"It is finally finished. I have to say that this is one of the hardest entries I have ever written."
I thought it appropriate to add a special entry dedicated to the final minutes of my first Ironman. After 15 plus hours there has to be something special about:
1.) Being close enough to realize that you are going to complete this.
2.) Seeing the finish line and the crowds of people cheering!!!!!
3.) That final step as you cross the finish line.
In my last post I revealed that my first wave of optimism occurred when I hit the turn around on the second loop. It was not so much that I had series doubts about finishing but I did have 6 miles to run and after what I had put my body through it was not a given that I would finish. Several things could go wrong. I was still having bladder issues (although that settled down soon after the turn). I could step on uneven pavement and turn an ankle. The heat could suddenly become a factor, cramps could suddenly begin. Also playing with my head was the constant whine of sirens and flashing lights from ambulances. These provided a continual reminder that I could not take the the next 6 miles for granted.
It was time to take a deep breath focus and get the last 6 miles done.
At this time I am pausing to collect my thoughts. It has been over a month now and I still am finding it difficult to put into words exactly how I feel about this whole thing. I enjoyed every minute of training. I have a coach ( http://www.playtri.com/david ) that I respect for both his knowledge of the sport and as a person and the way he respects me and the people around him. I workout with great people. They make it fun and challenging. In short I can confidently say that I have enjoyed all of the past 14 months training and pushing myself more than I would have if I relaxed and "stayed on the couch" I enjoyed the pain? I enjoyed the sacrifices? I am a very twisted person.
This next statement may seem disingenuous but I will have to say it anyway. The Ironman was; I can hardly type the words: It was relatively easy in many ways. There, I said it. I cannot take it back.
Why would I or anyone feel this way? Maybe I am the only one. I did say earlier that I am a very twisted person. Also just because I feel it was easy does not mean that it actually was easy. It just means that I in some bizarre and unexplained way I traveled this journey like a ship travels the ocean with fair winds and following seas. ( http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/fair-winds-following-seas-motto-t6572.html ).
There has to be some reason as to why I feel this way. Maybe I am suffering from selective memory loss. I remember the good and have long since forgotten the bad. I think about the weeks of training and how each week progressed. I would dutifully fill out my "availability" each week and my coach would e-mail me my schedule of workouts for the week. I would then proceed through each days workout(s). If I missed a workout due to some unforeseen circumstance my coach would adjust my schedule. Really quite straight forward. (see conclusion #1)
Even following a good coach things can happen. Looking back over the last 14 months I can say that I have been very, very, very fortunate. I remained injury free for the entire training cycle. Given my history of ER visits this is quite remarkable. Of course a lot of this has to do with following coach David's plan. Outside of that sound counsel things can still happen; bike mishaps, tripping on uneven pavement and simple illnesses are just a few of the hindrances to a training regime. Other than a few sniffles and 1 stomach bug (24 hr) I avoided these interruptions. (See Conclusion #2).
Training can lead to a lot of isolation. Lets face it, Gathering a bunch of friends together for a 6 hour bike ride on a Saturday is not an easy task. Even within the groups I train with it is difficult because you would have to coordinate schedules, timing, speed of the workout etc.. In other words you would have to find a group that was at the same point in their training schedule, that trained at a compatible intensity and could do the ride at the same day and time. This leads to one thing, long solo rides. Fortunately for me I am a bit of a loner and I look forward to long solo rides. This has the added benefit of making group workouts even more special. (See conclusion #3)
What can I say about my support system. I have such an awesome group of friends, both athletes and non athletes. I was totally blown away by all of the FB messages of encouragement before the race. I could not believe how many of you watched me on line and kept track of me during the day. I figured my family would watch a little (to make sure I did not hurt myself; remember my many ER visits mentioned earlier). Also a couple friends told me that they would track my progress. So when I saw all the FB posts from all y'all that saw me finish, I was filled joy. It is truly a blessing to have all of you supporting me. (Conclusion #4).
Last and certainly not least. My number 1 fan. Even if she is my Wife, to ask someone to put their life on hold and entirely focus on your task is really a selfish request. My main goal was to complete the ironman and not die. So to do so I was quite focused on the task. As the race approached I was more and more focused on the race. What can I say about someone who put their life on hold to support me. I am am the most fortunate man in the world. (conclusion #5)
Conclusions:
1.) I can be very subordinate. Especially when I trust and respect the one I am taking orders from. Trust those you work with.
2.) Sometimes things work to your benefit. Unfortunately we usually focus on the negative and the obstacles. I never realized how much I was blessed with good luck during my training.
Fair winds and following seas.
For my next Ironman I will make sure that I count my blessings each and everyday that I am able to get up and train.
3.) I am a triathlete. Always have been, always will be. In short a very sick and twisted individual LOL.
4.) 140.6 miles is a distance that is never traveled alone.
5.) Without my wife none of this would have ever happened.
