Tag: Ironman

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A New Perspective on Digging Deep

I have experienced it first hand as I struggled to finish my first 5k.  I have watched friends complete half and full marathons while heat pummeled their bodies.  I have witnessed a good friend finish Ironman Louisville despite puking multiple times on his 112 mile bike ride.  The very nature of these races forces you to dig deeper.  But what if we looked at the concept of digging deep in terms of trusting your plan?

Saturday at 7 am, I stood near the start line of the Rocket City Marathon with two friends who were there to watch.  One of the guys said he signed up, but wasn’t running and like a flash, my brain skulled into overdrive.  I went from casual spectator, to seriously contemplating a 26.2 mile run.

My gut bubbled.  This would be the surprise of the day.  I would headline the 10 o’clock news; people would be astonished by my feat; I would be limping for a week.

Thank God, logic choked me.

The Huntsville Marathon was not part of my plan and I think this is why most companies, teams and people get in trouble.  They settle on a strategy, but ignore it for a deviant opportunity.  The Steelers, St. Louis Cardinals, and folks at Apple stick to a plan . . . and it works.

I was thinking like the Titans yesterday.  I was looking for a quick way to make fans and get closer to my goal of an immortal mortal.  I know the hail mary is bad form, but sticking to a solid, long-term plan is one of the hardest things in life.

In fact, I was even imparting this wisdom the night before.

“I know you’ll feel good early, but resist temptation to start this marathon too fast.  Finishing strong is a way better option.”

I mean, EVERYONE who runs knows this, but it is very difficult to stay with that plan.

“You’re running a race, for god’s sake, run the mother fucker!”

Of all the races I’ve completed, I did not take my advice in any of them.  I always go out faster than I should and imagine I would have done the same had I decided to launch into the Rocket City Marathon.

So, I’d like to put a spin on the phrase “dig deep.”  The obvious definition is to find something extra inside of you while you’re on the course.  To swim one more lap.  To spin when there’s nothing left.  To pick up legs that can barely move.  But what about digging deep when it comes to your character and a plan?

While I don’t know how deep I actually dug yesterday, I acted rationality.  We endurance athletes often confuse going the extra mile with what’s best in the long run.  I really try to remind myself to pull in the reigns with regard to training.  It’s one thing to be a pro and push your body to the limits, but a big reason I’m committed to doing an Ironman is for the side benefits.  I really believe it will unleash a better and more consistent person.

There is imbalance with any pursuit of passion and that holds true to training as well.  What point is all of this working out if it makes you hurt?  What point is there in settling on a plan and throwing it out the first time you’re tempted to do something else?  Or do we simply prepare to be predictably irrational?

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Coach Throws a Bash

Last night, our coach, Robbie Bruce, and X3 Endurance put together a little shindig at the former CAO headquarters in Nashville.  These triathlete cats are swank!  556824_4571217410459_2017126219_n

Free beer, food, wine, and damn near anything else you may want from a health conscious workout crew, including samples of Huma, which is a Nashville based energy gel patterned after the Tarahumara diet.  There were several endurance big wigs in attendance, including Nashville Running Company’s, Lee Wilson and his staff. LeeMarkX3 had big white sheets of paper on the walls with 2013 races across the top, which the athletes all signed if they were planning to knock it out.  The Fab Five all checked in under the Ironman heading and took a team picture by the fire pit.  FabFivex3

The triathlete contingent in Nashville seems to be alive and well and I look forward to pounding some open water swims in February!
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Tomorrow,  I will be taking my talents to South 12th Street for the 12 South Winter Warm up 12K.  Lots of 12’s in that sentence!  I told Jim, who is above with the flowing silver mop, I am shooting for his Huntsville Marathon pace goal of 7:46.  We’ll keep you posted on that one.  After the run, there is a big time beer festival, which I am evidently partaking in, that starts at 11:00.  Wish me luck on both accounts!

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Why Not You?

I’m finally reading Born to Run, which is an otherworldly story about a mysterious tribe of super- centered and super-human athletes nestled in remote caves of Mexico.  They’re called Tarahumara (the Running People) and routinely run for dozens or hundreds of miles in the course of a normal day.  It is their lifestyle.  Children run free as soon as they leave the cradle, adults run for fun, ritual, and competition, and elderly Tarahumara continue this tradition late into life.

In Chapter 6 they referenced a 90 year old man who commonly hikes 20 plus miles into the mountains.  The writer asked another tribesman how a man of his age could complete such feats of strength and endurance?  In true Tarahumara fashion the man simply said, “Because no one told him he couldn’t.”

I once heard someone say “Florida is God’s waiting room,” and while it made me laugh, I always thought it was sad.  Sure, we get old, but I’ve never liked our culture’s view of aging.  Why do we settle for a pension, rocking chair and a handed down afghan while watching re-runs of I Love Lucy? (Well, besides the fact they are hilarious!?!)

My father has never been the healthiest of men and, in many ways, has succumbed to the myth of aging, but I have always admired his passion for being a good golfer.  In fact, because I don’t see him often, that’s how I gauge his health.  He can still hit the ball as far as me and routinely scores in the 70’s as he approaches that age.  More importantly, he does it often.

Like many people I have casually thrown the phrase, “It sucks to get old,” but never wanted to accept it.  Ache has always been a part of my life and in youth you simply play through the pain.  I’d drag myself back to shortstop and embrace the next challenge.  The body always adapted and found its way back to “normal.”

In January I attempted to run as an endurance exercise for the first time in my life.  I wasn’t sure I had the patience to stick with the “slow build” Couch to 5k program, but, for once was determined to follow the rules.  There were many days I didn’t want to go, but I dragged myself to NRC and met the group.  There were other times when I felt good on an off day and wanted to test my limits, but resisted.  I stayed on course and credit that program for everything I have done since.

The more we do something, the more it brands our fiber.  It becomes natural like running is to the Tarahumara.  Whether it is writing, reading, photography, dancing, swimming, biking, running; we can do it if we create a good base and develop habits.

The Tarahumara seem super human, but for them, running is easy.  It’s kinda like lounging in a recliner to us.  Running People don’t design spread sheets or sit through webinars, but they do make sales calls (in person) and drink corn beer like it’s a treat from God.  My guess is, to them, posturing in an ergonomic chair and staring at a computer screen sounds harder than running 100 miles.  It’s what we do that makes a difference.

So, I have set my sights on the “impossible.”  A 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, followed by a full marathon.  The marathon alone (on my best day), will be 240 of those first day sixty-second-runs in succession.  The bike ride will take at least 6 hours.  The swim is the equivalent of 42 lengths of a football field.  But, like the elderly man, if I believe it, who’s to say I can’t?

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NFL Replacement Refs

I know this isn’t directly related to Ironman, but bear with me.  Last night I watched the end of the Packers/Seahawks game and all of the outrage that followed.  I was literally taken back by the level of hostility and it occurred to me that my training has given me a different outlook on competition.

For years I have ranted and raved about football or any other sport if my team got the shaft.  I was either furious or bummed or ridiculously elated.  I can feel all of those emotions sort of drifting away.

Running, biking, and swimming are all very competitive without the rage.  I have especially noticed how runners support each other, and while I’m sure there is always some envy, there is always underlying tone of encouragement.  Even I was joining in and it was all very natural.

I was oddly inspired when friends beat me en route to their personal bests. It’s kind of like going to see a band if you’re a musician.  If they suck you are inspired because you know you can do better.  If they are great, they bring up your game and push you to work harder.  Either way you respect what just happened and the band’s efforts.  Their drive to “do something” . . . explore life.

Last night after the obvious blown call in the Packers’ game, I read post after post calling for the NFL commissioners head.  It was literally like these replacement referees had ruined their lives.  It was sad and made me reflect on the concept of controlling your own life and circumstances without regard to what others are doing.

I couldn’t help but think that the Packers (and their MVP quarterback) had a chance to change the outcome and keep the referees out of their destiny.  They had the ball with 2:00 left and all they had to do was get a first down and run out the clock.  Instead, their running back fumbled the hand off and they lost 4 yards on the first play.  Then ran two giveaways up the middle before punting with a minute left.  The Seahawks got the ball back at the 50 yard line.  I’m pretty sure the MVP quarterback would have relished that situation.

Sure there are bad breaks in games.  Blown calls, distractions, brain farts.  But the beauty of competing against yourself in swimming, biking, or running is, you can only blame yourself . . . and there is a lot of power there.  You are on a quest to be better, excel, and reach something deeper inside, which can be endless fuel if you embrace it.

I played team sports for years and one of the first things I was taught in baseball was, “Never blame the game on an umpire.” This is a hard pill to swallow when a key call is blown late in the game, but life is fluid.  You can’t worry or complain about stuff you can’t control.  You prepare the best you can and accept the results.  There is no reason not to.  It’s bad for your soul.

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My Couch To Ironman History

I just recorded my first video blog for this site and will put it up as soon as I make a cool open and close that energizes, inspires, and/or makes me look like a total egomaniac.  In the meantime, here’s a little history on my couch to Ironman journey.

So, what’s my story?  I am a forty something young gentleman who, with the help of a certified Ironman, started running on January 23, 2012.  I’m sure we made some kind of bet, but the true reason was how I looked in a video last November (which I hope to find and post).  I looked like a fucking whale as I sat next to my buddy Roger and sang the University of Wisconsin anthem, “Varsity.”  We were absolutely rocked off our ass and waving our arms back and forth (feeling pretty cool I might add) acting like we were in college celebrating another Badger victory.  But when I saw the iPhone video I could not get over the fact that I had a beer gut and my face was swollen like I’d been sitting in a bar for the last 5 years, which I was.  I tried to downplay it, like it was the angle of the shot, but I made a serious mental note that day that I would not take my slobby ass lightly.

The start of my running was a “Couch to 5K” program that started with 60 second runs surrounded by 90 second walks.  I shit you not, those 60 seconds were like climbing Mount Helena to me.  I was winded like a bitch, but tried to play it cool because there were a bunch of women around me and, I’m not going to lie, that is motivation.

This went on and on and we slowly built to a 5K on St. Patrick’s Day which I ran in just under my goal of 28 minutes because my Ironman coach who ran with me lied the whole way.  “We’re way behind, gotta pick it up.”

This was me and the coach

So, I lumbered onward completing a 5 mile, 10k, 1/2 Marathon, a Sprint triathlon, numerous other 5ks, then an Olympic triathlon, which was nearly the end of my quest for iron.