The Road to Ironman

Finally got into the water

2009-02-25T20:31:00.004-06:00

After a two week lay off from swimming I was finally able to get into the water yesterday. I wasn’t able to swim for those two weeks because of both collegiate and club swim meets; that is the one thing I hate about where I swim. I lost a little bit of swim fitness but overall it was a pretty good swim.

After my swim I got on the trainer for a two hour ride. It was my first two hour ride this year. It went by pretty quickly because I was watching college basketball. I feel as if I am starting to get into really good shape, hopefully putting in the work now will pay off in the long run.

Tomorrow I will get a run in the morning and later out to dinner to celebrate my wifes birthday. Happy Birthday honey.

Good week of Training

2009-02-22T15:48:00.001-06:00

Even though I have not been able to get into the pool, I have had a good week in training. For the first time of the year I reached 30 miles of running for the week. My legs feel pretty good so I will increase that distance slowly over the next few weeks.

Monday-5.4 miles/40:00

Tuesday-Off

Wednesday-6.6 miles/45:00

Thursday-Off

Friday-5.4 miles/40:00

Saturday- 7.6 miles/54:15

Sunday- 5.0 miles/37:00

I have not been able to get outside to ride so I had to spend it all inside on the trainer. I do not mind riding on a trainer because it gives me time to watch College Basketball. I was able to get over 6 hrs of riding on the trainer.

Why Ironman?

2009-02-18T10:17:00.001-06:00

Some people think I am crazy because of the things I want to do in my life. A lot of people's life revolve around their work, I am not one those people. I make sure that I live my life to the fullest because you never know when your life is going to end. For starters I want to dive the Great Barrier Reef, climb El Capitan, Sky Dive, snowboard in the Swiss Alps, and complete an Ironman. You know the feeling when you are about to start a new adventure and your heart rate jumps through the roof because you are so nervous/excited? I LOVE that feeling. How often I get that feeling is my way of measuring if I am living life or if I am just casually strolling through life waiting to die.

Ever since I did my first triathlon my Junior year in high school, I have dreamed of doing an Ironman but the only problem is triathlon is not my life, it is a hobby. My life revolves around my wife and soccer so I have never really taken triathlons seriously. The only reason I got into the sport was because I was bored with running cross country and I wanted a different way to stay in shape for soccer. I have not participated in a triathlon in about 4 years but that is not going to stop me from not only completing Ironman Florida, but racing it with a time goal of 11 hrs. I have read that you are not supposed to race your first Ironman but rather just finish it. For some people that might be the case but for me I might not ever do another Ironman so I want to make this one count. It is either 11hrs or DNF and DNF is never an option.

After I officially got into the race I started reading race reports for Ironman Florida. As I read those reports I would get really excited. When they were describing the finish for the race, I wanted to be there. When I would read the words "John Smith, You are an IRONMAN" my body would tingle and my heart rate would sky rocket. I want to hear those words. I have dreams about hearing those words. I will hear those words. When I am struggling during a long run I think about crossing the finish line and hearing those words. Ironman gives me the feeling that I am living my life. That feeling is the reason why I want to do an Ironman.