ironman blog – Page 3

August 21, 2014

3 Days Until Ironman Louisville . . . and No Job

Today, a crazy stillness overtook me. The calm before . . . the fire.

It started while I was sitting around doing video work this morning and had an insatiable urge to go swimming. I put up zero resistence.

I warmed up, then glided easily for about 600 meters to simulate the start of Ironman Louisville. Settling into my race will be priority number one. I don’t want to be breathing heavily by the time I turn to go down stream. No matter how slow my pace.

I did a few more 200’s, then casually ascended to land before climbing the stairs to the roof pool. I soaked in the sun like a monk in meditation.

Later, I ran into a guy I used to work with, and that’s when it hit me, “I am finally turning into myself again.”

I worked in local television news for nearly 15 years and, for the most part, dreaded every day. Sad, I know.

Nothing about it agreed with my flow. The karma of negative news, the corporate environment, the regimented and endless deadlines. It just keeps going. You are never done. Even a ridiculously long race like Ironman has a finish line.

By now it was noon and I had nothing but loose plans like packing for Louisville and finishing a video edit. But I had all day and night to do them. It was my decision as to when they would get done. It was the freedom I have missed and cherished for so many years.

Today was the first day that I literally felt anxiety melting from my body. It may have had something to do with the heat, but I’m pretty sure it was the realization that I am finally on the path I have wanted for my life.

Don’t get me wrong, Ironman has its own way of stirring the anxiety pot, and I can certainly feel it bubbling. It has been a continual source of stimulation and a great amount of fear. But somehow knowing I have a different life waiting after Ironman is a tremendous relief.

I know the release will help me on some way this Sunday. I may not be in the shape I want to be in, but I can feel my mental pendulum swinging the right direction. In the last two days I have let go a lot of premature goals that are out of my control and let myself be at peace with a race I have obsessed about for months.

This race will not define me. It is simply something I want to do because it is taking me in the right direction. Forward and free.

August 20, 2014

4 Days Out From Ironman Louisville #IMLOU

So we know the temperature may hit 100 degrees on Sunday, but how’s your mental thermometer handling that news? Me? I’m sitting here watching my dog lick her paws.

My first Ironman was a beautiful wreck and Louisville is about to whack me with the ugly stick, but in a perverted, kinda why-would-anyone-do-an-Ironman sort of way, I’m pumped.

It’s like a hyper-focus lens on my brain.

We know this week is for tapering, but 100 degrees makes you think twice before eating that extra Snickers.

This week is all mental and emotional for me. It’s about staying level headed, eating right, and not letting the body get dehydrated.

I read a story once about a blazing hot Summer Olympics and the strategy of two different teams. One was to stay outside a lot and in rooms with no air conditioning to get used to the heat. The other was to stay cool in a plush hotel, relax, and get good sleep. The latter proved to be the far better formula and that’s the plan I’m gonna follow.

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August 20, 2014

100 Degrees At Ironman Louisville?? #IMLOU

Well, got some stellar news via the internet today:

With that close to my heart and mind, this week of taper is quickly turning into a week of sleep. I ordered my Sheik outfit today, so look for me in the flowing white. Something similar to this, including the sandals.

I’m also drinking tons of cucumber juice and spending a lot of time in front of the grill when I cook. And working on my tan by floating in the pool.

I showed the forecast to my buddy and he said, “Dude, that is just plain fucked up.”

Yeah, but if Louisville is moving to October next year, it might as well go out with a bang. I will believe it when I see/feel it, but there is a small, well, actually large part of me that hopes it does hit 100.

In all seriousness, I hope they have doubled the water and ice order for this weekend. I’ve heard of many races where they’ve ran out and this would not be the one to experiment with your inventory efficiency.

At least it’s going to be sunny. Zero percent chance of precipitation is sweet.

I know a guy in Nashville who raced Lake Tahoe last year and don’t think it’s too late for him to go from ice to the fire of Ironman Louisville within a year. His legacy is waiting . . .

There’s been talk that Ironman may shorten the race, but that is a slim to none possibility. We’re all in this together, ready to drink the Kool-aid just like they did in Jonestown.

August 18, 2014

5 Days Until Ironman Louisville #IMLOU

Last year I went to watch Louisville two weeks before I did my first Ironman and it did two things:

1. Pumped me up beyond belief. There is nothing like watching an Ironman.

2. Scared the living crap out of me.

It was the second time I spectated IM Louisville and both times I have loved every minute of it. It’s in a great downtown setting, the waterfront is awesome, and the energy of over 2,000 athletes is incredible.

The pre-race energy really got me going. I even rode the first 12 miles or so (and back) of the bike course and tasted the first climb. I remember thinking how much I liked the river view as I rode.

The Swim Start is electric. The music, the nervous energy, the friends and family all watching as one by one future Ironmen jump into the abyss.

The weather is beautiful at that hour, but as the day rolls on, you begin to meet the Devil. The mighty Louisville rises and it takes its toll on everyone.

The first loop through LaGrange offers a lot of excited bikers, but stay long enough and the faces change. The smiles become introspection as cyclists tuck deeper into their shell, searching for any form of aerodynamic that will get them back home.

You scramble for shade, just to watch, then drive in air conditioning back to the Bike Exit where the carnage becomes clear.

And the run… oh, the run.

I was absolutely shocked the first time I watched and it seemed like damn near every one in that race was walking on the first loop. And the second time was no different. Throngs of lycra covered men and women taking a Sunday afternoon stroll on the Louisville Streets.

It was like a car wreck, and I couldn’t turn away. Would that be me? Will that be me?

You think you’ve trained enough, but could all these people be wrong? They all trained, probably more than me. For the week after that race, I was genuinely psyched out about going to Wisconsin. I thought I was doomed.

Eventually I forgot the faces in Louisville and got down to work. The race has nothing to do with anyone else, it all comes down to what you have inside.

Hundreds of pre-mature calculations suddenly didn’t matter. It was me against the course.

And something strange happened that morning of the race. I stood in that swim line fearless.

It’s really the same as most things in life. The anticipated anxiety is always worse than the reality of the event.

Hundreds of thousands have done the same thing we are about to do on Sunday. They have worried endlessly, they have wrestled in their sleep the night before, then . . . they have gone out and finished an Ironman on their terms.

August 18, 2014

Why We Do Ironman (Video) #IMLOU #IMWI

I forgot I’d made this video last year as the 5 of us were training for Ironman Wisconsin, but it’s kinda cool. There are so many stories behind why people do Ironman and the guys I did my first with have some great ones.

I really still do plan to put this all together in a 30-60 minute film sometime soon-ish. Feel free to let me know if you like this kind of thing and think it would be interesting in a longer form.

Thanks.

August 18, 2014

6 Days Until Ironman Louisville #IMLOU

One week from this very moment I hope to be sitting at that Irish Pub next to the Ironman Louisville finish line, covered in salt, sharing war stories with my friends and family. I haven’t been having the same bouts of anxiety I did with my first Ironman, but the tension is building fast. This week I have one absolute goal: relax.

It’s not going to be easy.

Every time I close my eyes, my mind drifts to one of three places. That leap into the Ohio River, that first stretch of River Road, or mile one of that downtown run. It’s like a broken record and it won’t stop.

Whether or not I’ve done all I can to prepare for this race is no longer the question, I have done all I can. Now, my job is to rest and relax . . . not cut my hand again trying to install a dog door.

I’ve been here one other time and there is an insane desire to continually prove to yourself that you’re ready. I went out on the bike today for an EASY hour ride and I was in a continual tug of war with my ego.

EGO: Prove to yourself you have the speed and power, Mike!”
ME: FU . . . I’m just moving my legs and recovering.
EGO: Come on man, if you show me something now, I will let you rest easier tonight.
ME: Hmm . . . tempting.
EGO: For real, man. Let’s get rid of ALL doubt, right now. Stretch it out . . . blow this ride away!
ME: (starts crying)

So I have to let go of the ego. Never trust that SOB because he wants everything now. Ego is what Steven Pressfield calls “Resistance.” A very real and omnipresent force that continually tries to throw you off your game.

The race is in 6 Days and the only thing I can do now is make it harder by doing something stupid. It’s going to be hard enough.

I will do a few very light swims and maybe a couple easy rides. Other than that I will try to eat well, hydrate, rest. . . and take my chances.

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August 16, 2014

Is USAT Making Amends?

A few months ago my application to blog Nationals was rejected by USAT, and it seems they have noticed. The other day I opened my mail and found not one, but TWO issues of their latest magazine.

Don’t ever underestimate the power of sharing your dreams with the world.

August 15, 2014

My Biggest Concern About Ironman Louisville

Now that I’ve quit my job of 15 years, I anticipate quite a different lifestyle. Days will now be at my pace. I will go to bed and wake up when I please.

My natural tendency is to lean toward night owl. On one hand I love that because there’s something cool about doing things while everyone else is sleeping. On the other, I’m sliding into a bad sleep pattern.

Last year I slept 3 hours before Ironman Wisconsin and I would barely call it a solid nap. I’m not sure what’s going to happen at Louisville, but I know I have to get at least six hours . . . and do it without oversleeping the race start!

I’ve had nightmares of running to the dock and screaming, “Don’t pull up the timing mat!” I wait in my swimskin as they put it back in place, calibrate the computer, then scream at me to “get the fuck in the water!”

Yeah, so here’s to a good night sleep in the “Ville.”

August 15, 2014

Good Advice Can Come from Anyone

I wrote this a couple weeks ago and have been sticking with this leg strengthening plan. I still haven’t been running much at all, but I sense something good going on in my body thanks to this tidbit from a guy I never expected to offer advice.

I have to admit, when I go watch a triathlon, I put a little too much thought into what I’m going to wear. When I went to Music City Triathlon, my first thought was to wear Ironman Wisconsin Finisher’s shirt, but I opted for NashVegas as a reminder of the time I almost died.

You want the attention and praise you “deserve,” after an Ironman, I guess, but about 5 minutes after I got there, an animated gentleman excitedly asked, “You doing NashVegas this year?!? It’s a great race!”

I regretfully said, no because I’m doing Ironman Louisville a few weeks before and that’s when he launched into his triathlon history.

“I’ve been at this for forty years… did this … and that… and this and that….”

My first inclination was to walk away, but I think there’s always something to learn…

He rambled on about his training regimen and how they do a lot with weight training…

“Look at my calves,” he said, pulling up his shorts further than necessary.

It reminded me of my Achilles and Plantar Fasciitis problems, so . . . I brought it up.

“Oh…….,” he said, throwing his foot onto a nearby curb.

“Do these calf raises… and do this… and do that… and do four sets… light weights… It’s not worth anything until you do four sets.”

In mid-thought, he turned his back, and ran toward the race course, hopping up and down in circles, yelling out, “You’re looking great!” to the runners.

Then, he was back in front of me . . . “You need to join a triathlon club.”

Honestly, I thought he was a little off his rocker, but it was mildly entertaining.

“Yeah, and do these for your upper body, and . . . did I show you my calves?”

“Um, yeah.”

“For every exercise, you need to do the opposite . . . do these for your shins,” he said as he curled his toe upward.

“I have thick shins. Never had a problem. Of course I’m old, and don’t go fast, but I do 100 yard repeats . . . 30 of em.”

Wow . . . I wasn’t saying anything, but with age comes wisdom and I was listening selectively.

It was the four sets of light repetitions and the counterbalance exercises . . . and the repeats.

He ran back to celebrate, shouting exuberant “You got it, girls!” as I slowly tiptoed away.

Sometimes what you learn is clarification of something you know. You hear it from a different perspective can open your subconsciousness to the opportunities.

That afternoon I was laying around on my yoga mat and my brain suddenly realized the REAL value of calf and ankle strengthening. Injury stems from imbalance and I have always suspected that to be my main problem.

I took it slow, but spent the next hour “waking up” my ankles. Standing on one leg at time for 5, 10, 15, 25 seconds. I did this progression over and over and eventually, what was nearly impossible on my left leg, became manageable. This morning I did the same and there was already marked improvement. In less than 24 hours I have more confidence in my left ankle where the Achilles issues nest. I’m looking forward to see where the next 24 days take me.

Post script: Like I mentioned, I haven’t been running much at all lately, but definitely feel a sense of balance in my body. This applies to the pool and bike as well. I feel like my work is more “overall body” than powering through with my dominant side. I’m accepting the flow and that is the mentality I am taking with me to Louisville.

August 14, 2014

I Just Got Called "A Yankee"

I made small talk with a nice man at the coffee shop. He was waiting for his first dose of thunder, I was poised for round two.

He wore a bright white v-neck t-shirt and even brighter white pants. I assumed he was a painter.

“I’m guessing your outfit will be a lot dirtier by the end of the day,” I said with a hint of apprehension.

“Well, now, actually it’s gonna be a clean day,” he replied with a calculated drawl.

“Where ya from?,” I asked.

“Originally Texas. Spent a lot of years in Virginia, but there’re a lot of Yankees there, so it don’t really count,” he said with a tinge of remorse.

“Not a big fan of Yankees?”

“Well, they just weren’t nice.”

“I’m from Wisconsin and we are some of the nicest people around,” I said trying to win him over.

“Well, I was born in Iowa, so I guess I’m a Yankee on some level.”

Ha! So, that was a real conversation. And it proves my point about life and humanity. If you dig deep enough, we’re all the same.

———–

With that in mind, about 2,500 friends of mine will be tackling Ironman Louisville next Sunday in 90 degree heat. We’ll come from a melting pot of backgrounds, geography, and philosophies. But we’ll all be focused on one thing . . . ascending to a higher plane.

Of those 2,500 people, every one will have a different training philosophy. Some will chase miles, some will race for fun, others will be energized by fear.

But we are all the same.

We all want to become better, stronger, and more consistent people. It would take a while, maybe a lifetime, but I would love to sit with each one and drill down to our connective center. Find our common fears, battles and dreams. Feel the relief as hypocrisy falls from our bones.

Yankees, Southerners, Texans, Blacks, Whites, Asians, Jews, old, young, men, women. All seeking the truth. All not settling for a pre-definined place in life . . . or a label.

People from the SEC, the Big 10, Pac 10, ACC, and Big East. All releasing their differences for a cause. A cause that rises higher than logos and exists in a place we can’t define.

There will be an endless list of pretense, but for one day, 2,500 of us will dispose of trivial beliefs and focus on the real meaning of faith. Faith in a higher and more meaningful quest. A direct apprehension of something bigger than our collective selves. We will experience the ultimate meditation. Up to 17 hours of being in the moment. And when we are in the moment there are no Yankees, Southerners, Texans, Blacks, Whites, Asians, Jews, old, young, men, or women.

There just is.

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