been taking in as much fluids as I was. I refused to stop. Around the same time, I started running with another guy, Andy. He was 40 years old from Allentown, PA, and he was pretty much in the same condition as I was. I would say about 70% of the field was walking at this point. I chatted with Andy and we decided that we would pull each other through. We would pick landmarks and say 'Ok, let's run from this fire hydrant to that yellow sign 200 yards up the road.' And so that's what we did, we'd walk for about a minute, and then run for about 3 minutes. This seemed to be working! All of a sudden, we hit the halfway point, which was right near the finish line, and that's where i saw my fans! I remember seeing Ashley and she was recording me on her videocamera and i said 'Next time you see me, I will be an Ironman!" Seeing the thousands of people waiting at the finish line was enough motivation to start running again. I think me and Andy actually ran from mile 13 to 14, which was a small victory in and of itself. I just could not wait for that crowd to cheer for me. Andy and I continued on and on and on, all the while both of our conditions worsening. At mile 19, I went under a bridge which was not well lit and I got very dizzy, I almost fell over. At that point, I said to myself "You can't give up, no matter what, keep taking in as much fluids as possible." I did not fall down and made it to the other side of the bridge where i felt a little better. I think at that point, as if it was a sign or something, I had to pee, which was another small victory. That sounds very gross and weird, but having to pee is a good sign when it's that hot. That meant I was taking in enough fluids to have and stop at a porta potty. I finally made turn around at mile 20 and said to Andy, hey, I might still make my 13 hour goal! He really picked me up, and at times when I said I had to walk, he would say "No, you have it in you to run to that next street!" We pushed each other so much. He told me that I was getting heat stroke, but that I could probably still finish the race in OK shape if i kept drinking. I did that, but then I felt my toenail on my right big toe starting to fall off and peel away from the foot. It hurt like hell. I just had to focus on the finish line, I had to. At mile 23, we hit the Ford Motivational Mile. This was where an athlete's fans leave a message that is displayed on a huge electronic billboard, and the message is displayed as your timing chip passes over a timing mat. I passed over the mat and looked up, the message to me was "Tony, I am here. Love, Jared." I lost it at that point, started to cry. I get teary eyed even thinking about that. I was reminded at that point of the whole reason why I was there. I had to get to the finish line, I could not quit, I had to realize this was about something bigger.
As Andy and I made our way back into town, Andy told me (and I'm paraphrasing, but this is almost dead on, we had a conversation for about 5 minutes) "listen bro, when we get a half mile away from the finish line, I want you to go ahead of me, I'm going to hang back. I want you to cherish this moment. Think of your friends and family. Look in the eyes of the people in the crowd. Think about your life. There are so many things that can go wrong in life - marriages go bad, people screw you over, sometimes things just suck, but this moment will make you a new person altogether. This will be the beginning of your new life as an Ironman. Please take it all in, and never, ever forget this." About 10 minutes later, I turned a corner of a street that was about 1/4 mile from the finish line and saw muff, stasiuk, kush, my brother and ashley. They were going crazy. They started running with me, my brother handed me a shirt that they were all wearing with jared's picture on the front. Muff was screaming louder than I ever heard him scream, my brother was running and yelling in his cell phone "He's coming! He's going to finish in the next 2 minutes! Get ready" It was surreal. I turned the last corner and saw the thousands of people, cheering for me. I raised the shirt to my chest and showed Jared's picture to the crowd. I started to bawl my eyes out, I cried and cried and cried as I ran down the chute. The finish line was just hundreds of feet in front me. I couldn't take any more, I got to the finish line, raised the shirt above my head, and collapsed at the line. I cried uncontrollably for about 30 seconds as a volunteer picked me up off the ground and put the medal around my neck and looked me in the eye and said "Congratulations Anthony, You're an Ironman." Those words, from a total stranger, will stay in my heart forever.
I got my picture taken with the shirt with the Ironman backdrop, and could barely walk. Made my way to the end of the finish line corrale where I saw all my fans. I gave them all big hugs. That moment was incredible. After i settled down, I realized again the type of pain I was in. Walking was a chore, to say the least. Beyond that, the heat stroke was realized. I was freezing, and it was still 90 degrees out. The volunteer brought me and my fans to the convention center where I got a massage and got more fluids. I felt terrible physically but was the definition of happy emotionally. I got a chance to talk to everyone there after the massage, and I told Jared's parents "We did it! The last mile wasn't just me, Jared was carrying me. My body was almost completely shut down at mile 24, but Jared got me through" and Susan said "I know." I hugged all my friends, and Jeff came up to me and I told him that I talked to his father during the marathon and that I'm sure he was also watching over me. At that point, there was nothing left to do except smile and head back to the hotel room for a shower. I got in the shower and cried again. I was overwhelmed with emotion. More than a year of my life was dedicated to just cross that finish line, and I had done it. I had done something that was once considered humanly impossible.
I then checked my phone and computer. I had countless messages from people tracking me online throughout the day. I can't believe how much support I got. People were telling me that I am an inspiration to everyone and that they were so proud to call me a friend. I guess I can't really understand it as much as I wish I could. To be called an inspiration and to say that I inspire people blows my mind. I just see myself as an ordinary guy with an extraordinary group of people around me.
I will be posting pictures when I get home, as I'm still in Louisville now. But for now, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you...first and foremost to my friends and family. Paul, Sue, Tom, Mom and Dad....you guys are the best. Secondly, Muff, Stasiuk, Tyler and Kush....you are the best friends I could ever ask for. Without you, I would not be the man I am today and I surely would not be an Ironman without you guys. Friends forever boys. Kelly, Ashley, Jeff and Kristin....words cannot thank you enough for coming to Kentucky to support me. Driving 14 hours overnight to watch my race start speaks volumes about what kind of people you are and for that alone, I will always have a place in my heart for you. Lastly, to my other awesome friends, Gary, Godard, PJ, Kev, Ally, Jess, Mary, Nicole, Carly and anyone else I may have missed, thank you for believing that I can do this, thanks for being such good friends. To Kristin and Jon, thanks for always reminding me to smile. To Rohan - my Mount Everest-climbing freak training partner - thanks for pushing me harder than I thought I could go on those long 100 mile bike rides and those tough runs afterwards, you helped me more than anyone else when it came to physical preparation. To Team Heat, thank you for giving me the resources and advice that I desparately needed. To Dave Couture, thank you for calming my nerves about this race and believing in me. To Doug Lord, thanks for all the advice. Thank you all so much.
WE DID IT! I am an IRONMAN!!!!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Last Post Before Ironman
As the title eludes to, this will be my last post before Ironman. It's Monday evening, and the race is on Sunday. I wanted to post early in the week because of how hectic all the traveling, organizing, and coordinating will be, in addition to the nervousness that has already hit me.
The past year has been incredible. I've seen a side of myself that I'm so proud of, and I believe that it is my true self. Beyond that, I've seen people really come out and support me, especially my best friends. Just the other night, Tyler said to me, "dude, I wish I could be there, but going to Italy real soon, I just don't think I can make it" and I responded "Ty, don't worry about it, you saw me race in Providence" and he says "Yeah, but I just want to be there for you." I know he can't make it down to Louisville, but that's just an example of someone saying something to me that will stay with me forever. I'll never forget him saying that, and he probably thought it was no big deal.
Beyond the realm of my friends, other people, from total strangers to some of my not so close friends have reached out. I mentioned about how random Southington residents have been sending me cards with donations and kind words, but today, a co-worker of mine came down to my desk and hand delivered a card. Stuff like that is not necessary, but it is so appreciated. It's just overwhelming at times.
Apart from all that, as my own person, this attempt at becoming an Ironman has changed me. I cannot put into words what it is, but this effort, and this race has become a microcosm of life in general. It's about knowing that what we have today, we may not have tomorrow. It's about seizing the moment (pardon the cliche) and realizing there's so much more to life. It's about dealing with adversity, whether physical or emotional, bottling it up, and channeling it into something that is indescribably good. It's about sacrifice....giving up on what's past, and enjoying the exact moment that is the present. As I go on I've realized the older I get, the more things I have to leave behind, but as some doors close and some chapters come to an end, we're presented with an opportunity to write a whole new book. This journey has been about so much more than a fast swim, a strong bike and a quick run....it's been about bouncing back. I think I speak for all my friends when I say we've lived priviledged lives and we appreciate it to no end, but we've also seen the lowest of lows, and somehow and some way we've always stuck together. If nothing else, it is so unbelievably obvious that true and loyal friends are forever and if and when we're lucky to experience that, we should hold onto that and never take that for granted. We all know how important it is to do that and how important it is to appreciate today.
Lastly, I just wish everyone could experience what I have experienced during my preparations for this race. It doesn't have to be about 140.6 miles, all it has to be is to pick up something that you always wanted to do and do it. Don't hold back. Truth of the matter is, yes, I probably would have done an Ironman if Jared was still here today. I say that with confidence although it means a lot more to dedicate this effort to him and my friends. But that being said, I remember watching the Ironman on ABC Wide World of Sports as a kid with my father and being amazed, even from that young age. The first time I thought about actually doing it, I think I was a freshman in college, but I never really had the clout to sacrifice so much. Now I do, now as I honor my friends, I chase my own dream and I pray this dream comes true.
To track me on Sunday, go to http://ironman.com/events/ironman/louisville/?show=tracker&rid=164&year=2008 and type in the number 297 in the search box.
Please pray for me on Sunday. Thanks for all the support, once again.
The past year has been incredible. I've seen a side of myself that I'm so proud of, and I believe that it is my true self. Beyond that, I've seen people really come out and support me, especially my best friends. Just the other night, Tyler said to me, "dude, I wish I could be there, but going to Italy real soon, I just don't think I can make it" and I responded "Ty, don't worry about it, you saw me race in Providence" and he says "Yeah, but I just want to be there for you." I know he can't make it down to Louisville, but that's just an example of someone saying something to me that will stay with me forever. I'll never forget him saying that, and he probably thought it was no big deal.
Beyond the realm of my friends, other people, from total strangers to some of my not so close friends have reached out. I mentioned about how random Southington residents have been sending me cards with donations and kind words, but today, a co-worker of mine came down to my desk and hand delivered a card. Stuff like that is not necessary, but it is so appreciated. It's just overwhelming at times.
Apart from all that, as my own person, this attempt at becoming an Ironman has changed me. I cannot put into words what it is, but this effort, and this race has become a microcosm of life in general. It's about knowing that what we have today, we may not have tomorrow. It's about seizing the moment (pardon the cliche) and realizing there's so much more to life. It's about dealing with adversity, whether physical or emotional, bottling it up, and channeling it into something that is indescribably good. It's about sacrifice....giving up on what's past, and enjoying the exact moment that is the present. As I go on I've realized the older I get, the more things I have to leave behind, but as some doors close and some chapters come to an end, we're presented with an opportunity to write a whole new book. This journey has been about so much more than a fast swim, a strong bike and a quick run....it's been about bouncing back. I think I speak for all my friends when I say we've lived priviledged lives and we appreciate it to no end, but we've also seen the lowest of lows, and somehow and some way we've always stuck together. If nothing else, it is so unbelievably obvious that true and loyal friends are forever and if and when we're lucky to experience that, we should hold onto that and never take that for granted. We all know how important it is to do that and how important it is to appreciate today.
Lastly, I just wish everyone could experience what I have experienced during my preparations for this race. It doesn't have to be about 140.6 miles, all it has to be is to pick up something that you always wanted to do and do it. Don't hold back. Truth of the matter is, yes, I probably would have done an Ironman if Jared was still here today. I say that with confidence although it means a lot more to dedicate this effort to him and my friends. But that being said, I remember watching the Ironman on ABC Wide World of Sports as a kid with my father and being amazed, even from that young age. The first time I thought about actually doing it, I think I was a freshman in college, but I never really had the clout to sacrifice so much. Now I do, now as I honor my friends, I chase my own dream and I pray this dream comes true.
To track me on Sunday, go to http://ironman.com/events/
Please pray for me on Sunday. Thanks for all the support, once again.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Closer and Closer
As I write this, I'm in the midst of nervousness/excitement/overall anticipation. The race is now only 15 days away and I am getting into the real grind of not being able to train as I'm used to. I have been sending constant emails to my teammates/mentors about any advice I may have missed. Additionally, I've finalized my nutrition plan for the race and I am confident that I can eat and drink as much as I plan to. Apart from all the due diligence I believe I have done, I'm still nervous. It has been harder and harder to get a good night's rest. All I keep thinking about is the finish line, seeing Kush, Muff, Mike, feeling Jared with me, and thanking God that I was given that opportunity. Furthermore, I joined iAmTri.com and I am one of their featured members. Because of that, I've received many comments/messages wishing me good luck, from complete strangers! Here is an excerpt I received from someone two days ago:
"Ironman athletes often dedicate races to those they care about. My first Ironman was dedicated to my mentor who, like your friend, had passed away while I was training for it. I had his name on my hat.
Keep in mind that the act of just dedicating this endeavor to your friend's memory is success alone and with that, you can't fail. You may not cross the finish line because only God controls that outcome. Your dedication and offering of doing your best is all that you can do. Leave the rest up to God.
I have no doubt that you'll cross the finish line. Your friend will be with you all the way......so will I.
May the Lord be with you,
Michael"
Sounds very religious I know, but that's been something that's been in the back of my mind. I haven't forgotten that there is someone up there who's watching over me and will be my guide throughout the 140.6 miles, at least that's what I believe.
This whole journey has been all consuming. It wasn't quite this way at the beginning of the season, but now that this race is so damn close, I am beyond focused. These are life changing moments, and if and when I cross that finish line, I will be a changed person.....forever. The sacrifices that I have made to come this far are even unbelievable to myself. Again, I go back to my support and the strength that my friends have lent me throughout the past year. Never once did someone say "I don't think you can do that" It has always been "how's training? How are you feeling? Where can I get a hotel in Louisville?"
Apart from Ironman, and whether I finish or not, I know that I have accomplished so much in my life. I have been through the best of times and the worst of times. This race will magnify those good times and trivialize those hard times. Knowing what I have been through in my life, this is just a transition of drive into something completely tangible, something that will remain with me and my friends forever. So in essence, this race is more than a race to me.....it has become my life. I have felt myself change during this past year, into a person that I never thought I'd become. I can't really explain that, it's too tough. There is just something different about taking on 140.6 miles and the willingness to offer the utmost respect to that distance, because in all reality, this distance has killed people before.....but it's also made dreams come true. It's not about the race as much as its about the sacrifice, the pain, the drive.....and hopefully the reward. I will try to post another blog entry before I leave for Louisville, but if you don't check back, please say a prayer for me and/or keep me in your thoughts on the 31st. I would really appreciate that. Thanks again.
15. (I remember when this number was 365 like it was yesterday)
"Ironman athletes often dedicate races to those they care about. My first Ironman was dedicated to my mentor who, like your friend, had passed away while I was training for it. I had his name on my hat.
Keep in mind that the act of just dedicating this endeavor to your friend's memory is success alone and with that, you can't fail. You may not cross the finish line because only God controls that outcome. Your dedication and offering of doing your best is all that you can do. Leave the rest up to God.
I have no doubt that you'll cross the finish line. Your friend will be with you all the way......so will I.
May the Lord be with you,
Michael"
Sounds very religious I know, but that's been something that's been in the back of my mind. I haven't forgotten that there is someone up there who's watching over me and will be my guide throughout the 140.6 miles, at least that's what I believe.
This whole journey has been all consuming. It wasn't quite this way at the beginning of the season, but now that this race is so damn close, I am beyond focused. These are life changing moments, and if and when I cross that finish line, I will be a changed person.....forever. The sacrifices that I have made to come this far are even unbelievable to myself. Again, I go back to my support and the strength that my friends have lent me throughout the past year. Never once did someone say "I don't think you can do that" It has always been "how's training? How are you feeling? Where can I get a hotel in Louisville?"
Apart from Ironman, and whether I finish or not, I know that I have accomplished so much in my life. I have been through the best of times and the worst of times. This race will magnify those good times and trivialize those hard times. Knowing what I have been through in my life, this is just a transition of drive into something completely tangible, something that will remain with me and my friends forever. So in essence, this race is more than a race to me.....it has become my life. I have felt myself change during this past year, into a person that I never thought I'd become. I can't really explain that, it's too tough. There is just something different about taking on 140.6 miles and the willingness to offer the utmost respect to that distance, because in all reality, this distance has killed people before.....but it's also made dreams come true. It's not about the race as much as its about the sacrifice, the pain, the drive.....and hopefully the reward. I will try to post another blog entry before I leave for Louisville, but if you don't check back, please say a prayer for me and/or keep me in your thoughts on the 31st. I would really appreciate that. Thanks again.
15. (I remember when this number was 365 like it was yesterday)
Friday, August 8, 2008
Freaking out
So my training is pretty much complete. My fitness is at it's peak and the only thing I can do now is maintain what I have. That means no more long rides, no more long runs, no more putting my body through pain until race day. On that note, I wanted to get a feel for what my teammates that have done Ironman went through during their taper phase and so I sent out an email to them, this is what I received from Gabe (a four time Ironman, who consistently places in the top 5 overall in his races):
"I have made some major IM mistakes, so I have some thoughts that might help. If your goal is to finish, rather than do some particular time, keep that in mind through the race. My best performance, and my most enjoyable IM, was in Wisconsin when I just told myself not to worry about the clock and to try and enjoy the event. I talked to other competitors, made jokes, tried to thank spectators and volunteers. I found this kept me loose. There is a tendency to focus intensely on the road in front of you and to think about heart rate, lactic acid, etc., but I found that by focusing so much on those things in past races that I suffered much more and missed the really entertaining parts of the race. I self-destructed in a Lake Placid race because I was so intense during the whole race that I eventually had a major break down physically and mentally at mile 13 of the marathon, and ended up sitting down and crying on the side of the road. I eventually got up and managed to finish, but I learned a valuable lesson. I viewed Wisconsin as more of a mini-adventure than a race, and kept a great mental attitude all day even in pouring rain, wind, and cold. I also like to pack a little treat in my special needs bags or in the bike-to-run transition bag. My favorite was a ball of Stove Top Stuffing. Great source of sodium and carbs, and tastes great even cold. I have also used Altoid mints--kind of weird but a shot of peppermint is pretty refreshing mid-race. A buddy of mine would put caffeinated gum in his bags, but don't try that unless you have done it before.
From a nutrition standpoint, remember to consume food and liquids in a manner similar to the way that you have trained. This is IM 101, but I have fallen victim to this problem on the run several times. I almost never take in water on long training runs, but I would get into the race and drink every single mile. This led to stomach issues because I just was not used to having that much liquid intake while running. In Wisconsin, I drank every mile, but only a sip or two. This seemed to work out fine and kept me hydrated. Of course, the key to that strategy is to make sure you drink enough on the bike so that you start out well hydrated. Same with food: I only took in food every few miles, and then only took things that I knew would digest well (bananas and fig bars for me). That's another tip: if you use a lot of gels and other sweet things and start to get nauseous during the race, try switching to more natural foods. This worked for me in a Lake Placid race where I literally threw away my fuel belt mid-marathon and started eating grapes and oranges. The soda also works pretty well, but I always wait to go there as a last resort and hopefully when there is not much left in the race.
As a final note on the run (where the race really becomes interesting), I have found myself walking through aid stations even if I felt like I did not need to. This strategy of walking when I wanted to, rather than when I had to, resulted in walking much less often and for shorter distances. (almost everyone walks at some point unless they are a pro, so no shame is involved).
The best advice is to do your own thing, race your own race, and never stop moving forward. We'll be tracking you on the internet. Go get 'em!"
"I have made some major IM mistakes, so I have some thoughts that might help. If your goal is to finish, rather than do some particular time, keep that in mind through the race. My best performance, and my most enjoyable IM, was in Wisconsin when I just told myself not to worry about the clock and to try and enjoy the event. I talked to other competitors, made jokes, tried to thank spectators and volunteers. I found this kept me loose. There is a tendency to focus intensely on the road in front of you and to think about heart rate, lactic acid, etc., but I found that by focusing so much on those things in past races that I suffered much more and missed the really entertaining parts of the race. I self-destructed in a Lake Placid race because I was so intense during the whole race that I eventually had a major break down physically and mentally at mile 13 of the marathon, and ended up sitting down and crying on the side of the road. I eventually got up and managed to finish, but I learned a valuable lesson. I viewed Wisconsin as more of a mini-adventure than a race, and kept a great mental attitude all day even in pouring rain, wind, and cold. I also like to pack a little treat in my special needs bags or in the bike-to-run transition bag. My favorite was a ball of Stove Top Stuffing. Great source of sodium and carbs, and tastes great even cold. I have also used Altoid mints--kind of weird but a shot of peppermint is pretty refreshing mid-race. A buddy of mine would put caffeinated gum in his bags, but don't try that unless you have done it before.
From a nutrition standpoint, remember to consume food and liquids in a manner similar to the way that you have trained. This is IM 101, but I have fallen victim to this problem on the run several times. I almost never take in water on long training runs, but I would get into the race and drink every single mile. This led to stomach issues because I just was not used to having that much liquid intake while running. In Wisconsin, I drank every mile, but only a sip or two. This seemed to work out fine and kept me hydrated. Of course, the key to that strategy is to make sure you drink enough on the bike so that you start out well hydrated. Same with food: I only took in food every few miles, and then only took things that I knew would digest well (bananas and fig bars for me). That's another tip: if you use a lot of gels and other sweet things and start to get nauseous during the race, try switching to more natural foods. This worked for me in a Lake Placid race where I literally threw away my fuel belt mid-marathon and started eating grapes and oranges. The soda also works pretty well, but I always wait to go there as a last resort and hopefully when there is not much left in the race.
As a final note on the run (where the race really becomes interesting), I have found myself walking through aid stations even if I felt like I did not need to. This strategy of walking when I wanted to, rather than when I had to, resulted in walking much less often and for shorter distances. (almost everyone walks at some point unless they are a pro, so no shame is involved).
The best advice is to do your own thing, race your own race, and never stop moving forward. We'll be tracking you on the internet. Go get 'em!"
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Almost done with one year of training
I can't believe race day is just over 3 weeks away. It seems like 3 weeks would be a lot, but that's going to go by so fast. The whole year has gone by so fast. I'm putting the final touches on my training now. Did an easy paced 15 mile run today pretty effortlessly and have been having swim practice everyday in Hartford. Cycling, I'm just ready, plain and simple. This is not a joke or anything, but I woke up at 11 AM on Sunday morning, and got bored almost immediately. I decided to head out on my bike for a fast paced 30 mile ride, and already had a route planned. Well that 30 mile ride turned into a 120 mile ride around Connecticut. Did that in 6 hours and 30 minutes. Total peace of mind. I could get a flat on the course in Louisville and still be able to finish under 6:30, which leads me into my next topic, race day strategy.
I will try and just enjoy the swim, and not kill myself. Anything under 1 hour 30 minutes will be fine with me. My coach wants me to go 1:05, but I seriously highly doubt that. On the bike, I'm "not going to eat the paste." That's an Ironman saying for the kid in preschool that eats the paste in the corner of the room and then other kids follow him or her. Then they puke a half hour later. Well the same thing happens during an Ironman, some people "eat the paste" and hammer the bike, and set a personal record, with times like 5:45 off the bike, averaging almost 20 mph. Then they realize they have a marathon to run. Then the puking starts. Then the ambulance picks them up. And for the ones that aren't on their way to the hospital, I run by them at mile 10 while they're walking at a 20 minute pace and I'm running at a 10 minute pace. Do the math....for them to beat me by 45 minutes off the bike, I make up a total of 100-300 minutes on them on the marathon. I'm not using this strategy to beat these people at all, I'm using this strategy to stay in the race. I predict my finish time to be well within my goal of 13 hours if I do this.
On another note, I have a teammate that just did Ironman Lake Placid, and we've been talking about what it's going to be like to be an Ironman throughout the year. This was his first. This is him on the JumboTron getting a little emotional after he crossed the finish line.
I want to give him a shout out and say that "Doug - You're an Ironman." Be proud my friend, you put in so much work and I'm glad to call you my teammate. Please take a minute to read his blog and his race report: http://jackandrachelland.pbwiki.com/IMLP%20report
I will try and just enjoy the swim, and not kill myself. Anything under 1 hour 30 minutes will be fine with me. My coach wants me to go 1:05, but I seriously highly doubt that. On the bike, I'm "not going to eat the paste." That's an Ironman saying for the kid in preschool that eats the paste in the corner of the room and then other kids follow him or her. Then they puke a half hour later. Well the same thing happens during an Ironman, some people "eat the paste" and hammer the bike, and set a personal record, with times like 5:45 off the bike, averaging almost 20 mph. Then they realize they have a marathon to run. Then the puking starts. Then the ambulance picks them up. And for the ones that aren't on their way to the hospital, I run by them at mile 10 while they're walking at a 20 minute pace and I'm running at a 10 minute pace. Do the math....for them to beat me by 45 minutes off the bike, I make up a total of 100-300 minutes on them on the marathon. I'm not using this strategy to beat these people at all, I'm using this strategy to stay in the race. I predict my finish time to be well within my goal of 13 hours if I do this.
On another note, I have a teammate that just did Ironman Lake Placid, and we've been talking about what it's going to be like to be an Ironman throughout the year. This was his first. This is him on the JumboTron getting a little emotional after he crossed the finish line.
I want to give him a shout out and say that "Doug - You're an Ironman." Be proud my friend, you put in so much work and I'm glad to call you my teammate. Please take a minute to read his blog and his race report: http://jackandrachelland.pbwiki.com/IMLP%20report
Monday, July 28, 2008
33 Days and Counting......
Almost a month away. Almost 11 months since I decided to change my life forever.
Training isn't that monotnous lately, and I've gotten to the point where I'm satisfied with my cycling. Swimming- I finally took the "plunge" and hired a coach. I have 3 weeks to work in the pool and that should be enough time to make small tweaks. To be honest, whether I go 1:15 or 1:35 in the water, I don't really care too much. The running side is the only part that is a little concerning. I have somewhat neglected that lately, and I only have time for 1 to 2 more long runs before I start to shut it down to rest.
Today I worked out with my friend Rohan, the guy that climbed Mount Everest earlier this year. We started with a 20 mile ride, which is not long in distance relative to what I'm used to, but we had a serious climb up to Castle Craig in Meriden. It was tough, and I won't face anything like that in Louisville, but because of time constraints (sunlight) climbing is the most bang for my buck. After that, we did a 5-6 mile run, and that felt fine, no worries there. Only worried after the 20 mile mark. I will be doing a 12 mile trail run wednesday or thursday, and a 18-20 mile trail run on Saturday or Sunday. That will probably be the last of my running before Ironman.
In other news, and big news at that, Muff is switching his flight to come home from London to get to Louisville in time for the race start. Insane. I am ecstatic about that. I have pictured the finish line for almost a year, at least a few times a day, but the only thing I've pictured more was seeing my friends out there cheering me on. I had a taste when Ty and Melissa came to Providence, and the feeling is overwhelming, for lack of a better word. I can't describe it. Additionally, I talked to my teammate Dave Couture who just completed Ironman Lake Placid on July 20th in under 13 hours (You rock Dave!) and he said that there's nothing like seeing your friends and family cheering you on at Ironman, and then hearing your name at the finish line, in his words, it changes your life forever. I also received another handwritten card in the mail today with some amazing words of support, telling me how honorable a thing this is. It's amazing to hear, and I cannot say how much I appreciate reading it, but at the same time, and with all these words of support, I just know that my true support is my friends. I wish I could have everyone that means so much to me out on the course with me that day, but I know that's not possible. I just want everyone to know that this Ironman effort would have never been born without losing a friend, and without having the best friends anyone could ask for. We will all be Ironmen that day in Louisville, not just me. I would have never gotten this far without them....
33 more days.
Training isn't that monotnous lately, and I've gotten to the point where I'm satisfied with my cycling. Swimming- I finally took the "plunge" and hired a coach. I have 3 weeks to work in the pool and that should be enough time to make small tweaks. To be honest, whether I go 1:15 or 1:35 in the water, I don't really care too much. The running side is the only part that is a little concerning. I have somewhat neglected that lately, and I only have time for 1 to 2 more long runs before I start to shut it down to rest.
Today I worked out with my friend Rohan, the guy that climbed Mount Everest earlier this year. We started with a 20 mile ride, which is not long in distance relative to what I'm used to, but we had a serious climb up to Castle Craig in Meriden. It was tough, and I won't face anything like that in Louisville, but because of time constraints (sunlight) climbing is the most bang for my buck. After that, we did a 5-6 mile run, and that felt fine, no worries there. Only worried after the 20 mile mark. I will be doing a 12 mile trail run wednesday or thursday, and a 18-20 mile trail run on Saturday or Sunday. That will probably be the last of my running before Ironman.
In other news, and big news at that, Muff is switching his flight to come home from London to get to Louisville in time for the race start. Insane. I am ecstatic about that. I have pictured the finish line for almost a year, at least a few times a day, but the only thing I've pictured more was seeing my friends out there cheering me on. I had a taste when Ty and Melissa came to Providence, and the feeling is overwhelming, for lack of a better word. I can't describe it. Additionally, I talked to my teammate Dave Couture who just completed Ironman Lake Placid on July 20th in under 13 hours (You rock Dave!) and he said that there's nothing like seeing your friends and family cheering you on at Ironman, and then hearing your name at the finish line, in his words, it changes your life forever. I also received another handwritten card in the mail today with some amazing words of support, telling me how honorable a thing this is. It's amazing to hear, and I cannot say how much I appreciate reading it, but at the same time, and with all these words of support, I just know that my true support is my friends. I wish I could have everyone that means so much to me out on the course with me that day, but I know that's not possible. I just want everyone to know that this Ironman effort would have never been born without losing a friend, and without having the best friends anyone could ask for. We will all be Ironmen that day in Louisville, not just me. I would have never gotten this far without them....
33 more days.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Choices
After the high of the 70.3, I've decided that it's probably best if I not race before Ironman. The risk of injury is too high, and more importantly, I want to keep the long course triathlon memory fresh in my mind. So I think it's a good decision to not race until August 31st, although this will probably drive me crazy.
Training's going as planned, or I hope. Did a 16.5 mile run on Monday, and that went ok. I wore my heart monitor to make it easier to judge my effort, and am considering wearing that during the race, although it was sort of digging into my chest at times. Interestingly enough, my local pool will be closed for the next two months leaving me without a pool to train in. This is a blessing in disguise because I am going to join the gym in Hartford and hire a swim coach (who is also a member of Team Heat). I definitely think it's one of those situations where I'll be paying for pain, but worth every penny. Furthermore, I will finish my swim training on the weekend of August 10th with a super long open water swim in Maine. After I complete that swim, I'll start my taper and try and rest up. It's crazy to even think that I have about 2 weeks left of building on my fitness and then the work is pretty much over....I will have completed all my real training. That's the point where I look in the mirror and tell myself "you did everything you can for a year, now it's time to rest up." That scares me. On that note, I don't think my running is where it needs to be. I still need some long distance runs and that will be my focus for the final two weeks. In terms of the bike, I'll be doing another 100 mile ride this Friday with Rohan, and this route will be different than last time, supposedly with more hills. I'm looking forward to it. Literally, I'm looking forward to everything. The seconds are going by like hours now. I committed to this race almost a year ago, and it's been the first thing I've thought about when I've woken up, and the last before I fall asleep. It really has been life changing so far, but I feel like I need to cross that finish line before it's complete.
In the words of Chris McCormack: "Ironman is a test of what you've been blessed with, everyone's got two legs, two arms, but Ironman tests what you're really made of - your will. That's immeasurable until you do one of these. I went into my first Ironman as Chris McCormack and I came out a different person; only an Ironman knows the feeling...it's an incredible challenge, an incredible event.....and it changes ya. Being an Ironman is just cool."
Training's going as planned, or I hope. Did a 16.5 mile run on Monday, and that went ok. I wore my heart monitor to make it easier to judge my effort, and am considering wearing that during the race, although it was sort of digging into my chest at times. Interestingly enough, my local pool will be closed for the next two months leaving me without a pool to train in. This is a blessing in disguise because I am going to join the gym in Hartford and hire a swim coach (who is also a member of Team Heat). I definitely think it's one of those situations where I'll be paying for pain, but worth every penny. Furthermore, I will finish my swim training on the weekend of August 10th with a super long open water swim in Maine. After I complete that swim, I'll start my taper and try and rest up. It's crazy to even think that I have about 2 weeks left of building on my fitness and then the work is pretty much over....I will have completed all my real training. That's the point where I look in the mirror and tell myself "you did everything you can for a year, now it's time to rest up." That scares me. On that note, I don't think my running is where it needs to be. I still need some long distance runs and that will be my focus for the final two weeks. In terms of the bike, I'll be doing another 100 mile ride this Friday with Rohan, and this route will be different than last time, supposedly with more hills. I'm looking forward to it. Literally, I'm looking forward to everything. The seconds are going by like hours now. I committed to this race almost a year ago, and it's been the first thing I've thought about when I've woken up, and the last before I fall asleep. It really has been life changing so far, but I feel like I need to cross that finish line before it's complete.
In the words of Chris McCormack: "Ironman is a test of what you've been blessed with, everyone's got two legs, two arms, but Ironman tests what you're really made of - your will. That's immeasurable until you do one of these. I went into my first Ironman as Chris McCormack and I came out a different person; only an Ironman knows the feeling...it's an incredible challenge, an incredible event.....and it changes ya. Being an Ironman is just cool."
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