Friday, April 20, 2007

Obligatory Post Ironman Philosophical Post

You may wonder if I am still enamored with the Ironman after my disastrous running of Ironman Arizona.

Yes…duh, what the did you think I’d say…oh my feet hurt…it was so hard…I got so tired…blah, blah, blah. Live and learn baby!

Why do I still love the iron? Maybe I can explain it thusly…it is the only setting I have found where I can directly confront my own weaknesses and grapple with them mano-e-mano. It really is a growth experience. It doesn’t make sense to plunk down that kind of money on everything involved in an Ironman just to get the shirt, medal and title...it’s a total growth experience and NO, you can’t just do it on your own because a big part of it is actually being out there with all those other athletes who have the gall, the same gall you arrive with, to face down their own weaknesses, demons and/or fears. It is an honor to bear witness to the very best the human spirit has to offer and to know that you…YOU are a part of that.

Ok, the shirt, medal and title are totally cool too and I’d be one disgruntled puppy if I didn’t get mine!

It would also be a tremendous disappointment to me if my bad experience last weekend discouraged anyone from attempting an Ironman. In a race that long things can go wrong and that is multiplied by distance…however, things can go right too and often do. Yes, there were 208 DNFs at IMAZ this year but that means something like 90% of those who started finished! And let me correct myself a little, my experience was not bad per-se…it was at times painful and often somewhat confusing. However I had my moments of glory, my personal triumphs and my moments of lucidity and even bliss…I did enjoy myself overall…even on race day.

There it is…where else can you be so low and so high at the same time. Do it, sign up for an Ironman…you won’t be sorry.

Next on tap…easy workouts this weekend, cut loose with a short course duathlon the weekend of April 29th and then three sprint tris followed by an Olympic, weekend rest, Duce Man half-iron and then it’s time to start training seriously for IM Louisville!

Fortitudine Vincimus!

6 comments:

  1. I have read several complaints on the roads for IMAZ, whats your take?

    rockon`

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  2. oh, and you forgot to mention - time to start logging some serious time on your new steed...yea, baby...yea!

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  3. Your a machine with your race schedule.

    I think that what makes us sign up for these endurance events. Just mono a mono against the course and yourself.. You get thru it and you better for it...

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  4. Myles, you rock. No question.

    Brent and I had a little discussion after he popped out the other end of the chute. Should I hang with him? His answer? Go watch Myles finish. Neither of us had any doubt.

    Fortitudine Vincimus!

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  5. Very awesome! Always get back on the horse.

    I'm still fascinated on how much your subconscious was working to allow you to finish (shield you?) in the midst of all that was going on with your body.

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  6. What? Serious training for Louisville hasn't started, yet?

    Where's my coach? We need to have a chat! I've been robbed.

    Oh, wait. I picked the schedules. Darn!

    I guess having just completed IMAZ, you get to take some down time before "serious" training starts.

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