I Made It!!

I want to share with you a play-by-play of the day along with some thoughts looking back on it all.

My Ironman Day
I woke up that morning at 4:45, enjoyed my coffee and bagel (breakfast of champions) and walked off to the transition zone to pump my bike tires and then moved on to the swim start.  Mostly, I kept to myself, really thinking of nothing with a few inconsequential conversations here and there with other nervous athletes.

I started the 3.8 km swim just shy of 7 am after two CAF fighter jets did a fly-by to get us all pumped up.  Over an hour later, I climbed out of the water and onto the beach feeling as I wanted: warmed up, awake and confident.  My family was right there yelling, screaming and jumping up and down. Taking my time, I put on my bike gear and zoomed off for the 180 km bike ride.

My plan for the bike ride was to maintain a heart rate of 125 beats per minute regardless of speed.  That would help keep me below my lactic acid threshold; where cramping starts.  I had a wonderful time on the bike.  I know that sounds crazy.  The heavy downhills that once terrified me gave me joy and pleasure.  I drank litres of sports drinks and water and felt strong.  I had never pushed myself this long and was visualizing myself crossing the finish line in great time.  In the final 10-20 minutes of the bike ride, however, my stomach started to ache.  I wasn’t sure what it needed – more food, no food, water, salt?  I had never been here before.  I knew that the run would be tough because your body tends to spiral downward as you expend more effort.

The run wasn’t the most pleasurable but I knew that everyone around me was also suffering.  I settled into a walk and jog – the notion of running was long gone.  My cousin’s advice, a three-time Ironman finisher, started to echo in my mind: “The run will get dark and when it does just keep moving forward.  Don’t worry about the pace.  Just don’t stop.”

The sun had set by the time I crossed the finish line at 8:30pm.  The last 400m of the run was lined with hundreds of spectators screaming your name.  I was emotional and noticed the woman running beside me tearing up.  We put our arms around each other when she said: “This is pretty amazing.”  It was.

That night, I was exhausted and didn’t want to eat or enjoy a celebratory beer.  I drank a few glasses of ice water and went to bed.  I had never felt this physically tired before.  The next morning, I felt well.  I had no tremendous stiffness, my head was clear and my appetite was back.  And, in the afternoon I genuinely wanted to play in the pool with my boys.  I knew then that I had done it.

Looking Back
On the run, I had time to think about how I had gotten there and to look at the other amazing participants.  It is bittersweet knowing that you are within arms reach of your goal and that it will no longer be there tomorrow to drive you.

The human mind, body and spirit are capable of much more than we believe.  With some discipline, presence and genuine intention we can get close to or reach our aspirations.  That could be playing great bridge, travelling to another continent, learning another language or connecting with our kids and grandkids.  In my experience, most initiatives are achieved if genuinely pursued.

During the event, I saw participants in physical and mental states across the spectrum.  And, the stereotypes didn’t always measure up.  The muscular young man suited up in expensive gear may be seated in the first aid tent on the side of the run course from heat exhaustion while the mother of 3 moved ahead comfortably.  Age is another confusing dimension.  I found the 50 and 60-year old age group unbelievable.  They were in shape, mentally strong and seemingly passing me at every turn. It helped remind me that if you take care of yourself, while not a guarantee, you can continue the activities that you love.

At times, this felt like a very isolating effort.  Early morning bike rides and runs across all corners of Toronto were all done alone.  Still, I had a handful of experts and professionals that got me from A to B.  Chuck, my coach, kept me focused on what I could control and adapted my plan to my life.  Katarina, my chiropractor, kept my body aligned and loose.  Sharon, my naturopath, helped me find the supplement mix that took away my muscle stiffness.  Andrew, my cycling guru, said a few words that helped me get over my aversion to speed. The list goes on and on.  Ironman training took me far outside my circle of competence and trying to solve these issues without help would have been time-consuming and rarely effective.

They say that sacrifices are made by an entire family when one member decides to train for an Ironman. Valerie made this possible for me.  Thank you to all my clients who encouraged me by asking questions and checking in on my progress.  Knowing you are not alone helps push you forward.

Many, including myself, are asking whether I’ll tackle another full Ironman.  I’m not sure.  I loved the training and reaching outside of my comfort zone.  Ten years ago, when I started triathlons, I never imagined I’d be here.   Wow.  We’ll have to see what next year brings.

All the best,