Author: Crushing Iron

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Nashville Ultra Marathon

They write books about this shit and several people I know have claimed to have done the deed, but until yesterday, I have never seen anyone actually DO an ultra marathon.  I was out there bright and early in effort to feel better about myself by volunteering.  My job on this day was to be a “bike monitor.”

I was supposed to show up at race time then sort of follow, or as it probably seemed “lurk” around runners for four hours.  I had no uniform or special sign distinguishing me from the other creepo bike riders, and i’m not gonna lie, it was a little awkward.

Me:  “Hey there, sorry for cutting you off, how are you?”

Random Runner:  “Urg!  I’m fine!”

Me:  “I’m volunteering, so I thought I’d ask.”

Random Runner:  “Oh, I wondered what the hell you were doing.  Thank you!!”

Me:  “Lookin good!”

The more I contemplated my task, the more I reasoned it was a little on the useless side considering I was monitoring Ultra Marathoners for their first 12 or so miles, which seemed a little like making sure a drunk can handle his first few beers.  But I kept focus and rode nearly 30 miles while peering into runner’s eyes for the slightest sign of weakness.

If there was hesitation I would cozy up close and point my water bottle toward their mouth.

“Sure you don’t want some water?!?”

“No, get the hell away from me.”

I decided the best thing I could do was make sure I knew where the last runner was and when I saw him, I had no idea who I had uncovered.  He had a big arch in his back and his style was unique to say the least.

I asked if he was doing okay, and he mumbled something about a “challenging climb” and forged ahead.  I rode away moderately confused and kept peeking over my shoulder to see if he was still standing.

When I got back to the start line (which all runners passed on their way to the other the back end of the race) I told organizers “There are 7 runners left on the course, including a guy that . . .”  And was interrupted with, “Oh, that’s Eugene, he’ll be fine.”

Eugene is 76 and was using an intriguing run/walk method where he’d run for two steps and walk for three or something like that.  I couldn’t quite figure out the strategy, but evidently it works because he has completed over 400 marathon or longer runs in his life!

If we put that into perspective and assume he didn’t start running marathons until he was 26, that’s eight marathons a year for 50 straight years!  Not only that, several of them were ultra marathons.  I noticed he was wearing a 50 States Finisher shirt and someone told me that he’s done that four times!  How’s that make you feel about your life experience?

If that wasn’t enough, I got to meet the 50K winner, who humbly knocked it out in three hours and twenty minutes (unofficial).  That’s about a 6:26 per mile pace and I’m telling you there were some bastard hills on this route.  My thighs were killing me and I was on a bike.

Ten months ago I could barely run to the mail box, and now, after watching an Ultra Marathon, I can see myself doing one at some point.  It won’t happen until after the Ironman, but it certainly seems possible.  Amazing what we can do if we put our mind to something.  If you don’t believe me, just ask Eugene.

Question of the Day:  I need to ask you all a question though.  There were several, I mean upwards of 25% of the people in this race that were walking often before mile 10.  I guess I don’t really understand why you would do an ultra when there are plenty of shorter races out there that you can run?

Ultra Marathon Day Diet:  Sun chips, mini-snickers (from aid station).  Grilled Cheese and potato tots from the Grilled Cheeserie Truck. Budweiser Tall Boy.  Fat Bottom Burger, 2 Pale Ales, Multiple Guinness, and a Schlitz in a bottle at Family Wash.  This must have been a cheat day.

Side note:  I Googled “Running Calculator” but typed in “Runny” by mistake and it led me to a calculator that tells you how you may have gotten your runny nose.

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Should the NYC Marathon Have Been Canceled?

The NYC Marathon has just been canceled and I’m not sure it’s the best call.  It was obviously a tough decision (and I realize I am commenting from the outside), but events like this can give community energy and help with the rebuilding process.  Not to mention there will be tens of thousands of extra hands to help out before and after the race.

This situation reminds me of a letter my old General Manager had framed on his wall when I worked for the Indianapolis Indians. It was written by FDR and sent to Kenesaw Landis, Commissioner of Major League Baseball at the time.  It is now called, “The Green Light Letter” and was in response to a question of whether or not MLB should cancel the baseball season during the war:

My dear Judge:

Thank you for yours of January fourteenth. As you will, of course, realize the final decision about the baseball season must rest with you and the Baseball club owners – so what I am going to say is solely a personal and not an official point of view.

I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going. There will be fewer people unemployed and everybody will work longer hours and harder than ever before.

And that means that they ought to have a chance for recreation and for taking their minds off their work even more than before.

Baseball provides a recreation which does not last over two hours or two hours and a half, and which can be got for very little cost. And, incidentally, I hope that night games can be extended because it gives an opportunity to the day shift to see a game occasionally.

As to the players themselves, I know you agree with me that the individual players who are active military or naval age should go, without question, into the services. Even if the actual quality to the teams is lowered by the greater use of older players, this will not dampen the popularity of the sport. Of course, if an individual has some particular aptitude in a trade or profession, he ought to serve the Government. That, however, is a matter which I know you can handle with complete justice.

Here is another way of looking at it – if 300 teams use 5,000 or 6,000 players, these players are a definite recreational asset to at least 20,000,000 of the fellow citizens – and that in my judgment is thoroughly worthwhile.

With every best wish,

Very sincerely yours,

Franklin D. Roosevelt

I lived through the Nashville floods a few years ago, so, on some level, I understand what the Northeast is going through.  Several people have lost their possessions, homes, and lives.  This is a brutal experience and I completely empathize for everyone who has been affected.  But as New York knows all too well, and we saw in Nashville, there is no choice but to move on.

New York’s race is the largest in the world, and if you’ve ever watched a marathon, you know how inspirational they are.  The Country Music Marathon ran by my house every year and after watching, I was always ready to tackle the world and change my life.

I really feel having thousands of runners and spectators embracing streets that were just ravaged by a storm is a symbolic way to say, “This is our home.  We will not give in.”

Marathon runners touch lives all the time.  They are people who have committed to a very difficult challenge.  I don’t see how it can hurt to have 40,000 people with that type of character on your side.

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A Runner's Conversation

You know, injury talk can be the worst.  I mean, if it bores me, then it must bore everyone else in the world.  It’s so self-serving, but I guess that’s what we do.  We talk about what’s on our minds and pain is important:

Me: “You’ll be happy to know that my knee is still a little jacked.”

You: “Well, this prick I work with is really getting on my nerves.”

Me: “Oh, wow.  Yeah, I haven’t been sleeping much lately!”

You: “Really?  Yeah, like today when he punked me right in front of my boss.”

Me: “Man, Yeah, I don’t know if it’s something I’m eating or money issue stress.”

You: “Sometimes I just feel like kicking him in the nuts!”

Me: “I’ve been meditating more and even thinking about going to church again because it’s wearing me down.”

You: “I called in sick today because I couldn’t face that asshole.”

Me: “I don’t know, maybe I just need to change my diet back to gluten free.”

You: “Speaking of gluten, I’d like to kick him right in the ass!”

Me: “Maybe I’ll just call my father and tell him he’s forgiven.”

You: “Well, I guess I’d better be going.”

Me: “I hear you.  Good seein ya!”

And so it goes.

I think this is why I like writing.  You either have to listen to what I’m saying or walk away.  Either way, I win!

So, last night was my first run in a while, and am happy to report, four miles with East Nasty and no knee pain.  In fact, I felt better after that run than I have after any run in recent memory.  I think it had a lot to do with rest, but mainly the strengthening exercises and an ongoing lust for my foam roller.

I had about 30 minutes to spare before the run, so I ran a little Jive Talkin‘ through the speakers and did a slew of warm-up work.  Everything from pushups and situps to running in place and jumping jacks.  I also did some hip flex and ass strengthening exercises (which are paying off nicely by the way).  By the time I left for the run I was sweating and wearing knee wraps.

This injury could be a blessing in disguise.  After powering my way from not running at all to a half marathon and eventually an Olympic Triathlon, I am finally getting a grip on balance and smart approaches, including the warm up.

In this way running is a lot like writing.  They tell you to sit down and write for ten minutes or so and that’s when you’ll actually be saying something worth reading.  In other words, warm up your brain. (In other, other words, I probably shouldn’t have published this crap!).

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Nashvegas Triathlon, Pt. 2 The Bike

This is Part 2 of my Nashvegas Triathlon experience, the bike.  The intro is the last paragraph of Part One, the Swim, which can be found here.

My bare feet glided down the slick pavement. The rain continued and I was suddenly freezing. I couldn’t believe God would put me through this and scurried to the bike transition in a daze.  I ran up to my row and looked down for my distinct white towel, but it was gone.  What the fuck?  I ran back and forth like a kid protecting his lunch money and completely lost my mind for the third time of the day.  Part of my strategy was minimalist and fast transitions.  Shoes . . . socks . . . helmet . . . gone.  But the only thing gone, was my bike.

Of course it was there and I retraced my steps and saw the lonely vessel crying in the rain along with my soaking wet shoes and socks.  Damn!  Why didn’t I think of that one? Not that it mattered. I made the split second decision to bike without socks.  I never thought about it ahead of time but it was clearly the right decision.  As I ran my bike out of its pen, I saw my screaming fan base and heard Heidi shout, “Wow, that was fast.” Maybe I was in a time warp.  Transition one – 1:45. Not too bad.

As I pulled away in the rain, my thought instantly transferred to the run.  I would be running sockless for the first time.  Then I thought about the pelting rain and how much this whole race was sucking balls at the moment.  I turned out of the park and headed for the Ashland City hills with the perfect competitive attitude.  Alone on a bike, soaking wet after a miserable swim, I yelled, “Fuck it!” and was instantly unstoppable.

One of my sure-fire strategies is to get mad at the world, David versus Goliath style, and embrace the obstacles.  In this case I knew the rain would fuck with people’s heads, make them cold and take away their edge, but mine was only sharpened.

While most triathletes ride with clipped pedals, I wore cages.  It is a distinct disadvantage that I used for motivation.

I took my time as I glided down Highway 12 on the flat section of the course. I passed several bikers, but kept myself in check for the long ride.  I drove the course the day before and knew that while the course was 25 miles, the last five were down hill.  I turned it into a 20 mile ride.

The first 10 were cake, but when the Olympic course turned of, the hills loomed. The first challenge was a steady two mile climb that started around mile 12. It weaved through the back roads of Ashland City and eventually dropped us into a makeshift sub-division that looked (and felt) like a disturbing place to spend your life.

With a 10K lurking, I didn’t want to burn the legs. I spun low gears and climbed at a moderate clip.  The rain lightened, but the roads were like oil.  I channeled Tour de France riders while imagining throngs of hungry fans grabbing for a taste of me.  Unfortunately the Ashland City populous had other plans that morning, though I did see one guy mowing his lawn and a couple dogs.

I always find the trust factor impressive at these races. At one point the bike course turned down a lonely country road and spun around about 200 feet from a true scene out of Deliverance.  I saw it the day before when I missed the turn.  It was a home so disheveled that I was afraid to approach the driveway for fear of staring at a shotgun.  I mean this place was literally covered in shit that nobody on earth would want, except this guy.  Just garbage and filth everywhere.  Broken windows, car parts, fallen trees, I mean, I can’t even explain it and I was going to take a picture, but figured that was a bad idea as well and got the hell out of there.

But back to the honesty. There was a simple cone in the middle of this road and it was the turn around point.  The cone sat in solitude and I could have easily swerved inside the mark to cut a couple feet off, or for that matter turned around in the middle of the block.  No one was there, and I assumed it was because of Deliverance guy.

I felt good and kept spinning my way back to town. I guessed there were 8 miles left and the last five would be like a bobsled course.  I kicked it in gear, pounding my way through the curves like Lance on ‘roids before I was rudely interrupted by a line of pick-up trucks waiting to turn onto “my” course.  I swerved around the gaggle of trucks and was oddly happy to see a cop waving me through to the main road, where more cars were waiting to make my blast down the mountain a nightmare.

Cars and more cars.  All going shopping or whatever cars do on Saturday morning in Ashland City.  They had no idea there was a race going on and I felt it was my duty to let them know.

I took over the lane as I saw the crest of the hill and prepared to scream downward.  I flew past a couple bikers sipping water and hammered the biggest gears.  I went to my lower grip and attacked the wet and windy road at 30 mph.  Speed picked up and I nearly lost it when my palm slipped off the wet handle bars.  One more mile to go and I didn’t let up, until . . . I saw the traffic.

Who were these people flooding the streets at 9:30 Saturday morning.  McDonalds, Walmart, Walgreens, all sucking the life out of people who moved to Ashland City to get away from such filth, but now they were trapped.  Lifelong country folk losing their roots to corporate America.  But worse, I had to negotiate through this mess.

At the bottom of the hill, another friendly officer waved me to the left.  Back onto the main road for a white knuckle battle with hundreds of shoppers, all clueless to the biggest race of my life.  I bobbed and weaved to safety then leaked down the right hand shoulder of the road with literally a foot between me and car mirrors.  No support, no signs, no friendly cops.  I thought I was lost and battled traffic like a New York bike courier with nothing to deliver except a fading dream.

My thin tire hugged the edge of the slick black top and I turned sideways to squeeze by the last pick-up blocking my way to glory.  I turned right and peddled down the exit street, drenched, cold, and convinced I laid down a good ride.  Official time was 1:20:35, nearly 20 mph.

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Ironman Wisconsin, the World Series, and Weirdos

It is very clear, excessive drinking on your birthday can impact the pace of blog posts.  The good news is . . . my brain has been fried, so you haven’t missed much (with the exception of a few really good naps).

It all started Friday when I met about 12 friends at Pomodoro East for a few Yazoo Pale Ales and some food.  It was a great hang and the Fab Five made a complete showing, which was great because I like to re-enforce my omnipresent age and wisdom growth at events such as my birthday parties.

After that, it was on to Village Pub, where, like Cheers, they all know my name, but have decided to stop serving my beer because I was training so much I hardly went in there anymore.  True story!  So, went to my back up, Guiness and, just for kicks, ran their keg dry.

Saturday, I watched the World Series with, a big time Nashville power broker, and my ongoing disbelief of clueless big league hitters.  First it was the Yankees, now the Tigers.  Proof that pitching and defense wins pennants.  It reminded me of a baseball rule that I would like to see changed.  Mr. Selig, listen up.

I see all these batters wearing excessive padding on their elbows, ankles, chest, wrists, nipples, or whatever, and I have a problem with it because it takes some of the fear out of batting, which is a huge part of the game, but for years we’ve let guys like Barry Bonds wear a fucking bullet proof pad on his lead arm and dive into pitches without thinking twice.  (It would be akin to me swimming the Ironman with the security of a rubber ducky float).  My point here is IF you are going to let them wear battle armor when they are in the batter’s box, make them wear it on the bases, too.  It’s a legit request and Major League Baseball should start it next season.

Yesterday was my first run since the Sasquatch Trot two weeks ago.  As you know I tweaked the knee a bit and have been spending a lot of time humping my foam roller.  Our relationship was a little rocky at first, but I’ve learned to appreciate her on a new level and trust her to make me a more relaxed runner, and better lover.

Okay, anyway, let’s get back to Ironman’s for a minute.  Last night, I came home and tuned in my DVR’d version of Kona!  I didn’t watch it all, just got a little taste and man, did it fire me up.  If you get a chance, do yourself a favor and look up Kona Swim Start.  It is literally insane, in all the ways insane is good.

And of course that inspired me to swim tonight, and and I’m going to leave it at this, but there are some weird mother fuckers around YMCA’s.  After my brush with bizarro, I watched over my shoulder on route to the pool.  I picked the lane closest to the wall and repeatedly swam into it on purpose as practice my bodily contact for Wisconsin.  I know what you’re saying, “Who’s the weirdo here?”

Oh, and I just found this clip of Ironman Wisconsin, which is pretty bad ass.

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Crushing Birthdays

I know you are all likely waiting for an in-depth story about my birthday celebration, so I promise to make that happen sometime today.  But for now, imagine high flying strippers and extreme excess on every level.  Then, back it down a little and you’re probably getting in the ballpark.  

What I can say is the Fab 5 made another appearance and we discovered a bunch of storylines that promise to keep this journey interesting.  I’ll get serious about this post after the Badgers beat up on Sparty!  

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Iron Ego

I often wonder why I signed up to do Ironman Wisconsin.  It’s a huge physical and fiscal commitment that will take a ton of time and dedication but when I’m done . . . I walk away with a medal, t-shirt and the right to tattoo the Ironman logo on my right ass cheek.

Sometimes I wonder if this is a big ego trip that will make me feel like someone I’m not.  But the truth is, I believe this process will bring me closer to who I am.

Life can suck juice out of the best plans.  I mean, is it really natural for humans to sit in a classroom 7 hours a day until they are 22 years old, or in my case 30?  Then tackle a career by sitting at a desk 8 hours a day until you’re too old to move?  To top it all off, we spend the time that’s left on a couch or a rocking chair before hitting early bird supper.

I know I’m generalizing, but sometimes I walk around the office and look at dozens of people spending half their waking lives gazing at a computer screen.  And I can’t talk because I do the same thing, but frankly, that is some weird shit!

For me, the Ironman represents a quest to re-discover the purest form of my humanity.  It’s motivation that forces me to move, and along the way I anticipate dozens of side benefits–including some super tasty physiological treats.

But, there is definitely ego.  Or, at the very least, a need to rekindle a life of competition that faded away.  I played competitive sports most of my life and truly miss the high of winning.  But winning, when it comes to an Ironman or any kind of individual endurance sport, rarely means first place.

Winning is giving an honest effort to be your best and that is far more than clipping a few seconds off a stopwatch.  It’s about being healthy, clear, happy, honest, and releasing the person that’s been tied down in the corner.

And it’s hard when you invest this much in yourself because you have to evolve.  It takes patience and courage to leave the chair behind.  There must be movement, and when you move, it can seem like you’re running away from who you are.  But, for me, moving is simply re-discovering the best man inside and hanging out with him more often.

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New Ironman Training Plan

Tonight was a roller coaster.  Not one of those blow your doors off rides like the Top Thrill Dragster, but rather one of those rusty rails you put the kids on in the back yard.

I nestled in for Game 7 between the Giants and the Cardinals and it was basically over by the time I got four slices into my Pizzereal.*  And yes, I’m still eating pizza and drinking beer and nibbling on donuts at work, but I think what you came for, is to hear how a seemingly innocent night transformed my Ironman training strategy.

My initial blog post was meant to zero-in on the parallels between baseball and triathlons, but I kinda felt like ass earlier and didn’t write.  Then I drank a bunch of water, mixed some OJ with seltzer, and pounded one Advil before kicking back to read “You Are An Ironman” –which only made me want to do something else.

I threw the book back into its idle pile and went to the basement for pushups, curls, and  core work.  About 15 minutes in, I started feeling great and craved a run.  But, as we know, my knee has been killing me, so I decided to try some light running in place and DAMN, I think I’m onto something.

I flashed back to my Pop Warner football days when we ran in place while coach Farr slapped us upside the head and yelled “Hit the deck!” for push-ups.  I played in the lightweight division but was the biggest kid on the team, so naturally they put me on the offensive line to wreak havoc with my 94 pound frame.

I wanted to be a receiver, but whenever I complained, coach would scream, “We need you on that line, Tarrolly!”  Fuck me.  Okay.

Our team was called the Rams and coaches handed out little ram helmet stickers for good plays, but lineman swag was limited.  I had 3 lonely rams and our star receiver’s helmet looked like a damn homecoming float.

Anyway, I’m running in place tonight (suppressing bad memories of my lineman days) and feeling like this new discovery could be a huge key in my training plan.  I turned at just the right angle so the lamp cast a huge shadow of my post-modern 94-pound-frame and took short quick Jack Lalanne steps which transported me to training ecstacy.

And now, because I am a serial mind changer, I am seriously thinking about going old-school Ironman training.  Push ups, sit ups, running in place, tree climbing, and hay bale dead lifts.  So if you see me army crawling in Shelby Park just wave and plan on meeting me later for Ovaltine.

* This is the first time I noticed it was actually Pizzereal with an “e” instead of Pizzareal with an ”a” so I apologize for previous misleading posts.  

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The Fab Five Plus One

So here we were again.  Sitting around a table at Calypso Cafe talking about how awesome we are, but this time, our coach was on hand to keep us in check.

Kevin showed up with a big smile and belly full of beer.  Daniel had paint on his face and looked mildly like a warrior.  Jim sat across from me wearing shades indoors while reading the menu.  Mark was late from his rock climbing class and I sported my new mustache.  If nothing else, the Fab Five make for an interesting story.

Just to give you an idea of how these guys operate, here’s a workout summary from today:
Mark – P90x, 16 mile run, rock climbing
Jim – P90x, 16 mile run, antiquing
Daniel – P90x, 5K Color Run for the ladies
Kevin – A solid 6 hour training day that included at least two bars and 3-4 bar stool changes
Mike – Winterized the pool, ran over to neighbors

I think our new coach, Robbie, was intrigued by the challenge that sat around him plowing down Caribbean food and defending their training strategies.

“By the time training starts in January, you should be able to swim 2,000 yards,” said the coach as we all shook our heads with mouthfuls of beans.

He went on to say, “I’m big on bike training.”

“Mmmhhmm…” chomp chomp.

“Any questions?”

Kevin chimed in, “Yeah, is it possible to overtrain?”

“Absolutely, it’s better to be undertrained than overtrained.”

I stared in Mark’s direction, just to make sure he heard that.

“What???” he asked.

“Nothing.”

Coach gave us a few inside angles on how to handle Ironman Wisconsin.  He also confirmed the rumor that during the swim dead bodies have been known to float to the surface with all the commotion.  This, of course creeps everyone out, but I have something else at stake.  That dead body could be someone I know!  Maybe that long lost buddy from high school who went ice fishing only never to be seen again.  There’s nothing like bumping into an old/dead friend in Lake Monona to freak you into a record swim time.

Robbie suggested we take a road trip next summer to get familiar with the bike course, which was greeted with clinking bottles of beer.  “Here here, road trip!”  I volunteered the family cabin in Lake Geneva and flashed back to the legendary bachelor parties I have thrown in my mom’s favorite place on earth.  If we do end up getting a stripper this time, it will likely be low key and she’ll have to be done with her show by 8 so we can go to bed.

The evening ended with a promise to do our documentary interviews next weekend and a Pearl Jam “10” like raised hand pre-game explosion.  “Let’s go!”

And go we did.

Kevin and Jim went back to 3 Crow Bar.  Daniel went to scrub the paint off of his face.  I came here to write this.  Mark went to Tae Kwon Do class.

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Two Tales of Saturday Swims

This morning I met fellow Ironman Wisconsin training partner Jim, and another man with a plan, Stokes for a swim at the Downtown YMCA.  Jim set a nice pace and we knocked out a relatively easy 1500 meters in around 34 minutes.  I have finally found a decent stroke and wasn’t tired at the end, which made me wish I was swimming this well the first time I swam 1500 meters in competition.  It was a wildly different story.

Below is a summary of my first Olympic Triathlon swim.  Warning: It is not pretty.  

I probably should have kept looking at my feet, but it was hard not to notice the imposing swim course.  A bright green buoy waited 200 meters across the dark choppy current of the Cumberland River.  I took an ill-fated peek at the second buoy and it was so far away I could barely see it.  There was nowhere else to look but inside.

I crouched with 40 men, all vying for solid footing on the slime covered boat ramp.  Nervous laughter filled the air as we slid into and fell on each other on a chilly September morning in Ashland City.

The Olympic triathlon swim is 1,500 meters, but in these conditions, the lurking rectangle endless.  I’d swam the distance a couple times in a pool, but in open water, you can die.

I asked my friend Kevin (who had just finished an Ironman) for swim advice, and he shrugged his shoulders and said, “Try to relax.”

I knew it was all about staying in the moment because every time I looked at those buoys, I was beaten.  I needed to find the pocket and keep in my stroke.  But it was not to be.

The gun went off and 40 over-achieving men jumped on my back.  I fought for my breath and my strategy went from relaxation to survival.  Primal screams pierced my ears and I think they were all coming from me.  I let the pack race away and unzipped my tri-top so my heart would have more room to beat.

By the time I got to the first buoy, I was a humbled and frightened man.  I stopped in the water and gazed into the distance, then to the starting the dock, then the second buoy.  I faced a major decision while I treading water in this dirty river.  Cold rain fell on my swim cap like a Chinese water torture and each drop reaffirmed what an idiot I was for trying something so far above my capabilities.

I drifted toward the support boat in hopes they would make my decision easier.  Maybe they’d offer hot coffee, a blanket and a bagel.  It seemed so natural.  A peaceful ending to something probably shouldn’t have started.

More rain, more waves . . . more water in my mouth as I tried to catch my breath, which was amazingly elusive.

“Calm down, dude, fuck!” I said to myself as I looked overhead at the massive bridge above me.  I was on a military mission and quick decisions save lives.  I was very close to grabbing the side of the boat and floating to the shore, battered, beaten, but alive.

It was the easy way out, but I couldn’t face the disappointment.  Kevin, Allison, Daniel, and Heidi had come out to watch me beat this challenge and there was nothing about quitting after 200 meters that would have a good ring to it.

“Fuck it.”

I launched my “noodle float” back to the support team and said, “Wish me luck.”  I was going for it.

I had always had a dark fantasy about trying to survive a flood and now I was getting my chance.  But this isn’t quite what I imagined and breathing wasn’t getting easier.

I settled into a breast stroke, which was more comfortable and I knew from practice it wasn’t that much slower than my freestyle.  I should have started in it, but didn’t want to be “that” guy leaving the dock with a weak swim.

Once you have the endurance, swimming is all about form and being relaxed.  I plowed ahead with terrible form and breathing, simply doing all I could to go in the right direction. Normally triathletes “sight” their line while they swim, but I was literally stopping every 3 minutes and looking around like a fucking tourist.

Halfway to buoy two, I realized I was a good twenty yards to the left of the other swimmers.  Not only was this swim difficult, I was making my life miserable by taking a horrible line.  It’s one thing to be out of traffic, but it’s another to be on the course.

I was mentally shattered, but did my best to get back in line.  After what seemed like a entire morning, I reached the second green buoy and remember thinking this may have been the most impressive physical accomplishment of my life.

I treaded water again, gathering my bearings as imaginary turtles snapped at my toes.  A true story of survival if I’d ever written one. I was spent, depressed, and questioning my sanity; none of which seemed to matter to the dozens of swimmers thrashing around me.  But the simple fact there were swimmers bumping into me was an odd inspiration.  I wasn’t the last one on the course.

I stared across the river at the third of four buoys and took a deep breath.  The good news was, I was halfway home, which was also the bad news.

“Fuck, I’m only halfway there.”

I took off toward buoy number 3 and “being done” was the only thing on my mind.  But you can’t cheat your body or mother nature.  Even if I swam my best it would still take 15 minutes.  For most people that is an eternity in a pool, let alone a dank, log-filled river.

I sat myself in the corner of the classroom and went over the lesson plan one last time.

“Relax, embrace your stroke and find a groove.”

Just get to the next buoy, just get to the bridge, just get to that boat, just get to the swim exit.  Breaking it up is the only way to progress when you’re in quandary like this.  That’s what I did.

I felt like a man swimming across the river in wet 3-piece suit.  Making matters worse was the fact that I wasn’t absolutely sure which way the current was flowing.  I had asked 6 guys before the race and 3 said “this way” and 3 said “that way.”  Luckily it didn’t seem to matter.  If there was one grace of this swim, the current wasn’t overly strong in the wide section of the river.  I wasn’t thrown off course on my cross swims, but none-the-less, I might want to clear up the current direction before my next race.

When I reached the 3rd buoy I made a point of rubbing it with my shoulder.  A symbolic gesture as well as making sure I swam the absolute shortest path.

I was getting “close.”  But close was still about 6 football fields worth of swimming.

It wasn’t a matter of making it now.  I knew that I would get there, but how would I feel when I ran up that ramp to the bike?  Would my legs be shot from all this breast stroking?  I focused on using my arms.  Dragging my ragged body through the murky flow.

When you’re a little kid on a boat, there’s something about driving under a bridge that creates a sense of awe.  The concrete structure seems massive and intimidating, and that feeling came back as I swam below with the water drain-off escalating the impact of the rain.  I stopped for a moment to soak it all in with about 100 meters to go, then plunged like a carp and buried my head toward the target.

The “exit buoy” was orange and despite the overcast day, it grew brighter with every stroke.  The night before the race I had spread dishwashing soap on my goggles to keep them from fogging and the move paid off.  I can’t imagine how intimidating that conquest would have been if I couldn’t see, but the night before I heard a story about a former veteran who was now in the Paralympics doing just that.  Blind, and winning medals.  It’s amazing how these little stories can pull you through and I listen to all of them.

The throngs of people lined the swim exit, well maybe 50, and in my desperate hope for glory listened for their screams between strokes and labored breathing.  Nothing.  So, I just focused and sure enough, that orange cone was right in my face.  Finally, I stopped swimming and grabbed some strange woman’s hand as she told me to be careful walking up the slippery ramp.

Now I heard screams.

Allison, Heidi, Daniel and Kevin were giving me their juice and I gladly took it.  The first words out of my mouth were a scream of joy (not really words) and “That really sucked.”  You see, I had been calculating my swim exit strategy to take the focus off of my time, which I was quite certain was an hour, and that was a little deflating considering I thought I might do it in 30 minutes.  (Actual time was 41:52).

I glided down the pavement in my bare feet.  The rain was still falling and I was suddenly a tad cold.  I couldn’t believe God would put me through this but I scurried into the bike transition in a bit of a daze.  I ran up to my row and looked down to see in hopes of locating my distinct white towel, but it was gone.  My bike was gone!  What the fuck?  I ran back and forth like a kid protecting his lunch money and completely lost my mind for the third time of the day.  Part of my strategy was minimalist and fast transitions.  Shoes . . . socks . . . helmet . . . gone.  But the only thing gone, was my bike.