Imagine your wake up call at 3 am in your hotel room. You get up and head down to the lobby where there are dozens of people having an early breakfast. No this isn’t a strange breakfast group meeting, although some of the attendees may be certifiable. The groups heads down to the beach and the gun fires at 6am. The first racers are in the water and then almost two thousand athletes follow.
An Ironman 70.3 race starts with a 1.2 mile swim, then a 56 mile bicycle race, and ends with a half marathon of 13.1 miles for a total of 70.3 miles. The pros will finish in just under 4 hours, but other athletes will never finish at all. Each contestant has a 9 hour window to finish the race or you are stopped and disqualified.
This is my first Ironman race and it is also the first Ironman race in Providence, RI. I have done several shorter triathlons, but never this race of races. Some say an Ironman is the ultimate test of endurance and internal strength. I believe it is an amazing opportunity to push your physical and mental limitations further than most even dare. It is not about about the first place win for most, but one against oneself. Throughout most of the race, psychology is more important that physical strength.
I am very excited to be able to participate in this race. This event will be a growing moment for me, about 25,000 moments to be accurate. I hope to finish in about 7 hours. I believe that if you are not growing you are dying. In the end I know that I will be a champion no matter what the race clock reads when I cross the line.
More on this race next week. I may be sitting on my couch with my laptop unable to move for several days. I say this only partially tongue and cheek. My wife is coming with me not to see me cross the finish line, but to drive my Gumby like body 3 hours back home.
I plan on competing in a full Ironman (double the length of this race) within the next year, but ask me that after this Sunday and I will let you know if I am still enamored with that idea.
What’s your ultimate challenge?
Live Fit, Laugh Often, Love Most .... Life is a wonderful ride!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
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