In Retrospect - 2009

By any account, 2009 was a year like no other year, for that I am grateful!

Although our lives have been affected, like most everyone else by conditions and situations beyond our control, we have managed to remain positive and on plan. Yes, we've had some setbacks and some have been hard to swallow, but for every foot that we were pushed back, we managed to move two forward. This I attribute to the resolve of my wife and two beautiful daughters, without their determination, help and support, my personal accomplishments would have not been possible.

For me, the year began like any other year. Except this time, my goals were a little higher, somewhat more aggressive and yes, a whole lot "Goofier".

On December 31, 2008 I took the plunge and registered for my first ever full Marathon, the Country Music Marathon in Nashville. On February 17, 2009 I registered for the 2010 Goofy's Race and Half Challenge and on May 14, 2009 I registered for Ironman 70.3 Augusta... my longest distance yet. Many wondered if I had lost my mind. To be honest, I sometimes wondered myself.

But all was good. I managed to complete the Marathon and the Ironman 70.3 and in just 10 days we'll see how "Goofy" I really am.

Along the way, I learned some valuable lessons:

1) I learned that those constant aches and pains, you know the ones - those that will not go away, are a reminder that there is a price to pay for that sedentary life style I chose to live for the first 50 years of my life.

2) I learned, or rather reaffirmed, that goals can be set, worked and achieved no matter how crazy or unreachable they may first appear to be.

3) I learned that it is very, very difficult, almost impossible for me to get up and run or swim before the sun comes up, but I have no problem doing this to ride the bike.

4) I learned that there's no way I will ever, ever be the fastest in my age group so I learned to concentrate on my own swim, bike and run.

5) I learned that you must really pay attention to your body, your doctor and your therapist. An IT band issue almost sidelined me early in the year.

6) I learned that it is very important to surround yourself with a great support team.

7) I learned that I'm not as bad in the swim as I thought I was. I learned that with plenty of practice, concentration and determination you can make it from the starting gun to T1 in no time flat.

8) I learned that I don't give it a second thought when I go out for a long swim, ride or run, but when an event is approaching, the knot in my stomach gets tighter and tighter.

9) I learned that real life gets in the way... sometimes. You just have to adapt and continue.

10) I learned that people who usually ask you "why"?, will never understand.

And a bonus lesson... I learned that it is true, you're never to old to learn!

It is with great honor and humility that I now take the time to thank each and everyone of you who have supported and believed in me from the git-go! To my family - WOW... what can I say?! I am blessed to have you in my life, I love ya'll!

2010 - Decisions, Decisions!

Putting together a competition schedule for next year has not been easy. Many factors have to be considered before making the final commitment to any one event. Most of these have to do with the travel factor. Will these events require more than a one night stay? How far a drive is this event from my home? These are not as big a deal as the fact that work schedule (vacations) and my daughter's senior year (college) soccer (Belmont University Lady Bruins) schedule will have to be seriously considered.

I would like to participate in at least one Marathon, a couple of Half Marathons, one or two 70.3 Ironman Triathlons, one or two Olympic Distance Triathlon and a couple of Sprint Tris. Add to this the obligatory 5 milers to support local causes.

The year will begin in form with the Goofy Race and Half Challenge on January 9&10 at WDW, Orlando. For those that are not familiar with this event it's a Half Marathon on Saturday, January 9th and a Marathon on Sunday, January 10th. This Half and Full will not be counted towards my 2010 goals! Or maybe they will!

First off I have two 70.3 Ironman in my sights. I would like to return to Augusta and I am considering the Steelhead. The Augusta 70.3 simply because I would like to see improvement on this year's time and the Steelhead because the timing and location are right.

The one obstacle with Augusta is that on that same weekend, Belmont Soccer has two games and it would be a big deal (to me) to miss either. The Steelhead is on a date (July 31) with no conflicting events. Additionally, this event is held in Benton Harbor, MI and it would be sort of like a homecoming to me. I went to high school in St Joseph, MI which is the other half of the Twin Cities, St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, MI. The event expo is held at Lake Michigan College, school which I briefly attended. As far as the distance, they're both almost equidistant for driving. 408 miles to Augusta, 459 miles to Benton Harbor. Hotel reservations have been made for both, will make a decision soon.

Regarding shorter distance triathlons, I am looking at Chattanooga Waterfront Tri on July 11th and Music City Triathlon on July 25th. Both of these are Olympic distance events. One issue with these is the timing. If I choose to do the Steelhead (July 31) it would make sense to choose the Chattanooga Waterfront as well.

I will go back to the Mach Tenn Sprint Tri and to the Mountain Lakes Tri. I did both this year and enjoyed them. Again, I'm looking for time improvement.

And as far a running events are concerned, I will run the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville and the St Jude Memphis Half for sure. I have registered for the lottery for the NYC Marathon. A decision on which events I will run will be determined by whether or not my number comes up for NY. Should I not win a slot in NY, I am seriously considering San Antonio, Chicago or the MCM.

I Have A New Hero!

I have been blogging my experiences for the past couple of years. Documenting my progress most of the way. Besides the obvious reasons for doing what I do, I have set a goal to attempt to inspire those around me through example, to get fit and to adapt a healthy life style.

I will not attempt to take any credit for what others have done on their own for I know how hard and difficult each step of the way is, therefore the credit belongs solely to each and everyone of them.

Last week, on Thanksgiving Day, my entire immediate family - wife and daughters along with my future son-in-law and grandson, took part in our local Thanksgiving Day run. We have always been a close family but this marked the first time that we participated in an event such as this one, together. I was proud!

Yesterday, my wife Monica took it to the next level. She ran the St Jude Memphis Half Marathon and finished in 2hrs, 51min, 22secs.

What makes this event extra special is the fact that she has been suffering from issues on her feet for the past few months. She developed plantar fascitis and the pain has almost sidelined her more than a couple of times. Add to that the fact that she suffers from hallux valgus (aka bunions) to a point where surgery has been seriously contemplated.

Many would have thrown in the towel at this point and none would have blamed them. After all, who in their right mind would put themselves through this kind of agony?

She seeked the advise of doctors and therapists and followed their recommendations to a tee; she has been very diligent in ensuring that she does what she has been asked and to do it proper and timely. She set her goals and stuck to them adapting as needed.

With the tremendous support of our friends and family she made it to the race and to the finish line. As she tells us, it was not easy but it was one of the greatest things she has ever done.

She has inspired me to continue doing what I've set out to do. To look at my aches and pains as opportunities and not obstacles. She is the epitome of dedication and perseverance.

The trip to Memphis was made extra special because of the friends we went with. Charlene, Skip, Sheila, Marilyn and Michele. Your support throughout the two days was tremendous and special. I thank you for being there, we're blessed to have you in our lives.

"Think Different"

I love this video... hope you enjoy!

One Month Later - What Did I Learn?

Just 30 short days ago, I completed what has been one of the most amazing events in my life. Ironman 70.3 Augusta. Amazing because the whole journey was just beyond anything I had ever, physically and mentally, experienced.

On my last post I described as best as I could how the day went. Those thoughts were better captured when the event was still clear in my mind. During these past four weeks I have had the opportunity to mull over the whole experience.

So, what have I learned?

I learned that the sometime physical pain and often mental anguish was totally worth it.
I learned that I can push myself to do things never thought possible.
I learned that without the help and support of my family, this would have been impossible.

And hopefully I have learned from mistakes or rather, the experience.

Here are some things I need to fix:

SWIM: Of all three disciplines, the swim is the one I have concluded I was most pleased with. Funny I should say this, but its true. I do need to work on a little speed and direction; need to keep it straight.

BIKE: I killed my overall time and damaged my run in the bike. My goal was to finish the bike in 3 hrs and 30 minutes. I finished in 3:32:37. So how was this wrong? Let me explain.

I set my sights on individual event times. So much for swim, so much for bike, so much for run. After seeing that I had crushed (crushed by my standards) my swim time, I thought if I kept my bike time in check, I would surpass my finishing goal time. This was the big mistake.

I started off on the bike at a pace that exceed 18mph for the first 4-5 miles and tried to keep it up for as long as possible. Towards the last quarter of the course, as expected the pace had dropped to somewhat over 16 mph but I was still on target. The course was hilly and the wind was strong. I had to work hard to keep up this pace, but I found within me strength to do just that. I finished the bike with a pace just a smidgen over 16 mph which gave me a time well within the margin of error from my goal time. Like I said, this was the big mistake.

I killed my legs; there was very little left for the run.

RUN: Mile one of 13.1 was the only mile without pain. I understand now, why. This I can fix.

So, what will I do different next time?

I will concentrate and work towards an "overall" finishing time, not individual event times, understanding that sacrificing a little bit here, a little bit there, I will come out ahead in the long run.

I will also ride pre-race day, if possible, the bike course. At least I will drive it. There cannot be any surprises.

One question that has been asked often is if I will attempt an Ironman? The answer today is a definite... Maybe!

I have to solve three issues before seriously considering such a task. First, I have to learn to swim straight. Second, I have to answer the cramping questions and third, I have to upgrade my bike. When all these are resolved, I will possibly, most likely, almost definitely go for 140.6!

Ironman 70.3 Augusta - My Journey To The Finish Line

Sit down, relax, grab a cup of coffee and take a short ride along with me. Let me share my experience as I became an Ironman 70.3 finisher.

I had in my mind that the weather was not going to hamper my spirits for the Ironman 70.3 Augusta. I trained long and hard and something I could not control was just not going to get in the way. I did not look at the weather predictions for Augusta until early in the week and the e-weather man had called for more of the same. 70% chances of rain is what he said.

As we were leaving home on Friday afternoon the rain started to come down. Off and on for most of the drive it kept coming. The passage through Atlanta was under a torrential downpour. Again, I was thinking… nothing will get in the way. I must admit however, that my only concern was for the swim. What condition was the river in? Had the water swelled so that it would render the river un-swimmable? And what about the quality of the water? The race director had posted on the website that all had been cleared, but I had to wonder if this was just what he had to say to ensure he wouldn’t have massive numbers of “no-shows” and they would make a race time decision on the swim portion of the tri.

On Saturday morning accompanied by my wife, I went to the pre-race meeting. The race director assured us that the river was in perfect condition. Water temperature was 72 degrees and it would be wetsuit legal! (Sigh of relief from yours truly) and big round of applause from all present. After going through all the rules and regulations we were dismissed and on to the packet pick up area where the culmination of the long journey was coming together. I was given an orange “Ironman 70.3” I.D. bracelet and the race bib with number 2039. My age group was the 55-59 and fittingly enough the swim cap color was silver. My swim wave would start at 8:39 on Sunday morning.

After spending some time at the race expo and just a few dollars to support the vendors present, we left in search of the key race areas; transition, swim start, finish line. Unfamiliar with the city and not very descriptive maps in our hands it took us just long enough to get to transition in time to have the bike checked in. Just a few minutes before 2 pm but they were allowing bikes in already so I racked mine and covered it with plastic to protect it from water for rain was still coming down and it was to rain all night.

We drove to the swim start just to check it out. There were a couple of swimmers practicing but there was no swim support. I remember wondering how smart this was. One swimmer must have been some 400 yards from the dock. His wife had a terrified look on her face for on his way back we all could tell he was struggling. He was swimming at this point, up-river.

It was time to go back to the hotel room for a small nap prior to dinner time. We just knew that we needed to get to a restaurant early if we wanted to eat early enough. We were right. We left the hotel room around 5:45 and as it happened, it was already too late. Every restaurant we stopped at had close to a two hour wait. Then it came to us, we should take our dinner back to the hotel.

As I have always done, I did tonight. After double checking all my gear and ensuring all was ready for the morning, I was in bed and ready to go to sleep by 9 pm. Lights out. Good night.

Then 1 a.m. came. And as always before it happened again. I couldn’t go back to sleep. Remember looking at the clock several times during the remaining of the night. At 4:45 I got out of bed and made a cup of coffee.

Left the room at 5:45. Arrived at transition at 6:10. The transition area was already full of activity but a quiet activity. You could sense that everyone was entering their “zone”. Everyone was concentrating on the task at hand. I put on my head phones and turned on my music. Got focused quickly and set up my transition towel. Nothing more I could do now, so I grabbed my wet suit, cap, goggles and banana and headed to grab the shuttle to swim start. Upon arrival I noticed that somewhere along the line, somehow I had been separated from my banana! Good thing my wife was there with a replacement.

The skies were cloudy. Thick dark, heavy clouds overhead. If it rained, I was ready. The temperature was in the low 70’s. If today was to be like yesterday, it would be perfect.

Arrived at swim start about 6:45. First wave, the pros, would be off at 7:30. Picked up my timing chip and went looking for my staging area. There I waited until it was time to get started. The national anthem was played and announcements were made. The race director told us that some 2800 racers would be racing today. This race would be dedicated to two triathletes that were killed during a training ride just a couple of weeks ago.

The largest age groups were Men 35-39 with 370, Men 40-44 with 324, Men 30-34 with 268 and Men 45-49 with 202. Each one of these groups were divided into three separate waves. The swim start waves were set up so that the Men 30-39 would go immediately after the pros and the Men 40-49 would go at the end. Can’t imagine the mess in transition if these two groups were not separated as such. My wave, which consisted 55 and older was 74 strong was the one immediately in front of the first wave of the 40-49 age group.

We jumped in the water and hung on to the dock waiting for our wave to start. There were four minutes between waves. All the nerves that were bottled up magically faded away the minute I hit the water. It was time to get it done. The water felt cold but even that was not an issue. Then the horn blew and we were off.

I remember taking it slow and smooth. Getting my strokes in rhythm and my breathing in place. Everything was going as planned. Only issue I still have to address is my inability to swim straight. Fell off course several times and I felt like I was going every which way but straight. I just know that this alone added and extra minute or two to my time because of the adjustments I had to make. But even with all this, I felt good. Really, really good. The instructions we were given at the beginning of the swim was to look for the sausage buoys that would be the end of the swim.

To tell you that I was surprised and obviously happy to see those buoys would be an understatement. Surprised because I had no clue I was already there and happy because, well I had no clue I would already be there. My internal jubilation increased when I saw my watch and it showed 34 minutes and change. Okay, for some of you reading this, this may not be a magnificent time, but for those of you following my progress are well aware of my struggles in the water. My goal was to do the 1.2 miles in the water in 40 minutes, I would have been happy with 45. So imagine how I felt with 34. My official time came in at 34:34.

At T1 there was help to get the wet suits off. We unzipped and pulled the arms off the suit and a volunteer grabbed and pulled the suit off. This was a huge help. My T1 time was 6:34.

The 56 mile bike ride went pretty much without incident. Actually, it went off without any incident. Had plenty of fluid and nutrition and I felt I took what I needed when I needed it. The entire course was crowded to say the least. As far as the toughness of the course, for me I would have to rate it a 7 out of 10. Those that claim that the course was not hilly are either showing off or got lost and took the wrong turn somewhere. Man, those hills. At one point when the group I was with (momentarily of course) took a sharp right turn you could hear a collective “Oh S** T, look at that hill”! There was plenty of police support, plenty of volunteer help and very well marked. Water stations were separated fine but some folks thought the distance between the first and second could have been closer. Didn’t notice this.

Somewhere around the first hour of my bike the clouds that were covering the skies disappeared, the sun came out and the wind started howling. Really howling. Oh yeah, the temperatures soared. I estimated the temperature at this point to be in the 80’s and it kept rising as the day moved on.

Okay, remember I mentioned that the 40-49 year old men were sent off right after us? Not a good idea… not a good idea at all! How do you think us older guys felt all during the bike being passed by what seemed to be each and everyone of those 40-49 age groupers?

The last eight miles of the course were somewhat flat. Somewhat. And hot, very hot. I tried to take it easy to get my heart and legs ready for the run. I wanted my bike time to be 3:30. At least that was my plan. I had trained for that. I looked for that. My official bike time was 3:32:27. How close was that?

Entering T2 my left toes were hurting. When I took of my shoes they felt like they were bleeding. A quick look at my sock confirmed otherwise. Loosened up the sock and put on my running shoes. The pain quickly disappeared. T2 went without a hitch, except that when I tried to switch my Garmin from bike to run, it turned off and couldn’t get it started again. So I put my sports watch back on. At least I could tell my pace at the mile markers. Couldn’t worry about this now. T2 time was 5:43.

Coming out into the run I felt great. Couldn’t believe how good I felt. I remember thinking how glad I was I had done all those bricks during training. But this was short lived.

About a quarter of a mile before mile marker “1” it all went down hill. Every muscle group in both my legs cramped, all together, all at once. Quads, hamstrings and calves. Stopped to stretch but that seemed to make it worse for the cramps became more intense. But, I knew that stretching would help solve the problem so for about 10 minutes I stretched and stretched until I felt comfortable enough to continue. A few runners asked if I was okay, I gave them the thumb up. Tried to run but could only jog. Two blocks later, the cramps came back but not as intense. I knew at this point that it was going to be a long 13.1 miles. And they were. Could only manage to get two blocks of running at a time. Then stop, stretch, jog, continue. A long, very long, hot 13.1 miles. A bank’s thermometer on the route read 92 degrees.

This was truly a mind over matter test. I am here to tell you that there was no way, no how that I was not going to make it to the end. As a matter of fact, my only thoughts were of what I could do to ensure a finish.

The run course itself was flat. Very flat. Not sure what I think about a double loop. As runners kept passing by (and plenty did) some where asking if this was my first or second loop. It was nice to finally answer “second”. To my best estimate there was plenty of water and Gatorade stops, about every 1.5 mile. And I took advantage of each and every one of those.

And then there it was, just around the corner, one hundred yards and I would be a “finisher”. As I made that final turn into the straight ahead headed for the finish line, all pain and anguish was gone. At the other side of the finish line, a very nice young lady placed the finisher medal around my neck and all I could say to her was: “earned, not given.” She laughed!

There were 3500 athletes registered, about 2800 started and 2525 finished. I am proud to say that I was one of them. My goal time was 7 hours. My actual time was 7:19:45. And the thing that keeps coming back into my mind is the fact that all this was accomplished just 8 days before my 55th birthday, accomplishing my goal of finishing a Half Ironman before that day.

One Short Week

It has been on my mind all day long today. The thought that just one week from today I will be at the Ironman 70.3 Augusta, competing in my first Half Ironman!

Woke up this morning and the very first thing I did was look at the clock. Then next thing I did was to think that one week from now I would be somewhere half way through the swim. And the rest of the day was more of the same... "next week at this time I will be...".

Well, next week at this time, God willing and the creeks don't rise, I will be resting at the hotel room savoring the experience. I would have completed my first Half Ironman and true to my goal, prior to my 55th birthday.

One big question has been in my head all day long: "Have I done enough?" Well, nothing more I could do right now so I will try to put that out of my mind. This week I will taper, will stay loose, will carb load, will enjoy the journey and will prepare mentally.