What I Learned During My 101 Day Running Streak

Last week Wednesday, January 27th I woke up at 3:30 am, some thirty minutes earlier than usual, made me a strong cup of coffee, checked the weather ~ mostly because I have learned not to trust the forecast in our area ~ strapped on my heart rate monitor, put on my Garmin, laced up my shoes and along with my wife, drove to meet our 4:30 crew for a run. This would be my 100th consecutive day running. Today on the agenda was a 4 mile tempo run. And as it turns out, there would be one more day after this one, simply because you never stop at the finish line. Total streak: 101 Days.

It all started very innocently back on October 20, 2014. And the next time I took a day off was on Thursday, January 29, 2015. I say innocently because I really had no intention of doing this, and I'm not sure why it happened. I just know it did. Okay, maybe that's not the whole truth.

I'm always motivated by a good challenge, and after lunch with two friends, I felt compelled to try something different, so the idea of a running streak, of unknown time and distance, was born.

101 DAYS OF RUNNING BY THE NUMBERS

Total Consecutive Days: 101
Total Miles Ran: 551.8
Average Run: 5.5 miles
Earliest Run: 3:30 am
Latest Run: 6:30 pm
Shortest Run: 1 mile
Longest Run: 26.2 miles
Shortest Weekly Volume: 27.1 miles
Longest Weekly Volume: 57.3

Number of Marathons During Streak: 2 (The Flying Monkey and WDW Marathon)
Number of Half Marathons During Streak: 2 (Memphis St. Jude's Half and WDW Half Marathon)

I ran on flat, I ran the hills, I ran in the park, the big park, the greenway, the roads and sidewalks. I chased "The Monkey" and ran with "Mickey". I was a little "Goofy", somewhat "Dopey". At times I was cold, and once it was hot. I even got lost. I ran the treadmill a time or two.

I ran for Jerry's Kids, I ran with my wife, I ran with my daughters. I ran with my friends. I wish I had ran with my brother. I ran solo at times. I shared my story a time or two.

RULES FOR THE RUNNING STREAK

Rule #1). Run at least one mile per calendar day, at any pace, anywhere.
Rule #2). There were no other rules.

I have always been a fan of rest. Rest days are very important to me. The high volume of Ironman training has taught me to respect my rest days. So what did I expect to get out of this?

I went in with no real expectations and not a real number of days in mind. I did not start out saying "I will run 100 days straight". I started out saying "Lets start this and see what happens".

Two weeks prior to the start, I had done the Chicago Marathon, and two weeks before that, Ironman Chattanooga. I was tired and spent. I needed a break.

I did not tell anyone I was trying to streak. I went on my merry business. I didn't start posting my daily updates on facebook until much later into the streak. However, some time in the first couple of weeks my wife and daughters asked me what I was up to. I had no answer. I did not really know.

It was hard at first, those initial two weeks were tough; my body was used to resting every-so-often and now it wasn't. On those days that I should have been resting, I did my run(s) at a very easy pace. And as I did this, I began to realize something...

The easier I ran, the longer I could run. The more often I was able to run without feeling drained and the more enjoyable running become. It was fun.

Curiosity spiked. Could I be doing some damage to my running? Was what I was doing helping my running? So I started researching. This is when I came across the book 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald. This book explained perfectly why and how I was able to do this. I encourage each and everyone of you interested in running better and longer to read this book.

As my volume increased, my pace improved. I was able to run distances at speeds never seen before. All of the sudden I found myself running an 8:30 min/mile for distances I never had before.

As the days added up, I felt more at ease with the runs. I looked forward to them. Not sure if because I could add one more to the tally or because my body was getting used to the daily run. I would soon find out. The most miserable day of the streak was the day after the streak ended.

My first goal was to make it to 30 days. When that came and went, the next goal was 50 days. I remember that being a special day. I wasn't questioning, at this point how long I could keep going, just kept going. The days kept adding up and all of the sudden 100 days was within reach.

I learned discipline. Not that I didn't have any before, but this elevated my discipline level to a new level.

I learned to remove limitations. Most often these are self-imposed limitations. The idea of running 101 days straight, or a 57.3 mile week with a half marathon and a full marathon in it, was unheard of. I could never do that. I was too old, too fat, too tired, too everything.

I learned that it was easy to re-light the fire. I fell in love with running again.

I learned that the best runs come to you unexpected.

I learned that running every day can make you a better person. The daily sessions of short(er) runs can do wonders for your nerves

I learned that daily running can be very addictive.

I learned short(er) runs are a great way to start off your day.

I learned that there's always room for improvement and if you focus you can improve quickly.

I learned that there really is time enough in any day to go for a run.

I learned that it's really all about the journey, not so much about the destination.

I truly learned to appreciate my abilities.

I learned that you're never too old to push yourself outside your comfort zone.

I learned that I'm stronger than I thought I was.

I learned that bad days are followed by good ones.

I learned that it really is all mental.

I learned that I'm still able to dream bigger and bigger.

I learned that bad weather is not an excuse.

I learned that the beginning is always the toughest part. Sticking to it Changes Everything.

I didn't know how I would feel the day the streak ended. I was dreading it. All I knew is that I would not stop running. I ran the day after my goal of 100 because stopping at that point would be like stopping at the finish line, and we don't do that. We never stop at the finish line.

I will not streak again anytime in the immediate future, but I cannot tell you that I will never streak again. When the time comes again, when it feels right, when the body and mind tell me that it's time, we will do it again.

I do know one thing though. Next time I do this, I will take someone with me on each and every run. I will ask a couple of friends (or more) to join me on day one. I will ask the same friends to join me on my last run. Wish I had thought of this before. You in?

Monkey Business

From the moment you begin to consider a registration for the selection lottery for the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon, a process so tightly lipped that even the organizers can't tell you how it actually works, you begin to hear that this is probably the worst decision you will ever make in your running career.

And yet many return, year after year. Word on the street is that these folks have been hypnotized and their souls taken over by overprotective Flying Monkeys. Although this claim cannot be corroborated because as the story goes, no one has actually seen a real live Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey. It is said that the runners keep returning to look for vengeance. Or so they think.

But do these Monkeys really exist or is this simply a myth? Ask any one of the 300+ runners that venture into these sacred grounds each year and they'll tell you that they believe, otherwise why would they return once and again?

My first encounter with "the Monkey", as we lovingly refer to it around this neck of the woods, was last year. It happened two short weeks after running the New York City Marathon. I was in great running shape, but my legs were tired. From what I remember, It was a very cold and miserable November morning. The temperature at the start was a mere 17f and it appeared to be dropping. My time, not that it mattered, was just shy of forever.

During the weeks leading up to race day, we would receive very motivating emails from race director Trent (I will not use his real name to protect his identity), a person which by the way, we have learned to hate. These emails would leave the door open for anyone that wanted to pull out to do so. Not sure anyone did. Cannot imagine anyone, for any reason other than injury, taking the easy way out. These emails would also remind us in no uncertain terms that "Running Is Stupid". Well, not in any uncertain terms, he would actually come out and tell us this.

Oh yeah, we were indoctrinated with the idea that you in fact, cannot train for the Monkey. We would soon find out the truth in this statement.

The course boasts an elevation change of some 7,200 ft. Give or take a hundred or two. From experience, I would tell you that you could probably give instead of taking a hundred or two. Also from experience, I can positively tell you that there are no "flats" on this course, to speak of. Okay, maybe just one. Started at mile 16.001 and it went through to mile 16.010. At one point in the race I remember, but its somewhat blurry, hearing voices from what it appeared to be coming from up above. I looked there and some 3 to 4 stories high there were runners. I also remember thinking that somehow I had to get there. From here.

All week leading to the race this year, the weather forecast was not favorable. Not favorable I say if you think that rain and thunderstorms would put a damper on the run. But as luck would have it, it rained sporadically and when it did, it was not a big deal. We did get wet, but this just added to the story line of the day.

Photo Credit: Keith Steiner

I have to confess that if you look around at the race participants, you compare their experience and abilities to mine, you would scratch your head and wonder what in the world I'm doing there. After two completed Monkeys I still ask myself that question.

Perhaps is the fact that this race is run for the sake of running. No Age Groups, no records that mean anything, no qualifying for anything, nothing. You run because you love to run. You run because it's really and truly a personal challenge. You run because you get a cool tech tee shirt with a "monkey" on the sleeve for each "monkey" you have finished, you get a pretty cool medal and a finishers beverage cup. Oh yeah, you also get bragging rights; you entered, you ran, you survived and you finished the "Monkey". You lived to write about it.

Photo Credit: Elly Foster

My day went just as expected. It hurt. It hurt bad. Not most of the time... all of the time. There were no walls to hit, because the entire race was a huge wall. But as luck would have it, every time I saw a photographer, I managed to squeeze a smile. Miles 0-16 went without much consequence. Around mile 17 I kept thinking of my friends at the aid / water stop on mile 23. This kept me going. Knowing that they would be there waiting for me, (because everyone else from our group had already gone by) was a huge motivator. My wife Monica and daughter Juliana would be there as well. I couldn't let them see me hurting. So, I kept going.

Monica and my friend Skip were waiting for me about .5 mile before the station. Their presence was a God sent. It was awesome to see them there. Plus, it meant I was that close to mm 23, just 3.2 short miles to go. And just as expected the music, the yelling, screaming, hooting and hollering from the Hendersonville Running Club water stop was phenomenal. Juliana's high-five sent me over the top. I drank a flat cola. That's all I wanted.

Photo Credit: Keith Steiner

And I was on my way. To the finish line. 3.2 miles to go. That's all. 3.2 miles to go. Dang, they were long. They were tough and they hurt. But when it was all said and done, I entered the finishing area and all my friends were waiting. I wanted to walk because honestly I couldn't run any longer, but I didn't. I couldn't let them see me hurting.

I returned to normal walking about three days and three toe nails later. The pain and anguish of those hills are now a faded memory. So what about next year? Well, provided that I make it through the top secret selection committee, I will be back. For a third go at it. Hills? What Hills? Pain? What Pain? Train? You can't. Why? Because Running IS Stupid.

"Tri Talk" ... A New Kind Of Forum Experience

There's an endless number of forums available where triathletes can go to discuss topics of interest to the sport. Many of this forums take a mind of their own and the personality of those that use them most, regardless of the good intentions of the forum creator and its moderators.

A group was created on facebook with the intention of allowing triathletes of any and all levels, experience and ability to feel free to post questions, comments, concerns. They can look for and ask for advice on any topic related to the sport. It is not limited nor specific to a specific brand or race distance; from Sprint to Iron Distance and everything in between.

We have been very vigilant to ensure that spammers do not find their way to our group and that the forum is not used for direct soliciting and promoting of specific products and/or services. This guarantees our members a more enjoyable experience.

The group has grown (as of this writing) to 1270 members and the group was created just two months ago.  So what's the reason for its success?  One member said it best:

   "One thing I will say about this board in general espcially after spending time in beginnertriathlete and slowtwitch is the lever of decency between people despite many different opinions is unlike anything I've ever seen on an Internet board. It's great to be able to speak your mind..."

A wide array of topics spark interesting conversations on a daily basis, from saddle selection to personality types. So, we invite you to come join the talk, the Tri Talk. To do so, click here now!

4 O'Clock Club

I have not always been a morning person. Getting up early, 7 am or earlier, was quiet the chore for me. I held jobs for years with fluctuating schedules. Sometimes I would go in at 10:00 or later. This allowed me to get really comfortable with my pillow.

But now people that know me best today, know that I love to get up early, 4:00 AM early, and go workout.

Working out before work has numerous advantages, as I have found out first hand.

* It is often the most peaceful time of the day and a great way to get some alone time.

* It preps you for the day, waking up your brain, clears the mind & helps organize your thoughts.

* Get your exercise out of they way. You don't have to worry about it the rest of the day. It gets done. Things happen throughout the day which may derail your well intended plans to exercise later.

* It boosts your metabolism & gets your digestion moving the for the rest of the day,

* Much easier to go out and exercise on an empty stomach, which in itself has tremendous benefits, the biggest of which is you have the potential to burn more fat. Your muscles don't have much sugar to draw from so you are more likely to tap into your stored energy, which means releasing and burning surplus excess fat. **This should only be attempted after you have consulted with experts and discussing your personal goals**

* It interferes less with family time!

* A lot easier to build and maintain exercise consistency.

* If you accomplish absolutely nothing else during the day, you still feel accomplished

* You feel less stressed and are ready to tackle whatever the day throws at you.

* Bragging rights.

It is true that it requires a high level of discipline to do this and create a habit. Your mind will fight it every step of the way the first few times you attempt to get out of bed at 4 o'clock in the morning, but as days pass and you continue to fight the impulse to turn over and sleep longer, this gets easier. With consistency, you will regulate your body's circadian (biological clock) rhythms (yeah, I had to look this up). Your body will learn to do just about the same thing every day and it begins preparing itself for waking and exercising a few hours before you actually open your eyes.

So go ahead, give it a go! Come join me for a gym workout, or a run!
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I invite you to come on over and "like" my page "Mauricio's Journey Beyond Ironman". Click here to go there.

Also invited you are to join the Tri Talk. Click here to do so.

Triathletes Are...

"How do you know someone is a triathlete?"
"Just wait a minute or two, they'll tell you!"

"You know you're a triathlete when you become an expert at bringing up the subject at any conversation."

It is true. We love to talk about our sport. I guess it's no different than any other endeavor. When you're proud about your passion you want to talk about it. Often. But do we do it to brag, impress, inform or delight?

And why is the world all of the sudden fascinated with this endurance sport? Why the larger than life numbers of people taking up a sport that hurts? Hurts bad. Triathlon, if you're not careful, will take over your life. Your weekends will be spend mostly in Lycra and your days will tend to start and finish much earlier than you ever imagined, you will rise before any one to get that early run or ride and you will be collapsing into bed from exhaustion, and any day that this does not happen, you think was not a good day.

Could also be the new "fitness is cool culture" and a more positive attitude towards exercise. You can join a Tri Club where the "anything is possible" climate is promoted and individual accomplishments are celebrated. You train and race at your pace against folks your own age and the only pressure placed upon you is that which you place upon yourself.  This is not so in other organized sports where they are more set in their ways.

There's a physical, emotional and psychological transformation that all triathletes go through. Everyone takes up the swim, bike, run, eat, sleep, repeat challenge for a different reason; everyone's goals are unique and this is a sport that allows you to chase your dreams at your own pace, because really and truly, age is of no consequence.

But what kind of person is a triathlete? And because we love to talk about this sort of thing, I asked this question on the TriTalk facebook page: "Using three (3) words, describe a triathlete" and I was not disappointed in responses received.

The top words used by triathletes to describe themselves are: Determined, Dedicated, Obsessed, Crazy, Strong, Hungry, Motivated, Broke, Driven, Tired, Focused and Insane.

Determined: Having made a decision and being resolved not to change it.
Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose; having single-minded loyalty and integrity.
Obsessed: Preoccupy or fill the mind continually, intrusively, and to a troubling extent.
Crazy: Extremely enthusiastic.
Strong: Able to withstand great force or pressure.
Hungry: Having the desire, craving or need for something.
Motivated: Highly stimulated with a reason for doing something.
Broke: What happens when you register for your races and purchase all the gear necessary.
Driven: Very determined to succeed.
Tired: How we always feel, but we ignore and repeat what made us tired in the first place.
Focused: A clear and defined reason or objective.
Insane: A state of mind that prevents normal perception.

Being that most triathletes enjoy a Type A personality, one adjective that I thought for sure would come up, and come up often, but it did not, not even once, was: "Competitive". This was a surprise to me.

Competitive: Having a strong desire to win or be the best at something.

I have met a multitude of triathletes over the past few years. I don't know that the above list does not fit in one way or another to each one of them. Maybe not all of them, but most would. Additionally, I'd like to add a few descriptions of my own.

Most every triathlete I have met has a positive mental attitude and outlook on life and their surroundings.
Most every triathlete I have met has a unique sense of humor.
Most every triathlete hates the idea of ordinary more than he or she hates the idea of discomfort and sacrifice.
Most every triathlete exercises some degree of vanity.
Most every triathlete never settles for "enough".
Most every triathlete not only thinks "outside the box" but lives "outside the box"

And regarding that "sense of humor" characteristic I mentioned above, two responses that merit mention are:

"Self-Loathing Sadist" and "Not 'Yet' Divorced"

Now an interesting project would be to find out what our family, friends and coworkers think of us; what words would they use to describe us. Do you think that their perception of us would be the same as the perception we have of ourselves?

Thank you everyone who participated in my extremely informal survey.

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I invite you to come over and "like" my facebook page "Mauricio's Journey Beyond Ironman". Click here to go there.

Also invited you are to join the Tri Talk. Click here to do so.

Chicago Marathon: "Every Mile IS Magnificent"

If you are not a speedster, which I'm not, you enter each and every race with very similar goals in mind; to finish in a respectable manner. "Respectable" as defined by the beholder. To enjoy each and every mile. To race harder and stronger than you did the day before. To learn something in the process.

The Chicago Marathon for me was no exception. I have no illusions of a Boston slot, I have no illusions of ground breaking phenomenal personal records. I do however, train for each and every race with the utmost respect for said race and go in with the expectation that I have to give everything I have that day; to take nothing with me after the race because I left everything on the course. Again, the Chicago Marathon for me was no exception. I say what I say regarding a BQ because I'm a realist. I know that cutting an hour off my time at this point in my life is not within the realm of possibilities. Perhaps one day. Perhaps.

Registration for the Chicago Marathon 2014 opened 7 months after I had registered for Ironman Chattanooga 2014. I cannot remember when I put my name in the hat for the lottery, maybe I was secretly hoping that my name wouldn't come up, maybe I was secretly hoping that it would. Couldn't tell you the thought process here, it's all a blur. The fact of the matter is that after it was all said and done, I had registered for an Ironman and a Marathon just two weeks from each other. Great!

For me the Chicago Marathon was an item to be checked off my "bucket list". But having said that, this is also a race that if the opportunity presents itself, I will run again.

The family and I arrived at McCormick Place for the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo a few minutes past 10:00 am on Friday morning. Even though the doors had opened just a short one hour earlier, there was already a crowd. 

I proceeded to my station to pick up my bib, No. J 48693. The "J" stands for the corral I was assigned to, the one next to the last one. I felt more comfortable here than I did in at the New York City Marathon last year where I ended up in the very first corral. I thought this was more my speed. But I will get to how I think this affected my time a little bit later on.

The process moved swiftly and without consequence. I picked up all my "stuff" and as personal protocol dictates, I proceeded to the Nike Official Marathon Merchandise area. In a matter of personal opinion, I thought and still think that the race shirt was designed at the last minute by someone who received a call from the printer saying that they needed the print-ready artwork in 10 minutes.

Again, another personal opinion, I thought that the Nike Official Marathon Merchandise left a lot to be desired. There was nothing, absolutely nothing that jumped out to me and said "buy me". But I did. After a long search, settled for two items. Not that this is a bad thing in any way, for I had left a small fortune at the Ironman and another big expenditure would have been out of the question.

Two hours later we found ourselves at our hotel. The Hilton Chicago. This is the race host hotel; the Kenyans were staying here. All of them, they were all here. Goodness gracious, they look fast, even when they're standing still. Someone told me I would run fast by osmosis, I was hoping that to be the case. It wasn't.

The rest of the day Friday we spent doing a little walking around Michigan Ave and Lakeshore Drive. Both my wife Monica and Marcela, our youngest daughter love big cities. Me, not so much. But somehow, this time I didn't mind it. It was relaxing and fun. Walked to Navy Pier then to dinner at Volare Italian Restaurant for some serious carb loading, and then back to the hotel. I was tucked in by 9:30 pm. 

On Saturday the girls left early. They wanted to take in the sights. I stayed behind, didn't want to put all those extra miles on my legs. I opted for a short walk around Buckingham Fountain and Milennium Park. The day was perfect, the sun was out and the temperatures just right. I brought my camera along for some distraction. Made it back to the hotel early afternoon to relax and watch some college football. The girls came back mid afternoon and we headed to Sweetwater Tavern and Grille for dinner, and more football.

RACE DAY

One of the biggest perks, if not the biggest perk, of staying at the Hilton was the fact that we could see my corral from our hotel window. From the hotel front door to the corral gate took no more than 10-15 minutes, and it took that long because of the crowd. This was perfect for I didn't have to deal with the cooler temperatures for any length of time. Another not so obvious perk was the fact that I didn't have to check my gear bag in; one less crowd to fight.

The start of the race was long and slow. I guess with such a crowd, it would have to be. It was well staged and extremely well organized, however. When it came time for our wave to start, it still took about 25-30 minutes to get my corral off and running. But nonetheless, we were off and running. Tee time was approximately 8:30 am.

Today's race plan included the use of no data. Yes, the Garmin screens were turned off. All but the one that would manage my intervals. 4:1. I planned to run like this all day. Four minute run, one minute walk. And this I did. There was no keeping up with pace or time. The distance accumulated came courtesy of the mile markers along the course. My friend Skip suggested I do this when I told him I wanted to just go out and have "fun". After all, I had just raced and Ironman. My legs didn't have a stick of speed fiber left in them.

Or did they?  I will never know.

It is said that you run according to your surroundings. Or better stated, you run according to how those around you are running. This is why it is recommended that in order to get faster you train, and run, with faster folks.

At the NYC Marathon last year, when I ended up with the "fast" crowd, I had the fastest marathon time I have ever had, a sub 5 hour marathon. Here, today not so much. I was running with the slower folks and my finish time reflected this. 5:39:10. Had I placed myself further up, would this have made a difference? Not sure, doesn't matter.

The course was scenic and crowded. I was hoping that the crowd would thin out after the 13-14 mile mark. It did not. The course was also flat. Very flat. there were three very small bridges that I remember elevated minimally. Race support at Aid Stations was fantastic. There were 20 of them throughout the course, very well spaced. Each station was approximately two blocks long. First block always had Gatorade Endurance Lemon Flavored and the second block always had water. Bananas were offered at the stations somewhere between miles 20 and 24.

My personal nutrition plan consisted of Infinit and Huma gels. I carried a hand held water bottle mixed with the Infinit and I would sip some every 1 minute walk. Had to refill the bottle once. This worked out great. I also took a Huma gel at mile 9 and a second gel at mile 18. This too worked well. From the aid stations I alternated a small drink of Gatorade at one station and a drink of water at the next. I took one third of a banana around mile 20.

The crowds of cheering supporters were everywhere as well. People lined the streets for most of the race. This was a great motivator. Even a bigger motivator for me was finding my wife and daughter at miles 13 and 18. Or rather, having them find me. Not sure how they spotted me, but they did. They called out my name, I heard them and there they were; big ol' smiles that lit up the course!

The one big let down was the finish line. It was anticlimactic. Where were the crowds? There was no crowd. The bleachers were set up on both sides, but there were 5 or 6 people there. Was I that far towards the end that everyone had already left? Don't think so. I remember at the last aid station, the station captain was telling his volunteers, over the megaphone, that there were still some 10,000 runners to come, to make sure to keep their spirits up.

Perhaps it has to do with security. Security throughout the course was heavy. Obvious and heavy. Swat teams. FBI teams, Local and State Police, etc. they were out and they were out in force. This was good to see.

From the moment I crossed the finish line until the moment when I found my family, about 45 minutes had passed. I was tired, I was hungry. I just wanted to eat. I had taken a Gatorade Protein Shake at the finish line, which btw, was pretty tasty, but obviously that was not enough. I had taken a moment to stretch my legs, but there's no amount of stretching you can do to prevent your Plantar Fascia from hurting when it gets cold. It was beginning to ache. No, it was beginning to hurt and hurt bad.

LESSON LEARNED

One of my goals with each race I run, is to come out with new lessons learned. Again, Chicago Marathon was no exception:

1). The choice of hotel matters. It matters a lot. We have stayed at hotels near and far from race sites, but never one this close. It brought peace of mind to someone (me) who worries about race day logistics. However, this choice of hotel is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. I cannot justify the expense just to be "close" the the race start/finish. Next time, I will get over race day logistics.

2). Registering for and racing an Ironman and a Marathon two weeks from each other is a BIG DEAL. A huge deal. Label me crazy if you must, but it CAN be done. Are you up to it too?

3). Running for fun, is a lot of fun. But the "fun" must be as defined by you.

4). Judge the Effort Not The Time. Not all your races, because of circumstances, are created equal. We have accustomed ourselves to judge performance by time. Someone in the elevator at the hotel asked me if I was happy with my "time". I replied that I didn't know what my time was for I had run without my Garmin. He had a very bewildered look upon him. I explained that I had just raced an Ironman two weeks before then his look changed from one of bewilderment to one of awe. I didn't tell him that to impress him, I just told him the truth. Yesterday one of my clients asked me about my time. I replied that my effort was 100%. I went on to explain. This made perfect sense.

5). Positive Attitude Cures Everything. I already knew this, but its nice to keep finding reinforcement. The pain, the agony, the tired and heavy legs, all cured or at least sustained with a positive attitude. The "wall"? What wall?

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I invite you to come over and "like" my facebook page "Mauricio's Journey Beyond Ironman". Click here to go there!

Also invited you are, to join the Tri Talk. Click here to do so.

IRONMAN Chattanooga: A Race Recap

For someone who never has a difficult time finding the words to express his thoughts, someone is having a difficult time, this time, to do just that.

I'm not sure if the enormity of the journey culminating at the finish line of the Inaugural Ironman Chattanooga, on September 28th is something that I still have not been able to wrap my arms around. The enormity of the journey I say, because even though I've traveled down this road before, this time, my second time, was more special than I could have ever imagined; the reasons for this have been heavily documented as most of you already know.

Ironman Chattanooga was by any and all accounts a very successful race. Going in, my goal was a sub 15:00 hours finish. Official time was 15:09:23. A PR by 22:42 minutes

Before I move with weekend and race specifics, I must say three things: 1). I survived the extra 4 miles on the bike. The course was adjusted a few weeks before the race for safety purposes and even though this created a mountain of controversy, we all made it and lived to talk about it. 2). I entered the race with "hot toe" issues, serious issues. I chose to race anyway so this will in no way, form or fashion be used as an excuse for my times or performance. I will make mention of this later only to give you an idea of what was going on. 3). I also survived Little Debbie as the title sponsor.

So, without further to do...

IRONMAN VILLAGE

As is always the case, specially in the bigger WTC events, the Village did not disappoint. There were more vendors, as it appeared to me, than in any other event. Most, if not all, were extremely relevant to the matter at hand. The Ironman merchandise tent was stocked to the brim, that is until we arrived; we made a major dent.

On Friday night, we did not attend the Athlete's Banquet. We chose to spend the time with close friends and a quiet dinner at a local restaurant. I learned from previous experience that this is the best route to take two nights before the big day.

IRON KIDS

On Saturday morning, my grandson participated in the Iron Kids, a one mile run through portion of the Ironman course. Over 500 kids took part in the three distances offered; .25 mile, .50 mile and 1 mile. Colton ran the mile. It is always a treat to watch so many kids involved in events like these at such an early age. Kudos to all the parents getting them there.

While a lot, if not all, of my friends and my daughter chose to do a short swim, bike and run pre-race, I chose to only do a run. I had planned to swim on Saturday, but due to recent shoulder issues I decided against it. I had been feeling no pain, so I opted not to push things the day before the race.

Bike checked in and Gear Bags left at transition without consequence. Perhaps maybe the occasional doubt of whether something was missing. There's always this doubt.

Again on Saturday we went to dinner with more family that had come in, and with more friends. Again, best move made. We opted for a restaurant away from the hustle and bustle. We drove about 15 minutes north of downtown and found ourselves away from the crowds.

RACE DAY

The day started early. When I say early, I mean 3:00 am early. Earlier due to the fact that the night was not spent sleeping well. It never does.

My routine, and it hasn't changed in many a race is to eat two frozen whole wheat waffles, with peanut butter and a splash of honey and a cup of coffee. Starbucks in the lobby of the hotel had opened at 2:30 am. Good thing for Juliana and I would have been without that much needed shot of caffeine. I would also eat a banana about :30 minutes before race time.

An announcement would be made at 4:00 am regarding the water temperature. We were hoping, but not dead set, that it would be a wet suit legal race. It would make matters easier for us and for everyone else. Word came in from an acquaintance that the water temperature was 77f, so the race would be "wet suit optional". We proceeded to plan "B". We would swim with our swim skins. Time to head out.

BODY MARKING AND PRE RACE

We arrived at transition area somewhere around 5:00 am. Our hotel was about .80 mile, we got lucky and a shuttle bus was just leaving from our hotel. We did not have to walk, although walking would have been okay.

My wife Monica and friends Carry and Rodney were volunteering at the body marking area. We found them right away and proceeded to get our numbers and age marked for the race. This was special moment #1 of the day.

After turning in our Special Needs bags and giving our bikes a final check, we gave our friends a hug and proceeded our way to the shuttle was would bus us to the swim start. Go time is getting close, real close.

The swim start was to be a "time trial" format, self seeded, which meant that you would jump in the water in no particular order, one or two or three athletes at a time, in order in which you found yourself in line. For this reason, most folks tried to get in line early, so as not to be in the back of the pack. We waited in line for about one hour, thirty minutes. Longest wait ever.

SWIM START

And so it happened. 7:20 am the cannon went off and the male pros were on their way. A couple of minutes later, another cannon and it was the female pros turn. And then the final cannon. The age groupers, our turn to race had arrived.

The line started moving, slowly at first but then it picked up. By the time we reached the ramp, pace had picked up nicely. And just like that... we were in the water. The race was on.

SWIM

I jumped in the water and hurried out of the way. Didn't want someone to jump on top of me. This was the most stressful part of the entire day. Seriously. Once I found myself a safe distance, which really didn't take but a few strokes, I started my swim. From the first stroke I felt good and comfortable. I was swimming smoothly. I noticed a slight current, so I tried to move as close to the middle of the river as I could so I could take full advantage of this. But so was everyone else, it was very crowded out there.

Not once during the entire swim did I break stroke. One after the other, after the other. I don't remember this happening, ever. As I said before, it felt good.

I have my Garmin set up to notify me at the mile splits. When the first notification came, I remember thinking that it couldn't be, it hadn't been that long. I didn't question it any further, I kept going.

With about an estimated 150-200 yds to go, the water got rough. Choppy, wavy and rough. There were no boats in the water that I could see, so I couldn't figure out where this came from. Had the conditions been like this for the entire swim, it would have been a totally different experience. Glad it wasn't.

As I approached the final buoy and turned left to head to the exit, my right calf got slapped by another swimmer and immediately cramped. I had to make a sudden stop, take a deep breath and stretch to make the cramp go away. It worked enough to allow me to make it to the exit.

The ramp was crowded and the swimmers were taking their time moving away. This is something the volunteers will learn with time. As folks step on those steps, they will have to make them move quickly. There were several of us treading water waiting our turn to get out. The swim out was crowed.

Swim Time: 1:20:06 a PR by days.

As much as I'd like to take full credit for this fantastic (relative term) time, I have to give credit where credit is due... Thank You River Current. My doing or the river's doing, this time will be forever etched as my swim time. A PR at that! Everyone posted an amazing swim times, everyone. The fastest pro clocked in at 40:49 minutes. Yes, the current was a big factor.

T1

There's only one word that could properly describe T1: Crowded. Each and every chair was occupied. Most of us found ourselves changing either sitting on the ground or standing up. It was long and it was difficult.

Immediately upon entering the tent, I drank a Boost. As I made my way to the exit, I ate a Huma gel, combined, it amounted to some 340 calories. This jump started my nutrition plan to be followed on the bike. To replenish calories lost in the swim was a matter of utmost importance. To play nutrition catch up on the bike would spell trouble. I did not have to.

As fast as I was moving the time it took to get in and get out of T1 was still pretty slow. Not sure if the distance between swim finish, T1 and bike out had something to do with it, but that makes no difference. It was still slow.

BIKE

As much as I was trying to pace myself smart, out of the gate, I found that my first bike split was fast. I was flying. However, my heart rate was were it needed to be so I did not worry, as was my cadence. I attribute this to the Boost and Huma I took in the tent. I was fueled and ready to go.

The miles added up in a hurry at first. I made it to the hair pin turn faster than I had thought. I was using mostly, as planned, my small ring.

Not sure of the mileage, but I'm guessing around 20-25 miles in, there was what appeared to be a road block. Police cars with lights on. I remember hoping that that nothing serious had happened. As I approached the area, I saw dirt and sand on the road covering what appeared to be oil. There was an officer cleaning up. I wasn't sure what had happened. Later I learned that someone had dumped oil and tacks on the road. This happened in two different areas. That explained the inordinate number of flats I saw on the course that day. I was lucky, I was spared.

It was at mile 40 that I got the first and best mental boost of the day; my family and a host of friends had traveled to that point to wait for us. Hearing my name and all the cheers was just amazing. Thank you all!

Made it to Special Needs and sorted through my bag. I ate a boiled red skinned potato that my mother-in-law prepared for us, and it hit the spot just like I knew it would. I had been looking forward to this for quiet a few miles. I would have hoped, however, that this had happened a fewer miles further down the road. At mile 50ish, I thought it was too early for Special Needs.

The town of Chickamauga received us greatly. Lots of noise, lots of folks. However, on the second loop everyone was gone! Literally, it was a ghost town.

The second loop proved to be challenging. My toes began to burn around mile 60, and they only got hotter as the miles went on. I stopped once and took my socks off. This helped for a while, just for a little while. When the burning and pain came back, around mile 80sih, I removed my feet from the shoes and pedaled with the feet out of and atop the shoes. Someone asked my if it wasn't a little early to be getting ready for the dismount. Funny I thought. I did not answer, just kept pedaling.

I could feel that my average speed was dropping dramatically; the harder I tried to pedal, or the faster the cadence I attempted, the worst the pain became. I moved on until about mile 105. There I stopped again to put my feet back in my shoes. I did not want to come into town with my feet out. A police officer came by and asked if I was okay. He held my bike while I did this.

Add to the aggravation of this issue the fact that it started to rain hard. It rained on and off for several miles. Still though, I just kept pedaling.

I arrived at T2, once again to the cheers of a welcoming crowd. Immediately I saw my family; wife, daughter, grandson, in-laws and another bunch of friends. I couldn't let them see me hurting. My toes were still killing me.

T2

The good news was that the tent was not any where near as crowded as it was earlier. I had my very own volunteer. He unpacked my bag while I took another Boost and took my wet bike shoes and helmet off. I tried to dry my feet as best as I could so I could put my running socks on. While I was doing this, the volunteer was getting the socks ready to help me put them on. Upon looking at my toes, he immediately gave me the socks and said: "sorry friend, you need to do this yourself. Ouch"

Again, I took much more time in here than I would have liked, but I made it out and that's all that matters.

RUN

The rain was coming down again as I left the tent. Again my family and friends were there to give me good send off. My daughter Marcela was waiting for me a little bit down and she ran with me for a few yards. We stopped to take a selfie! Another huge mental boost.

As I started to get on my running pace, I noticed that the pain in the toes had vanished, or they were numb, I couldn't really tell. I didn't wait to figure it out, I just kept on running.

My plan for long distance running is a 4:1, four minute run, one minute walk. It had served me well at IM Louisville, so that was my target today. I set up my Garmin to beep at these intervals. I had trained like this.

The aid stations were spread out every mile or so. This was nice to see. They were well stocked and well staffed. During this race, the Chicken Broth was Hot. Nice touch! once they brought it out, I drank some at each other station, and a the alternate station, I would drink Cola. I carried my hand held bottle filled with Infinit. Perfect! Except until I left it at a station around mile 18. I took it off to refill it and set on top of a table. I must have been distracted for a moment for I left it behind. I didn't notice this until the following one minute walk, when it was time to take another shot of my mix.

For the most part the course was very well supported with cheering friends and family. Lots of noise, music and signs. These kept the spirits up. Except for the Riverwalk. The Riverwalk and Amnicola Hwy. These were desolate. Except for the aid stations they were lonely. This is where your mind had to be strong. Specially on that second loop. It was dark and did I mention that it was lonely? You were literally by yourself, unless of course you were a fast runner, which I'm not, then you had the company of other runners. Did I mention this was a long and lonely stretch?

I'm not sure where I was when I noticed my Garmin was off. The battery had run out. I had been running for an extensive amount of time and realized my walk break was long overdue. I finished the last who knows how many miles in without my Garmin. Upon realization of this I adapted. I started counting light poles. I would run 6 or seven and would walk 2. In the long run, It worked out just fine however, I'm not sure if I had my actual time I would have been able to shave off those pesky 9 minutes. But no regrets.

One of the perks, if there's ever such a perk, of being one of the slower triathletes, is that you get to see people coming as you are going. You cross paths with friends and fellow triathletes. Every so often you would hear your name being called. It was a team mate or someone you knew. Again, of course, they were coming as I was going.

Three things made my run a happy place: 1). A lot of people kept telling me how good Juliana was doing, how strong and determined she looked. I knew she would, but it was nice to hear this. 2). A friend and fellow participant/triathlete recognized me from a distance and yelled "I love you Mauricio, keep going, you're doing great". It wasn't so much the message, but the timing of the message and the person delivering the message. and 3). Crossing the pedestrian bridge for the second time. Suddenly I found an extra pep on my step and I heard the party at the finish line. I invited everyone I passed to come join me.

FINISH LINE

I began to tactically plan my entrance to the finishers carpet. I wanted a good distance between the runner in front of me and anyone behind me. I slowed down enough to allow a couple to have their glory. As I came down headed towards my destination, I heard my name called. I couldn't recognize who was yelling for me because the spot lights from the finish line were blinding. I found myself from side to side, high-fiving folks on both sides of the chute. And then I heard my name: "Mauricio Sanchez you ARE and IRONMAN". At this very moment I crossed the finish line. Mission Accomplished.

First people I saw after the medal was hung over my neck was my wife Monica and my grandson Colton. This was the sweetest sight of all. This moment will last forever. Next one I saw was Coach Barry and then my friend Randy.

I looked for my daughter Juliana. I didn't see her. She was no where to be found. We had agreed that she would wait for me at the finish line. I made it through to the chocolate milk tent and took two. Then walked to the first available table and sat down. For the first time all day, after the transition tents, I sat down. And then here came Juliana, wobbling along in obvious leg discomfort, with a big ol' smile on her face and a medal hanging around her neck. Sweet! My daughter is now an IRONMAN.

LESSONS LEARNED

I learned that with proper training and a good mind set, everything and anything is possible, regardless what is tossed at you, you have the power to endure and succeed.

I learned that yes, in fact, you are stronger than you think you are, and that strength is as important as endurance.

I learned that an Ironman Journey will give you the confidence you never knew you had.

I learned, or rather continue to confirm, that being a strong swimmer is not a requirement.

I learned that an extra 4 miles on the bike course made no difference whatsoever.

I learned that Little Debbie is in fact, a great Ironman title sponsor.

I learned that technology may be great but you better learn to survive without it.

I learned that being 33rd in your age group is okay

I learned that if I ever do this again, I must practice transitions.

I learned that I will never do this again.

CONCLUSION

I accomplished most, if not everything I set out to do. My goal was to finish a second Ironman race... DONE! My goal was to improve upon my IM Louisville time...DONE! My goal was to finish in one piece...DONE! My goal was to race with my daughter, or rather be on the same course as my daughter... DONE! My goal was to be mentally strong the whole day... DONE! My goal was to have fun and finish with a smile on my face...DONE!

Will I ever do another one? As it stands right now, I'd say the answer is NO. But NEVER say NEVER. There's one thing that needs to be taken care of before I ever, remotely consider this again: I have to fix my "Hot Toe" issue. This was the most excruciating pain and discomfort I have ever felt. My back issues pale in comparison to this. If this is not fixed, then I will have to stick to 70.3 distances or shorter.

I was humbled beyond comprehension by the kind words received from total strangers during the weekend. From the gentleman in the hotel lobby who said to me: "you're a hero in Jackson, Mississippi. Your writings have brought tears to many" to the runner on the course that stopped, hugged me and thanked me. "You have inspired me beyond words", she said, and the gentleman that told me that my "attitude on facebook forums was most welcome, you kept finding the silver lining in every dark cloud". I make mention of this only to keep reminding myself that even if you don't realize it, people are watching and listening to what you do and what you say.

As with any other journey, this one brought many lessons, some already mentioned above, others more private and need not be discussed in public forums, for some of these will need some time and reflection to understand their true purpose and meaning.

In everyone's life and in every journey there are a group of people involved that help us along the way. I'm going to take the time to personally and privately thank each and everyone of you.

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