Crushing Iron

September 15, 2013

The Emotions of Ironman #IMWI

I’m still in the process of finishing my Ironman Wisconsin Race Report because I keep returning to the raw emotion of the event and feel a need to air some feelings before I breakdown my race. In short, the entire experience taught me you race Ironman for reasons much greater than yourself. (Photos courtesy of Carolyn Petredis Wasky)

You just can’t explain why you’d want to do an Ironman until you’ve done one. And while I still don’t have a clear answer, it lies somewhere in building character, relationships, and a connection to your spirit.

It is impossible to understand the beauty and vitality of 3,000 people in swim caps filing into the water to begin such a daunting journey. Sure, it’s competition, but for the most part it is with themselves. They have all made a commitment to be better and stronger people. To push potential to the limit. To live and experience life with people they love. And that path is contagious.

Family and friends line the “chute” and suspend the ego. They are in the race, too. I am one hundred percent convinced. Giving every ounce of energy they can spare to friends, family, and total strangers. They too will be exhausted (maybe more) when the final Ironman has crossed the finish line.It is a family affair in the purest sense because there are few expectations other than doing your best. There is no time for judgement, self-doubt, or sweating the small stuff.

Collective energy is the guardian angel that hovers above the entire 140.6 mile course, lifting racers when they least expect it, or need it most. It is a war between 3,000 people — and everyone is fighting for the same side.The experience at Wisconsin will stay with me forever. I’d trained beyond my perceived limits for one single day that sat in the future as a mystery. It has come and gone, but my 12-month-dream was everything and more than I imagined.

I live in the Volunteer state of Tennessee and it is abundantly clear the Badger state understands this concept well. Thousands of people I’ve never met greeted me with a willing smile and each would have given me a powder blue shirt off their backs. I am very proud to be from Wisconsin.

And to have my friends from Nashville along for the experience was incredibly rewarding. I have shared blood, sweat, and tears with these people and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to showcase my roots than Ironman. That day built lifetime bonds, and the story below articulates that better than I ever could.

The following is an excerpt from my coach Robbie’s IMWI spectator review, which is a great read, that is posted here. He tells a story about “Gary” who was struggling to finish the last mile. After we got back to Nashville, Robbie and Allie tried to find him and eventually tracked him down through the Senior Olympics. The second part is Gary’s email to Robbie and Allie. Reading both brought a tear to my eye.

From Ironman Wisconsin: Sights and Sounds from a Spectator’s View — By Robbie Bruce

. . . After a few minutes a man came around the corner. I literally thought he was going to drop. He was walking at a 90 degree angle. face staring flat at the ground. He looked as if he would face plant into the street at any minute. I began to walk next to him. He would lean on me. Faltering. “Keep it up buddy. Don’t stop.” He said he had to make 15hrs….” I have to. “I’m not for false hope so with the remaining distance I had to break it to him that was not a possibility. But he would still be and Ironman. He looked older. I was not sure how old. “I have to finish” he would say. I had no idea of his name but just kept walking with/against him.

Everyone was in, but our day was not done. We all continued to push for this stranger. Every few steps he would falter and literally use me as a wall to stand up. Wasky, Allie, Carolyn were determined to get him there. Before he hit the home stretch he muffled, “If I faint will you catch me. ” No. Gary. Im just gunna let you fall. Just kidding. We got you. No falling. No fainting. Prepare to run it in. Run it in.” Here we rare pushing him to run it in…. Go!!

He began to jog and we all ran with him. Surrounding him in a kind of support bubble. We had him on all sides. A stranger. We would most likely never see again. Yet we felt we were a part of his journey. Volunteers were yelling at us to move but we kept on. As we let him go into the light towards the finish we could here over the speaker, “Gary Pinter… 62 year old first time Ironman finisher from right here in Wisconsin….” We ran towards the finish…. The crowd…
“GARY, GARY, GARY, GARY, GARY.”

I think we were actually running and jumping and cheering trying to make it back…… A man we had met merely minutes ago managed to make some of us shed some tears of joy. Man. What a day. What an experience. What a sport.

—————–Below is the return email from the man in the story above.

Hi Allie;

My name is Gary Pinter. I think I’m the Guy your looking for. I was honored to hear that you are searching for me. My good friend and biggest swim competitor John White, President of the Senior Olympic told me last night at dinner that you guy’s are looking for me. The funny thing about all of this was, I told everyone in a mass email that some people in the form of “ANGELS” appeared in my life near the finish line. I had less than a mile to go and my back was starting to cramp so bad that I could barely move from the pain. They encouraged to keep going and they would be by my side to the finish. Well, what can I say, it WORKED. I finished it in about the 15 hours and 3 minutes I predicted. Now, for myself I didn’t ever think that I would ever find the ANGELS that God sent from HEAVEN until I died and at that time I could meet you all face to face. Now I know these ANGELS live in Nashville Tennessee. Allie and friends I thank you all for being there at my time of need. All along the way of my 140.6 journey to becoming an Ironman people encouraged us from the very start. Even before entering the water. It was my family and friends 5 years ago, to get up and work hard and train to my limits. My wife Beth is my biggest support. “ALWAYS TELLING ME THAT I WILL FINISH THE IRONMAN WITH TIME TO SPARE” My kids were also a HUGE support. All the 60,000 people along the 140.6 miles we traveled that day right to the end when I found my wonderful Wife Beth, giving her a hug and kiss before I crossed the finish line. Now that I did this, it’s not that big of a deal. The story of the people who encouraged me to train and the Angels God sent me to complete it, is the BIG DEAL!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for being there!!!!!!!! Gary Pinter

September 15, 2013

Ironman Wisconsin – Coach's Perspective from the Sidelines

Ironman Wisconsin- Sights and Sounds from a Spectators View

– Robbie Bruce

September 12, 2013 at 11:39am

I have competed in and raced in 5 Ironman. Even before I became a “full time” coach I had always said “I would much rather race one than watch one. “The mental exhaustion, worry, and wait of the spectator seems much more daunting than actually racing.” Up until last Sunday at Ironman Wisconsin I was sure I was right. When I woke up Sunday morning at 5:30am and prepared to spend the next 18hrs cheering on athletes, friends, and complete strangers I knew I was wrong. It would be all different after Sunday. My view of spectating, Ironman, racing, and the sport were all about the change. The following is a recap of what I witnessed, observed and felt watching this race. As usual, it will be long but I am getting better at including humor and this report will be more of a picture based with small captions, more of a running visual diary to ease your pain. I can promise you that if you make it to the end it will be a great journey and you will be just as likely to sign up as a volunteer as you will signing up to compete in an Ironman when you finish.

Pre Race:

Friday night (arguably the most important day)

We met all of the Fab Five including some family and friends at a sweet pizza joint situated really close to transition. Allie and I headed there early to snag a table as we anticipated a long wait but there ended up none to be had. Everyone else was to meet at a neighboring hotel and then head over. I was pumped to see my Kevin, Jim and Mike as they all 3 thought I was on the ground in Vegas. It was time to pull the rug out from under them and surprise them with my arrival in Madison. As things would work out they all entered our room one at a time and with 3 very different personalities you can imagine their reactions were all very different. Kevin came in first with a “Holy S#$t” Look on his face. He actually stopped dead in his tracks for a moment and just stared at me as if he had just seen a ghost. He sat down and said with his copyrighted “laugh/giggle” and said…”Ok then. Game on.” Jim meandered in shortly after and as usual was just plain cool. Excited and smiling but as cool as the other side of the pillow. I knew what was coming from Jim, “Dude. I cant believe your here. I wouldve picked Vegas for sure. But I am glad your here.” Tucked his hair behind his ear and had a seat. Mike was the last to enter and he turned the corner he looked like a 6yr old kid walking in to see what Santa brought him. I felt like a brand new Nintendo console with Contra included with the excitement he was exuding. He was amped. ” No way. Really?. Ha man. Yea. We all enjoyed about 2 hours of food, fellowship, wine, race talk and so many laughs as usual my face was hurting. It was such and amazing group. We tabbed out and headed back towards the cars.

Here is our crew with Carolyn in the back waving here hand at the waitress as she is trying to order more vodka snacks even after we paid. She wasn’t racing so bravo Carolyn:

As we walked back to the hotel we spotted transition and the finish line. I wont lie. I was in awe. It was one of the coolest sports scenes. Everyone was taking pictures. I think the magnitude of the weekend and the race set in. Of the group walking back only MIke was racing but I could feel everyones heart beginning to pound. It was a sweet scene. Here is a picture of the finish area which does not do it justice.

Everyone hit the sack and prepared for the day ahead.

Saturday

Everyone pretty much did their own thing on Saturday as I believe they should. The all did their prerace workout. Packed their bags and prepared their bikes in. All was quiet. You could sense they were preparing to go to battle. The time was arriving. While they were getting ready and staying comfortable John, Allie, Carolyn and I figured we should spend sometime soaking in some Wisconsin culture with our home stays the Flemmings. So we obliged them when they asked us to tailgate with them and then go to the Badger game. Then tailgate again. They twisted our arms but I figured “Hey, the rest of the guys are getting hydrated, no reason we shouldn’t do the same. Here is a little caption of the Badger game. Pretty cool scene they have their. Not SEC stuff but solid.

Later that day we met up with Jim and Mike and their significant others at a very illustrious establishment in one of the ritzier parts of Madison at a place called….. Texas Roadhouse. Yep. We kept it simple. I was fine with that. We met early. Ate rather quick and then gave our final hugs and fives before we all headed home. We all had a long day ahead of us. That place has pretty solid steaks. I would have a picture but Wasky was too busy signing up for some pyramid scheme compliments of the lady in the booth behind us. The next 24 hours were going to be incredible…….. Lets get to the important part of the weekend. Ironman Wisconsin.

Sunday Sunday Sunday!!!

5:15 alarm went off and we were a go!!! Everyone seemed in a slow hurry to get out the door. I really wanted to make sure I got to the start to see everyone before they went in. I knew my chances of seeing Kevin were slim bc knowing his astuteness for being punctual he would be one of the first in the water. I was still determined to find them all. We made our way into town and the excitement was building. So much energy as we parked. Everyone was in a huge hurry to get to the start. If you have ever walked anywhere with Wasky the dude walks a legit 8:00 mile. Its stupid really. I did my best to keep up and I was going anaerobic quick. Allie got a text from Mike giving their location “We are by a white van next to the start line.” Wow to be as vague as possible I thought. APB out for a “white male, short brown hair, mid 30s, jeans and a t shirt.” Man. This might be impossible. We made our way to the finish and I spotted someone with a Crushing Iron shirt on and said “Where are the guys.” She looked at me like “who is this random dude tapping me on the shoulder.” It turned out to be Mikes sister. She pointed in a general direction that they were in. So I placed myself on top of a perfectly placed car. Great view and very sturdy. I gazed through the masses and spotted Jim and Mike. No Kevin. I knew it. He was in the water. We all exchanged nervous pleasantries before they went in. I looked at Wasky and we both felt “Give me some goggles and a speedo and I am so jumping in this race.” Music was blaring. Energy everywhere. Spectators getting stoked. Such a cool environment. Only second to the finish chute I think. As they all made their way in the water we all got to know the other 15-20 people we would be spending the next 17 hours with. Team Crushing Iron Support Team. Literally some of the coolest people I have met. Spouses, brothers, sisters, parents, friends, coaches, significant others. All with different emotions. All with different hopes and worries. Here we are trying to hide our nervous excitement as the guys made their way into the dark blue water. I love the “thumbs up” from Chris Tarrolly right here. He was the only person that never looked nervous all day. He took some great footage too.

As they lined up in the water in a mass of almost 3,000 we took our positions to watch. The swim is the most never racking part in my opinion. It is the longest you have to go without seeing a person or getting an update. It is also the leg of the race where the most can go wrong. If you have never seen a mass start at an Ironman is one of the coolest scenes in all of sports. A scene that unfortunately seems to be going by the wayside with time trial and rolling starts becoming more part of the norm. Here are all the guys. Somewhere as they fly off for their 2.4 mile swim.

Now we wait. Everyone kind of looks around as if to say “What the hell do we do now?” It is an entire day of hurry up and wait. It also gave us a time to do Q&A with everyone there as lots of questions were arising. Thoughts, expectations, etc. I had loose times for the guys to come out in so I knew when to really look. With the wind high and the current strong I added 3-5 mins to my predicted times because of the elements. Wasky and I sprinted to the other side of T1/2 to make sure we had time to see them exit the water and then hurry to see them exit T1. It is an exceptionally long transition so we had tons of time. Came back and then it was time to wait. And wait. And wait. As it got close the hour mark it was time to be on alert. You never know when they are going to come out but better to be there early than not at all. Wasky and I posted up on the car provided. Here we are seeing if we can find Kevin punching Mike or trying to pull Jim under. It is no holds barred with them.

Bam. Mike out of the water. About where I thought due to the conditions. He looked a bit disgusted but its early in the game. We made our way to see him exit and I told Eddy Rossel to text me when Kevin and Jim were coming out because we didnt want to see Mike exit, run back and miss them in the intermittent period. We posted up on the ramp coming out of T1 to wait for Mike. As we waited I got to field some Q&A from the Tarrolly family. They were all so nice and were so eager to learn and be involved. Not all families and support systems are like that. This is Mikes parents asking why his swim was so slow. Why people where things on their calves, etc.

Just as we saw Mike come out I got the text from Eddy. Jim and Kevin were literally only :07 apart coming out which was crazy so we stayed put. I could not find a picture of Jim coming out but here are is Kev saying “Why the hell are you yelling at me?” and Mike peeing on himself with exuberance.

Everyone out? Now what do we do? Everyone talked plans for conquering the spectating portion of the bike course and everyone went their separate ways. We retreated back to the Flemmings to relax and the original plan was to nap. Nope. No nap. We were all too amped. I turned on Vegas 70.3 to track my awesome athletes there. Tracking. Tracking. Tracking. The Waskys went to scout a good place for us to catch the guys. The found the perfect spot around mile 52 and 94. Not very busy so we knew they could see us. There was also a pub called the draft house a block away. We posted their first and as I pulled up the tracker. Damnit. MIke was making really good time and I feared we missed him. We met his family up at the corner. Waited. Waited. Waited. Nothing. We had missed him but had one more chance to see him. Now we wait for Jim and Kevin to roll through. They looked on point on the tracker but its hard to tell. It was windy and I told them to be patient but I was beginning to worry about Jim. Here they came around the corner and we got to see both of them. Here is Kev giving a look of confidence and also when Jim broke the news to us he was having some major back and neck issues which was surprising but he looked determined.

We had plenty of time before they came back around so we all retreated back to the Draft House to rest or legs, get food and beverage, watch some football and prepare for the rest of the day. I think at this point we had already recharged our phones at least 2x. I cant state enough how awesome our support crew was to be around. I have heard some horror stories about spectating and to be honest its not surprising. You spend 17hours with people, stressful, tiring, detailed. Hell, I cant even stand being around me 17hrs a day. So the fact that we all had such a good time says a lot about the group. Here is team Crushing Iron sharing some laughs at some of Mikes baby pictures. Those bath tub pics were crazy. Who knew a 8 month old could already have the chest hair of a grizzly bear.

We paid our tab and rushed back to make sure we got to see the guys again before the home stretch. The weather was still favorable but the wind was picking up and everyone looked steady. We saw Mike coming down the hill and I rushed up the street so I could run with him and relay a message. I told his family I was going to give him the “green light” to push it some. I began to run up so he wouldnt have to slow down. As he approached I changed my mind. Instead of “green light” I screamed “STAY PATIENT”

He looked fine but I just didnt want him to risk the run.

The rest of the guys peeled through and looked good. We could still tell that Jim was hurting but I knew he would finish. The guy is a true champion. All heart. A real seasoned vet Kevin looked very comfortable and it was hard for me to tell if he was holding TOO much back. But I was very very happy with where he was. Side note: We did see a TON of drafting which was disappointing but DONT WORRY. John “drafting police” Wasky made sure he let everyone know they were CHEATING or at least judging them as they rode by like right here:

“Yea. I see you. Up in the hoods. Aero helmet on. Drafting……Punk…..”

So. Again we looked around and kind of said…. “What now?” We regrouped, went our separate ways and prepared for the final part of the day. I told MIkes family when they asked what I thought he could do that “I think that he has an 11 something in him on the perfect day. He needs to be off the bike around 4:20 I believe to make that happen.” We made it back to the car to head towards the run. I checked my phone right at 4:20 and he was off the bike. Bam. I like it. I honestly do not have a lot of recollection of our journey up until about mile 6-12 of the run. Tracking. Driving. Running. Making sure we were in the right spots. We were running around like crazy people. There is always a sense of relief when everyone gets off the bike. It is more like “Ok, they will be an Ironman. Now we just find out what there time is going to be. ” I was super pumped with Kevins bike time and glad he was patient. I saw something special coming from him on the run. Jim was off and I was just praying he was going to keep toughing it out. Many others would have dropped out. Not Jim. He would finish. Because he is an Ironman and he knows you dont take these races for granted. We switched back and forth trying to catch everyone we could on the course and handing out fives. Getting reports from the other support crews letting us know how everyone looked. By mile 13 we had seen everyone. Share a few words and some fives. Here is a great shot of team support and hand slapping at its finest:

Kevin was looking strong. Jim was powering through and Mike was staying the course. I got to run with Mike a bit and just kept telling him to slow down and stay patient. He clocked a few 2 many 8:something miles for my liking to early. I got to talk to Jim for a bit at the turnaround and he reinforced the fact that he would indeed finish. “Just keep your head up brother. I get it.” Kevin looked comfortable so I knew he was in a good place. Now it is time for the final 13. The sun was going down and the wind picking up. We tried to snag them at miles 20-21 I think. We were all getting pretty stressed and antsy. So antsy that Carolyn had the guts to down 6 shots of this rattlesnake stuff right in front of the scariest policewomen I had ever seen. So Kentucky of her and sure to make Peggy proud.

Then we sprinted towards the finish. Catch Mike finish and then go back for the others. We all looked at our watches. Sub 12? Possible? Now we stared at our clocks. The whole team positioned themselves by the finish chute. I ran up the course so I could alert them he was coming and yell if I needed to. “11:52….. come on Mike…., 11:56….. Damnit Mike where are you….. 11:57… is that him.” I yelled with all my might. He had 2:00 to make it 500 meters I estimated. MIIIIKKKKKKEEEEEEE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I didnt know if he could hear me but i was hoping. He rounded the corner and I yelled sub 12!!!!! GOOOOOOOO. Sprinted towards the finish and got to his family. He did it. Sub 12. Seeing his family and his mom especially was actually cooler than seeing him finish. Never doubted he had it in him. It was joyous. I may or may not have shed a small tear when it happened. This is my favorite photo from the whole day. Its Mike and his sister sharing a hug after he finished. I think it defines the true spirit of Ironman and why it is far from an individual sport. I won’t elaborate on the photo anymore and you can take away what you want from this beautiful photo:

We all shared a few hugs and fives. Nice work Mike. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and made our way on the course to make sure we saw the other guys. Jim still making it and Kevin still looking smooth. The sun was down. The course was still buzzing but certain parts of the course were dim with support and noise. We made our way to Mile 25.5 to wait. This was the game changer for me on a personal level. We werent just pulling for our friends and teammates anymore. We began cheering for every person who came by. We stood where the volunteers were supposed to be, except the guy with great legs and jeans on. He was awesome. We spoke to every person who came by. Some walking. Some running. Tired. Hurting. You could almost here the finish. If we could read their bib we shouted their name. “You got this. Home stretch. Here we go. Looking great.” You could tell they were so thankful. 8/10 actually started running again after we yelled at them. We tried to be supportive and humorous at the same time. We walked and ran with some. We probably gave out 1,000 fives. The last 2 hours before midnight I think are what define the sport. Images of complete strangers doing what they can to help others. On and off the course. For such a selfish sport everyone seem to be on the same time at that hour. Scenes like this:

It is truely such and awesome scene. Everyone is friends and everyone is supportive. I loved it. Kevin made it through and look determined to push it strong through the finish. Allie picked him up on the way to help pace him a bit as he fought for the final miles on the way to his second Ironman and a 2hr PR. Even having some stomach issues Kevin powered to an awesome race and finish. You can see Kevin and Allie here in the background while I am staring into the night looking for Jim:

After a few minutes a man came around the corner. I literally thought he was going to drop. He was literally walking at a 90 degree angle. face staring flat at the ground. He looked as if he would face plant into the street at any minute. I began to walk next to him. He would lean on me. Faltering. “Keep it up buddy. Dont stop.” He said he had to make 15hrs….” I have too. “Im not for false hope so with the remaining distance I had to break it to him that was not a possibility. But he would still be and Ironman. He looked older. I was not sure how old. “I have to finish” he would say. I had no idea of his name but just kept walking with/against him. I missed Jim coming around the corner unfortunately. But in typical Jim fashion he was determined to run it in. So he did. Such a gritty performance and so proud of him. Here he is with a .5 mile left before taking in another Ironman finish. Such a stud.

Everyone was in but our day was not done. We all continued to push for this stranger. Every few steps he would falter and literally use me as a wall to stand up. Wasky, Allie, Carolyn were determined to get him there. Before he hit the home stretch he muffled,”If I faint will you catch me. ” No. Gary. Im just gunna let you fall. Just kidding. We got you. No falling. No fainting. Prepare to run it in. Run it in.” Here we rare pushing him to run it in…. Go!!

He began to jog and we all ran with him. Surrounding him in a kind of support bubble. We had him on all sides. A stranger. We would most likely never see again. Yet we felt we were a part of his journey. Volunteers were yelling at us to move but we kept on. As we let him go into the light towards the finish we could here over the speaker,
“Gary Pinter… 62 year old first time Ironman finisher from right here in Wisconsin….” We ran towards the finish…. The crowd…
“GARY, GARY, GARY, GARY, GARY.”
I think we were actually running and jumping and cheering trying to make it back…… A man we had met merely minutes ago managed to make some of us shed some tears of joy. Man. What a day. What an experience. What a sport. We corralled the others and got to share a few words. Some had tougher days than others but you still get the title of Ironman. Personally, it was the best experience of my life. Changed the way I look at the sport and my view of every person that competes from top to bottom. Most days people ask “Why the hell do you want to do that. You are crazy. ” A lot of times I dont really have a good answer. I do now. “You wanna know why? Go watch and Ironman and you will understand. Spend 1 minute at the finishing chute after dark. Spend one moment cheering on a friend. Then ask me again why I do it and why I love this sport.” If you still have to ask me why. You wont ever get it. I finally got it. I hope you do too.

September 13, 2013

Ironman Wisconsin 2013: Pre-Race Report #IMWI

Thursday 9/5

I rolled into Madison on Thursday afternoon and decided to drive the Ironman Wisconsin bike course before checking into the hotel. Rebekah handled the map and took notes as we headed out “the stick,” and despite what I’d heard, I wasn’t quite prepared for what I was about to witness.This course is surrounded by folklore that rivals Paul Bunyan and I was unwilling to let the reports of “relentless hills” sink into my mind. But, as I drove up and down for over an hour, I started to believe. Driving the bike course was the best and worst thing I could have done.

We checked into the hotel, then walked across the street to Machinery Row Bicycles, which was one of the coolest bike shops I’d ever experienced. They had everything and the employees were some of the nicest people you’d want to meet, which set the tone for just about every interaction I had with the fine folks of Madison.

After a quick bike tune-up, I grabbed my wetsuit and took a little swim in Lake Monona around 4:00. It was unseasonably warm that day and the water was around 74 degrees. I was literally baking after swimming 500 meters. I knew it would be much cooler the morning of the race, but the fear of overheating slithered into my mind.The rest of the Fab 5 got to town around 7:00 and, after a couple beers at the hotel, we went to eat at The Great Dane near the capitol. I was a little hesitant to say anything about the bike course, but felt obligated to let them know and suggested it might be a good idea for them to drive it in the morning, and they said they would.

Friday 9/6

We were staying at the Ruby Marie Hotel and it didn’t take long to realize that we had struck gold. The employees were ridiculously nice, it had a great little bar, a bad ass deli, and was literally attached to the world famous Essen Haus. There was no reason to leave, and the Ironman transition was only two blocks away. For all of this, I cannot thank Season Kaminski enough for recommending the hotel after doing IMWI in 2011.

As each day in Madison progressed, Ironman became more real. Around 10:00, we went to Monona Terrace to check in for the race. The Fab 5 was in full force as we weaved our way through each of the check points. We signed waivers, stepped on the scale, got wrist bands, swim caps and timing chips. After that, we walked through the expo where, against my superstitious judgement, I bought the IMWI “name shirt” and added a can of Infinit that I knew I wouldn’t use on race day.

Smiles beamed from the amazing volunteers and workers built the finish line in the shadows of the imposing state capitol. More than once I daydreamed about crossing under that arch, though on some level I still had doubts. It’s hard to imagine you belong until you belong, but deep down I knew I was ready. I also had to keep reminding myself it would likely be the hardest and most rewarding finish line I’d ever cross.After the expo I went to the room for rest. I laid in reverse on the bed with my feet against the wall, hoping I could get some of the swelling out of my ankles. I hadn’t told anyone, but for the last couple weeks the right side of my foot was bothering me and my left achilles was very tender. Because of that, I didn’t run for two weeks leading up to the race. I’d been saying all along that my main goal on race day was to “feel good” and two days out, I wasn’t quite there.

A couple hours later I started getting text messages about the bike course from the Fab 5. Jim said he was trying to wrap his head around it and that it was tougher than he thought. Daniel said, “At first I didn’t think it was bad, but now I think it may be a humbling experience.” Mark was wide eyed and said he thought it looked tough, but he was excited about the challenge. Kevin opted out for beer and cheese shopping.

We’d decided on dinner at Paesano’s just up the street, but went to the hotel bar to wait for Wasky, Carolyn, and Allison to get in from Nashville. Coach Robbie couldn’t make it because he had two athletes qualify for the world championships in Vegas and decided he couldn’t miss that opportunity. He dropped the news a month before and I was bummed. Robbie was a fixture in Jim, Kevin, and I’s training for nearly 9 months and the entire focus was on Wisconsin. It wasn’t like I felt I needed a coach the day of the race, but I really wanted him to be in Madison. It was my home state, we spent 3 mornings a week together at the lake and countless hours riding together on the Trace. All for this day, and Robbie wouldn’t be there to see us race.

But, he was texting us and making sure everything was cool. He also gave us a carrot by saying Wasky was delivering a special package to the team. We all thought it would be our new kits and were excited to wear them on our Saturday practice run and hopefully in the race.

Wasky showed up at the bar around 5:30 and we had a couple beers before heading to Paesano’s. Somehow we all got separated and I ended up walking in alone. The hostess pointed me to the room with double glass doors in the back, and when I walked in, I thought I was hallucinating. Sitting along the wall with the Wasky’s and Allison was Robbie! The first words out of my mouth were, “What the fuck?!?”

He pulled an elaborate hoax and I couldn’t have been happier. It truly gave me a boost knowing that he would be cheering (and answering many questions) alongside my family and pushing all the right buttons that would somehow help me get to the end.After dinner we walked by the finish line again and the lit capitol in the background gave me chills. We took a few pictures, then strolled through the perfect Madison air back to our hotels for a night of rest before a short morning workout. Saturday 9/7

Our morning workout was a 15 minute swim, a 35 minute bike, and a 10 minute run. The water felt much better at 8 in the morning, but it was a tad choppy. We all decided the lake current was moving the right direction and would be behind us on the long leg of the swim. Our bike took us out the first few miles of the course, including a romp through the Reliant Center parking lot. We put the bikes into the van, then made a short run down to the end of Monona Terrace and back. I took it very, very slow and my ankle felt good so I stopped a little short and hoped for the best in the morning.

Rebekah and I went to breakfast with Mark, his wife and daughter, and it was unbelievable. They were staying at our hotel, too and we got free vouchers for the Essen House. We asked the waitress what our voucher was good for and she said, “Anything on the menu, including alcohol.” Believe me, a Bloody Mary was tempting, but stocking my transition bags would be confusing enough without a buzz. We opted for walleye and eggs, which came with potatoes, pancakes, and bacon. It rocked. And even if we did pay, it was only like 10 bucks. It’s the simple things.

Rebekah left to go to the Badger game with Robbie, Allie, and the Wasky’s while I went to get my gear bags ready. I laid everything on the bed and must have checked 20 times to make sure my shoes were in the right bags. The Badger game wasn’t on TV at the hotel, so I turned on the clock radio and listened to Matt Lepay call the game on the radio. There are so many distractions in life and there was something about listening to football on the radio that calmed my nerves and helped me focus on putting gummy bears in my special needs bags.

My family showed up around 3:00 and it was so awesome to have them all together. My brother was in from Milwaukee, my sister from Dallas, and my parents from Beloit. We walked across the street and I did my best to explain how their day of viewing would work.I stood on the shore pointing toward a turn buoy we couldn’t see. I have become very confident in my swimming, but there’s something about looking at an Ironman swim course that can humble you in a heartbeat. And, if you’re not a swimmer, oh, say, like my dad . . . it can seem downright outlandish.

I paid close attention to his eyes and I could sense anxiety. He acted calm, but I knew he was concerned. What father wouldn’t be? I saw it first hand in Louisville when I watched with Wasky’s parents after he plunged into the murky Ohio River. An Ironman swim is not easy for first-time-watching-parents to digest.

I assured him it would be fine as we jostled our way across the busy streets back to the Ruby Marie where we sat together as a family with one focus for the first time in ages. It was a very simple, yet powerful moment for me.

Around 5:30 I picked up my phone and had about 35 text messages, the last one from Jim saying he’d be there in 10 minutes to pick me up for dinner. I didn’t read anything about where we were going and headed down to the van.

As we drove out East Washington I finally asked where we were the hell we were going and he said, “Tex’s Roadhouse.” I couldn’t believe my ears. I did want a steak, but here we were in beautiful downtown Madison and we’re now driving out to the east side to eat at a chain restaurant? I tried to keep cool, but Jim knew I was a little pissed.

Then I got pissed because I was pissed and a hundred thoughts swirled in my mind. Someone mentioned the steak houses downtown were really expensive, and I offered to chip in a hundred bucks for the meal. But the rest of the crew was already at the restaurant and I made a quick mental adjustment. I couldn’t afford to be upset the night before the race. I over reacted and knew it. I forced myself to go with the flow and it turned out to be a solid meal, not to mention a tasty bit of entertainment from the very, very happy employees and exposure to this awesome painting that I may just have to turn into a tattoo. We got back to the hotel around 7:30 and I laid down immediately hoping I would be asleep by 8. Then it was nine. Then ten. I was tossing and turning. Just when I’d feel myself drifting off a screaming child would run down the hall, or a train would go by, or drunks started yelling outside the Essen Haus. I was wired and couldn’t fall asleep.

I’d been up since 5 am, had a workout, didn’t nap, walked all over town, and there wasn’t a tired bone in my body. Eleven o’clock. Midnight. Wide awake. It was unbelievable. I even sat in meditation for 30 minutes to calm down. There was no calming and I would be getting up at 4 am. Sometime around 1am I dozed off before waking up again at 3:30. I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling.

I climbed out of the sheets at 4am, had two glasses of water, ate an orange, a power bar, and a banana, then sipped on a diluted batch of Perform. At 5:15 I walked alone through the dark and empty streets of Madison on my way to bike transition. I was about to race an Ironman on 2 1/2 hours of sleep.

September 11, 2013

Ironman Wisconsin – 3 Days Later

I’m in Beloit, Wisconsin at my parents house, and will soon be making the Ironman-esque-9-hour-drive to Nashville. I haven’t had much time to write, but I’ve been fortunate to be around great friends and family who are insatiably curious about our experience in Ironman Wisconsin.

The questions flowed freely as we mowed down Tilly’s pizza and poured Wisconsin beer. My brother shot a ton of video and we all sat around and watched while Daniel and I fielded questions about how “that” felt or what were you thinking there?

One of the most remarkable things about this whole Ironman experience is the fact that, other than tenderness in my heal, I’m not even sore. I limped out of bed on Monday, but I almost feel like I could run The Nasty route with my running group, East Nasty, tonight if we got back in time. But I won’t and we probably won’t.

Speaking of my running group, I was humbled to be announced East Nasty of the Week the day after Ironman. You can find the article here.
Every week, this massive group positive people gathers in East Nashville to push themselves as runners and people. It’s really an amazing sight to see over 200 runners flow through neighborhood streets. I was very lucky to hook up with this group and honestly think running with them for the last year made the difference in my run at Wisconsin.

Speaking of the Ironman run, it was the most demanding physical feat of my life. I literally wanted to walk after every step I took, but I can honestly say, other than several short walks through the aid stations, I only walked up one short hill on the course at mile 18.

The furthest I’d run before Ironman was 14 miles. I kept waiting for the wall, but it never came. Not at mile 18 or 22 or 26. Somehow, someway, I ran my first marathon in 4:23, without stopping, at the end of an Ironman.

Anyway, time to hit the road. There will be numerous updates, including the race recap coming soon.

September 10, 2013

I'm Still Alive #IMWI

Ironman Wisconsin is in the books and was the thrill of a lifetime. I’m kicking back at the family cottage near Lake Geneva and this is the most gratifying recovery I could imagine. just sitting on the deck with a warm breeze after a morning swim. It may be a couple days but I have dozens of blogs percolating in my head. Thanks for following the journey. Crushing Iron has just begun. I

September 6, 2013

Bracelets

It just got a little more real.

September 6, 2013

Ironman Wisconsin – Friday

I’m sitting in my hotel staring out at Lake Monona, with a million thoughts on my mind. We got into Madison yesterday and this place and the weather are absolutely beautiful.

We checked in this morning and now it’s time to rest, wait, and . . . think.

One of the things I always think about before a race is that it always seems foreign until you get onto the course. When I watched at Louisville, I somehow felt inferior or like I wasn’t up to speed with the athletes, but that is obviously false.

Pre-game jitters and doubts are just a crazed part of being an athlete. They will be there, and if they aren’t, you’re probably not human.

As I stare at that water, it looks intimidating, but it’s just water. The same kind of water we have swam in a hundred times this year. But it may take until we get in to remember that simple face.

As I drove the bike course yesterday, I thought, this is one f-ng crazy bike course! People said it was full of relentless hills and it’s hard to know what that means until you see it. Let me tell you, it is full of relentless hills. But, I feel like it’s more imposing when you are sitting on your ass in the comfort of a car. Once the blood starts rushing, we’ll be saying, “Bring it on.”

And as I walk around portions of this run course with cold legs, I ask myself, how in the hell am I going to run around this town for that long? I have no idea, but as the guy at the expo said, “the body is an incredible machine, it can do more than you think.” So, okay, man, I’m banking on it.

I’ve been writing about this stuff for a year now and it’s almost here. My official wrist band is fastened, the numbers are on my bike, and my lime green swim cap rests in the corner. We’ll do a quick practice set tomorrow, then before we know it we’ll be waking up at 4 o’clock Sunday morning to tackle one of the biggest challenges of our lives. And, I don’t know about the other guys, but I’ll be doing it with a big smile, no matter how much it hurts.

September 5, 2013

Welcome To Wisconsin #IMWI

The plan was to leave Tuesday night at 6:00, stay in a hotel 4 hours out of Nashville, then be in Wisconsin by noon. It didn’t quite work out that way.

We ended up leaving Nashville around 7:00, had to eat, deal with the dog, and only made it about 3 hours and stayed in Marion, Illinois, which seems to have cornered the non-traditional tourism market by housing both a VA hospital and a prison. Wednesday drive took about six hours and we got to Wisconsin about 3:30.

Rolled into my parents and, as luck would have it, there was a swim meet going on at the public pool I could literally see from my bedroom as a child. I walked over and got a little pre-race motivation from the kids.

Dad manned the grill and turned out some amazing burgers before we settled down at in the War Room and went over mom’s plans for the Ironman spectators.

So, anyway, honestly, I love my mother, but her computer is really testing my patience right now, so I will soon be in Madison, and give a couple more updates before Sunday. Thanks for hanging around all year and I can assure you this blog will continue after the race. I just learned 29 people from our training team are signed up for IM Chattanooga next year, so there will be endless fodder.

As always, I’d like to give a special thanks to my Uncle Kenny.

September 2, 2013

6 Days Out from #IMWI

Ironman Wisconsin is six days away, are you ready? Of course you are, and it can’t come soon enough.

I’m leaving Nashville Tuesday after work. I plan to drive about four or five hours and get a hotel so I can keep my sleep schedule on track. Then we’ll leave early in the morning and get to parent’s house around noon on Wednesday. I’ll go for a short 30 minute run around my childhood neighborhood, then kick back with mom and dad to plan their spectator day. (And yes, I’m open for suggestions from anyone who has great watching places).

I’m still not sure my family fully understand what’s going to happen on race day, but it’s impossible to know until you see it for yourself. It will be a very long day and while Ironman is a slow, drawn-out race, the story unfolds with amazing speed.

* There are some really cool shots from Ironman Wisconsin at this Flickr feed, including the two below: The energy before the swim will be off the charts. Friends and family will watch as 3,000 swimmers wade into Lake Monona and float for 15-20 minutes. Then, the cannon . . . followed by a mad rush of energy for racers and an anxiety ridden test of patience for those on shore. Then the emergence from the swim. What a moment. It’s hard to explain the excitement of watching someone you know rush out of the water then disappear into transition.

Fans will catch a brief glimpse as we spiral down the helix and leave for the hills. It will be another mystical moment, followed by a calm and re-group. They will walk to their cars as we begin our 112 mile journey.

The cars will park in Verona and the waiting game starts again. Then, out of nowhere, like a magic trick, we will fly by them on the bike. They will feel their hearts pulse, full of excitement and another bit of relief. IronTrac or My Athlete Live will keep them up to speed on our progress as they settle in with the party, which I expect to be rockin’.

We will manifest once more, then be gone. A rush, followed by relief, followed by calm and a long walk to the car and a trip back to Madison.

They will negotiate their spots and wait for us to return from this long, mysterious ride. They will be looking in our eyes for weakness, hoping it is nowhere to be seen. Several times they will project themselves into our shoes and be baffled by the idea of swinging our leg off the bike and deciding to run a full marathon.

We will dismount our bikes, gather our bearings, then slowly jog past them on the last leg of this monster. Parading our vulnerability in front of thousands on State Street and banking their encouragement to get us over the next hump, and the next . . . and the next.

I will tell them to bring chairs because, in a different way, walking and standing that long can be just as hard as doing an Ironman. Rest your legs while watching. We need you fresh.

I expect to hear and see people I know many times on the run course and believe me, it will be a huge boost. It all comes down to the run. I keep wondering what that second loop will feel like. When will I feel like “I’m on my way home?” Mile 14, mile 18, mile 22?

Either way, this run is very intriguing to me because after mile 14 it will all be uncharted territory. I will be an explorer who never knows what awaits around the next corner. The sheer fear and excitement are both why I came. The unknown is absolutely enchanting.

And so many people will be watching as the story unfolds. A long, slow drama that comes to a fascinating and unpredictable conclusion, for all of us.

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6 Days Out Lesson – Neighbor James

I think I told you about day 6 before when we was both on our weed eaters out front. Day 6 is some shit cause you start thinkin’ bout runnin’ away and hidin’ in dumpsters or at ya Grandma’s crib. Ain’t gonna work. You gotta get ya head straight and start hearin’ the music right. They warmin’ up the symphony and your ears betta get used to them sour notes.

September 1, 2013

Who Am I To Think You Care? #IMWI

I realize that triathlon lifestyle is new, fresh, and exciting to me. I also understand that I don’t “know” everything. In fact, I know nothing. I’m just trying to learn and become more in tune with my life, body, and what it all means. And I think deep down we are all about the same.

We want the same things. To feel safe, happy, and loved. It’s not about money, or shiny objects. When you have friends, a good circle of inspiration, and support, that’s really all that matters.

Triathlon isn’t about the races. They are certainly a benchmark for the work and effort, but races are just numbers. Getting to race day is what it’s all about.

I have no idea how many hours or miles I’ve put into race Ironman Wisconsin, and honestly it doesn’t really matter. The whole process is what matters because after I cross that finish line, the race is over.

What will happen if all of this was only about the medal? The highest of highs followed by the lowest of lows. Will I need another target or will I realize that I am still moving toward something bigger and more important that can never be described as something with form?

For years I have talked about what I call “designing my lifestyle,” and in all honesty, signing up for Ironman was a forced step in that direction. My life was becoming loose and unfocused, but most importantly, unsatisfying. It was filled with delusions and big, optimistic fantasies you discuss on a bar stool.

Oh, I had fleeting moments that “appeared” like the right direction, but, I’d always get hooked by a long cane like the Vaudeville player that wasn’t performing. I’d return to the stage, only to get cancelled again. Nothing stuck.

Ironman training has, in many ways, given me a renewed legitimacy to be myself. I know that sounds drastic, but I have worked very hard and hard work is really what it comes down to in life. You chip away the rust and something new emerges.

When I signed up for Wisconsin, I felt like an impostor. I wasn’t an Ironman, who was I kidding? But thousands of hours later, I know I belong. Preparation breeds confidence.

I have gone from someone who “thought” they could finish Ironman, to someone who knows they will finish. That is a huge distinction because I think most of us believe we can start a business or climb a mountain, but do we know we can?

All of these ideas, all of these dreams, are nothing without action.

As I get closer to the race I am reminded of something a random guy said to me, “The problem with most people is they get caught up in this concept of ‘premature optimization’ and nothing ever happens.”

We can plan all day, all night and the next day, but nothing will ever happen until we actually do something, or move toward a finish line.

We need to jump in that pool and swim two laps before we’ll ever understand what it takes to swim 2.4 miles. And let me tell you, it takes a lot. It takes a shit load of swimming to get your mind and body in that place. But, wow, what a feeling it is when you know you can swim that far. Or bike 112 or run a marathon.

I have heard it a million times. “I could never swim 2.4 miles,” and it always reminds me of the famous quote, “Whether you believe you can or cannot do something, you are probably right.”

Who am I to think I can write a blog about triathlon training? Who am I to think I can finish an Ironman? Who am I to think any of this matters to you?

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Day 7 Lesson – from my Neighbor James – They say 7 is a lucky number, but when you 7 days out from ya dance, that superstition get all crazy up in ya head. I was wearin the same socks all week and momma was like, “Damn, boy, I bought u some new socks and you gotta go stinkin up the house cause you worried bout your tap dancin.” She was right, cuz my feet stunk like the trunk of your damn car, Mike. Ain’t no pair of socks gonna win that race. Change that shit up.