As if you needed more proof that endurance training has changed me, this is my 200th post on Crushing Iron. Over the years I have started dozens of blogs on various subjects and most have ended before I wrote 20 posts. Training for an Ironman has given me energy, focus, and follow-thru I have always desired.
But, it’s far more than training alone. The people are the true motivational force, and I feel very fortunate to have so many great ones in my life. Pushing me, supporting me, commenting that my journey has inspired them on some level.
It just happens to be National Running Day, and while I typically think these kinds of holidays are a crock, the spirit of today resonates with me on a deeper level than most. When you run you are free, compassionate, and creative. Competition is with yourself and the ugliest parts of human behavior are washed away.
So, in a genuine way, today is more like Thanksgiving than the formal holiday. I’m glad to be surrounded by people who want to be better. Who understand they are not perfect and relish the quest of that opportunity. I apologize if you’re not mentioned by name on this list because so many have touched my journey, and many of you are in the groups mentioned. Plus, I’m getting old and my memory is slipping.
I’ve included a lot of links and hope it helps build some new connections.
The Fab Five
Jim Schwan – The man who covertly convinced me to get up and act on a passion he knew was lurking beneath my facade. His dedication and sacrifice to this cause has changed my life.
Kevin Gammon – I watched as he struggled for over 16 hours to finish Ironman Louisville. His toughness and determination convinced me to take a deeper look at what’s possible. I signed up for Ironman two weeks later.
Daniel Hudgins – Who knew thrashing your body for hours on end could be fun? Daniel did. He laughs in the face of challenge and knows his body and soul are a gifts to be used to their fullest. Thoughtful and compassionate like no other.
Mark Scrivner – Mark pushes himself more than most. “Want to run an extra 3 miles?” Yeah, let’s do it. He’s battled injury since we began training and he’s fought right through most of it. He kept showing up and there may not be a better lesson in life.
Robbie Bruce (my coach) – Why wasn’t he my baseball coach? I might have actually pushed myself and be writing this as a retired major leaguer. Positive, inspiring, tough. A coach has never connected with me and my goals like Robbie.
Allison Miles (+1) – She’s trained with the Fab 5 since January and blown my mind with her determination. Every time it gets tough, she seems to get even tougher. Her half ironman at Gulf Coast is further than I’ve ever traveled and she’s far from done.
John Wasky (+2) – From seemingly thin air, comes John Wasky, and an insatiable passion for triathlon, a sarcastic wit, and a natural instinct for taking it up a notch. He made a seamless transition into the Fab 5 and has pushed us all to higher places. His wife, Carolyn has also been a phenomenal ambassador of this crazy lifestyle.
Rebekah Shulman – The support I get from Rebekah is unparalleled. On every turn she has encouraged me to follow my dreams and passions. She’s listened to complaints, helped find solutions, and endorsed my crazy pursuits with unwavering conviction. She’s gotten back into running and is now turning to triathlon with her signature determination.
Roger Jokela – Roger and I met at the Village Pub and is still in my phone as “Roger Badger.” Fellow Wisconsinite and dreamer, Roger recently quit his job, moved to the Keys and became a full-time musician. We drank together, trained together, ran our first 1/2 marathon together. I have a deep appreciation for Roger and the way he lives his life.
Season Kaminski – Season is proof that humans can live in their sweet spot. I used to pepper her with endless questions about triathlon and her love for the sport flowed back to me tenfold. Rarely do you meet someone with so much passion for the pursuit of a positive lifestyle.
Hunter Lane – It would be hard to find someone with this level of sincerity when it comes to training. He is a sponge and has a tenacity about nuances that is hard to match. He’s been amazingly patient with my amateur questions from the very start.
Lee Wilson – Oregon Duck track star opens a running store in East Nashville and it just so happens to be the place that kicked off my new lifestyle. His vision has changed the landscape of my neighborhood for the better, and his anti-Badger barbs have been a great inspiration to kick ass.
The Couch to 5K Crew from Nashville Running Company – There were about 40 of us that gathered that fateful day in January, 2012 and showed up 3 times a week in preparation for a seemingly impossible 5K. Many of them still run with East Nasty and it genuinely makes me happy to see their faces. Mike Clark continues to make a great commitment to beginning runners and, to this day, I thank him for being there. Year’s ago, I wanted to be a drummer, but my first teacher didn’t resonate. I quit and have regretted it ever since. The patience and dedication of people who volunteer their time to help people get started is possibly the most important nuance in life.
Jeff Stokes – I remember him from my East Nasty “table-saving-days” and he’s always been a wild card. Injuries were keeping him from running, so he turned his energy to swimming, and recently dove in with the sharks for “Escape from Alcatraz.” His energy and dedication to the pool have given me more jolts than he knows.
Mark Miller – The thoughtful and dedicated “leader” of East Nasty whose genuine love for running has inspired so many like me along the way. I don’t know him as well as I’d like, but I really believe his mission is to help others get more out of life. The power in that cannot be ignored.
Scott Piper for being himself and wearing a tube sock as a cooking glove.
Rachel Kice – The purest artist I’ve ever known. She is a master of moving energy and her ability to transform anything (or situation) into art astounds me. She’s also one of the few people that can visualize my quest for Ironman into a spiritual and creative journey. The other is . . .
Kenny Varga – One of the most creative, conceptual, and compassionate people I know. A brilliant musician, producer, wood craftsman, and meditative runner. Kenny simply understands.
Mike Donze – I never tire of hearing Mike’s interpretation of the world. He is a true observer who listens and translates his feelings into beautiful photography, words, and music. He’s also a runner at heart who truly appreciates the beauty in the human condition.
Seth Godin – His daily posts are brilliant, concise, and inspirational. He has an uncanny way of tapping a place inside me that yearns to break free. He’s been pelting me daily for months and I am very close to a place where his insight can be put to better use.
Robert Hartline – His entrepreneurial spirit burns like a wild fire and I’ve been lucky enough to experience that passion on many occasions.
East Nasty Running Group (This is going to have to be a group hug)
Every Wednesday night 2-300 runners gather on 14th Street and take off into the night. If you live in East Nashville, you have seen them, and possibly been irritated by them crossing in front of your car. I used to understand that irritation. I wanted to get home from work and didn’t seem to have the patience to wait 15 or 30 seconds for a parade of runners. Deep down, I knew the problem wasn’t the people in motion, but me. I was mad that I wasn’t involved. The East Nasty running club is all about the good. Raising money for charity. Donating shoes to schools and less fortunate wannabe runners. Generally unleashing positive karma in what used to be dark and dank East Nashville neighborhoods. These are good people who, through community, make many people’s worlds a better place to live.
The Open Water Swim crew. Corey, Jonathan, Sandy, Melissa, Marc . . .
The people who consistently follow Crushing Iron from afar, like Chatter, Ann in Naptown, IowaTriBob, Sarah in Louisville, rchackman, Kruzmeister, Athleteagain, BgddyJim, Isaac976, UltraSwimFast, KickStart Endurance. The people who follow from near, Kristine, Sallaboutme, Loni, Gina, Kelly, David, Gwen, Lisa, William.
My Co-workers – Steven for his newfound and contagious passion for triathlon. Sylwaski for listening and pushing himself when no one is watching. Armondo for his toughness and desire to tackle whatever comes next. Justin for caring enough to mention my 1/2 marathon improvements on air. Melissa who burns more candles than anyone I know and burns for fitness. Gil, who goes the extra mile in helping his daughter live the musical dream. Steven who puts up with my bitching over lunch and gave me a great deal on his pool. Big Joe for randomly showing up at every 5k I run. Rosemary, who refers to me as “Her Ironman.”
Jennifer for her love of running. Scott for taking pride in the yellow jacket.
Kathleen for being a great friend and supporting my journey even though it means we don’t see each other as much.
Zach Layne and Heidi Wilson for publicly acknowledging the awesomeness of the Bird Walk Reservoir Weed & Feed 6k.
Andy Moss and Mark Spencer for their outlandish across-the-pond-humor and running tenacity.
The crew at Village Pub for being the best place in town and understanding I needed a little break.
Andy and Matt, who I see nearly every morning pursuing their dream in the coffee shop and inspiring me along the way.
Everyone with X3 Endurance has dished motivation. Robert, Eddie, Brad, Sarah, Meg . . . Continually blown away by the power of community in triathlon.
Several of my college buddies like Eric, Mac, Marty, Pack, Freg, Dano, Pat, Pete, and Petey who have never seen this side of me but know I have it in me.
Mike Wright who is just as jacked as me while silently building his swim, bike, run chops in Rockford, IL.
My dog, Mattie, for putting up with my crazy schedule and teaching me to be more responsible.
And, of course, my family. My cousins Jim, David, John, and Susie in the Northeast. My cousins Tim and Jeni in Wisconsin. Jeni’s husband, Phil. And my cousin, Tiffany, who I’ve never met, but has been super supportive and will be holding a video camera on the Fab 5 at Ironman Wisconsin.
My brother Chris – We’ve had more in-depth conversations about human nature that I can count. Nobody understands me better than my brother, and I’m sure that goes both ways. We have spent most of our adult years apart, but the connection is undeniable. We had incredible synergy as a double play combination on the baseball field and an unspoken bond that pushes me daily to be a better person and pursue my dreams. Oh, and one day soon I fully expect him to be a phenomenal triathlete.
My sister Amy – She’s lived in Dallas for years and we don’t see each other enough. Amy and her husband, Gary are two of the most amazing people you’d want to meet. They have three gorgeous little girls. Not long ago, Amy ran the Dallas 1/2 marathon and I really wish I could have done it with her. Geography has kept us apart for most of my life, but, like my brother, she has always been a major source of support and inspiration. She’s a teacher by trade and sometimes I feel like I’m her most challenging student.
My Dad – Ironman training seems crazy to him, but it’s kinda his fault. He’s likely the main source for my incredible determination and confidence when it comes to athletics. We haven’t talked much about my training, but I’m pretty sure, on some level, he just expects me to crush Ironman.
Mom – She doesn’t really understand Ironman either, but it’s very exciting to her. She’s a mom, so she’s worried about her son, but I’m 99% sure she will be holding some kind of creative home made sign as I bike and run by her in Madison. Something like, “My Son is Crazy, but I Love Him For It.”
And finally, anything to do with my personal inspiration always seems to have a connection to Tim. He was one of my closest friends from childhood. We had a bond that you can never define.
He could call my bluff from a mile away. We never lived in the same town after college, but talked on the phone multiple times a week (or day) like little school girls. We dealt with so many of the same problems and became each others therapists.
Nothing was off limits and our connection always grounded us in hope. We pushed and inspired each other to follow our dreams, even in the middle of nightmares. Two years ago on Halloween, Tim died. I was legitimately crushed. Every day something reminded me of him and I’d pick up the phone to call. I’d look at the screen, see his number, and resist pushing “dial” with every bone in my body. I couldn’t believe he was gone. But even though we don’t talk, I hear his voice during every race. Pushing me to be my best.
He was gone before I started my transformation, but he was a major factor in the process. It sounds corny, but I know he would be proud of me. He was a truly selfless person on so many levels. Consumed with the concept of making life a happier and more enjoyable journey for everyone.
On September 8th, I will have a lot of time to think and I’m sure everyone I’ve mentioned and more will cross my mind at least once. It has been a great ride and I don’t plan on getting off the train anytime soon.
